192 
constantly every where sacrificed 
to those of its ancient rival, even 
by the persons appointed to defend 
its rights, meditated a fundamental 
regeneration in the form of the go- 
wernment. We shall not retrace 
how England, knowing that the 
limitation of the scandalous usur- 
pation of power and influence, 
on the part of the Stadtholder, 
would also diminish its influence 
in this republic. How, we say, 
the British ministry, far from inter- 
ceding for the Batavian nation, or 
coming to itssuccour, when legions 
of foreign troops seized on these 
countries, commiiting the most 
atrocious disorders, pillages, and 
violences, considered, on the con- 
trary, this devastation and this op- 
pression with a malignant satisfac- 
tion; and concurred, when the 
mischief was completed, in gua- 
ranteeing, in a solemn manner, the 
system of a tyranny which resulted 
from it. : 
When the French nation, wearied 
with the insupportable tyranny 
of kings, shook off its yoke, and 
formed itself into an independent 
republic, the British ministers 
thought that they could not have 
a better opportunity to dismember 
a part of that fine empire. They 
accordingly, united in the treaty 
concluded at Pilnitz, on the 27th 
of August, 1791, by the princes 
of Germany. The French republic, 
well knowing that that of the 
United Provinces of the Nether- 
lands would be constrained by 
England to take a part in this plot 
against its liberty, declared war 
against the British ministers, as well 
as against their subject William V. 
stadtholder of the Seven United 
Provinces, and his partizans,—It 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 
1796. 
is thus that the Batavian nation 
was once more drawn against its 
will into this bloody war by its de- 
pendence on those same ministers : 
its treasures were lavished, and its 
arsenals nearly emptied, to aid the 
extravagant ‘plans of Pitt and his 
cabal. Auxiliary English troops 
were sent to this republic, and 
when a defeat, sustained near the 
Meuse by a part of the French 
army, had procured a momentary 
advantage, the army of the States 
was forced to pass the limits of our 
frontiers, and those of France, and 
to wage an offensive war on the 
French territory. Soon, bowever, 
the viétorious French repulsed their 
enemies on all sides, and from day 
to day the armies of Engiand and 
the States retrograded towards our 
frontiers. The republic found 
itself on the brink of its ruin, 
since appearances pointed out that 
the theatre of war would be re- 
moved to the very heart of its 
provinces, and all the country 
inundated, Never were the States 
in so critical a position since the 
war with Spain ; but this danger 
brought about their deliverance ; 
Provitience defeated the perfidious 
plans of its enemies, who were 
desirous rather that the republic 
should be destroyed than that it 
should be free. When the frost 
permiited the crossing of the rivers, 
the valorous French. troops drove 
before them the English bands 
with so much speed, that the latter 
had not time to effeét their infernal 
design; they fled, but their road 
was traced by fire and pillage. It 
was nothing but their speedy and 
precipitate retreat that preserved 
the republic from a total devasta- 
tion. We soon witnessed the ex- 
traordinary 
