mediator; and has, in consequence, agreed upon the following convention with the municipality of the city:

Art. I. The commissary of government, May, resigns, in full confidence, to the townsmen of Zurich, the military service of that city, and engages that he will establish no garrison there, but will personally repair thither as the chief place of the canton, bringing along with him only a few pieces of ordnance.

II. All past proceedings shall be buried in oblivion. All the inhabitants of Zurich, as well as all the inhabitants of Helvetia, who have taken part in the late events, are discharged from all responsibility. Consequently all those who on either side have been made prisoners, or arrested by the civil or military power, shall be instantly set at liberty, if there be no other accusation against them.

III. Immediately after the signing of the present convention, the speediest means will be taken to put an end to all hostile proceedings. Zurich, Sept. 15, 1802, eight o'clock in the morning, in name of the municipality. (Signed)

Hirzel,

Rheinard.

Head-quarters at Zurichberg, Sept. 15, 1802, nine in the morning.

(Signed) May, Commissary of the government,

Convention between the Helvetic

Troops at Berne and the Insurgents besieging the Town.

The commander of the Helvetic armed force at Berne, in order to avoid any further bloodshed, and particularly with the intention of

sparing the inhabitants and the cit on the one part; and M. E. Em de Watteville, in the name of the council of war of the troops have attacked Berne, on the other; have agreed upon the following articles:

Art. I. There shall be an armstice between the Helvetic troops Berne, and those which have attacked the city, to commence from the signing of the present convention.

II. The Helvetic troops shall give up the place in twenty-four hours after the signature.

III. The leaders of the troops in arms against Berne, engage to ob tain from the municipal authorities, the carriages, waggons, and horses, and all the necessary facilities for the departure of the government, and those in office, with their families and effects of every description, and also for the conveyance of twenty pieces of artillery, with the powder and ammunition necessary to serve them; in a word, every thing be longing to the government. The records, papers, and other articles, which cannot be carried off, will be respected, and remain under the guarantee of the parties stipulating. The sick and wounded soldiers in the hospitals shall be maintained. taken care of, and sent to their respective corps.

IV. The leaders of the troops in arms against Berne ensure to the government a free passage to the frontiers of the cantons of Vaud aná Friburg.

government, or any person in its V. Should any member of the

employment, not be able to accom pany the government itself, they shall have a passports to follow it a full liberty. Should they be oblig to leave behind them their families

effects, they shall be respect

. The ministers of foreign rs to the Helvetic republic, their suite, and property of description, remain under the intee of the law of nations. leaders of the troops in arms ist Berne, shall respect their icter, and promise to furnish 1, at any time, with the facilities isite to their removal, whitherer they think proper.

II. General Andermatt, the ps under his orders, and all other vetic troops on detached service, comprised in the present conion, and may rejoin the Helvegovernment, at its departure a Berne, without any molesta, with their arms, baggage, and n of artillery; and for this purcouriers shall be immediately atched to the general and the achments, to inform them of the sent convention. These troops Il march by the shortest road, hout the city, at the rate of at st five leagues each day.

VIII. The other columns in arms inst the government are equally luded in the present convention. IX. Until the junction of the ove-mentioned detachments shall ve been effected, the troops in ns against the Helvetic governent shall not enter the territory of e cantons of Vaud or Friburg. ostilities shall not take place on ther side.

X. As a security for the performce of the present convention, two ficers of equal rank shall be reciocally delivered as hostages until e complete execution of all its arti

es.

XI. Such articles as may appear oubtful, shall, if necessary, be ex

You

years, an afflicting spectacle. Opposite factions have successively taken possession of the sovereign authority; they have signalized their temporary rule by a system of partiality which proved their unskilfulness and weakness.-In the course of the year 10, your government desired that the small number of French troops in Helvetia should be withdrawn. The French government willingly availed themselves of that opportunity to honour your independence; but soon afterwards your different parties began to be agitated by fresh fury; the blood of the Swiss was shed by the hands of Swiss.-You have been disputing for three years without coming to any understanding; if you are left longer to yourselves, you will be killing each other for three years, without coming to a better understanding. Your history proves besides, that your intestine wars could never be terminated but by the efficacious intervention of France. It is true that I had determined not to interfere at all in your affairs; I had constantly seen

Oth of September, could have ed you sooner; it contains a ful exposition of the present of Switzerland. Permit us to you enclosed a duplicate of it, to entreat you to receive it faably. It will prove to you that movements which have taken in Switzerland are not the reof a spirit of party, and that Swiss nation has no other object iew than to make use of the t which she claims of giving elf a central and cantonal contion, founded on her position her wants a sacred and pres right, which you deigned rself to ensure her by the treaty Luneville. Switzerland would ; since have been tranquil, if members of the Helvetic goiment, those obscure metaphyins, had consulted the real state ffairs, instead of obstinately ating themselves to theoretic at pts as erroneous as they are exsive. The violence with which y have tried to impose their sys1 upon the democratic cantons, civil war they have organized to in their end, directed at first inst those cantons, then against Switzerland: the unexampled erity with which they have e it, have produced a discontent ally general and just, and a demined and avowed will to shake this unsupportable yoke. It is t then, general first consul, an air of party-it is the sacred use of humanity, it is the general sh of a whole nation, which has en us our power and our inuctions, of a nation which you urself wished to free, and which s been ill-treated and irritated, ntrary to your intentions. Yet VOL. XLIV.

that nation, we render ourselves guarantees, will never abuse the liberty it claims. The Swiss have, nothing more at heart than to attain a state of repose, in which, under the shield of a mild and just government, each inhabitant may enjoy his property and existence. We are convinced that we shall arrive at that essential object of all, social order, from the moment our will and our efforts shall be no longer fettered.-General first consul, all Europe admires in you the supreme head of an immense power and empire, which, without doubt, according to your own views, will be directed to the good of huma nity; your magnanimity assures us, that you will not make use of it against a people who only desire what you have made them hope, and who only wish what they bebelieve themselves authorized to do by yourself. Penetrated with eternal gratitude, the Swiss nation will do its endeavour to deserve the good will of the French government; and will fulfil all the duties which are imposed upon it by the desire of cultivating good neigh bourhood.

It is with the most distinguished respect that we remain, general first consul,

The deputies of the
Helvetic Diet.

Schwitz, Oct. 8, 1802.

Art. I. Switzerland forms one federal republic, under the denomination of the Helvetic confederation.

II. It is divided into cantons.

III. Each canton to govern itself according to its own will, and to exercise in its own territory all the rights of sovereignty which it exercised under the ancient regime.

IV. The towns shall not enjoy any prerogative over the country, both one and the other, to participate in the administration of justice, of the police, and in the internal government of the canton.

V. The government of one canton cannot publish ordinances prejudicial to another canton: those who break through this regulation to be denounced to the diet.

VI. The government of each canton to name a deputy to the Helvetic diet. The deputies remain in office until their constituents think proper to recal them. They are indemnified by the canton.

VII. The diet is permanent; it deliberates on war and peace, and on the conclusion of such treaties of alliance and commerce as the general interest of the confederation may call for. It is authorized to repeal and annul the ordonnances of the cantonal governments, which are prejudicial to the Helvetic confederation, or to any of its can

tons.

VIII. Every deputy, member of the diet, is obliged to conduct himself, upon the discussion of an important object, particularly of treafies, peace, commerce and alliance, according to the instructions of his constituents.

IX. The diet chooses, from amongst its members, a president

and a secretary, who continue in their functions for three months, and are always reeligible.

X. The president of the diet receives the envoys of foreign powers, and signs the deliberations of the diet, which are countersigned by the secretary. The protocol shall be signed by every member.

XI. The diet appoints the Hel-. vetic envoys to foreign powers, and recalls them.

XII. In case of a war, or threat of attack, the diet settles the contingent of troops, and the amount of the sums which each canton is obliged to furnish. The arsenals of the cantons are at the disposal of the diet. It appoints the generals, and removes them, as also the inspectors of the militia in time of peace. Each canton is obliged to exercise in arms and military evolu tions, a contingent of the militia, which, however, is not to perform any effective service, in time of peace, and receives no pay.

XIII. All the Swiss are soldiers. None can exercise the rights of citizenship, nor be received into the corporations of artists and tradesmen, nor exercise a profession, nor marry, unless he has a musket, a sword, and a pouch. The government supplies the poor with arms, In extraordinary cases the cantonal government may order the disarming of the citizens. The expenses of war are charged upon all the cantons in proportion to their respective means.