HISTORYOF EUROPE. [197 



occasion, that among the ohjects 

 nearest his heart was that of esta- 

 blishing a very powerful republic 

 in Lombardy : such a state as might 

 be a check on the enemies of 

 France, and even stronger, per- 

 haps, than might be agreeable to 

 that spirit of domination and ty- 

 ranny which prevailed among so 

 great a portion of the French na- 

 tion. In a solemn speech, pro- 

 nounced at Milan, he said, that 

 Lombardy and Liguria, should 

 form only one republic. Time has 

 not yet unfolded his sentiments and 

 views on that great subject. That 

 a republic should be formed in 

 Italy, fitted to rest, immovable, 

 on its own basis, and to counter- 

 poise and check the unprincipled 

 designs, and capricious sallies of 

 other powers, is an event greatly 

 to be desired by every government, 

 and by none that would be of long 

 duration, more than by the rulers 

 of France itself. 



After Italy was re-conquered, by 

 the quick passage of the Alps, the 

 battle of Marengo, and the sur- 

 render of all the strong places in 

 Lombardy, Piedmont, and Genoa, 

 to the French general, Berthier, as 

 well as the first consul, returned to 

 Paris, and Massena was succeeded 

 in the command of the army by 

 general Brune. 



The French, in the arrange- 

 ments made with the Austrians, 

 for a suspension of arms, had ac- 

 quiesced in the neutrality of Tus- 

 cany. And, perhaps, if that sus- 

 pension had been followed by a pa- 

 cification, as proposed by the chief 

 consul, in the moment of victory, 

 it would not have been violated. 

 But when negociation for peace 

 was found not to be successful, the 

 French government became desi- 



rous of repossessing the duchy; and, 

 on pretence of frequent outrages 

 and depredations committed, as 

 was alleged in the adjoining dis- 

 tricts by Tuscan brigands, or rob- 

 bers. It was thus that they thought 

 proper, on the present occasion, to 

 style an armed corps, which the in- 

 habitants had formed for maintain- 

 ing the internal order and tranquil- 

 lity of the country. General Som- 

 meriva, in the end of September, 

 was sent with only a small escort to 

 disarm and disperse the national 

 guard of the Tuscans. This requi- 

 sition not being readily complied 

 with, general Brune sent a detach- 

 ment, under general Dupont, to 

 take possesssion of theTuscan terri- 

 tory. Dupont, on the fifteenth of 

 October, entered Florence without 

 opposition. Soon after this, briga- 

 dier general Clement persuaded the 

 Austrian troops, at Leghorn, to 

 surrender that town to him, on his 

 assenting to a convention for the 

 continuance of the Tuscan govern- 

 ment, and the security of privi- 

 leges and of property. This agree- 

 ment was not scrupulously observed, 

 though the British merchants were 

 fortunate in preserving the greater 

 part of their effects, by means of 

 the ships in the harbour. Strong 

 parties were now sent out against 

 the armed Tuscans at Arezzo, and 

 other places ; and, as some resist- 

 ance was made by the latter, they 

 were not subdued and dispersed 

 without bloodshed. About the 

 same time, aheavy contribution was 

 imposed on the small helpless state 

 of Lucca. 



The French authority and power, 

 throughout Italy, was at this time 

 so great, that the municipality 

 of Cesenatico, a sea-port on the 

 Adriatic coast, presumed to ari-est 



