France, the withdrawing the troops of the republic, at least from the right bank of the Rhine, for the relief of the countries which have fuffered fo much by the war. 10th February. Reply of the French Plenipotentiaries to the Note of the 10th of February. 22d Pluviofe (Feb. 10). THE ministers plenipotentiary of the French republic reply to the note of the deputation of this date, that nothing could be more clearly expreffed than the manner in which they stated their first propofition. The republic, they fay, demands that the courfe of the Rhine be the boundary of the two ftates. Such is the invariable wifh of the French government. Can it be doubted when it is tranfmitted by the minifters of the republic? This is not the moment in which the value of the objects ceded ought to be calculated. The deputation of the Empire is not agreed as to their importance; and nothing can be more indifferent, fince the fame bafis is neceffary under every other hypothefis. It is fill lefs neceffary to inquire what poffeffions ought to remain to the princes who lofe their fovereignty. The domains of princes who enjoyed the fovereignty, muft, as in fimilar cafes, be confidered the property of the nation to which the ceffion is made. To enter into the difcuffion of fuch complicated questions would be to retard rather than to accelerate the conclufion of the negotiations. The ceffion of all that is beyond the Rhine is the bafis of the treaty.-Indemnity on the right bank is its confequence. Valuations, the manner and the application of the indemnity, are fubjects for future confideration. Why difcufs fubfidiary queftions before the general principle be acknowledged? The declared with of the French government for peace cannot be mifunderstood. It is notorious that the minifters of the French republic haftened to repair to the congrefs; that they brought with them fufficient powers for carrying on the negotiation; that they ftated their propofition with franknefs the first moment the deputation of the Empire were fufficiently authorized to hear it. And in order that no doubt may remain with regard to their defire for accelerating the conclufion of a treaty of peace, they will continue carefully to avoid every thing which, not tending directly to that object, might retard the progrefs of the negotiation, by bringing forward foreign and inferior queftions, which would only ferve to prolong the miferies of war, by giving the evil-difpofed time to prepare wicked coalitions and criminal intrigues. The minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic refer themselves completely to their note of the 15th Pluviofe, and perfift in declaring the deputation of the Empire refponfible for refufing, or VOL. VII. S $ making making evasions equivalent to refufing, to agree to a proper and neceffary basis. TREILHARD and BONNIER. Anfwer of the Deputation of the Empire to the Note of the French Plenipotentiaries, of the Date of the 10th February. IT was hoped, in confequence of the wishes contained in the note of the 10th of this month, that the full extent of the conditions of peace was known. But the counter note of the fame day does not correfpond with that hope, for in that they infift folely upon the propofition already made on the 27th of the laft month by the French legation, to establish a bafis of pacification. Although it is not intended to refift any longer the reiterated demand to establish this previous bafis, nevertheless the French minifters, in weighing attentively the important reafons advanced upon this fubject in the preceding notes, will judge how impoffible it is to adopt a bafis in its full extent, upon which they demand that the banks of the Rhine fhall be the frontier of the two ftates. In order to give the ftrongest proof of condefcenfion, and to arrive as foon as poffible at the conclufion of a peace, they think (however painful this refolution may be to the deputation) that they ought not to hefitate in making great facrifices. If then the French government will moderate their propofitions for peace, as is expected from their equity and juftice, and will demand only half the territories of the Empire fituated on the left bank of the Rhine, the negotiation may be established upon this basis. Then France will only have to declare what part fhall be the object of ceffion, fubject to the neceffary modifications, and having all poffible regard to the establishment of a military line. After this frank offer, the French legation cannot doubt but that the deputation of the Empire are fincere in their defire for the conclufion of peace; and confequently the French government can have no difficulty, in the interval, of obferving the armiflice most scrupuloufly, and of withdrawing their troops from the right fide of the Rhine, as has been repeatedly defired. Raftadt, February 19. Anfwer of the French Plenipotentiaries to the Note presented by the Deputation of the Empire on the 19th February. THE note of the deputation of the Empire prefented yesterday to the minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic, on the part of the Count de Metternich, minifter plenipotentiary of his Majefty the Emperor, proposes a plan of modification, in every point of view inadıniffible to the demands made by the French republic. The partition propofed by that note would create many inconveniences to limits marked out by nature, without offering 1 offering any advantage which could balance thefe inconveniences. The grounds upon which the deputation of the Empire have hitherto contefted the propofal made by the French republic, are as incompatible with a partial as they are with a total ceffion. Confequently the offer of a half is a formal acknowledgment of the invalidity of these reasons. It is impoffible to fubscribe to the caufe which induces the deputation to conteft the other half, particularly when it is recollected, that in their first notes they fuggefted, that these poffeffions were of little importance. Befides, it is notorious, that all the princes and ftates having poffeffions on the other fide of the Rhine, have expreffed their wishes for a ceffion, of the neceffity of which they are convinced. Thus, it is only private and obfcure interefts that can oppofe the general wifh, which calls loudly for a peace, after a long and cruel war. The French republic owes it to the general wifh, fhe owes it to herself, not to contribute to the prolongation of thofe evils which affect humanity, by tolerating those delays which bad faith makes ufe of to form new coalitions. The minifters plenipotentiary declare, then, that they perfift more strongly than ever in the whole of their demands. They demand a fpeedy and pofitive anfwer, upon the bafis long fince acknowledged and confented to by the parties the most interested, and which leaves to the republic, in fact, no more than fhe poffeffes, and which fecures the future tranquillity of the two ftates. It is for the members of the deputation of the Empire to confider, whether they will render themselves refponsible for all the calamities which must be produced, either by refufal or by delay. (Signed) TREILHARD. BONNIER. Raftadt, Feb. 20. Declaration of the Pruffian Minifters, respecting the Ceffion of the left Bank of the Rhine. Raftadt, February 19. THE underfigned plenipotentiaries of his Majefty the King of Pruffia at the congrefs at Raftadt, do not hesitate to declare, in the name of their high conftituent, that his Majefty has for these feveral years zealously endeavoured to obtain for Germany a peace, as favourable as circumftances will allow. His Majefty entertains ftill the fame ardent wifh; he is alfo of opinion that this peace cannot be too foon accelerated, not only because it will relieve feveral parts of Germany from the expenfes of the war, by which they are exhaufted, but also because it will fecure the whole Empire againft the difafters and incalculable confequences with which it is threatened, by the continuation of the prefent ftate of things. Confidering that, according to the negotiations which have. $ $ 2 taken taken place between the deputation of the Empire and the French embaffy, it might happen that, in order to attain a peace, fo earnestly defired by the nation, and fo defirable for humanity, the deputation of the Emperor and of the Empire might think it neceffary to accede to the basis of peace propofed by France, namely, the ceffion of the left bank of the Rhine-the underfigned plenipotentiaries declare, in the name of his Majesty, as co-ftate of the Empire, that, notwithstanding his paternal feelings are feverely hurt by the loss of subjects who manifest so faithful an attachment to him, it is not his intention to make an exception with refpect to his dominions fituated on that fide: but that, by the ceflion thereof, he will make a facrifice to the public welfare and the restoration of peace, taking, however, as much as poffible, the neceffary measures of precaution, for the happinefs and fafety of the property of the inhabitants, and on condition that his Majefty receives a juft and equivalent indemnification on the right banks of the Rhine. Raftadt, Feb. 14, 1798. (Signed) COUNT DE GOERTZ. Донм. ON the 3d of March the deputation of the Empire prefented another note to the French minifters, in which they repeated the arguments made ufe of, and the propofition contained in their anfwer of the 19th of February. Answer to the Deputation of the Empire, to the Note of the Deputation of the 3d March. THE underfigned have received the note of the deputation of the Empire, addreffed to them yesterday evening by Count Metternich, minifter plenipotentiary from his Imperial Majefty: the following is their anfwer. The French republic has declared in the outlet of the negotiation, with that franknefs from which it will never depart, the basis on which alone peace can be made. The propriety, juftice, and neceflity of it have been demonftrated in the preceding notes, and the common intereft of the two states requires it. The French republic expected that it would have received an answer with the fame franknefs; banishing all shift or evafion. An end must be put to this difcuffion. The minifters of the French republic, therefore, require the deputation of the Empire to declare pofitively whether it will or will not accede to the bafis propofed. (Signed) Raftadt, 14th Ventofe (March 4), TREILHARD. Subftance Subflance of the Conclufum of the Deputation of the Empire on the 12th March. THE deputation of the Empire consent to vote the ceffion of the left bank of the Rhine to the French, on the following conditions: 1. All the French troops on the right bank of the Rhine shall immediately evacuate that country, and impofe no farther requifitions: 2. The French republic fhall make no other pretenfion or demand of any nature whatever, except the ceffion of the countries' fituated on the other fide of the Rhine. 3. The negotiations fhall ftill be continued according to the method propofed, relative to the articles remitted to the French minifters, with the note of the 3d of this month. And the deputation "hope that the French government will confent to make an exception in favour of that part of the territory of the Empire on the Lower Rhine, which extends from the fource of the Roer to the junction of the Maefe with the Rhine; and that it will not refufe to leave this portion of that territory to the Empire." To M. Baron Aibini, Directorial Minifter of Mentz to the Congress at Raftadt. THE minifters plenipotentiary of the French republic were always of opinion, that the deputation of the Empire, impreffed with the neceffity of a fixed and invariable limit between the two ftates, would frankly, and without reftriction, accede to a demand which could not be obftinately combated but through paflion and interest. They fee with fatisfaction, by the conclufum of the 12th March, of which the minifter plenipotentiary of his Majefty the Emperor has tranfmitted them a copy, together with the note of yesterday, that their hope has not been disappointed. They may then labour efficaciously in establishing the happinefs of the people, by employing themselves, without hesitation or delay, in preventing for ever the fcourge of war, by a fpeedy pacification, the first confequence of which will be the return of the troops into the interior. To accelerate this great work, it will be firft neceffary to regulate the mode of giving indemnities to the ftates which have loft upon the left bank of the Rhine. The plenipotentiaries of the French republic find the basis of thofe indemnities in fecularizations. The deputation of the Empire will be eafily convinced that this bafis is not lefs neceffary than that already adopted refpecting the limits. It will undoubtedly be fuperfluous to obferve, that it is not a queftien to value, at this moment, the loffes which may afford room for indemnity, nor to |