1S) 
defpotic, and, we truft, it will operate as.a 
falutary caution. 
That the government is fenfible of the 
dangerous fituation of affairs, appears from 
every part of its conduct ; 3 and there are 
fome circumfances, which feem to an- 
nounce.a better order of things. The 
Minifter of Police, Fouché, with his hott 
of fpies, has been difmified. This mea- 
fure, it is rumoured, was adopted to gra- 
tify General Moreau, who had exprefied 
himself with warmth and feeling againft 
this grofs infringement of perfonal liberty. 
Every means befides has been employed, 
it is faid, to concilinte this great man, 
and to gain his approbation. 
Another meaiure of neceffary caution, 
perhaps, but which will have, we forefee, 
fome falutary effeéts to mankind, is a de- 
cree of the Firft Conful, dated O&ober 2, 
reftriting the importation of Negroes or 
Mulattces intothe French colonies. This, 
we truft, will be the firft tep towards the 
abolition of the abominable Slave-trade. 
SWITZERLAND. 
The infurre&tion, which we announced 
in our laft Political Retrofpe&t, has fince 
affumed a ftill more formidable appear- 
ance. By the middle of September, it ap- 
pears, the whole of the Eaftern Divifion 
of the Helvetic Republic, Turgovia, and 
a part of the Grifons, exceptedy»was in 
open infurre&ion againft the conftituted 
authorities ; and fuch was the addrefs of 
the leaders, or the juftice of their caufe, 
that the partifans of the ancient oll- 
garchy, andthe decided friends of demo- 
cracy, appeared equally zealous to demo- 
lifh the government fabricated for them 
by France. About the fame time, the 
Cantons of Argovia and Baden, were in 
full infurreétion. The peafants rofe in a 
mafs, and immediately took poffefhon of 
Buig and Lenzburg. A warm action was 
fought at Baden, in which the peafants 
were victorious over the troops of the go- 
vernment 5 and, on the 18th of Septem- 
ber, the partriots, under the command of 
General Erlach appeared before Berne. 
General Andermatt, the Commander of the 
Army of the Government, cailed the Hel- 
vetic Army, had juft before arrived there 
frem Zurich, with 3oco men. With this 
force he found himfelf utterly unable to 
contend with the army of Erlach, which 
amounted, according to report, to 30,000. 
After a fhort ation, therefore, the Go- 
vernment found themfelves under the ne- 
eefity of capitujating. The Conftituted 
Authorities greed to remove to Laufanne, 
accompanied by the French and Spanifh 
‘Minifters, &c. where they arrived on the 
352 State of Public Affairs in OGfober, 1802. 
[ Nov. i, 
20th. The patriotic party were no fooner | 
eftablifhed at Berne, than they publifhed a 
proclamation, explanatory of their views, 
which were to leave the inhabitants of the 
feveral cantons at full liberty to choofe and 
regulate their refpective local governments, 
At the fame time ,they iffued a plan for a fe- 
deral conftitution for the regulation of the 
whole Helvetic body. In the mean time, 
Lucerneand Fribourg were taken poffefion 
of by the patriots, and the flame of infur- 
rection extended to Lugarno, and even to 
the Valteline,which forms a part of the Ita- 
lian Republic. 
their ancient laws. General Bachman, 
formerly in the pay of England, was ap- 
pointed Commander of the Confederate 
Troops ; and the Helvetic army being de- 
feated on the 3d of Oétober, before 
Avenches, the Government of Laufanne 
was thrown into the utmoft confternation, 
and meditated fericufly a retreat to Ge- 
neva. 
Such was the ftate of things when Ge- 
neral Rapp arrived at Laufanne with a 
proclamation from the Firft Conful of the 
reach Republic. In this extraordinary 
paper Bonaparte reproaches them with the 
factions into which for two years they 
had been divided. In the year to, he 
ftates, that at their defire the French 
troops were withdrawn, but that their dif- 
ferent parties then embraced the opportu- 
nity of renewing the troubles. He adds, 
that he had refolved not to meddle in 
their affairs, but that he now revoked his 
refolve; that he was determined to be- 
come their mediator, and that his media- 
tion fhould be efficacious. He then pro- 
ceeds with the moft revolting infolence to 
dictate his terms. .Thefe are, that with- 
in five days the Senate fhall meet at Berne 
—-all the Authorities that have been 
formed fhall ceafe to meet—the colleéting 
ef arms fhall ceafe—the corps under the 
Helvetic Government, raifed above fix 
months ago, to be the only treops inarms, 
and all others to be difarmed ; and, final- 
ly, Deputies from the Senate, and irom 
each Canton, to meet at Paris. 
The Commander of the Swifs patriots, 
Bachman, declined returning any anfwer 
to this requifiticn on his own authority, 
and referred the French Agent tothe Diet 
of Schwitz for a full reply. In the mean 
time an armiftice was concluded between 
the Generals on both fides, till the determi- 
nation of the Diet fhould ‘be known. It 
was reafonably conjeGtured that this Con- 
fular order was only preliminary to de- 
claring Switzerland a part of the French 
Repblics The fpirit of the Swifs, how- 
ever, 
The Grifons alfo refumed_ 
Pe 
