3795+] 
very Treaties allowed: they tyould not fuffer the 
Republic te enjoy thofe very advantages of 
Treaty which England herfelf had enjoyed in a 
fimilar cafe; but, violating the Rights of Nations, 
they eondeamed the Cargoes as prizes to the 
Crown, and employed the sean in the Royal 
Arfenals: other veflels were forfeited by the ar- 
bitary fentences of partial Courts of Juftice, 
The privateers and armed fhips of England, fee- 
ing that their piracies were legalized, multiplied 
their depredations, and the merchant-veffels of 
Holland daily became the vidtims of their bru- 
talities. Finally, the atrocities of the Britifh Mi- 
“tifters were carried to fuch a point, that they no 
‘ Jonger refpectedthe flag of the States, but carried 
a convoy of Dutchveffels into the’ ports of Eng- 
land, declaring fhips richly laden to be lawful 
prizes, and violating, as well in Europe as elfe- 
where, our neutral territory. ‘The only mode 
which could be adopted to put a {top to thefe un- 
precedented injuftices, without however break- 
ang with the kingdom of Great Britain, was em- 
ployed by their High Mightinefles.—This mode 
confifted in joining with all poffible fpeed the 
Alliance ef the three Northern Powers, concerted 
by the Emprefs of Ruffia, and deftined to pro- 
tect, by the force of arms, the rights of the neu- 
tral nations, eachof them more or lefs violated’ by 
England. 
Their High Mightineffes, we fay, would have 
acceded tothis Treaty, had not an obftacle been 
thrown in; the way by the perfidious machina-— 
tions ofthe Englifh Cabinet. This was the fienal 
which led England to break every tie, to diftri- 
bute letters of marque for making reprifals on the 
inhabitants of the Republic and their poffeffions, 
and to declare open war againft the United 
States. A Miniftry, to which all means were a- 
like, could not want pretext for that purpofe. It 
“was not at the fame time difficult for their High 
Mightineffes to demonttrate . the frivolity of all 
thefe pretended grievances; but what purpofe 
could this anfwer with a rapacious, obftinate, and 
unjuft Miniftry, which was defirous to revenge 
ena peaceable Ally the lofs of the Britifh Colo- 
nies, and to appeafe, for a time at leaft, by the 
booty obtained by an unforfeen attack, ane mur= 
«nurs of the Englifh nation? 
Tt was foon after learned, that the {quadrons 
and armed veffels of England captured, by virtue 
ef orders already furenined the Dutch veffels 
they fel] in with beyond ee. without the {mal- 
left fufpicion on our fide, and againit the faith of 
Treaties. We learned the cruel manner in which 
the Ifland of St. Euftatia was devaftated, by feiz- 
_ ing on the poffefhons of the merchants which 
when collected, formed treafures; while richly 
laden veffels returning fiom the See. were fur- 
prifed unawares in the Channel, by fmall veffels 
which readily made them their prey. By fuch 
vile means, unworthy of a generous nation, did 
the Britifh Minifters difhonour the flag of their 
. Kina; for can it be confidered in any other 
point of view, than that of a&ing, under the 
royal flag, the part of pirates ? 
_ The Batavian Republic was at length, after fo 
Many lofies, forced to provide for her defence, to 
Bolland. 
935 
Fajen 2, 
maintain Herrights and independence by the dint 
of arms, and to protect her commerce and her 
poffefiions. Ah! if fhe could then have combat- 
ted under the banners of Liberty, how would 
the Englith Miniftry have repented of its rafhnefs 
and ae | But the Englifh Cabinet knew all 
its influence in this country 5 it was aware that it 
could fucceed in fhackling within the Republic 
the preparations of war; it was certain of find= 
ing ’n Holland partizans who would contrive’ to 
put into its poffeffion our fhips of war, and who 
vould find the means to prevent the difplay of 
all our ftrength. The event foon proved, that the 
Englith Minifters were not miftaken, They 
mocked our feeble efforts, which, even before 
they were carried into bea were paralized i in 
their outfet by the adherents they had in this 
country. Thefe adherents fupplied them with 
intelligence of all that was concerting here. Sup- 
por ted by the Stadtholderian influence, th ey even 
contrived to render nugatory the orders given by 
their High Mi shtinefies for the junGion of the 
Batavian Squ uadron with the French Fleet. It 
was eafy for the Englifh Miniftry, after fuch trea- 
fons, to obtain fucceffes in that war. And this 
is what they called GLory! But when a patti- 
cular occafion pelos itfelf— when a fleet be- 
longing to the States accidently met with an op- 
portunity to difplay its courage and its valour, 
the Batavian Mariners, although novices in fight- 
ing, proved that they had not degenerated from 
the bravery of their Anceftors. They drove the 
Englifh Fleet, covered with confufion and thame, 
into its own port, without having loft one of the 
merchant-veffels they had under « conyoy. 
A war carried on in fuch a way neceffarily ter- 
minated in a Treaty of Peace burthenfome to the 
States. Inftead of being indemnified for the in- 
calculable loffes they had fuftained in their com- 
merce, they confidered themfelves as fortunate 
to be enabled, by the fpe ay affiitance of the 
French forces, w ich checked the Englith in the 
two Indies, to fave a part of their pofleftions ; 
while they. found themfelves obliged to yield.to 
the ene emy the important factory | of Negapatnam, 
on the coaft of Coromandel: and to allow to Bri- 
tif veffels the freé Navigation of the coafts of the 
Molucca Iflands, notwithftandinz it might have 
been forfeen that the navigation of the Enolith j in 
thofe feas would tend to nothing lefs than the 
complete deftruézion of ourtrade in the Eat Indies. 
We fhail net enter into details concerning 
what pafied in the feque!, when the Batavian 
nation, f-eing howw much its interefts were con- 
{tantly oa here facrificed to thefe of its an- 
cient rival, cven by the peifons appointed to de- 
fend its rights, meditated a fundamental re gene- 
ration urthe forniof the Gc overnment :——We thall 
not retrace how England, k snowing that the limi- 
tation ef the aU ut ‘urpation. of Oe er and 
intluence, On the pait of f the Stadthold der, would 
alfo diminith its influcnce in this Republic — 
how, we fay, the Britith Miniftry, far from in- 
terceding for the Batavien Nation, er coming to 
its fuccour, when legions of forcign troops fe ized, 
on thefe countries, oe the moit attro- 
cious difurder, pillag s, and violences, contidzred, 
on 
