220 
Wilthemstadt and Steenburgen, for- 
tresses which still held out, to ca- 
pitulate, likewise to the troops 
who were in those provinces: which 
had not yet submitted to the 
French, as also to the ships of the 
state, not to defend themselves 
against the French, the states of 
Zeeland were under the necessity 
of following the example of those 
of Holland and Utretcht, in capi- 
tulating for their province, or ra- 
ther in submitting to the con- 
queror. 
The prince of Orange being in. 
formed of this resolution, and per- 
ceiving that his presence could no 
longer be of any service there, was 
obliged to give up his intention of 
going into Zeeland, and the ice 
Raving for a long while prevented 
all communication between the 
provinces of Friezland and Gro- 
Aingen with England, during that 
time the prince could not reccive 
any intelligence from those pro- 
vinces, and the first he received 
was, that they had submitted in 
the same manner as the others had 
done, which frustrated his plan of 
going into either of those provinces. 
The prince of Orange waits 
with confidence the judgment 
which every impartial person will 
pass on his conduct, and cannot 
think it was cxpeéted he should 
temain in a country which had 
submitted to the French arms, 
whilst the French national con- 
vention had declared war against 
him personally, and deliver himself 
into the hands of his enemies, with. 
out being able thereby to surrender 
the least service to his country. 
He leaves it to the impartial 
public to judge if it is with reason 
that the pretended States General 
could declare, on the proposal of 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1795. 
the self-named provisional repre- 
sentatives of the Dutch people, 
that the stadtholdership was aho. 
lished, because the stadtholder, 
Captain and admiral general, had 
thought proper to quit his post 
whilst the said provisional repre- 
sentatives of the people of Holland 
judged it right, in the same assem- 
bly where they have changed the 
form of government, and usurped 
the supreme power, to abolish 
those charges for the province of 
Holland, without assigning any 
other motive than that the nobility 
and hereditary offices were incom- 
patible with equality. 
The prince of Orange const- 
ders himself authorized to appeal 
to the whole universe from a re- 
solution so unjust, and declares 
that he will not acknowledge as 
lawful, any resolution taken by 
those who now call themselves 
the States General, or States of the 
Provinces, as long as the republic 
shall be occupied by the French 
troops. He flatters himself, that 
if’ more fortunate circumstances 
should deliver his unhappy country 
from a foreign yoke, the nation, 
restored to itself, and enjoying, as 
it has done for these two cen- 
turies, a true liberty founded upon 
law, will do him justice by not 
delaying to call him’ to the exer- 
cise of the hereditary charges which 
he possesses in that republic, and 
which have been granted to his 
house, by the will of the nation, 
with the view of contributing to 
the. maintenance of the religion, 
good order, independence , and 
prosperity of the state, and of the 
true liberty and well being of its 
inhabitants. 
W. PR. OF ORANGE. 
Hampton Court Palace,” 
May 28, 1795.)  * 
Deowee 
