from the frontiers of the Grifons, to the North-eaft, by the Voralberg, to the eastern extremity of the Lake of Conftance. Vigoroufly repulfed in his firft attack, Maffena, regardless, as ufual, of the lives of his men, renewed it, five different times, with fresh forces, and increased impetuofity. But all could not avail against the fteady valour of the Auftrians, who drove back the affailants, with immenfe flaughter.

The French, however, being in poffeflion of the Grifons, the inva fion of the Engadine and the county of Bormio, by a divifion of the army of Italy, cantoned, (by the improvident caution of the Emperor) in the Valteline, under the orders of Gen. Cafabianca, was facilitated. The Auftrians, too weak in that quarter, to refift them, retreated into the Tyrol, whither they were pursued by the French, who, (not without confiderable lofs,) forced fome of the defiles by which the entrance of that country was defended, and extended their deftructive incurfions as far as Glurenz and Nauders. Meanwhile, the van-guard of the main army of the Imperalifts pushed forward to meet the enemy, and, on the 21st of March, attacked the center of Jourdan's army, which it compelled to retreat from Sulgau to Engen, a diftance of about twelve leagues. The French then occupied the line from Schaffhaufen through Engen to Dutlingen; and, on the ap proach of the Auftrains, Jourdan attacked them with his whole force on the 25th, but, after gaining fome advantage on his left wing, was completely defeated on his right, and in his center, and compelled to retreat with precipitation.

In Italy the fuccefs of the Auftrians was equally confpicuous, notwithstanding the treachery of the French, in attacking them before the expiration of the truce. The attempt of the latter to force the advanced pofts of the former, on the 26th of March, at Santa Lucia, and Buffalengo, was rendered abortive; and at Legnago, the Auftrian General Kray obtained a complete victory, and compelled them to feek protection under the walls of Mantua, On the fifth of April, however, they were attacked, in their pofition, at Marmiruolo, which lies on the road from Mantua to Pefchiera, at a fhort distance from the former, by the Auftrians, who compelled them, after an obstinate conflict, once more to retreat.

The accounts received are not fufficiently clear to enable us to ftate, with accuracy, either the lofs of the French, in these different actions, or the fituation of their refpective armies, fubfequent to their defeat. To rate the number of killed, wounded, and taken, at thirty thousand men, would, as far as we can judge from the documents before us, be no exaggeration. But the good confequences refulting from the fuccefs of thefe firft operations, in infpiring the enemies of the French with confidence, and in inftilling difmay into the minds of their own troops, are incalculable; every attempt to appreciate the influence, which it is calculated to have on the general affairs of Europe, would, at this moment, be vain.

The Auftrian army in Italy appear to be mafters of the country between Mantua and Legnago, and to occupy a pofition extending along the banks of the Adige from the latter place to Verona, and

from

from thence to Pefchiera, on the lake of Garda, which is in paffeflion of the French. Long before this, they have been joined by the first divifion of the Rulian army, and, in all probability by General SuWARROW himself.

The army of the Archduke extends along the frontiers of Switzerland, from Schaffhaufen to Bafil; while the divifion under General Hotze occupies Feldkirch, and the country from thence to the lake of Conftance. The French have evacuated the Tyrol, the Engadine, and the Valteline; and the greater part of their main army, expelled from Swabia, have recroffed the Rhine, and are ftationed to defend the pofts on the oppofite banks. Jourdan has refigned his command, and has been fucceeded by Maffena, whofe principal efforts will be directed to the defence of Switzerland. That country muft now become the theatre of war, as the poffeflion of it is of the utmost confequence to both parties. So long as the French, by leaving the Swifs unmolefted, fecured their neutrality, the open frontier of France, in her fouthern departments, expofed her to no danger. But now that the Swifs have been forced to become parties in the conteft, the cafe is altered. The Archduke, by a well timed proclamation, remarkable for its wisdom, temperance, and juftice, has effectually quieted the apprehenfions, and conciliated the affections, of fuch as are anxious to throw off the intolerable yoke of France. That the Swifs peafantry will be eager to avail themfelves of the afliftance of the Auftrians, to inflict exemplary vengeance on the fanguinary tyrants who have profaned their altars, fullied the purity of their wives and daughters, matfacred their relations and friends, and laid waste their country, with fire and fword, fcarcely admits of a doubt; though we be no ftrangers to the arts now induftrioufly employed to mislead and pervert their minds: and it is equally certain that the French will be unable to refift this combination of force, notwithstanding the advantages which they poffets in the country. Whether, then, after their expulfion from Switzerland, the Swifs remain inactive, or, which is moft to be expected, will become the allies of their liberators, still the Auftrians will be enabled to penetrate into the fouth of France, and, by raifing the ftandard of royalty, to fecure the co-operation of the inhabitants of thofe diftricts, whofe averfion from the republican government is notorious.

As we predicted, the fucceffes of the Auftrians have already imparted energy to the different people who have been enslaved by France. The Swifs have difplayed a ftrong difpofition to rife against their oppreffors; and in Piedmont the inhabitants are ripe for revolt. That this difpofition will foon become general, is nearly certain. In Naples, too, the Calabrian peafantry have retorted on the banditti which fubjugated their country, fome of the enormities which they had experienced at their hands. While the leaders of the French are amusing themfelves, in the capital, with adapting fome one of the many conftitutions with which they were fupplied from the ample budget of Sieyes, to the government of their new born republic, the people of the country have feized on every foldier they

could

could find, and put them all to death, with fome circumstances of cruelty, that would excite our horror, were we strangers to the caufes which influenced these violent marks of refentment. The French have declaimed moft loudly against this fyftem of retaliation, to which, hitherto, they have been but little accustomed; they have called thofe men who have prefumed to follow the example fet by themselves, barbarians, and have declared that the only war that can be waged against them is a war of extermination-the fame fpecies of war which the early revolutionifts proclaimed againft Kings, and all exifting inftitutions. What would they fay if the powers of Europe were to apply their own arguments, and their own remedies, againft themselves? Would they have any just grounds of complaint?-The Jacobins will fay yes-but honeft men will anfwer no. The revolt in the Netherlands ftill continues, and must derive freth force from the prefent fituation of affairs.

In all the countries through which the French have paffed, they have, as ufual, plundered the inhabitants, and atchieved all the mifchief which they poffibly could; in their retreat from the Tyrol they committed the moft wanton outrages, reducing to ashes the villages through which they paffed, fometimes making the inhabitants perifh in the flames, robbing the churches of all their ornaments, and deftroying what they were unable to carry off.--Surely the day of retribution is near at hand!

The actual ftate of things is well-calculated to excite the most fanguine expectations refpecting the refult of the prefent campaign but we have fo frequently been deceived by flattering appearances, fince the commencement of the war, that we are loth to indulge in anticipations, however apparently founded in reafon and juftice. We hope that the combined forces will not waste their time in laying formal fiege to the strong fortrefs of Mantua; but, leaving an adequate force to keep the garrifon in awe, will rapidly advance into Lombardy, compel the enemy to evacuate the country, and encourage the people to restore their former government. The fyftem formerly purfued by Picbegru, in the Low Countries, may be fuccefsfully adopted by the Auftrians in Italy.

The Directory, terrified at the defeat of their troops, and the total fruftration of all their projects, have imparted their alarm to the Councils, and, after having pompously proclaimed to the nation that the fpirit of liberty had ftimulated the youths of France to obey the mandate of their rulers, and to join the armies to the full complement prefcribed by their arbitrary decrees, now acknowledge the falfehood of their paft affertions, by calling for the adoption of more vigorous measures, in order to complete the num"ber of 200,000 men, the fixed amount of the laft requifitions. The councils authorized the affumption of a defpotic authority by the regicidal Pentarchs, and enabled them to feize upon whatever was neceffary for the fupply of the army, whether in provifions, clothing, or itores, wherever it could be found. They have, however, fince difplayed a difpofition to difcontinue their obfequioufnefs, but nothing has yet occurred of a nature fufficiently decifive to justify any particular remarks on the fubject.

The

The beft eftimate, which we have seen of the French force, makes it amount (previous to the late defeats) to 326,000 men; (Scherer's official account rates them at 352,000.) Of thefe, 126,000 are occupied in the defence of fortified towns in France, and in the conquered countries; fo that no more than 200,000 remain for active fervice; a force wholly inadequate to cope with the combined armies, which have an immenfe fuperiority of numbers. Independently of the Auftrian army, which was never fo numerous nor fo well-appointed as at prefent, the Emperor of Ruffia feems determined to put the whole force of his empire in motion. All the roads from his dominions to the feat of war are faid to be actually crouded with his troops, and every ship in his ports is ordered to be ready to fail as foon as the feafon will permit them. If, indeed, private accounts from Petersburgh may be credited, Paul has not only laid an embargo on all thips from Hamburgh, by way of punishing the Hamburghers for the affiftan:e which they have afforded to the French during the war, but has refolved to make the Prussian monarch act with decifion, at least; and to force him from that difgraceful and fufpicious neutrality which he has too long obferved. The French early declared that they would fuffer no neutral powers in the prefent conteft, but should confider, as enemies, all who would not avow themselves their friends; and had their means been adequate to their intentions this refolution would have been rigidly enforced. The rule, we think, may be reverfed, and all who do not proclaim themfelves the enemies of the Republic be justly confidered as her friends. Whether the two Emperors have adopted this criterion, and mean to act accordingly, we thall not pretend to decide. Certain, however, it is, that their prefent conduct is marked by a manly and determined fpirit which feems to promife the most happy confequences.

Were not the subject too serious to be treated with levity, the contradictory language of the French, refpecting that article of their political creed which confecrates the facred duty of infurrection, would excite our laughter. In all thofe difgraceful treaties which they have, at different times, compelled the weaker powers of Europe to fign, they have invariably ftipulated for the release of all rebels and infurgents who, by the propagation of their feditious principles, had endeavoured to fubvert the government of their country; and in all States, where they have had an intereft in exciting public commotions, whether friendly, neutral, or allied, they have invariably fomented the fpirit of infurrection. But no fooner do the fubjugated Swifs evince a difpofition to throw off the yoke impofed by French arms, than they condemn the very fpirit which elsewhere they have encouraged, and feek, by the most rigorous means, to cruth it in its infancy. The low wretches who act, under the orders of Maffena, in the capacity of Directors of the Helvetic Republic, have recently paffed a law, in virtue of their fovereign authority, in which it is exprefsly declared, that Every citizen, or foreigner, living under the laws of the republic, who, either by words or actions, ball oppofe the meafures taken by government

for

for the defence of the country, or shall attempt to draty others from their obedience to the laws, and their duty in their country's defence, or fball propofe to fubmit to a foreign power, fhall be punished with death." !!! The fame law inflicts a fimilar punishment on every Swifs who fhall refufe to join the French, and march against the Auftrians !— Whoever will take the trouble to compare thefe provifions with the proclamations of Brune, in Switzerland, the remonftrances of Garat, and the addreffes of Championet in Naples, or with any other ebullitions of republican zeal, in any of the countries which the French have fubdued, or endeavoured to fubdue, will find as complete a contradiction as the profligacy of unprincipled demagogues ever difplayed. Indeed, the unlawful mandate here iffued by the arbitrary ufurpers of power in Switzerland, with a view to confolidate their power and to extend their ufurpation,. is fimilar to thofe very laws which have been paffed by the legislative powers of eftablished governments, in order to fruftrate the efforts of the French to cement the people into rebels and traitors; and which have, by the Directory and councils of France, been invariably ftigmatized as acts of tyranny and oppreffion, which fubjects ought to refift, and which would juftify them in withdrawing their allegiance from their Sovereign, and overthrowing the whole frame of their government. The only difference confifts in the fources whence they iffue; the one flows from the contaminated channel of an ufurped and boundless tyranny, while the others have iffued from the pure springs of legitimate power, founded in juftice, and exercised with wifdom.

So well is Maffena acquainted with the spirit of the Swifs, and fo ftrong are his apprehenfions of its confequences, that he has recourfe to every pollible means which republican tyranny can devife for preventing its difplay. Such of the inhabitants as have moft fway, from their virtue, their talents, and their patriotifm, among their fellow-countrymen, are taken out of their beds, and carried off by night; while the city of Berne, the theatre of so many crimes, which its inhabitants are, doubtlefs, anxious to punith, has been declared in a state of fiege, with a view to facilitate the commiffion of ftill greater outrages, if poffible, than it has yet experienced.-Ere the expiration of another month, we shall be enabled to appreciate the confequences of this state of things.

At home, the Report of the Secret Committee of the Houfe of Commons has, as was to be expected, occafioned the proposal of fome ftrong measures, calculated to impede the progrefs of treason, and to avert the effects of fyftematic fedition. Our readers will recollect the means (propofed in our last number) which suggested themselves to our minds, as neceffary to be adopted on the prefent exigency; and we are happy to find that, on this important topic, the fentiments of those whofe peculiar duty it is to watch over the fafety of the ftate, perfectly coincide with our own. On the 19th of April, the Report was taken into confideration, and Mr. Pitt moved, "that it was the opinion of the Committee that a Bill be brought in to renew and amend the Bill paffed in the 38th of his

prefent