242 
moved the impediments to ¢om- 
merce. _Hasten, legislators, to 
complete our regeneration. Bel- 
Biv: has suffered enough, Too 
jong has it vegetated with half its 
liberty ; “it is time that it should 
recover the whole, and resume its 
ancient station among the Gauls. 
Pronounce the unidn, and you will 
destroy the ramifications of liber- 
ticide faétions ; you will silence the 
calumniators who insinuate td an 
hoyest and industrious people, that 
Juniviices have been required of 
them only to seplunge them into 
slavery : you will defeat the hopes 
of those, who, for the reign of vir- 
tue, of justice, and the laws, would 
substitute a justly abhorred system 
of terror. if the Belgians have 
sometimes suffered themselves to 
be misled by hypoerites, they are 
not less deservang ef your esteem 
upon that account, for what peo. 
ple! is there whose energy has not 
been paralized at some time or ano. 
ther by ambitious men or pretend- 
ed yatriots? To yeu, legislators, i it 
was reserved to le ey the onperish. 
able foundations of a republic, in 
which the love of principles wil] 
be the sole guide of the citizens. 
Recollect, however, that the Bel- 
gians; destitute of all means, and 
Strong only in their courage, piel 
away their despat while France 
veasostill groaning: under her’s, 
While Batavia) was receiving 
chains from an ambitious woman, 
did nut Belgium give the frst sig- 
nal of the glorious revolution which 
you ‘have accomplished? Did not 
Belgium, in 1787; give the first 
commotion to the conductor, whose 
parts éleGtrified 25 millions of men 
who. now enjoy hberty ? Did. not 
go batialions of Belgians and Lie- 
gois share the perils of the heroes 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1793. 
of the republic? No, legislators, 
you will not suffer this people to 
be longer without a civil existence. 
You will not suffer us to be any 
longer an objeét of trafic for the 
tyrants of London, of Vienna, and 
Beriin. The French people will 
not make slaves. That generous 
people, which merits the admira- 
tion of the universey-is~formed to 
love the Belgians, and to fraternize 
with them, Why defer proclaim. 
ing this union? it is then that the 
people of these countries will see 
their co begin to heal, and 
that their numerous sacrifices 
will seem hight +because they will 
be sure of reaping. the benefit of 
them. ~“Hasten ‘then, legislators, 
when our inhabitants shall go to 
learn of your Areopagus hatred of 
tyrants and Jove of virtue; when 
our youth, trained up. in orepub- 
lican principles, willearly accustom 
themselves to fight in defence of 
liberty and equality. The wish of 
honest men is to see our destinies 
united to those of Frances This 
is our dearest hope, the only safety 
of Belgium. Vive la Convention! 
Vive la Republique ! 
Done at Brussels, in the sitting of 
the 23d Pluviose (Feb. 11), 
third republican year. 
Letter from the Representatives of the 
iventh  Pesple with the Armies of 
- the: North, to the National Conven« 
tion, dated Brussels, the 8th Ven- 
tose | (26th February), 1795+ 
Citizen Colleagues, 
I SEND you the wish of the 
city of Antwerp for its union with 
the republic. his desire is uttered 
throughout Belgium, in proportion 
as we draw near to the opening of 
ithe 
