The gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1798-1799, 1798-09-17


ioit, and the militia believed themfelges betr2y-
ed, nor DOLLY by the party, which they accufed
q beng devoted 70 France, but by many, Of
their military Chi IS, on receiving from them
orders for certain retrograde movements, which
TINS new Gate Of things rendered necedary.-
lheie pealants, Whole ardent courage was
moun'ed TO The highef pitch, on perceiving the
enemy, and on learning that the Soeurcis had
besn CUT to pieces, believed themlelves fold
when retreat was ordered, and, ia the firit
paroxyfns Of rage, they flcriRced leveral Of
their general officers.
This IS, without doubt, an iodelble blot on
the character Of the Helvetic people, but It
ought 20 fall entirely on thoie fcandalous dv-
fons IN the government, which, after having
ddplayed 70 much wifdom and capacity on or
binary occafons, dilcovered itfelf 70 unequal
and pulillanmous in the hour Of danger-It IS
great misfortune, that Switzerland did not,
on this location, think TO name a DidaIor, or
that, in its federal afociation, it does not, as
yours. prsientt the incalculable advantage Of an
unity in the Executive.
You already knqw,the deplorable confequen-
ces which remain for me to recite You know,
without doubt. thatthe French General profted
Of this moment OF univsrial confuGon 10 make
an attack upon all points, in fpite Of the armif-
tice, and he iuR fed himielf for this breach of
faith, in writiog to the Directory, " In apoG-
tiOn 70 critical, / thought myielf fulfilled to
rePel force by force, and roi doabfing their in
tentihn to attack, there remained only to me to
prevent it." In mort, fir, You NUT have feen
that according to bis own confefions the Swils
militia, diforganized as they were when he made
the attack, q iuRained with incredible bravery,
five iuccedive a6fions, and fcarcely driven from
one petition but they knew how to avail them
ielves of another"
Perhaps you are uniformed, that in the lat
OF thefe FIVE engagements, it was the Advoyer
SrEfcNFR, who brought back the Bernois to the
charge, and that this chief of the Senate, IN
dig0aat at ieeing his corps debating upon the
PotibllitY Of obtaining peace, when the noile Of
the cannon was heard, even at the gates Of
Berne, Quilted the Senate, where he PreGded,
70 feek death at the head Of the troops. How
ever it is not true that he had the good fortune
to meet fnch fate, as hath been related in fome
papers; the truth is that he every where braVed
death; and was on the point Of ending his days
70 glctiou1y, when four peafants ferving him
as ihieid, forced the aged Rateimaa into a
car, and carried him, in fpise OF his Efforts far
from the field of battle.
The 6ra Thing which the French did, on ar
irving at Berne, was to confer proviGonally, bis
place upon his rival, the treafurer Frlhing-
But they did not long delay to dcpofe him, on
perceving, that they had been deceiyed by
rhofe who delcribed him as their paStiIan.
an far from believing that be ever was one,
and | am even convinced that he contantIy
held their principles in adherence. Il is too
true, however, that fpiTit of oPpoiiiicn led
him 10 contravene everyvigorous meafure which
Steigner's party propelled, whether 10 prelerve
the dignity of the national character, or to pre-
pare,in anyeyent,f for the common defence. And,
IN fhort, and above all things that theie oPpoG-
lions, and this fort Of inteaine diviiion, more
than any thing ellie, contributed to create a be-
lief in the French, that they had powerful par
ty in Switzerland, who would fapport them on
their arrival. I even doubt, if they would ever
have thoughs Of entering the country without
iuch hope as this.
Frbourg became the victim of the fame VIC
lation Of the armiRce, OF which have before
fpoken. This city was attacked and taken in
The midi Of tLa night, when the inhabitants
had abandoned themtslves to fumber on the
faith of the rev conferences, which the French
General had demanded. The letter in which
he has rendered an account of this explicit is a
very inlrnaive paper, Especially when compared
with al the iubfequent manifeitos, wherein he
boats Of having been received as beuefaetor,
by the majority Of the Swits PeaEntry, who
had invoked him TO aiia them in ihaking off
CCoStiHned 70 tie toartb page q fbis Pafrl