S9S 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1814. 



And 88 it is of the first import- 

 ance that these Members be pos- 

 sessed of the general confidence, 

 we order that a list of the persons 

 chosen lor each department be 

 made public, and that to all the 

 inhabitants of the same, being 

 housekeepers, an opportunity shall 

 be afforded, by signing his name 

 without any olher addition, in a 

 register which shall lie open in 

 each canton for eight days, to dis- 

 approve of any such person or per- 

 sons as he may deem unqualified. 



No inhabitant is deprived of 

 this right, with the exception of 

 domestic servants, valets, bank- 

 rupts, persons in a state of non-age, 

 or under accusation. 



When it shall appear to us, 

 from the summing up of the re- 

 gisters, that the majority are sa- 

 tisfied with the persons thus sub- 

 mitted to their election, we shall 

 consider them as the representa- 

 tives of the whole Dutch people, 

 call them together, appear in the 

 midst of them, and salute them as 

 constituting the great assembly, 

 representing the United ISether- 

 lands. 



They shall then commence their 

 labours in freedom, and give us an 

 account of their progress by a com- 

 mittee appointed to that effect ; 

 and as soon as the adoption of the 

 constitutional code is the result of 

 their deliberations, we shall make 

 the necessary arrangements for 

 taking the oath prescribed to us by 

 the constitution with all due so- 

 lemnity, in the midst of the as- 

 sembly, and after that he installed 

 in state. 



In the adoption of these mea- 

 sures, worthy countrymen, you 

 must feel convinced, that the wel- 

 fare of our beloved country is my 



first and only object; that your 

 interests and mine are the same; 

 and how can they be more mani- 

 festly promoted, than by the in- 

 troduction of constitutional rules, 

 in which you will find the gua- 

 rantee of your dearest rights ? 

 They will furnish me with the 

 advantage of conducting, on fixed 

 principles, the charge and respon- 

 sibility of government, assisted by 

 the best and most intelligent of the 

 citizens; and will secure to me 

 the continuance of that affection, 

 the expressions of which rejoice 

 my heart, animate my courage, 

 lighten my burthen, and bind me 

 and my house for ever to our re- 

 generated country. 



Given at the Hague this Snd of 

 March, 1814, and of our reign 

 the 1st. 



(Signed) William. 



By command, 

 A. R. Falck, Sec. of State. 



Discourse of his Royal Highness 

 the Prince Sovereign of the Ne- 

 therlands, delivered to the As- 

 semblif of the Notables, on taking 

 the Oath to the Constitution of 

 the 30th of March, 1814. 



Gentlemen, — I experience a 

 lively satislaclion in perceiving my 

 opinion with regard to the Consti- 

 tution confirmed by the decla- 

 ration of so numerous an assem- 

 blage of honourable and enlighten- 

 ed men. 



I feel equally sensible of the 

 testimonies of zeal and of attach- 

 ment which I have received on this 

 solemn occasion, from this illustri- 

 ous assemblj'. 



The national honour, our inter- 

 ests well understood, the manifest 



