ed
conquered Venice, but he had entered into a treaty subsequently, and
recognised a wholly new government in place of the oligarchy. The
emperor, on the other hand, well knew that the Doge and Senate had
incurred ruin by rising to his own aid. Such considerations weighed
little on either side. France and Austria agreed to effect a division of
the whole territories of the ancient republic. Venice herself, and her
Italian provinces, were handed over to the emperor in lieu of his lost
Lombardy; and the French assumed the sovereignty of the Ionian islands
and Dalmatia. This unprincipled proceeding excited universal disgust
throughout Europe. It showed the sincerity of Buonaparte's love for the
cause of freedom; and it satisfied all the world of the excellent title
of the imperial court to complain of the selfishness and rapacity of the
French democracy.

The emperor set his seal at Campo-Formio to another of Buonaparte's acts
of dictatorship, which, though in one point of view even more
unjustifiable than this, was not regarded by the world with feelings of
the same order. The Italian territory of the Valteline had for ages been
subject to the Grison League. The inhabitants, roused by the prevailing
spirit all around them, demanded Napoleon's intercession with their
Swiss masters, to procure their admission to all the political
privileges of the other cantons. They refused; and Napoleon, in the
plenitude of his authority, immediately supported the Valteline in
throwing off the Grison yoke, and asserting its utter independence. This
territory was now annexed to the Cisalpine Republic. A government, with
which France was on terms of alliance and amity, was thus robbed of its
richest possession; but the Valteline belonged by natural position,
religion, and language, to Italy, and its annexation to the new Italian
republic was regarded as in itself just and proper, however questionable
Buonaparte's title to effect that event. He himself said at the time,
"It is contrary to the rights of man that any one people should be
subject to another;" a canon on which his after history formed a lucid
commentary.

In concluding, and in celebrating the conclusion of his treaty,
Napoleon's proud and fiery temperament twice shone out. Cobentzel had
set down as the first article, "The Emperor recognises the French
Republic." "Efface that," said Napoleon, sternly, "it is as clear as
that the sun is in heaven. Woe to them that cannot distingu