entitled, "An act more effectually to fupprefs infurrections, and to prevent the disturbance of the public peace," it is enacted, that it fhall be lawful for the juftices of the peace of any county, affembled at a special feilion in manner by the faid act directed, not being fewer than feven, or the major part of them, one of whom to be of the quorum, if they judge fit, upon due confideration of the ftate of the county, to fignify by memorial, by them figned, to the lord lieutenant, or other chief governor, or governors of this kingdom, that they confider their county, or any part thereof, to be in a ftate of disturbance, or in imme. diate danger of becoming fo, and praying that the lord lieutenant and council may proclaim fuch county, or part thereof, to be in a ftate of disturbance, thereupon it fhall be lawful for the lord lieutenant or other chief governor or governors of this kingdom, by and with the advice of his majefty's privy council, by proclamation, to declare fuch county, or any part of fuch county, to be in a ftate of difturbance, or in immediate danger of becoming fo, and alfo fuch parts of any adjoining county or counties as fuch chief governor or governors fhall think fit, in order to prevent the continuance or extention of fuch difturbance.

And whereas twenty-four juftices of the peace of the county of Down, (feveral of whom being of the quorum) being the major part of the juftices of the peace duly affembled, pursuant to the faid act, at a fpecial feffion of the peace, holden at Hillsborough, in the faid county, on Friday the 11th day of November inftant, have, by

memorial by them figned, fignified to his excellency the lord lieutenant, that certain parts of the faid county are in a ftate of difturbance, and have thereby prayed that the lord lieutenant and council may proclaim the parishes of Tullylifh, Aghaderg, Donaghcloney, Moira, Maralin, and Seapatrick, being parts of the faid county of Down, to be in a state of difturbance, of which all juftices of the peace and other magiftrates and peace officers of the faid county, are to take notice.

Given at the council chamber in Dublin, the 16th day of November, 1796.

Decree of the National Affembly of the United Provinces for the Abolition of a privileged Church.

1. THERE cannot, nor fhall be longer any reigning or peculiarly privileged church permitted in the United Netherlands.

2. All placards and refolutions of the former ftates-general, tending to opprefs the diffenting churches, are revoked and rendered void.

3. No diftinctive drefs fhall be worn, or church ceremonies be exhihited except within the refpective buildings of either religious perfuafion. Nor fhall any bells be rung, in future, for the fervice of the church.

4. A commiffion fhall be appointed, as fpeedily as poffible, to inveftigate all thofe difficulties, which are the remains of a predominant church; to examine into the funds of payment, and to devife regulations, in fome wife, for the future fubfiftence of teachers, and others connected with the church.

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5. A

facred duty and to fpare no means that may haften the moment of a peace fuitable to the interests of the Batavian people, of their faithful ally, of the British nation itself, and of humanity-fuch is our moft ferious object.

He

The momentary advantage of the few must not be balanced against the well-being of the public, the well-being and profperity of the public which you with, fellow-citizens, is our principal object. We know that the British minifter at this moment wants fpe cie and circulating capital. has wafted millions of money and rivers of blood; the prefent meafure evinces his embarraffment. The glorious victories of the French have fhut up feveral ports against the English, and will fhut up ftill more. England, on the other hand, is full of her manufactures, of pillaged merchandize particularly of thofe articles with which our rich fhips returned from the Eaft Indies have furnished him. The British minifter muft befides make at this period his ufual contracts in the Baltic for the maintenance of his marine, and for the fupplying of his other wants: and without drawing upon the Dutch merchants, it appears, that he could not fucceed in this. -Good faith, Batavian glory, feel all your dignity!

What Batavian heart is not fill. ed with indignation, on confidering, that the enemy of our country would offer us for fale thofe very effects which he has robbed us of fo thamefully? And is it permitted to us to hesitate a fingle moment, in confoling ourfelves for this lofs of gain, and in fruftrating the grand object of this enemy? Citizens, his object is no other than

to exchange for money innumerable British merchandize; the faculty of being able to difpofe of the price of thefe purchafes to his own advantage: to put an end to the juft murmurs of the English people; to prolong the war, and, above all, to excite the indignation of the French republic, which the proclamation excludes from the free navigation. It is therefore, in virtue of all these motives, that we have thought proper to determine upon what follows, as we do determine by thefe prefents.

Article. 1. It shall not be permitted to import into the United Provinces any British manufactures whatever, any British merchandize in general, and particularly any effects of whatever nature they are, which proceed from the effects laden on board the thips of the Eaft India company, feized or carried to Great Britain, in any manner, or under any pretext, whether the faid effects come directly from Great Britain, or by any other channel.

2. Upon the importation of all effects of this kind, they fhall be first confifcated to the profit of the Batavian people, and deposited in proper magazines, in order to remain there in depot, and not to be fold until it fhall be ulteriorly de manded on the part of the Batavian people.

3. All perfons who may have participated directly or indirectly in fuch importation, or who may have favoured it, or to whose confignment fuch effects may have been addrefled and expedited with their knowledge, thail be not only refponfible, independently, and befides confifcation of the effects, but fhall be proceeded against before the judge of their do◄

5. A circular miffive fhall be dispatched throughout all quarters of the republic, exhorting the proper perfons to remit and do away all perfonal fuppreffive burdens laid on thofe of the diffenting churches, and requesting their immediate anfwer, for the fatisfaction of this affembly. 13th Auguft.

Proclamation of the National Affembly of the Batavian People against the Importation of British Manufactures. The National Affembly, reprefenting the Batavian People, to the Batavians, Health and Fraternity.

THE British minifter iffued on the 3d of this month a royal proclamation, by which, "the free navigation of Great Britain to the United Provinces is granted, as well as the exportation of all kinds of merchandize, except military and naval ammunition, provided they be exported under a neutral flag." France, however, is excepted. This is an artifice which the Batavian people fee and properly appreciate-a lure which they difdain. Have we not fketched to the eyes of all Europe, in our manifefto of the 2d May of the prefent year, the perfidious traits of the conduct of this fame minifter? Did we not evince in the moft evident manner how this minifter completed his want of faith, when on the flight of the laft Stadtholder he feized more than a hundred fhips richly laden, and feveral fhips of war; when, deaf to every reprefentation, he dared to appropriate this booty; when, by falfe advices, he enticed into the Engith ports feveral thips which were then at fea; when, violating the rights of nations, and considering

2

as nothing the most folemn treaties, he changed the protection which he had promifed, into a declaration of good and legal capture of the Dutch thips; when he endeavoured to get poffeffion of our colonies in the moft traitorous manner; when he effectively established himself in feveral of our meft important poffeffions; when he furnifhed money to the unnatural emigrants who were more influenced by love for the Orange party than for their country, and whom he continually excited to come and tear down the ftandard of li berty in their own country, and to wafie it with fire and fword? In a word, is not the British minifter the fworn enemy to the well-being of the United Provinces, and is not he furious that the republic ftill exifts? Let him delude himfelf with the artificial calculation of the confequences of the prefent measure! Let him imagine that his lure of the love of gain may either open a fource of finance, or in cafe the Batavian republic difdain it, may fow difcord, inflame the fpirit of party, and alienate the hearts of the people from the legitimate government! But your reprefentatives, ob, Batavian people! are and will remain, notwithstanding, faithful to their deftination; theywill not engage in a measure which would render the most eflential fervice to the enemy of the nation, check the wife and great project of their grand ally, and retard that peace which is the object of our wishes.

The English people are on the eve of awaking, and of forcing the minifier to accept an equitable and fpeedy peace. To avoid carefully every thing that may prolong the moft terrible war of which hittory makes mention, is our moft

facred

facred duty and to fpare no means that may haften the moment of a peace fuitable to the interefts of the Batavian people, of their faithful ally, of the British nation itfelf, and of humanity-fuch is our most serious object.

The momentary advantage of the few must not be balanced againft the well-being of the public, the well-being and profperity of the public which you with, fellow-citizens, is our principal object. We know that the British minifter at this moment wants fpecie and circulating capital. He has wafted millions of money and rivers of blood; the prefent meafure evinces his embarrafiment. The glorious victories of the French have shut up feveral ports against the English, and will hut up ftill more. England, on the other hand, is full of her manufactures, of pillaged merchandize particularly of thofe articles with which our rich fhips returned from the Eaft Indies have furnished him. The British minister muft befides make at this period his ufual contracts in the Baltic for the maintenance of his marine, and for the fupplying of his other wants: and without drawing upon the Dutch merchants, it appears, that he could not fucceed in this. Good faith, Batavian glory, feel all your dignity!

-

What Batavian heart is not fill. ed with indignation, on confidering, that the enemy of our country would offer us for fale thofe very effects which he has robbed us of fo fhamefully? And is it permitted to us to hesitate a fingle moment, in confoling ourfelves for this lofs of gain, and in fruftrating the grand object of this enemy? Citizens, his object is no other than

to exchange for money innumerable British merchandize; the faculty of being able to dispose of the price of thefe purchases to his own advantage: to put an end to the juft murmurs of the English people; to prolong the war, and, above all, to excite the indignation of the French republic, which the proclamation excludes from the free navigation. It is therefore, in virtue of all thefe motives, that we have thought proper to determine upon what follows, as we do determine by these prefents.

Article. I. It fhall not be permitted to import into the United Provinces any British manufactures whatever, any British merchandize in general, and particularly any effects of whatever nature they are, which proceed from the effects laden on board the ships of the Eaft India company, feized or carried to Great Britain, in any manner, or under any pretext, whether the faid effects come directly from Great Britain, or by any other channel.

2. Upon the importation of all effects of this kind, they fhall be firft confifcated to the profit of the Batavian people, and depofited in proper magazines, in order to remain there in depot, and not to be fold until it fhall be ulteriorly de manded on the part of the Batavian people.

3. All perfons who may have participated directly or indirectly in fuch importation, or who may have favoured it, or to whofe confignment fuch effects may have been addrefled and expedited with their knowledge, thall be not only refponfible, independently, and befides confifcation of the effects, but fhall be proceeded againft before the judge of their do