pe 
5 HISTORY OF EUROPE. 
action, the insurgents totally de- 
feated the troops of the latter, who 
were obliged precipitately to retreat; 
to abandon their functions; and they 
were hesitating whether to retire to 
Geneva or the territory of Savoy, 
when the arrival of a French gene- 
ya] reassured them, suspended their 
flight, and promised them, in the 
name of his government, instant re- 
establishment. A French army, un- 
der general Ney, immediately ad- 
yanced intothe heart of the country, 
restored the revolutionary .govern- 
ment, and dispersed the represen- 
tatives of the Swiss nation, who 
found themselves, singly, unable to 
oppose, with their handful of troops, 
and unsupported by any of the 
powers of Europe, the arms of the 
mighty empire of France. 
It may be supposed that the pow- 
ers of Europe surveyed this violation 
of the laws of nations, and most 
unjustifiable interference, with in- 
dignation and abhorrence ; unfor- 
tunately, however, for the liberties 
of this oppressed people, the want of 
union and co-operation among the 
greater states and the subserviency 
of the remainder to the will of Bo- 
naparte, rendered these sentiments 
ineffectual and fruitless, which might, 
if called into action, have stopped 
the despotic career of the tyrant, 
and established the rights and liber- 
ties of Europe, on a firm and im- 
mutable basis. During the whole 
season, therefore, when assistance 
might have been given with effect, no 
interference of any kind took place 
on the part of the continental pow- 
ers in behalf of the Swiss; notwith- 
siending that a French force had 
een, during that period, assembling 
on the frontiers of the country, evi- 
dently with the intention of com- 
249 
pelling them to accept such a con- 
stiuution and government as it should 
dictate.. On the 10th of October, 
however, the. English government 
presented a remonstrance, at Paris, 
on the interference of that court, 
in the internal regulations adopted 
by a free and independent.country, 
and referring to the treaty of Lune- 
ville, for an explicit declaration 
to that effect. On the same day, 
Mr. Moore .was dispatched by the 
English government, on a confiden- 
tial mission to Switzerland, to prof- 
fer to the Swiss confederacy, assis- 
tance in money, to procure for 
their exigencies arms, ammunition, 
and provisions ; provided they were 
determined to resist the system of 
coercion, adopted by France, to 
compel them to accept a form of 
government contrary to their incli- 
nation; and, if their means of re- 
sistance, were so calculated as to 
promise reasonable hopes of final 
success. To the former of these 
measures, namely, the remon- 
strance to the French court, it does 
not appear that any answer was ever 
given, or any notice whatever taken 
of it; as there certainly was not 
any farther remonstrance made, nor 
any effort, on the part of the En- 
glish government, to enforce that 
which had already been presented. 
Contemptuous sileuce alone marked 
the sense in which Bonaparte con- 
sidered this presumptuous interfer- 
ence with hissovereign will. Nor was 
the Jatter measure more fortunate. 
On the 31st of October, 4fr.Moore 
arrived at Constance, where he 
found the French force in posses- 
sion of Switzerland, and not a trace 
of resistance existing in the country. 
Thus terminated this only instance of 
the appearance of vigour, which the 
existing 
