Inftitute, was at this period founded in France. At their first public meeting (April 4, 1796), in the great hall of the Louvre, the prefident of the Directory made a speech, in which he declared it to be the ftedfaft purpofe of the government to revive the drooping arts, and to fhield both learning and liberty from all the attacks of ferocious anarchy. More than fifteen hundred spectators were present on this folemn occafion, who teftified their joy by the loudeft acclamation. Defaulx, prefident of the Institute, replied, "that every member of that fociety felt the most ardent defire to concur in advancing the profperity of the republican government, and would aim, in giving luftre to their own names, to add fplendor to that of their country; that the republic of letters existed before the other, and its fpirit could neither be enfeebled nor fubdued; and that, amidst thofe whom it animated, the love of glory would ever be the fupport of liberty." During the recital of this speech every heart fwelled with emotion, every eye melted in tears, at the fad recollection of the past, combined with the foothing hopes of the future; and the magnificence of the spectacle fuggefted the interesting idea of a great nation rifing, in a manner worthy of itself, from that abyfs of calamity in which she had been so long loft and overwhelmed.

In the fpring of this year the Directory fent over commiflioners to investigate the ftate of the island of St. Domingo, according to whofe report, towards the end of the fummer, the defolation which had overspread this colony during five years of maffacre and anarchy had now ceafed, and perfect tranquillity was at length restored. By other concomitant accounts, however, it appeared that this tranquillity had been obtained by the almoft-total extirpation of the white inhabitants, who, unfortunately for themselves, had refused to submit to the famous decree of emancipation, paffed the 16th Pluviofe, in the fecond year of the republic (February 5, 1794). The negroes and gens de

couleur

couleur were in actual poffeffion of all the power and all the property of the island: and the tyranny so justly complained of, formerly in the planter, was now more inhumanly exercised by the flave, who, fet loose at once from all restraint, felt a favage thirst for vengeance, which he gratified without control. Such was the fate of this fine country, once one of the principal refources of the wealth of France; but which precipitate humanity, mistaking the means for the end, and avaricious cruelty, oppofing every alleviation of human misery, had nearly succeeded in b.inging to utter ruin. The French government deemed it expedient to acquiesce in a state of things, which, in present circumstances, they could not redrefs. The island was effectually defended by its present poffeffors from the invafion of the English, destructive only to themselves: and as they at the fame time acknowledged, though in vague terms, the authority of the republic, hopes were no doubt entertained that fuch a dependency upon France might be eventually preserved as would answer the commercial purposes with a view to which this great and flourishing colony was founded; although many conceived that this extraor dinary state of things would more probably terminate in the establishment of a great mulatto republic in the nobleft ifland in the Western Ocean.

The English government having promulgated at this period a declaration, allowing the exportation of goods to the Netherlands and the United Provinces, decrees were publifhed by the two governments of France and Holland, prohibiting, under severe penalties, the importation of Englifh goods into the territories of the two republics. The Dutch in particular declared " this precarious favor to be the fruit of perfidy, and an insult which ought to be rejected with indignation." But fuch effential inconveniences refulted to themselves from this prohibition, that it was either filently evaded or fell gradually into neglect and difufe, and Great Britain ftill fupplied, either mediately or

immediately,

immediately, all Europe with the product of her immense commerce and industry.

In the month of August (1796), a most fingular political phænomenon presented itself in the Treaty of Alliance, offenfive and defenfive, concluded between the crown of Spain and the republic of France; and which, however incongruous fuch a connection might at firft view feem, was really founded on principles of found policy. France obtained commercial emolument, and Spain civil and political fecurity. The two contracting powers mutually guarantied each other's poffeffions; and either power engaged, in cafe of attack, to furnish the other with large fuccours by fea and land, to be at the difpofal of the requiring power. The treaty was prospective merely, and to take place at the end of the present war, with the exception of England only that being declared the only power against which Spain had direct grievances: and that his Catholic majesty fhould remain neuter with refpect to the other powers armed against the republic. This was the certain prelude to a declaration of war on the part of Spain against Great Britain, which took place in a few weeks, the manifesto of the king of Spain bearing date October the 5th. The caufes of offence enumerated in this declaration, framed under the over-ruling influence of France, are for the most part, when confidered as excitements to war, very frivolous; but they ferved to prove that Spain, as well as all the other maritime ftates of Europe, felt the greatest jealoufy and refentment at the manner in which Great Britain had exercised her naval fuperiority. "By thefe infults," says the Catholic king, " equally deep and unparalleled, that nation has proved to the universe that the recognifes no other laws than the aggrandizement of her commerce; and by her defpotism, which has exhausted my patience and moderation, fhe has forced me, as well to fupport the honor of my crown as to protect my people against her

attacks,

attacks, to declare war against the king of England, his kingdom, and vaffals.”

A very important tranfaction of the present year, comprehended under the general mifcellaneous branch of arrangement, remains to be narrated. The English cabinet in the beginning of March, had commiffioned its ambaffador to the Helvetic States, Mr. Wickham, to enquire of the government of France, through the medium of M. Barthelemi, who had negotiated, and was ftill negotiating, divers treaties of peace at Bafle, concerning its difpofition to enter into a negotiation; at the fame time fignifying that he was not authorized to enter into any difcuffion upon the fubject of his note. M. Barthelemi was in a fhort time inftructed to answer, " that the executive government of France ardently defired to procure for the republic a just, honorable, and folid peace; but that an indifpenfable condition of it was the retaining poffeffion of thofe conquefts which had actually been annexed to the territory of the republic. The Conftitutional Act," fays the official note of M. Barthelemi, "does not permit the Directory to confent to any alienation of that which, according to the existing laws, conftitutes the territory of the republic." Offence was taken, notwithstanding the acceptance of the overture of England, at the fecret and infidious mode in which it was made. "The ftep taken by Mr. Wickham," fays M. Barthelemi, "would have afforded to the Directory a real fatisfaction, if the declaration itself of his not having any power to negotiate did not give room to doubt of the fincerity of the pacific intentions of his court. Is it that this step has had no other object than to obtain for the British government the favorable impreffion which always accompanies the firft overtures for peace? May. it not have been accompanied with the hope that they would produce no effect ?"—Although the overture of the English court was certainly cold and diftant, as the government of France did not in the first instance reject it, the impolicy,

not

not to say the injuftice, of fuch a construction, was manifeft: and if the English minifter was really infincere, the conduct of the Directory furnished as plaufible a pretext as could be wifhed for defifting from their pretended purpose. No fooner was the answer to Mr. Wickham's note received by the court of London, than a declaration was published, containing a moft acrimonious comment upon the principles comprised in it. "This court," fays the declaration," has feen with regret how far the tone and spirit of that answer, the nature and extent of the demands which it contains, and the manner of announcing them, are remote from any difpofition for peace. The inadmiffible pretenfion is there avowed of appropriating to France all that the laws actually exifting there may have comprised under the denomination of French territory. To a demand fuch as this is added an express declaration, that no propofal contrary to it will be made or even liftened to; and even this, under the pretence of an internal regulation, the provifions of which are wholly foreign to all other nations. While these dispositions shall be persisted in, nothing is left for the king but to profecute a war equally just and neceffary." All this is doubtless very plaufible, and it bears the evident stamp and impreffion of a minifter who has been characteristically defcribed as poffeffing every talent for the conduct of great affairs confiftent with cunning, and, as it might properly have been added, with pride and obftinacy. But the whole procedure is, notwithstanding, deftitute of the real and effential marks of political fagacity and ability.

For, firft, if it were the fincere intention and defire of the government of Great Britain to re-establish the relations. of peace and amity with that of France, why should the ministers of England hefitate, in the first inftance, to recognise the republic by name; whereas that obnoxious term was carefully and infultingly avoided in the official note of Mr. Wickham. And, fecondly, why fhun a direct application to the French government, ftating their own

fincere