The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1803-07-06 00:00:00

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Monarchy, and is no* proclaimed, by the iradietit
■nd impudent French sophists, one of the reasons
of the present distressed situation of the Sardinian
Monarch ; but this is not the first time Revolutiona-
ry France changes generosity into guilt, and libe-
rality into a crime, and in the name of justice and
moderation commits the must infamous deeds, and
respells nothing either respeaable or sacred.
During the campaigns of 1793, 1794, and 17`►5,
the Army of Sardinia was united with the Army of
Austria in Italy ; but their united efforts made little
progress, and their only success was keeping the
French out of Piedmont.

It may justly be considered as a reproach to
Austria and other powers combating against France,
that they either despised or feared their enemy too
much ; either looked upon his destruction as certain,
or apprehended their own ; when, in 1793, Toulon
was occupied by the English, Marseilles and Lyons
in open revolt, they believed the subjection of
France inevitable, but after the unfortunate cam-
paign in 179.1, they acted as if they thought their
own ruin approaching.
Fre..ch emissaries had for a long time sown dis-
cnntent and instigated jealousy between the Austri-
ans and Sardinians ; and when Bonaparte, in 179 G,
attacked them, they were easily defeated. The un-
fortunate King of Sardinia, knowing the discontent
of his soldiers, and with reason suspecting the trea-
chery of some of his Generals*, WAS forced to nego-
tiate s ith the Corsican I3cnaparte, whom French
puts had rendered victorious.
. Before the world knew Bonaparte's pretensions to
the charaiter of an Alexander, he had proved him-
self a yerfea Philip ; he threatened and intimidat-
ed, he cajoled and deceived the Sardinian Nego-
tiators into the most impolitic treaty ever signed ;
the provinces surprized by France, previous to a de-
claration of war, were ceded for ever, and fortresses
vare givea up by a dash of the pen, which it would
have required several campaigns to take. It is a cu-
rious faCt, that during the whole revolutionary war,

France never took a fort or a fortified city by a rt.-
gular Jilt, but by blockades, negotiations, plots,
treason, and treaties, and that, when once pos.
sessed of a strong place, it never surrendered it but
after a siege, or when forced by absolute necessity.
Since the signature of the Treaty of 1796, the
King of Sardinia may be said not to post;ess any ter-
ritory on the European Continent, and France dis-
posed of Piedmont as much then, as since June
1800.

During 1796 and 1797, every indignity has been
offered to his Sardinian Majesty, and every oppres-
sion inflicted on his subjeCts ; this caused many in-
surreCtions, and numerous and loud complaints ;
and when, in 1798, the French expeCted the re-
newal of the war, their emissaries raised a revolt in
the Capital, and forced the King to give up the ci-
tadel of Turin to the French troops, and to put
himself and his family entirely under their protec-
tion. In December the same year, the French Ge-
neral Joubert, obliged the King to renounce, for
ever, Piedmont, and in return, he was promised a
pension, which has never been paid, and indemni-
ties, which he has never received.
After so many and great sacrifices, the unfortu-
nate King exported at least to be permitted to de-
part with his family ; but insult was added to cru-
elty, and contempt to tyranny ; and it was not be-
fore the King had humbly petitioned the French
Pro-Consuls, and sacrificed a part of his crown
jewels to their avarice, that he got their passes, and
was permitted to depart as an exile from his own
capital : he was, however, accompanied as far as
Florence by a cousin of Reubel, under whose con-
troul and inspection he remained ; and hardly a day
passed but the Monarch was abused and humiliated,
and monarchy degraded by this revolutionary sans-
culotte.
From 1796 to 1799, two Sardinian Ambassadors
were sent to the Temple at Paris, and four ordered
away from France with insult ; all his faithful ser-
vants and ministers were imprisoned as hostages, or
punished as traitors ; and he was obliged to choose
traitors for his counsellors, and rebels for his nego-
tiators ; France permitted or suffered no other.
According to the Treaty of 1796 with Bonaparte,
at a general pacification, all the fortresses of Pied-
mont were to be restored to the King, and France
had guaranteed the integrity of Piedmont to the
house of Sardinia ; when, therefore, the imbecility
of Melas gave up, in 18(Y), Piedmont and all the
strong places, which had cost Austria and Russia
so much time, treasure, blood, and valour, to
conquer, every body expected that the First Consul
Bonaparte, would fulfil tlt. engagements of the Ge-
neral Bonaparte, and for once be generon: in being juet ;
the interest which Russia and Prussia took in the
fate of the House of Sardinia confirmed this expec-
tation ; and Bonaparte, by his machiavelisio and re-
volutionary manoeuvres, kept all the world in sus-
pence, until the definitive treaty with England per_
mined him to be above fears, as above honour and
remorse, and to order his slavish Senate to incorpo-
The Sardiulart General, Count d'Angeraux, wit: accused
of high tr2irson, but died stuldeAd; before he could be tried ;
another ri a,pected General. Galli,. lowed the French, and is
now a Freud; GwaieraL


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