Oa 
was liis rage for harmony and regu- 
larity in: the political edifice he was 
erecting, that even the people of 
the United Provinces, born and nur- 
tured under republican institutions, 
were compelled to descend to the 
level of other nations, and to ac- 
knowledge a fellow mortal to be 
their sovereign. After such discus- 
sion and deliberation as military 
despots permit to their subjects, 
this. important change was an- 
nounced publicly at Paris, by a de- 
putation of Dutchmen sent for that 
purpose from the Hague *, Lewis 
Bonaparte, a younger brother of 
Napoleon, was sclected to be the 
king of Holland, and unwillingly 
dragged from ther frivolitics and de- 
lights of Paris, to superintend, in a 
foggy climate, the concerns of a la- 
borious, parsimonious, and impo- 
verished people, who had yet to 
teach their lips the accents of 
Joyalty, and their necks the obei. 
gance due toa king. It is but jus- 
tice, however, to acknowledge in 
favour of the new king of Holland, 
that since his elevation to the throne 
he seems to have taken a deep and 
laudable interest in the welfare of 
his subjects, and that on several oc. 
casions he has counteracted the ar- 
bitrary orders and regulations of 
his brother; when they interfered 
with the commerce‘and prosperity 
of his kingdom. 
As the new constitution, which 
accompanied the new king, has no 
guarantee but the will of its author, 
it hardly deserves our notice. It 
may be remarked, however, that by 
oue of its articles, the government 
of the colonies, and ail that relates 
* June 5th. Admiral Verhuell, formerly a leader of the stadtheldersan Foctions. 
was at the head of this deputation. 
+ State Papers, p. 700. 
ANNUAL REGISTER; 18906. 
to their internal administration, ie” 
vested exclusively in the kingt;- 
a provision which, considering the 
vast extent and importance of the- 
Dutch colonies in comparison of 
the mother country, would alone 
render all checks and limitations of 
the royal prerogative nugatory and 
inefiicacious.. By another article of 
the same code, the guardianship of 
the king of Holland, when a minor, 
unless the queen-mother should haps 
pen to be alive, is vested in the 
French emperor, to be placed by 
him in whatever hands he is pleased 
to select; and, by a treaty with 
France, reckoned, we suppose, of 
equal authority with the constitu- 
tional act itself, it is stipulated that 
the king of Holland, by virtue of 
his office, shall enjoy the “dignity 
of grand constable of France t. 
The ancient flag of Hollayd, by 
another article, is to be quartered 
with the imperial eagle of France 3 
nor is it disguised, nor, indeed, at- 
tempted to be disguised, in any part 
of this transaction, that Holland, 
though governed by a Separate king, 
is to be considered as virtually a 
province of the great empire, and 
subject in all international relations 
to the will of its chief. 
The history of King Lewis, for 
the first half year of his reign, ta 
which we are necessarily confined, 
presents few events of importance, 
While Bonaparte was gaining the 
battle of Auerstadt, and pursuing 
the wreck of the Prussian army after 
its defeat, the king of Holland overs. 
ran Westphalia, and  penetraied 
without opposition into Hanover. 
General Daendels, formerly a re- 
t Treaty concluded by Talleyrand and Verhyell, May 24th, 
publican 
