70 EMPLOYMENT OF THE PLEBISCITE [368 



paing, assured the people that ** we come, as brothers and 

 friends, to help you close your doors to your old oppressors 

 and defend the liberty which we have conquered for you."*^ 

 " In the evening . . . the people of Mons smashed the im- 

 perial crown into pieces and cried : ' Vive la Republique 

 f rangaise ! Vive le brave Dumouriez ! Vivent les sauveurs 

 des Beiges ! ' " Similar declarations by other French offi- 

 cials were numerous.*^ The Conscil cxccutif in its meeting 

 of November i, 1792, had solemnly declared that Belgium 

 need not fear for its independence.*'^ Robespierre an- 

 nounced that the French would leave the Belgian people the 

 liberty of choosing for themselves the constitution they 

 wished to have. The president of the Club of Valenciennes 

 said to Dumouriez : " Make the Belgians free and teach the 

 universe that France finds its glory in the contempt of vain 

 conquests."" 



Nevertheless the French sent thirty commissaries into 

 Belgium, the rear-guard of their army, not "to influence the 

 opinions," but to " supervise the intrigants."^' One of these 

 commissaries, Pierre Gadolle, "published in November 

 1794 some reflections on the annexation of Belgium.""® 



The professions of the Assembly notwithstanding there 

 existed in France a strong party favoring the extension of 

 France towards her " natural boundaries." " It is necessary 

 to seize the Rhine as barrier," exclaimed Chaussard." 

 Harou-Romain and Mandrillon considered the Belgians al- 

 ready " as members of the illustrious family comprising the 

 Gauls."*® Anacharsis Cloots "demonstrated to the Belgians 

 that they would do well to unite with France instead of 

 forming a Belgian republic.""" Danton declared " that the 



°i Ibid., p. loi. 



« Ibid., p. 180. 



"3 Ibid. 



«* Ibid. 



"Ibid. 



■8 " La fortune publique assuree par I'amalgame de !a Belgiquc 

 avcc la France, idecs trcs a I'ordre du jour," cited by Chuquet, 

 Jemappcs, p. 231, foot-note 2. 



"" Chuquet, Jemappes, p. 194. 



88 Ibid. 



•» Ibid. 



