The Sun.
London, England, 1806-05-10 00:00:00

DUTCH Iti.EifORIAL.

TO THRIR, HIGH NIIGHTINESSES, RF.PRESENTING
•THE. BATAVIAN REPUBLIC.
'May it please your High Mightinesses,
The Undersigned citizens and inhabitants of the
Batavian Republie„reaf friends to civil liberty, within..
proper bounds, and ardently' attached to the inde:
pendence of the Batavian Nation, filled with deep
anxiety for every thing which-- might endanger their
safety, and considering a MonarchiCal Government
injurious, o the prosperity, and even existence, of
this Nation, have, after being a long time'agitated
by various rumours, now learned, that in the Ga-
zette kationale, or Ploniteur VaiverSelle, No. 108,
or the 1 ath of April last, the official Paper of
France, written' and published under the eye of
-the Government of that Country, after some pre-
lirninary • remarks respe&ing the form of Govern-
ment of this Country, it is declared, " that such
being the situation of Holland, she Must be a gainer
by any changes which she must make in her Consti-
tution. .If the landholders, the merchants, and the
enlightened men, are of opinion that they can have
a representation; made by the .choice of the people,
withbut distindion of classes" or religion, they will
create a system much more 'proper than the present
one. • If that be not their ,opinion, and that they
think it necessary to have recourse to a Constitutional
Monarchy; they will do thatwhich will be more ad-
vantageous to their"eountry than the preservation of
' their existing Constitution can be. It is their duty
to examine their situation, to judge of the circum-
stances in which they are' piked, and to choose be-
tween: the two systems, that which is bestksuited to
them, and most likely to establish, on a solid founda-
tion, the public prosperity and liberty."
The Undersigned have been thrown by this para—
graph into the utmost anxiety, as they see-in it al-
ternatives, one of which would subje& them to a
'thrill of GovernMent, to avoid which, their fore-
fadiers contendeciduting the space of almost; a whole
century ; a form of Government which, however
adapted to other-Nations, would have a andency to
diminish all.energY and activity in the posterity of
those celebrated ancestors whose names they bear,
and who even remained Allies of Rome when almost
the wholeawdrld was subject to that Empire; and
the More so, as the system of 'a Republic constitutes,
among the true Batavians, one of the first elements
of their existence; and no wonder, as- the general
interest,: in'. the management of the dikes, which
fain that artificial and eicpensive wall for Conti-
nuing the existence•of the ground upon which they
dwell, renders a Republican flint] of Government
absolutely necessary ; and that the Republic'should
be divided, as it were again into small Republics.—
For this reason a Republican spirit must prevail in
the hearts of all our Countrymen throughout all the
different classes of our people,.independent of the an-
cient influence of the citizens even under the Govern-
ment of the Dukes, however modified, upon the ap-
pointment 'of local Governments; and no wonder
again, as coMmerce, under the prdteaion of an inde-
pendent Republic, ha;
.enabled this small natiou'to
aft a part upon the stage of the world which has ren-
dered us at times, since we shook of the Spanish yoke,
useful and desirable Allies to our neighbours, and
even sometimes dangerous enemies.
On the eve, perhaps, of being obliged to choose
between a Monarchical and Republican form,of Go-
vernment, the Undersigned feel the inextinguishable
fire of pure patriotism too
.much, to remain silent,
with an hesitation, culpable in their eyes, at this
valuable moment, which, perhaps, may never return.
They will not leave your High Mightinesses ignorant-
of the patriotic, and. Republican sentiments which
animate their soulS. They- cannot avoid' declaring
Solemnly to you, as Representatives of
the Batavian Republic, their hopes, that the state of.,
affairs may be direded in such a-manner as to save
theta from a form of Government which most pro-
bably Would put a Speedy and fatal period to the in-
habitable state and even existence of -the Republic,
after it had sustained so many calathities. 'We hope,
and bring the declaration of this our earnest wish,
with. becoming boldness, into the midst of your M-
sembly ; for where else can we prefer it ? Though
it-may not be drawn up in the usual form, in every
particular, for extraordinary.tircumstancelkrequire,
D .ay usti ty „extraordinary measures. •
We entertain hopes,' that under' the influence of
-the Divine Providence, which has often; as it were,
by a 'miraculous interference, prevented our country
and nation from being thrown into the abyss of ruin,
your deliberations may take such•a turn, that with
• the preservation of the independence of the Repub-
lic, and time valuable Maintenance of our civil liberty,
'rather than to see us subjed to a. Monarchical form
of-Government„ a dreadful alternative for this Coon-
try
,such new modifications concerning the Republican
form of Government of this nation will be made, as
will put the representation, without distindion of
any class of religious sentiments, upon such 'a foot-
ing, tiiat we. will aaiially shew to time ey -of our
.ally and the whole world, that the preservation of
the Republic counterbalances all other considera-
tions, with a nation like ours, that loves so muCh,its
liberty.

Undersigned declare-herewith, as far as they
are interested in this case,.that, rejeding all political ,
parties, they will,' When called upon, choose anew
such Representatives, or continue in their present
situation those lo whom they could safely entrust
the valuable poSseSsion of their independence and
liberty, and consider as men of honour and courage;
and that, being averse, as well from 'seditious inten-
tions as chimerical and imaginary, opinions, which
cannot be applied to the real state of men as they ac-
tually are, the Undersigned will' do every thing
which may have a tendency to cause good order,
,harmony, and unanimi:y, to prevaik under- a
Con-
stitution by Representation.
And whatever may be the fate Of our dear Coun-
try; to which we are attached by so many ties, alter
this our Declaration, -which we do herewith openly
make, in case- of an unfortunate decision, .we shall
b.:: able to look upon the ruin of our Country and ,of
ourselves with more resignation than if we had re-
mained sileurin one of the most important and pe-
rilous moments which our Country ever experienced.
We shall.have then the satisfadion of having done
Our best for the continuance of the Republic, and
will have shewn, by this our Declaration, " that if

LONDON : Printed by Mt
At the SuN.Osr:

the prosperity and liberty of Nations (according to
the opinion of the Emperor NAror..tio& himself) can
Only be secured-by-two modes of Goren-mut:llf, ei7-
ther a limited-Constitutional iNionarchy,-ora'Reptib-
lic constituted according to the theory of liberty,
and which should be the true organ of the public
will;" we,. hOwever, might be. considered as be-
longing to- those, Republicans who, without danger
to Nation or Country, would be • likely to malje-a
proper choice. of suckenlightened, able, and honest
Men, as, by their. Administration, to preserve_our
liberty and 'independence, rejeCting all distindions
of classes and religion inconsistent with the Repub-
lican Government, would bring back this country to
-a degree of happiness and prosperity, Which would
-render it more useful. to our Ally, than, supposing
the-ground itself not to be swallowed, up by the:sur-
rounding waters in a few years, it possibly could, if
it must submit to a form of GovernMent, from even
the natne of•. which our ancestors have ever been
averse. Never shall we regret haviog spoken out at
a moment in which we are able to raise our voice as
freemen, to consider the sitzation of our country,
and view the circumstances in which it is placed, for
the purpose of making the best choice, in our opi-
nion, of that system of GoVernment. which alone is
calculated to place our prosperittand liberty upon an-
immoveable basis. _

THE THEATRE.

Covent Garden.

A new Tragedy was brought forward last night
at this Theatre, under the title of Edgar; or, Cale-
donian Feuds. ,
DRAMATIS rERsoN/E.
Edgar, - - MiSs Sm I T 11.
Baron, . - Mr. PorE.
Qsbert, - • Mr. H. lOH NSTON.
Malcolm,_• Mr. CHAPMAN.
- Morton,- . Mr. CR ESsWEL L.
Count ZUIMIO. MT. Cr. A R E MON T
°WM', - - Mr.IiLANEAT.
Soldiers, Attendants, &c.
Emma, • - • Miss BR UNTON.
Countess, - - - Mrs. nu,,rnittEs.-
Matilda, . . Mrs. IL 10n:431.0x.