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they would find it impoffible forthwith to excite a commotion. At prefent we may travel in fafety through the feveral departments of the weft.

If we have not always fpoken of the heroic feats which have fignalized our gallant foldiers, compof ing the army of the coafts of the ocean, it was done in order not to difclofe to, our enemies, all the inveteracy of the evil we had to cure; but at prefent, while there is no danger in promulgating their exploits, we are eager to declare, that no army has more well-deferved of its country than that of the ocean. No doubt, citizens legiflators, you will haften to make this declaration in a folemn man

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1. EVERY fpecies of feudal jurifdiction is from this moment abolished.

2. The feudal officers of every kind and rank fhall be confirmed until the new order of the committee of government, who fhall preferve them or fupprefs them after information taken upon them.

3. All feudal rights and revenues received under the ancient government, or to be received, fhall remain until the new order in the national treafury.

4. With refpect to the odious privileges of hunting and fifling, the committee will immediately publish a proclamation to fatisiy the general impatience to fee them fuppicted.

mediate abolition of fiefs, and of every feudal jurifdi&ion, fhall extend to infeoffments made under a burthenfome title.

The Congress of Cifpadana to the People of Bologna, Ferrara, Modena, and Reggio.

Reggio, 10 Nivofe, fuft year of the Republic of Cifpadana, one and indivifible, Dec. 30, 1795, (o'd flyle.)

THE firft ftone of the founda tion of your infant liberty was laid in the congrefs held at Modena laft October, thanks to the invincible French nation, which not only was fo generous as to reftore to you your natural rights but also enabled you to exercife them in order to fecure your future exiftence; it was with this view you formed the bonds of a friendly confederation, which nothing could untie, you also withed for the means of drawing those bonds still clofer, in order that the structure, once begun. might rife great and majeftic. In fine, you called us to the congrets of Reggio, and we, ftrong in your commands, were proud of being able and authorised to give our concurrence to an enterprize worthy of the honour of Italy, and which will be the admiration of future ages.

Citizens, the congrefs is eager to inform you, that your wishes are fulfilled, and that you are benceforth but one people, or rather one family. The following is the tenor of the refolution:

"A motion having been made in the congrefs to form the four nations into a republic, one and indivifible in every refpect, to con

5. The allodial rights hall remain to the founders in abfolute property 6. Whatever concerns the im- ftructed, that the four nations may

only

only form one people, one fingle family.

"The congrefs having put this motion to the vote with each nation, they have all accepted it."

The people of Reggio were witneffes of the publication of this decree, in the fame manner as we were witneffes of their joy. Our brave brethren who came from the tranfpadanian regions to fraternize with us, took part in the univerfal joy. May they imitate us, fince we ardently with it, and may they form to cloíe an alliance with our republic, that tyranny may henceforth lofe all hopes of again enflaving Italy.

It feems as if fomething would have been deficient in the general enthusiasm, had not our invincible deliverers been prefent at fo folemn an act.

Citizen Marmont, fent exprefs. ly by the commander in chief to watch over the fafety and liberty of our union, aflifted at the congrefs, and faw in us, and the whole people affembled, brothers not unworthy of the love of his generous nation. He took it upon him to give an account of this glorious event to the commander in chief. We could have wifired you all to have been prefent in that happy moment, certain that your joy would have joined in unifon with that of your brothers; but if diftance of places deprived us of this double joy, we make you amends for it, by imparting to you that glorious event, before your delegates return again to their country, People of the republic of Cifpadana, the great epoch is already marked. keject far from you all ancient quarrels, and that rivalhip, which was fomented by am.

bition and defpotifim. Liberty, equality, virtue, let thefe be your mottos. The powerful republic which has invited you to the great work of liberty will protect you, doubt it not, with all her forces; flavery is flying from thefe countries. The tyrants, to whom you were an object of derifion, thudder and turn pale. The eyes of the whole world are fixed upon you, and Italy anxioutly expects that you will reftore to her that priftine fplendour which made her once refpected by all nations.

(Signed) __ C. Facci, prefident. PISTORINI, MACCAI, LAMBERTI, LEONELLI,

Secretaries.

Letter of his Holiness the Pope to all the Caholics faithful in Chrift, having Communion wo the Apgtolic Ser, and living in France, greeting and dpft Le benediction.

Dear Children,

The pattoral care which has been committed to our humility by our Lord Jefus Chrift in the abundance of his mercy, commands us to endeavour to adminifter comfort to all the faithful in Christ, particularly thole who are befet by great temptations, lett they be miferably feduced by carnal wifdom; for he has faid to us, as to the prophet Ifaiah, Cry, and fpare not; exalt thy voice like a trumpet; declare aloud the crimes of my people. We fhould therefore be unmindful of our duty, if we did not feize every opportunity to exhort you to peace, and to counfel you to fubmiflion to the conftituted authorities.

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the work of divine wisdom, that
things may not be conducted rafh-
ly and at the pleasure of chance,
and that nations be not agitated
by contrary waves.-Paul fays, ac-
cordingly, not with regard to a
particular prince, but fpeaking of
the fubject in general, that all
power is of God, and that he who
refifts power, refifts the will of
God; beware, therefore, dear chil-
dren, of going aftray, and under
appearance of piety afford to the
authors of innovation, a pretext to
defame the Catholic religion, for
you would load yourselves with a
great crime which would not only
be avenged by the fecular powers,
but alfo, which is much more fe-
rious, would draw down upon you
the fevereft vengeance of God, for
those who refift authority gain to
themselves damnation. We ex-
hort you then, dear children, by
our Lord Jefus Chrifi, to study to
obey those who govern with all the
affection, all the ardour, and all
the efforts of which you are capa-
ble, for fo you will render to God
the obedience which is due; and
those who govern, perceiving more
and more that the orthodox reli-
gion is by no means fo conftituted
as to involve the overthrow of civil
laws, will be led to encourage it,
and to defend it by the accomplish-
ment of the divine precepts, and
by the culture of ecclefiaftical dif-
cipline. In fine, we defire to ap-
prize you that you fhould put no
faith in thofe who fhall publifh a
contrary do&rine as emanating
from the Holy See. We heartily
beftow upon you the apoftolic be-
nediction.

Given at Rome, at St. Mary
Major, under the fiber's ring,

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Subftance of the Edia published by bit

Holiness, on the Reception which his
Subjects ought to give to the French.

HIS holiness enumerates to them a variety of motives which ought to induce them to respect and treat the French with the utmost kindnefs, fuch as "the principles of our holy religion, the laws or nations, the interefts of the people, the will of their fovereign," &c.

He affures them that the ceffation of hoftilities is the immediate gift of God; and reminds them of the neceffity of parting with a fmall portion of their worldly riches for the fecurity of the rest, and, what is of more importance, for the prefervation of the Catholic religion. He admonishes them not to listen to any perfidious infinua tions tending to disturb the public peace; and declares, that whoever shall infult by words or actions, in the flighteft manner, the French commiffioners, their agents, or domeftics fhall be punished with death, their goods confifcated, and their families pronounced infamous, as in cafes of treafon against the ftate.

Those who fhall by their harangues, writings, or counfels, provoke infults against the French, fhall be liable to the fame punishment.

Such as fhall be fpectators or participators in proceedings of the above defeription, and thall not denounce the traitors before the ordinary tribunals, fhall be condemned to ten years flavery in the

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galleys

galleys. Such informants as can eftablish the fact of an infult, fhall receive a reward of 500 ducats on conviction of the offender. The tribunals fhall proceed against perfons under an accufation of this fpecies of treafon in the most fummary manner allowed by the criminal jurifprudence of the country. July 15.

Note, by which M. Galeppi, Plenipotentiary Minister of Pius VI. announced to the French Commiffioners, Garrau and Salicetti, the Determination of his Holiness not to accept the Conditions of Peace offered, or rather dictated by the French Di

rectory.

THE underfigned plenipotentiary, minister of his holiness the pope Pius VI. has the honour to inform Meffrs. Garrau and Salicetti, commiffaries of the executive directory with the French armies of Italy and the Alps, that having laid before his holinefs the fixtyfour articles propofed by their excellencies, under the condition that they must all either be rejected or accepted to their full extent, his holinefs, after having examined them, and taken the advice of the holy college, declares, that neither religion nor good faith do any ways allow him to accept them.

It is with the utmost concern his holinefs has found, that befides the article already propofed at Paris, tending to oblige him to difapprove, revoke, and annul, all the bulls, refcripts, briefs, and apoftolic mandats iffued under the authority of the holy fee, with refpect to the affairs of France, fince the year 1789, there were feveral others, which being equally prejudicial to the catholic religion and the rights of the church, are

confequently inadmiffible; without entering into any difcuffion concerning thofe which are deftructive both to his fovereignty and dominions; pernicious to the happinefs and tranquillity of his fubjects, and evidently contrary to the rights of other nations and powers, towards whom the holy fee would not even be able to maintain itself neutral. His holinefs hopes, therefore, that the executive directory, from its own fenfe of rectitude, as well as in confideration of the mediation of his majefty the king of Spain, will do juftice to the powerful motives which have determined his holinefs to give this refufal, which he is obliged to enforce at the hazard of his life.

Given in Florence, the 15th of
September, 1796.
(Signed)

GALEPPI, Minifter plenipotentiary to his holinefs the pope Pius VI.

State Paper published at Drefden, July 30.

HIS moft ferene highness, the Elector of Saxony, has taken no part in the prefent war, as a principal belligerent power. As a coeftate of the empire, and in that character only has he fulfilled thofe obligations which the Germanic conftitution impofed on him as a duty; and his electoral highness, being fully impreffed with the with of feeing the miteries of this defe lating war terminated, has often endeavoured to accelerate a pacification by his vote in the Germanic diet, and by other means. Thefe are facts of public notoriety.

The meatures which are dictated by the prefent ftate of things, and by the precaution of his electoral highnefs, agree with the princi74

ples

ples which he has uniformly manifefted. He will in no refpe&t deviate from them; and the refolution of collecting a corps of his troops on the frontiers of his territories, and thofe of the circle of Upper Saxony, which are now fo contiguous to the theatre of war, will prevent any mifunderstanding with respect to his motives.

In order, however, that no doubt may remain on this fubject, his electoral highnefs has thought proper hereby expressly to declare, that the arembling of those troops has no other object than to cover bis territories, and thofe of the other fates of Upper Saxony, against all foreign violence.

They are, of courfe, mere meafures of defence, unconnected with a defign of acting offenfively with them againft any power beyond the fkirts of his territories, and of thofe of the faid circle, whofe first prince he is.

Given at Prefden, July 26, 1796. By his moft ferene highnefs the elector of Saxony's moft gracious and fpecial command.

Decoration of the Eldor of Hanover to the Dit of Ration, on the Subject of the Imperial Riferit, of the 17th of October, 1796.

TUE minifter of Hanover has declared to M. de Hingel, the Imperial commitlioner,

That his Imperial majefty had directly required his majefly the king of Great Britain and elector of Hanover to furnith a new proof of his marked attachm nt to the Germatic conflitution, by giving a great example. and acting cinCaciously in concert with the diet of Ratifoon, not only that he may be rated for a fuflicient quantiy

of Roman months, but by paying up all that remains due of his quota. It was declared at the fame time that it was neceffary the number of Roman months thould exceed a hundred.

His Britannic majefty has replied to his Imperial majcity that he would not, nor was he able to anticipate the refolutions of his coeftates: and that he was not at prefent in circumftances which permitted him to anfwer the demand which was made-that fince the periods when the laft Roman months were granted, the fyftem of the war had completely changedthat different flates, holding of the empire, had made a teparate peace, to avoid the total ruin with which their countries were threatened that others had embraced neutrality for the protection of their fubjects; and that the profperity thefe fiates enjoyed proved that they had attained a falutary object-that the affairs of the enpire have affumed quite another afpect, and that the relations of his Britannic majefty, in his quality of elector and prince of the empire, were well known to be inconfiftent with the Imperial demands; that he cannot of course confent to the granting of new Roman months (for the continuation of this unhappy war) ftill far lefs can he contribute directly, fince the negociations commenced at Paris, from which is expected a happy iffue for the tranquillity of Europe.

reclamation of the Archduchejs of Auft ia, Maria Elizabeth, to the Inbebicans of rel.

Dearly and much beloved Subjects,

THE defire you have manifefted to take up aims for the good of

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