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1786

Dissension was now at its greatest height; outrages were daily committed by the violent partisans on each side; and the prince's only hope from within seemed to rest on this circumstance—that men of reflection, equally disgusted with the tyranny of a faction and the lawless rule of the multitude, would at length be desirous to restore the stadtholder, as the only expedient for restoring regular government. Even at this instant, when his affairs, in other respects, wore the most unfavourable aspect, some symptoms of returning loyalty discovered themselves at Amsterdam, where the disaffection had originated. Not only at that city, but, by the weight of its example, at Rotterdam, so favourable were the sentiments of their senates to his interests, that a majority of those bodies recommended to the states of the province his restoration to the command of the garrison of the Hague. The prince's adversaries then saw the necessity of extraordinary activity, to prevent the prevalence of the same favourable sentiments in the provincial states. And, so successful were the secret intrigues carried on under the auspices of marshal de Maillebois and the French faction, that the grand question respecting his restoration was decided against him in the states of Holland by a single vote.‡

During these proceedings, the contest between the burghers, or democratic party, and the senate, or aristocracy, at Utrecht, Amersfort, and Wyck, was carried on with great violence. It was the desire of both parties to abolish the power vested in the stadtholder, by the regulation of 1674, in the election of magistrates: but the senators wished to establish, in its stead, the plan of self-election; whereas the burghers were desirous to introduce a new power in the constitution in favour of the citizens at large.—The senators had yielded so far to the wishes of the burghers, as to appoint a committee of their body, to concert with certain delegates named by the citizens a new regulation of regency, to supersede that of 1674. But when the latter proposed, as a specific plan, that a college of sixteen tribunes should be established, who, together with the deputies of the eight wards, were to have a negative in the election of magistrates, to whom the magistrates were to be accountable, and by whom any member of the senate might be deposed, they revolted against a proposal which would have erected

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erected a democracy on the ruins of the existing aristocracy. The states of Utrecht, having considered the demands of the burghers, resolved that the regulation of 1674 was just and beneficial, and ought not to be subject to any variation. And the result was, that the burghers elected the college of tribunes: but when the senators were required to give their sanction to the election, by admitting them to take the accustomed oaths,† and to abjure the regulation of 1674, only five, out of forty members, of which that body consisted, could be prevailed on to attend the assembly of burghers called for that purpose.

The alarm excited by the prevalence of democratic principles was more particularly seen in the province of Guelderland; where the states had a strong bias to the interests of the house of Orange. That assembly not only confirmed the regulation of 1674, but forbade, under severe penalties, the drawing up any petition against it, or the associating of armed burghers within their jurisdiction. Moreover, when the burghers of Elburg and Hattem resisted the proclamation by which this was enjoined, they proceeded a step further than the aristocrats in other provinces; and requested the stadtholder, then resident at Nimiguen, to send a military force to subdue the refractory citizens.-The prince readily complied with a request that afforded him the hope of regaining his station. General Spengler was immediately dispatched, with four regiments and proper artillery, on this service; with strict injunctions from the stadtholder, if possible, to avoid the shedding of blood.-But it was soon perceived that the prince's. interests were prejudiced by an event which appeared so auspicious. Spengler easily made himself master of the towns; and was attentive to the prince's orders. Yet the states of Holland seized the opportunity to impress, more strongly, on the minds of the people, the idea of designs in the prince and his adherents hostile to their liberties. By these means they justified the violences which they had been guilty of in deposing the magistrates, senators, and members of the town councils who were attached to his interests; and they were provided with a pretext for again expressing their disapprobation of his conduct, in the eyes of the people, by suspending him from the right of nominating to any military charge.4"

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1786

1786

While the prince's enemies were thus availing themselves of every. circumstance in his conduct which could possibly be turned to their own benefit, an event took place from which his friends conceived hopes that material advantage might ensue to their cause-that was the death of Frederic the Second, king of Prussia, who had determined to adhere to a neutrality in the affairs of the provinces, and the accession of Frederic William the Second, brother to the princess of Orange.—That monarch instantly discovered his intention of espousing the cause of his brother-inlaw, by dispatching count de Goertz, his minister of state, with a letter addressed to their high mightinesses, expressing his sincere desire to continue the amity which had for ages subsisted between his predecessors and the states-general; declaring at the same time, that he could not see with indifference the prince and princess of Orange degraded from their dignities and driven into exile; urging their high mightinesses to use their influence with the states of Holland, to obtain their consent to an accommodation with the stadtholder; and offering his own mediation for that purpose.The states of Holland peremptorily refused to accede to any conciliatory plan which should restore the prince to his dignities. Yet Frederic William persevered in his purpose: and, when the joint mediation of Great Britain and Prussia was objected to, he applied to the court of Versailles; presuming that the mediation of an ally and protector could not be rejected.* -It was not the opinion of those who were acquainted with the political views of France, that its government was really desirous to see the prince of Orange restored to power; as that could not be effected without a victory over the aristocrats, and the consequent diminution of the French interests in the provinces. But it was deemed politic to maintain the semblance of a disposition to promote peace.-His Prussian majesty's propositions were, therefore, received with approbation: and monsieur de Rayneval, an experienced negotiator, was sent to the Hague, towards the close of this year, professedly with an intention to unite with de Goertz and monsieur Thulemeyer, the Prussian resident, in accomplishing a reconciliation between the contending parties in the provinces, and really to give countenance to the French partisans, and counteract sir James Harris, the English ambassador, who was endeavouring to restore his sovereign's interests in them. FRANCE.

i Hist. of United States. 233. Ann. Regist. 85.

k

k Ann. Regist. 1787. 3.

FRANCE.

a

THE advancement of commerce was the grand object of the European states at this period, not only as the means of national prosperity but as a source of revenue: and every government was devising expedients for promoting its manufactures and extending its trade, with a view to the attainment of these.One of the most memorable measures adopted by the French government for that purpose was the commercial treaty now concluded with Great Britain. + It was founded on the principle of reciprocal benefit from an exchange of product and manufactures. Every friend to peace and the general welfare of society rejoiced when they saw the time apparently approaching when the ancient animosities and prejudices which had been so often the cause of war between these great nations would be sunk in oblivion, and they would rival each other in works of art and genius, instead of feats of heroism. Auspicious as the measure appeared, however, upon a general view, when examined into, it was murmured against in France as prejudicial to those interests which it professed to promote. The fact appears to have been, that it was beneficial to both kingdoms; but more so to Great Britain than France; because the former gave its manufactures, which employed a great number of hands, in exchange, chiefly, for the natural product of the latter, which employed comparatively few. And this circumstance was sufficient to excite jealousy in a rival nation, which had ever valued itself on its superior political address. Whether the encouragement which France would have derived from this treaty to the improvement, and, in some parts, the extension of their vineyards, although not so productive of wealth, revenue, and population, as manufactures and commerce are, might not have been made more conducive to personal comfort and national happiness, had not the revolution prevented it, is a subject well deserving the attention of all who are interested in the general welfare.

Agreeably

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VOL. III.

C

+ September 20.

Anderson. 5.614.

1786

Agreeably with the same views of promoting trade, arrets were now issued to encourage artists and manufacturers of all nations to settle in France by allowing them an exemption from all duties, for a limited time, upon the importation of the raw materials used in their manufactures, as well as from the payment of taxes and all personal duties to themselves and their workmen. As a further encouragement, persons of all religious persuasions were enabled to purchase lands and entitled to all the common rights of citizens. And, as a security for the continuance of these religious privileges, the government admitted the native protestants to some share of them, by protecting them from the persecution to which they were rendered liable by the revocation of the edict of Nantes, and by permitting them to build places of worship, where they were allowed the free exercise of their worship under certain restrictions.-Such was the effect of these wise measures, that, before the close of this year, fourteen vessels from North America, freighted with the families and effects of a colony of quakers, and anabaptists, arrived in the harbour of Dunkirk; where they intended to employ themselves in the fisheries on the French coasts. — Thus did the christian king render himself worthy of that appellation by conforming to the true spirit of christianity, by rooting out animosity and introducing harmony among men: and thus did the French monarch display his characteristic benevolence in the most amiable light, by contributing to the comfort of his subjects and the general well-being of society. It would have been happy both for the monarch and his people, if, with a benevolent heart, he had been endowed with such an enlightened understanding as might have led him to accommodate the maxims of his government to the prevailing principles of civil liberty; and with a firmness of mind and dignity of character which might have enabled him, in conformity with his own sentiments and those of his wisest counsellors, to enforce that plan of economic reform which alone could save the monarchy from ruin. He would thus, by quieting the minds of his subjects, who were becoming daily more sensible of the oppression which they suffered, have defeated the schemes of those who were preparing to execute their ambitious views under the mask of public spirit.-That the king had naturally a humane disposition, which would have induced him to consult the national

Ann. Regist. 174. 6.

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