to become the instrument rather than the object of the vengeance of my enemies. Such an avowal does not become a great power. All Europe knows that it depended on Prussia, before the battle of Austerlitz, to give repose to Europe, if she had taken the part which her real interests, and the outraged honour of her monarehy dictated to her. She can DO longer be excused, after having missed such an opportunity; and even since the event of the 2nd of December, did she not command an army of 250,000 men, who still remember the victories it obtained under the great Frederick, which was in the best dispositions, and supported by the whole Russian army, two corps of which were actually under the command of the King of Prussia? She would, without doubt, have been subject to certain risks; but she found herself in a situation, when every danger must be encountered, to save the honour of the state. The prince who hesitates in making a choice, destroys the principle which serves as the basis of a military monarchy; and Prussia ought already to begin to feel the sacrifice she has made of her independence. The note of April 4 affirms, " that France had considered the electorate as its conquest, and that its troops had been on the point of re-entering it, to make a definitive disposal of it." The electorate of Hanover, as an integral part of the Germanic empire, is not concerned in the war between Great Britain and France; nevertheless, it has been unjustly invaded by that power, which has, notwithstanding, frequently indicated the object for which she was disposed to restore it. France was at length compelled to abandon the country, and forty thousand of my troops, and those of my allies, were established there, when the Count de Haugwitz signed the treaty which disposes of my states. It is true that the Russian corps was then at the disposal of his Prussian Majesty; but its chief, with the genuine spirit of an honourable man, was not the less determined to fight, if the allies of his master were attacked: we shall not speak of the French garrison which remained at Hameln, insufficient in point of number, deprived of the means of defence, and on the point of being besieged, when the promises of Prussia caused the plan to be abandoned. The intention of France to dispose definitively of the electorate, would have been contrary to the assertions she has so often made. It would, moreover, have been contrary to the usage of war, since even a conquest is not definitively disposed of before a peace; and particularly at a moment when a wish might exist to manifest a pacific disposition. Prussia had no right to judge if Great Britain had the means of opposing the return of my enemies to the electorate. Her power furnishes her with the means of bringing the war to an honourable end, for the interests she defends; but it is difficult to conceive in what light Prussia pretends that her measures removed troops that are strangers to the electorate, and ensure the repose of the north. Her troops, in consequence of the treacherous conduct of her cabinet, will remain as much strangers to the electorate as the French troops. Prussia should not speak of her sacrifices at the moment when her only aim is to aggrandişe herself, un less less she feels the loss of her independence to be such, and how much she has departed from her duty, in abandoning one of the oldest possessions of her house, and of subjects who implored, in vain, her assistance.— Besides, her sacrifices have no connexion with my system of policy, and confer no right on her to usurp the government of my German subjects, whose fidelity nothing has hitherto shaken, and which they will retain towards my person, and a family of princes who for many ages have only sought their happiness. It is evident that the conduct of the eourt of Berlin is not the free expres. sion of the will of its sovereign, but the consequence of the influence exercised by my enemies in the cabinet of that prince. All the courts, and all the states, however, who can judge of circumstances, and all that they owe to the system adopted by the court of Berlin, will agree that the act committed against a sovereign united to his Prussian majesty by the ties of blood, and until now by those of friendship, places the safety of Europe in greater danger than any act of hostility on the part of a pow. er with which one might be at open war. Convinced of the justice of my cause, I make my appeal to all the powers of Europe, who are interested in resisting the consolidation of a system, which, by threatening the political existence of an integral part of the German empire, brings into question the security of the whole. I demand, most earnestly, the constitutional aid which is due to me as elector, from the empire, its august head, as well as Russia and Sweden, the powers who have guaranteed its constitution, and who have already manifested, and still continue to manifest, the most honourable dispo. 3 sition for the preservation of my states. Lastly, I protest, in the most solemn manner, for myself and my heirs, against every encroachment on my rights in the electorate of Brunswick-Lunenburgh, and its dependencies; and I repeat, in quality of elector, the declaration made by the minister of my crown at the court of Berlin, that no advantage, arising from political arrangements, much less any offer whatever of an indemnity, or equivalent, shall ever engage me to forget what I owe to my dignity, the attachment and exemplary fidelity of my Hanoverian subjects, so as to yield my consent to the alienation of my electorate. . Given at the Palace of Windsor, the 20th day of April, 46th year of my reign. (L. S.) E. Count de Munster. 1806, in the George R. The Grand Pensionary of the Batavian Republic, to their High Mightinesses. High and mighty lords, Notwithstanding the unsettled state of my health for a long time past, and particularly the unfortunate diminution of my sight, would have afforded more than sufficient grounds for withdrawing myself from the fatigues of public business, I have hitherto continued in office from a sense of duty to my country, and with a view of doing it some essential service; being further influenced by the persuasion, that the renewal of the late war, and the consequences arising from the approach of the enemies' bands towards our frontiers, rendered such a step, on my part, the least doubtful. At present, high and mighty lords, these imperious motives exist n more: and my con. viction, viction, that any further service of mine, in my present situation, is not essential to the good of the country, has determined me to leave a post, which being no longer beneficial to my countrymen, nor advantageous to myself, I think it unadviseable any longer to fill. I therefore make that use of the privilege which the 41st article of the regulation of the state acknowledges, by virtue whereof, I again deposit my post, as pensionary of the council, in the hands of your high mightinesses. This post I leave with an entire consciousness, that every thing that has depended upon me, has been directed to the happiness of my fellowcitizens. I leave this situation thoroughly penetrated with the sense of, and the most cordial acknowledgment for, the repeated proofs of the confidence of this assembly, and of my countrymen in general. I therefore offer my most sincere thanks to all the members of this assembly, to your high mightinesses, and to the whole nation, with the assurance that my remembrance of the same, will prove to me the most agreeable companion of my retirement. Wav. ing the more intimate relationship by which I have been connected with your high mightinesses, by virtue of my office, I pray that the all-bountiful Providence will take my country, dear to me beyond every other consideration, under its special guidance and protection, and that the Almighty will further the prosperity, the welfare, and improvement of its inhabitants; and that your high migh. tinesses may also experience the best of blessings in your persons and your families. (Signed) R. J. Schimmelpenninck. (L. S.) G. G. Hultman, General June 6, 1806. Sec. of State. Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God, and the constitutional laws of the state, king of Holland! To all whom it may concern, health! We publish and make known to all, that, with the approbation of his majesty the emperor king Napoleon, our illustrious brother, we have assumed, and do assume, the royal dignity of king of Holland, agreea bly to the wishes of the people, to the constitutional laws, and to the treaty and mutual ratification this day presented to us by the deputies of the Dutch nation. On our coming to the throne, our most anxious care shall be to watch for the interests of our people! We shall be always solicitous to give them constant and unremitted proofs of our love and attention; preserv ing for that purpose the liberty of all our subjects, with their rights, and continually employing ourselves in promoting their welfare. The independence of the kingdom is guaranteed by his majesty the em peror and king! The laws of the constitution, and our fixed determi nation, extend equally to all, for the security of their demands on the state, for their personal safety, and their liberty of conscience! Conformably to this declaration, therefore, we have decreed, and do decree by these presents, Art. I. Our ministers of marine and finance, nominated by our decree of to-day, will enter effectually on their functions. The other ministers shall continue in their functions, till others are appointed in their places. II. All the constituted authorities of every description, civil and mili tary, shall continue to discharge their functions till others are provided. III. The constitutional laws have been made public in the fullest manner, with the treaty concluded at Paris, of the 24th of May, of the present year, between his majesty the emperor and king, and the Batavian republic, as is stated hereafter, together with this decree. Accordingly we order and command these to be announced, and every where made public, with an injunction to all whom it concern, to take care that this decree be punctually executed. Given at Paris, the 5th June, 1806, being the first year of our momarchical government. (Signed) (Countersigned) Louis. Verheul. CONSTITUTIONAL CODE. General Definitions. Article 1. The constitutional laws at present in force, particularly the constitution of the year 1805, together with the civil, political, and religious institutions now subsisting in the Batavian republic, the exercise of which is stipulated in, and con. formable to the conditions of the treaty concluded on the 23d of May, of this year, between his majesty the emperor of the French, king of Italy, and the Batavian republic, shall remain in full force, with the exception of such only as shall be expressly repealed by the present constitutional code. 2. The government of the Dutch colonies shall be regulated by a special code. The receipts and expenditure of the colonies shall be considered as forming a part of the receipts and expenditure of the state. 3. The public debt of the state is hereby guaranteed. 4. The Dutch language shall continue to be exclusively employed for all laws, proclamations, ordinances, decrees, and all other public documents, without exception. 5. No alteration shall be made in the value or weight of the current coin, unless by virtue of a special statute. 6. The former flag of the state shall continue to be used. 7. The council of state shall consist of thirteen members. The ministers shall have rank, seats, and deliberative voices in the council of statc. SECOND PART. Of Religion. Art. 1. The king and the law extend equal protection to all the modes of religion professed by the state. By their authority shall be regulated every thing that may be judged necessary relative to the organization, the protection, and the exercise of all kinds of worship.The exercise of religious duties shall in all cases be performed within the walls of the churches of the different sects. 2. The king shall enjoy in his palaces, and in any and every place where he may fix his residence, the free and public exercise of his religion. THIRD PART. Of the King. Art. 1. The king possesses exclusively, and without restriction, the complete exercise of the government, and of all the powers necessary to carry the laws into effect, and cause them to be respected. He appoints to all the offices and places, the nomination to which was, by the for mer mer laws, vested in the grand pensionary. He shall enjoy all the titles of pre-eminence heretofore attached to that dignity.-The national coin shall be stamped with his effigy.Justice shall be administered in his name. He has the power of pardoning offences, and of remitting punishments, ordered to be inflicted by courts of justice. This power shall, nevertheless, not be acted upon, but after an audience given to the members of the national court at a privy council. 2. On the demise of the king, the care of his son, being a minor, shall be committed to the queen mother, and in default of her surviving, to such person as should be nominated by the emperor of the French. 3. The regent shall be provided with a council of natives, whose constitution and powers shall be determined by a special law. The regent shall not be personally responsible for the acts of his administration. 4. The government of the colo nics, and all that relates to their internal administration, is exclusively vested in the king. 5. The general government of the kingdom, is under the immediate conduct of four ministers of state, 'viz.-a minister for foreign affairs, minister for naval and military affairs, a minister of finance, and a minister of the interior. FOURTH PART. Of Law. Law is established in Holland by the union of the legislative body, be. ing the assembly of their high mightinesses, and of the king. The legislative body shall consist of 38 members, chosen for five years, and nominated in the following proportion, viz. The number of members of the as. sembly of their high mightinesses may be increased by law, in case of the extension of their territory. 2. In order, on this occasion, to nominate nineteen members of the assembly of their high mightinesses, by which the number fixed in the preceding article shall be completed, their high mightinesses shall present to the king a nomination of two persons for each of the places to be filled up. The departmental assembly of each department shall in a similar manner present a nomination of two persons, and the king shall from the persons presented make the choice. 3. The present grand pensionary shall take the title of president of their high mightinesses, and hold the office for life. The election of his successors shall take place in the manner prescribed by the constitution of the year 1805. 4. The legislative body shall nominate from its own members a secretary, by a majority of votes. 5. The legislative body shall in general assemble twice a year; namely, from the 15th of April to the 1st of June, and from the 15th of No. vember to the 15th of January. It may be assembled on any extraordinary occasion, by authority of the king. On the 15th November of each year, the oldest fifth part of the mem. bers |