230 ANNUAL RE G I STE R, 1794. 



Froclamation hy the states of Holland 

 and West Friesland, July, ] 7g4. 



THE states of Holland and West 

 Friesland, &:c. make known. 

 Whereas the c'ncnmstances of ihe 

 war, so unjustly declared by the 

 French government agahist the re- 

 public, have again taken such a 

 turn, that the fiontiers of the siate 

 are exposed a second time to the 

 violtnce of the enemy's invasion, 

 vhich can be no ollierwise resisted 

 than by employing themoft vigorous 

 means: to this effect, animated by 

 the sentiments whichhis most serene 

 highness the prince Sladih-jkler ex- 

 pressed in his acidiess to the stotes- 

 generai, the 14lh of last month; we 

 have firmly resolved to sacrifice our 

 properties and lives in the defence 

 of the state, particularly of this pro- 

 vince, and in protecting every thing 

 that is dear to u-i in this country. 

 We have judged it necessary and 

 our duty to inform the good citizt ns 

 of these our serious intentions and 

 views, and at the same time to de- 

 clare, that we are very far fioni 

 despairing of the safety of the state 

 together with all its prerogatives, 

 religious and civil, in case that the 

 means which Divine Goodness has 

 given and preserved to us are em- 

 ployed witii that cordiality, concord, 

 and true patriotism, which have at 

 all times characterized the free-born 

 Eeliiic nation. It is with this view 

 that v\e exhort every ciiizen, who 

 is not totally degenerated from the 

 virtues of his ancestors, to renotuice 

 at this tme, whe,: the country is in 

 dimgt-r, all party spirit, and to unite 

 hea; t and hand for the preservation 

 of thtir own interests, and to re- 

 mensbcr that evtry one in his own 

 sphere is obliged to co-operate, 

 since there is not a single person 



who would not lose, in the fall of 

 the state, his own personal liberty, 

 and his unrestrained means of sub- 

 sistence ; but above all, let every 

 one think that this obligation be- 

 comes greater in proportion to hi* 

 possessions, or other relations to 

 this country, so fa: oured by Hea- 

 ven. 



7 hat amcnost the means we iudge 

 may and ought to be employed 

 with \ igour, we reckon the local 

 kililation and the natural force of 

 the country, strengthened by for'. 

 tresses and by inundations, by means 

 ot which our enemies have been so 

 often drixen from our frontiers, as 

 likewise the augmentation and the 

 abundant stoves with which the 

 army of Ih.e state, is provided, eu- 

 cournged as it is by the immortal 

 glory it has acquired in the two last 

 campaigns. But neither i» it to be 

 dissembled, that in order to put 

 every thing into the most respecta- 

 ble situation it is capable of, con- 

 siderable sums are wanted : for 

 these wants we have ctideavoured 

 to provide in time, as well as by re-; 

 solving upon difiere: t, as by im- 

 posing a tax after the example of 

 like circumstances in thcyear ITAJ % 

 three proportions of wjiich we with 

 all other wellTinlentioned citizens, 

 have aliady jiaid, being obliged, by 

 our ntcesbities, to anticipate the last 

 pronoition a month before the 

 time. Nevertheless, all the means 

 of supply hitherto furnished fall 

 greatly short of Ihe necessities of 

 this expensive war, mofe especially 

 at the present moment, when the 

 safety or the fall of the republic de- 

 pends upon the pioropt furnishing 

 of coin. 



In the mean time we with plea-r 

 sure learn, that many good citizens, 

 who have tlie power of doing so, 



have 





