Newspaper Page Text
the Journal'if the French Direc-
of the zb Phreal , f A/<*y 9, ’99J
'»» The members of the directory having
met purfiunt to the 31 ft article of the con
stitution, to decide by lot which of them
| ffiould go out of office on the firft of next
f jVarjal, (the 20th of May) f the order of
drawing wai> fir ft determined in the follow*
t ig manner: iff, citizen Barras —id, citi
„ zen Lepeaux—3d, citizen Reubell. The
ball containing the word—“ Member of
the Diredorv to go out,” was drawn by
< jtiz.cn Reubell; and it was accordingly
declared, that he should quit his situation
un the 20 s h of may. A meftage Hating
the proceeding was immediately sent to
both council!).”
2m Executive Directory of the French Repub
lic to all the people anil all governments,
“The news of an excessive outrage has
already resounded in Europe, and the cir
cumftanceof a crime the mod unheard of,
w ith which the pages of the hiltory of ci
vilized nations have been stained, are now
collecting with horror from all parts. It
was at the gates of Raftadt, on the territory
of an independent and neutral prince, and
f i|| t | lC members of the congress
. t.r t Tily detained in this town, and forced
to be no less important than indignantfpec
lators of a crime which affefted them in
the deepest manner, and threatened them
all, that in contempt of aflltrences given,
in contempt of every thing which consti
tutes humanity, justice, and honor, the
plenipotentiaries ol the republic, vi&ims
ever to be regretted of the million of peace
with which they were entrusted, and un
limited devotion with which they fulfilled
the inftruCtions of government, and main
tained the national dignity, were maftacred
in cold blood bv a detachment of Austri
an troops. Rut how much more detesta
ble do ail the tircumftances of this assassi
nation render it!
“ Already, in the firft days of the month
Floreal, the communication of the French
legation with the republic had been inter
cepted ; one of its couriers had been car
ried off, and the fpiiited remonltrances of ;
the congress had only produced an insolent
declaration, which made its separation ne
cessary.
“ On the 9th Floreal (28th April) at 7
o’clock in the evening, the colonel of the <
regiment of the Szeeklers caused a rfecla
jHtion to be made by a captain to Baron 1
Aibini, the dereflorial minister, that the
French legation might leave Raftadt in se
curity. The fame captain proceeded as- <
terwardsto the French ministers, and fig-
Jiified to them an order to depart from Raf
tadt in twenty-four hours. At 8 o’clock <
tney got into their carriages, and were ftopt j
at the gates of the town. So sudden a de- |
parture no doubt had been expe&ed, and <
the assassination was not completely organ- 1
ized. Another hour was still wanting.— <
At 9 o'clock the prohibition from puffing 1
the gates was taken off with refpedt to the | |
French legation only. The French mini!’- I 1
ters demanded an escort, but the Austrian (
commanderrefufed to grant it, andanfwer- i
cd in the following terms: “ you will be I >
as feeure on your journey as in your apart- I ;
incuts.” Rut the legation had fearcely ad- I
vanted fifty paces, when it was surround- I 1
ed by a numerous detachment of the lame I
corps, whole commander had just before I
proraifedevery kindoflecurity. Thecar
riages are Hopped; citizen Jean Debry,
who was in the firft, is forced to alight, and I
he is allied, “ Are you not Jean Debry ?” 1
“ Ves,’’ he answered, “ 1 am Jean Debry
—Minister of France.” lie instantly falls I
to the ground pierced with wounds. The I
citizens Bonnier and Roberjot are flopped
in the fame manner and interrogated.*—
They tell their names and are killed. Ro
bvrjot is maffucred in the arms of his wife. I
The crime being perpetrated, the papers I
of the legation are carried off and convey- 1
ri to the Austrian commander. In confi- I
dering these faithful details, who is there I
rhat cannot perceive the pre-meditations I
of this assassination, and its firft authors. I
“ Such a sacrilege will doubtlels only I
tend to the accumulation of infamy and ex- I
r ration, and should any other punilhment I
be wanting, hiftorv reserves one for thole I
who hive been guilty of the crime. It 1
would he in vain for the court of Vienna I
to a'tempt to (bakeoff the dreadful refpon- |
fibih'v that attaches to this accusation I
All its previous conduct now comes for- I
ward i i evidence against it. It will be re- I
r oiled ed that it commenced hostilities by I
an ontr.ge of a limiiar nature, in cauGng I
two French ambassadors to be arrested on
the territory of the confederacy, who were
niterwauF thrown into dungeons at Man
tua. it w ill be remembered that the pri-
F'ncrs of Olinotz nlfo received, and con
fine 1 tor three years, reprefentativrs of the
ts'ople, 'ml a minister who was delivered
v treachery. It wilt be remembered that
•Wtdftri.i wa . not unacquainted with the af
fiirtinafttnn committed at Rome on the
french, and that it received and proteded
| the cm hors of them. It will finally be re»
■ cofteded, that the firft amba.Ldor of the
\
.A
experienced only out
rages ind affronts there. These statements
art- fulficient to impress ccnvidion that the
assassination recently perpetrated at Raftadt,
is but the consequence and horrid comple
tion of tiie series of atrocities with which
Austria hasaftonilhedEurope,fince Charles
tne Fifth furniflied the example of stepping
beyond all social laws, by causing the am
baftadors whom Francis theFirft sent to Ve
il ice and Conftar.tinople to be maftacred.
“ The proofs existing in hiftory of the
indignation which was manifeft at that pe
riod by all European powers convince us
that a crime still more execrable will also
excite more horror and detefration.
“ And when the constant moderation
and boundless generosity of the French Re
public ftiall be compared with the crimes
of Austria ; when it (hall be considered
that even in the midst of the moll violent
storms of the revolution, the law of nati
ons has not received the Highteft injury in
France, that the envoy of the Bretannic
government entered twice into the territo
ry of France, and departed from it free and
refpeded, although justly fufpedted to have
come rather to excite troubles than to
negociate peace; that the minister of Na
ples obtained permission to return to his
master, and to continue his journey in
a secure and uninterrupted manner, at
the very moment when the French ge
neral had re pul fed the Neapolitan troops,
and when he was informed that the am
bassador of the republic had been refuf
ed passports to retire by land, and had
been compelled to embark at Naples, with
a certainty that filch a measure was but to
deliver him into the hands of the African
states; that the cruel treatment to which
the French have fallen viftims in the do
minions of the Grand Seignior, however
great and just the national relentment, on
tiiat account, may have been, has not giv
en rife to any reprisals ; when the con
gress of Raftadt, peaceably and refpe&ed
as long as the French armies were near it,
ftiall becompared with the congress thrown
into confufion, and dissolved on the ap
proach of the Auftrians; —when the vo
untary departure of M. M. de Lehrback
and de Metternich, proteded by French
passports, (lull be compared with the pre
mediated massacre of the ministers of the
Republic: These different contrails, al
ready so odious, will become still more
dilhonorable for Austria by the compari
son which mull be made between its fat
tellbcs, wliofe cowardly ferocity is a fub
eft of allonifliment even to the people of
the North, who have been called upon to
co-operate with them and theagents of the
governments of Europe, who, though it is
the moll essential enemy of the French go
vernment, and the most determined to ini
jure it, have recently given proofs at Con
stantinople that they understood the law
of nations, and set a value on preventing
the violation of it. Is it possible then,
that any people, that any government
who may not have objured every princi
ple of civilization and of honor, can hefi
tate for a moment to declare itfelf in favor
of good faith against perfidy ; in favor of
continued moderation against unmalked
ambition; in favor of abused confidence
against atrocious and premeditated crimes?
“ It is therefore with the just hope of
being attended to with effert, and of ob
tainingfor theilluftrious vidiins who have
been immolated at Raftadt, a deep regret,
for the French Republic an honorable ap
probation, and an union of execration a
gainst Austria, that the Executive Direc
tory now addrefies this solemn appeal to
the conscience and honor of every peo
ple and of every government, accepting,
thus early, as a pledge of the generous de
termination which will be formed by them,
the particular indignation which has been
expressed with so much energy at Raftadt,
by all the members of the congress, and at
Paris by the ambassadors and ministers of
friendly or neutral powers.
“ The Executive Diredory decree, that
the preceding manifeflo ftiall be transmit
ted to all governments; that it ftiall be
[ printed in the bulletin of the laws, and so-
Icmnly read, publiflied and affixed in all
the communes of the Republic, and be in
lerted in the orders of all the armies.
(Signed)
“BARRAS, Prefit.
“ LA GARDE, Sec."
LONDON, May 21.
Accounts from the fleet off the Texet
I state, that the most busy preparations were
lon Wcdnefday making for the failing of
I the Dutch squadron, which then consisted
lof fifteen fail of the line. There were two
I other veflels of like denomination, in a
I state of considerable forwardnefs. Admi-
I ral Dickson’s fleet comprised the Monarch.
J and Ganges, of 74 guns; the Monmouth,
I Ardent, Agamemnon, America, Balliquex,
I Naflau, Diredor, Veteran, and Prince
j Irederick, of 64 ; and Madras, of
May 23. w
Every article of intelligence from the
I north of Germany,fays a Paris paper, con-
I firms the report that Paul I. is determined
j to larufs the k ng of Prussia, and the States
of the Empire, who have abandoned Anf
tria, and are on amicable terms with
France. , ,
A private letter from Venice is said to
state, that the Ruffians having taken a
French port in Italy, confiding of sixty men,
fifty-eight of them were put to death, and
the remaining two ordered to go to the
French commander, and inform him that
Suwarrow was arrived.
ROVE REDO, May 4.
The citadel of Milan has a garrison of
3000 Frenchmen, Cifalpines and Poles.
The Cifalpines and Piedmontefe go over
by whole detachments to the Austrians.
General Klenau has occupied Reggio and
Como Orci Nuovi is inverted by armed
peasants. The whole municipality of
Cremona have been sent prisoners to Ve
rona.
The garrison of Pefchiera confirts of
1500 men.
The Neapolitan army in Calabria is now
40,000 men rtrong, and to advance it on
ly waits for Lord Nelson’s making a de
scent.
In Lombardy the infurre&ion is gene
ral—it spreads towards Lucca and Genoa
and the fame scenes are expe&ed in Pied
mont.
SALEM, July 16.
On Saturday arrived here the fliip
Friendfliip, 22 guns, commanded by capt.
Israel Williams, in 45 days from Ham
burgh. Capt. W. ha* obliged us with
London papers to the 21st of May, and
Hamburgh papers in the Englifti language,
to May 22d, and in German to the 29th,
from which we give the following accounts.
Supplement Extraordinary to the Vienna Court
Gazette of Monday , May 6.
The Fieldmarflialand Count of the Em
pire, Suwarrow Rimnilkoy, has sent here
this morning by the firft lieutenant of en
gineers, Count Bokaime,per express to his
majerty, the following circumstantial re
port refpefting the operations of the Im
perial Royal and Imperial Ruffian army
over the Oglio till its arrival at Milan.
On the 24th of April the enemy left the I
Oglio, owing to the movement of Colonel
Staunch, of Michael Wallis, who forced
his way through with 7 battalions from
Tyrol by Val Camonica againftLovere,to
the Northern point of Lake Ifeo. The
imperial royal army eroded that river in
two columns, viz. the right wing under
the command of general Rofenburg, by
Palazuolo to Bergamo; and the left under
that of the general of cavalry, Melas, by
Ponte d’Oglio, Martinego, Sola, as far as
the river Serio.
On the next day (April 25) the army
advanced in three columns to the Adda ;
the right column, confiding of the brigade
of gen. Vukaflovich and the imperial Ruf
fian troops marched by Ponte Pietro and
Pontila against Deccho; the second co
lumn consisting of ;he devision of Field
marlhal Lieuts. Ott and Zoph, marched
against Vaprio, and encamped facing the
village ; the third column, under the com
mand of the general of cavalry, Count
Melas, marched on the high road by Gara
vazi Travillo, and encamped facing Caf
fano.
Meanwhile the enemy had fortified Caf
fano in the strongest manner: this place
and theright bank of the Adda wereftrong
ly beset with batteries, and even on this
fide there was a fortified head to the bridge.
The head quarters of the enemy com
manded by general Moreau, were at In
zago, and two divisions of his army were
placed there to dispute us the paflage of the
Adda.
Near Lecello the enemy were also strong
ly entrenched, and have likewise a fortified
bridge head on the left bank. The divisi
on of the hostile general Serrurier was de
lcending the upper Adda; the half was
stationed behind the Leccho, part near
Porto Imbetzago, another near Trezzo.
On the lower Adda about Lodi there
was a rtrong detachment under the com
mand of the enemy’s general Delmas, and
in Pizzighetone, a rtrong garrison.
On the 26th April the imperial Ruffian
troops attacked the enemy before Leccho,
and prince Paggraziau, commandant of
the chafleurs, supported bv two battalions
of grenadiers, drove back the enemy to the
bridge, notwithstanding their advantageous
position.
On the fame day, General Sckendorf
advanced to Crema from the camp near
Trevile with two battalions and two squa
drons of horse, the enemy having appeared
there with 1500 men, and sent rtrong pa
troles against Lodi.
General Count Hohenzollern, who had
before then advanced to the Cremona,
sent rtrong flying parties against Pizzig
hetone, and also to the Po as far as Parma.
The enemy entrenched themselves every
where on the Adda, and were resolved to
defend themlelves to the last extremity.
On the 27th Fiddmar&al Count Suwar
row resolved to force the paflage of that
river.
For this purpose Gen. Vukaflovich pas
fed over that river in the night near Brivio
on one of the flying bridges ruined by the
enemy, which he repaired in great haste
and took an advantageous politioa on the
right bank, with 4 battalions, 2 squadrons
and 4 pieces of cannon, about the
of Brivio, sent his patroles against Ogliate
and Garlate, who immediately fell in with
the enemy.
An Imperial royal column arrived at 9
at night, behind the village of Gervafio.
just facing Trezzo; it confiftcd of the di
vision of Fieldmarflial Lieutenant Ott, as *
van, and that of Fieldmarfhal Lieutenant '
Zoph, as support. The Captain of Pon
toiners, who was sent out firft, reported it
to be impracticable to throw a pontoon
bridge over the river, owing to the steep
ness of the mountain and the rapid wind
ings of the river.
Quarter master general marquis de Chaf
teler went himfelf to the spot, and found
the attempt very difficult, but not quite
impossible, and resolved with the assistance
of the four battalions from the Bannat and
that of the chafleurs, a colonel having him
felf offered his service, to have the pon
toons carried down by men, and, notwith
standing the great difficulty to erect a
bridge in this manner.
From twelve at night till five in the
morning all the pontoons and rafts were
luckily brought down and half part five the
bridge was ready. ,
Thirty chafleurs of the corps of Afperi,
and 50 volunteers of Nadafdy, were sent
over and halted at the foot of the fteeprock
upon which is built the castle of Trezzo.
After the bridge was finifhed, major Keier
eroded the Adda with fix companies of
the Paid corps of Chafleurs one regiment of
Ruffian Coflacks, and under the command
of colonel Bidefkuti, one battalion of Na
dafdy, two battalions of Efterhazy, and
the 4th battalion from the Bannat, whom
he commanded as brigadier, likewise cros
sed the river, and attacked the enemy both
in Trezzo and behind it.
The French, who had deemed the build
ing of a bridge impra£licable there, had
not in the least perceived it. The above
mentioned brigade was now followed by
the 7th regiment of Hussars, and two re
giments of coflacks: the enemy were dri
ven back as far as Pozzo, where Fieid
marfhal lieutenant Ott, whose whole
division had passed, fell in with the ene
my’s division of gen. Grenier, which was
just going to advance against gen. Vukaf
fuvich, to Brivio.
The combat became very obstinate ; the
enemy took station between Pezzo and
Brivio, and were attacked in the most cou
rageous manner, on which occafion'the
brave colonel Bidefkuti was in
the head, with a piece of grapa fnotl
The enemy, who had at the fame time
been reinforced from the division of Vic
tor, were just going to turn our right wing,
and the battalion of the Bannat already re
treated, when general Chefteller led the
two grenadier battalions of Pers &c Stentfch
from the front of Zappy’s division, which
were just arrived against the enemy.
The battalion of Fers attached in front,
and fuffered considerable loss.
The battalion of Stentfch, with two
squadrons of the Archduke Joseph’s hus
sars, under the command of captain Kirch
ner, led on by the firft lieutenant count
Bekarme, o{the corps of engineers, advan
ced farther to the right, fell into the ene
my’s flank, music playing, routed them,
and the hussars of the archduke Joseph for
ced their way through the enemy, took
500 prisoners, and cut 200 in pieces.
The village of Pozzo was carried with
the bayonet. Meanwhile the enemy re
ceived reinforcements, and were polled on
the road leading from Vaprio to Milan;
they were attacked again, and major Re
zer, of the battalion of Nadafdy, took Va
prio, and made 200 prisoners.
The enemy were pursued, and near
Gorgonzello, their General Beker, and
thirty wounded officers, were made pri
soners—Meantime, the General of cavalry
Count Melas, advanced against Caffmo,
ordered to cannonade the intrenchments
over the canal of Ritorto with 12 pounders
and howitzers, and as the enemy retreated
he ordered a light bridge to be thrown ov
er the broad and difficult canal of Ritorto.
The firft lieutenant, Count Kinlky of the
corps of pointers, got it made notwith
standing the violent cannonade on the
part of the enemy :—General Melas im
mediately ordered the regiment of Reilky,
to advance against the redoubt of the
bridge, which had already been set fire to
by the French, but it was saved by our
troops.
The General of Cavalry, Melas passed
in this manner with his whole column 0-
ver the Adda, and marched that very eve
ning as far as Gorgonzello, and the next
morning, (April 28th) to Milan.
The two divifioqsof Froeiich and Ott
also advanced against Milan cm the 28th
—-the right column under Gen. Rosen
berg, marched on the 27th over the Adda
near Brivio; Gen. Vukaffovich, who had
already passed that river, composed the
van, and encauntered near Verderio the