STATE *PAPERBS. 
the first year of Batavian li- 
berty. 
By order of the provisional repre- 
sentatives of Amsterdam, 
R. W. Tanpama, Sec. 
Second Proclamation by the same. 
LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY. 
Citizens, 
THE assembly of provisional re- 
presentatives of the commune of 
Amsterdam having received, from 
time to time, and on the part of 
different citizens, demands, tend- 
ing to the embracing of measures 
which would put into a state of 
arrest in general the former mem- 
bers of the now-abolished govern- 
ment, and other suspected per- 
sons; the assembly has not only 
been constantly of opinion that it 
ought not to embrace such mea- 
sures, but it also thinks itself 
obliged to explain to all its com- 
patriots in general, and to the in- 
habitants of Amsterdam in parti- 
eular, whom it repzesents, what is 
its manner of thinking on a subject 
of this importance, and what are 
the principles on which its opinion 
is founded. ; 
We shall set out, citizens, with 
@eclaring, that we neither could 
nor would, for a single moment, 
suppose that the repeated instances 
of a part of our fellow-citizens 
to make us take rigorous measures, 
could proceed from any motive of- 
hatred or revenge. She Dutch, 
from the very moment when they 
first broke their chains, gave to 
astonished Eutope too grand an 
example of generosity and huma- 
nity, to let us believe that they 
would sully that glory in the mo- 
ments of tranquillity, by aveng- 
ing themselves on a set of humbled 
213 
despots, deprived of all strength. 
He deserves not to triumph who 
basely abuses his viétory. He 
alone can promise himself the con. 
stant and agreeable fruits of vitory, 
who makes his vanquished foes 
blush by his justice and generosity, 
and convinces them that they are 
the persons who have chosen the 
worst side of the cause to defend. 
Citizens, generosity and justice 
carry with them irresistible force. 
Nothing can save the cause of our 
country but a constant adherence 
to these virtues. The exercise of 
revenge may afford a transitory 
pleasure in the moments of pas- 
sion and delirium, but its conse- 
quences are commonly, sad and 
fatal, while the exercise of equity 
and of generosity leaves nothing 
but agreeable sensations. 
Such, citizens, are our senti. 
ments; such ought to be your’s. 
Real guardians of freedom and 
equality, you are capable of per- 
ceiving their value and their force; 
and woe betide the country if this 
doétrine shall not become the uni- 
versal dotrine of the nation. 
Since then, citizens, we cannot 
differ on these principles, it will 
be easy to convince the virtuous 
patriot, that the system which we 
have adopted in our assembly, is 
in effec the only one that agrees 
with the real interests of the 
country. 
Let us begin by presenting to 
your view the great end that every 
honest man, and above all, every 
citizen entrusted with any public 
authority, ought to propose to him~ 
self, ‘this end ought to be, to 
settle this revolution upon the most 
immoveable foundations, to the 
end that all the inhabitants of the 
land may feel the permanent bene. 
PZ fits 
