676 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



ing a ne<v system to replace the pre- 

 sent one of departmental taxation. 

 The remaining twenty-eight articles 

 of the plan propose the establish, 

 ment of a national office of accounts, 

 to consist of not less than five, nor 

 more than nine members ; tliat the 

 administrations of the departments 

 shall profisionally retain their pre- 

 sent organization, but subject to a 

 revision ; that the high military tri- 

 bunal shall be established, and a na- 

 tional court of justice, of nine mem- 

 bers. The appointments and func- 

 tions of all those colleges are stipu- 

 lated by separate articles ; and the 

 whole is concluded by the form of 

 the oath to be taken by the legisla- 

 tive body and the pensionary. 



Speech of M. Schimmelpenninck, at 

 the opening of the Session of the 

 States General^ under the New 

 Constitution, on the 15th of Majj, 

 1S05. 



High and mighty lords, 

 For along time have our country- 

 men felt the necessity of preventing, 

 by the introduction of a new order 

 of things, the downfal of the totter- 

 ing edifice of the state. This ne- 

 cessity was so generally felt, and in 

 so lively a manner, that I deem it 

 superfluous and unfit to enlarge 

 upon a truth universally acknow- 

 ledged : but it is this general con- 

 viction, which holds to us the rule 

 by which we are to measure the 

 hope which the nation has again re- 

 covered, and the expectation which 

 it grounds upon our exertions. The 

 burden whi«h we take upon our- 

 selves, and the most troublesome 

 and painful part of which is to fall 

 upon me, is heavy. The difficulties 

 in wliich the state is involved are 



manifold and great ; the first proof 

 of our courage will be, to dare to 

 contemplate those difficulties, such 

 as they actually exist ; the second, 

 not to despair of conquering them, 

 that is to say, of the salvation of 

 our country. In my opinion, it 

 would be little consistent with that 

 calm impartiality and unshaken in- 

 tegrity, which must be esteemed in 

 a government, to ascend in any 

 manner, either to the neaier or to 

 the more remote causes to which we 

 have to impute the present situation 

 of our country. I deem this the 

 more repugnant to wisdom and 

 equity, because whatever partial in- 

 conveniencies may have arisen from 

 individual misapprehensions, pre- 

 judices, or actions, yet the main 

 source of our disasters is by no 

 means to be looked for in our bo- 

 som, but in causes entirely without 

 us, and quite independent of us. 

 Our country could not fail, by its 

 situation and relations, deeply to 

 partake of the great events which 

 have changed the whole face of Eu- 

 rope; and the powerful impulses 

 which have shaken the great bodies 

 situated around us must naturally 

 cause a sensible agitation in our 

 contracted territory. And ought 

 we then to continue searching into 

 our entrails, or rendering the 

 wounds of ©ur state more incurable, 

 by seeking after their causes in our 

 own bosom ; a search, the result of 

 which would always be exposed to 

 different judgments, always lead to 

 dangerous reproaches, and would 

 be always most adverse to a conci- 

 liation ? — No, high and mighty 

 lords, let us leave the causes, and 

 lefc.us only view the wounds clearly, 

 soletly with intention to heal them : 

 and permit me, who am now placed 

 at the head of the government, to 



point 



