Star.
London, England, 1830-11-15 00:00:00

BRUSSELS.

NATIONAL CONGRESS. OPENING OF THE SESSION.
M. GENDEBIEN, sen. the oldest Member, President.

Nov. 10.—The Hall formerly occupied by the States-General was
prepared to receive the Members of Congress. Benches and galleries
had been added, and the President's desk occupied the place of the
throne, between two tricoloured flags.
At half-past 11 the troops arrived in front of the Palace of the Con-
gress : a squadron of chasseurs on horseback, a large detachment of chess.
seers on foot, the chasseurs of M. de Chasteler, the City Guard, all in
uniform, the Volunteers of Liege, with their yellow and red standard,
filed off successively, and ranged themselves, partly in front of the Pa.
lace, and partly in two lines in the streets leading to it. A band of music
played various marches, including the " Marseilloise." An immense
crowd filled all the avenues.

At halt past 12 a salute of 21 guns announced the opening of the
Congress.
Gendebien took the chair as the oldest member.

Present 152 Deputies. The four youngest members acted as beat.
taries.

The PRESIDENT—The National Congress instals itself in the name
of the people. Is it not proper, gentlemen, to choose out of the as-
sembly a deputation to go and inform the Provisional Government that
the Congress is assembled, and to introduce it among us, in order to
proceed to its definitive installation ? (Several voices " No, no !") As
there seems to be a difference of opinion respecting my proposal, I think
the assembly should divide on it.
Al. Vex MEErtrx—l think it is necessary, fast of all, at least to
inform the Provisional Government that we are assembled.

M. DE BlEtmEtrataz—Gentlemen, the question is, whether the
Provisional Government shall be informed of our meeting, and intro.
duccd by a deputation chosen from the Assembly ? I think that this
would be inconsistent with the dignity of the Congress named by the
Belgian nation, and representing it. The Congress constitutes itself by
its own act, and seems not to require to be installed by any other au.
thority, since it recognises no constituted authority superior to its own.
I therefore think that the Provisional Government should be informed
by one of the Members of the Bureau, or by an Usher—('• Supported !
Supported I")
'll ire PRESIDENT—The assembly seems to adopt the opinion of M.
de itleulenacre.

M. Vat; SNICK—I cannot imagine that the National Congress would
derogate from its dignity by sending a deputation to the Provisional
Government : on the contrary, I think we ought to give it that mark of
esteem. It is essential to invest it with the respect of the nation. It is
through the Provisional Government that the Congress exists.—(Bravo,
bravo! from all parts of the Hall.)
The assembly resolved to send a deputation of two Members—
Messrs. Le Comte Cane and De Serruys—who left the Hall, and soon
returned with the members of the Provisional Government, followed
by several tears of the Staff, &c.—They took their places at a table
before the President, who invited N. de Potter to speak, as the oldest
member of the Provisional Government.

Three rounds of applause, and Bravos from the assembly and the
gallerica, followed, and when silence was restored, M. de POTTER spoke
as follows :

" In the name of the Belgian people, the Provisional Government
opens the Assembly of the Representatives of the Nation.
The nation has confided to those representatives the august minion
of founding, on the broad and solid basis of liberty, the edifice of the
new social order, which will be the principle and the guarantee of dura-
ble happiness to Belgium.
" You know, gentlemen, that at the time of our union with Holland
a fundamental law was presented to an assembly of Notables chosen by
the Government, not to examine, discuss, modify, and, lastly, accept
it, and to make it the condition of a compact between the people and the
head of the state ; but solely and implicitly to submit to it, or totally
to reject it. It was rejected ,as might have been expectedlrom the good
sense and integrity of the Belgians, but by an unparalleled subterfuge
it was declared to be accepted, and a constitution imposed by Holland
oppressed our country.
" If at least, this fundamental law had been sincerely executed in all
its parts, with time, perhaps, and by the aid of the progress which the
arbitrary conduct of ministers compelled us daily to make in the career
of constitutional opposition, it might have become the hope of Belgian
liberty.
" But far from this, contracts violated, instruction fettered, the press
condemned to be nothing more than an instrument of Government° or
forced to silence—the arbitrary substitution of the regime of decrees
(metes) to the legal system established by the social compact—the
right of petition disregarded--the confusion of all powers, which
were become the property of one—the despotical imposition of a
privileged language—the power of removing (amovibillt6) the Judges,
degraded to act the part of Commissioners of Government, and the
complete absence of the guarantee ofpublicity, and of that of the Jury—
an enormous debt and expenditure, the only portion which Holland
brought us at the time of our deplorable union—taxes overwhelming by
their amount, and still more by the manner in which they were appor-
tioned, which were wholly unpopular, wholly bearing on the indigent
classes—laws always been voted by the Dutch for Holland only, and
always against Belgium, represented so unequally in the States-Gene-
ral, the seat of all the great constituted bodies, and of all important es-
tablishments fixed in Holland—the scandalous misapplication of the
funds specially destined to favour manufactures ; and, lastly, the most
offensive partiality in the distribution of civil and military employments
by a government in whose eyes the name of Belgium was a disgrace ;
in a word, all Belgium treated as a conquered province, as a colony.
Every thing, gentlemen, rendered a revolution necessary and inevitable,
and hastened its approach.
" Such just and real grievances could not but ensure the result of it.
" We had risen against despotism to reconquer our rights; all were
treated by tyranny as rebels. Our cities burnt—the most barbarous
treatment even of old men and of women—the rights of humanity, the
laws of war, trampled under foot,-testify the ferocity of our enemy,
and call down blessings on the victory of the people, which has cleared
our territory of them.
" The fruit of this victory was independence. The people has de-
clared it through us. As the organ of its wishes, the Provisional Go-
vetnment has called you together, Gentlemen, to consolidate it forever.
" But, till you could come to perform this task, a centre• of action
was necessaryto provide for the first and most urgent wants of the State.
A Provisional Government was established, and made up for a time
for the absence of all authority. The necessity for a Government
of some kind justified its mission, and the assent of the people has
I confirmed it. _ _

" Every thing was to be done, every thing was to be created. It was
necessary to re.organiae the internal administration, the judicial audio.
rity, the army, the finances, and the citizen guards, who will henceforth
be the support of modern empires. It is for you, gentlemen, and for
the nation, to judge whether, wits the few means that were at our dig*■
sal, we have succeeded in preparing for Belgium a future course if
strength and prosperity,
" Our acts are known to you, Gentlemen, and the nation, we hoc
has ratified them. The odious tax of the abaltage is abolished,
proceedings in the criminal courts rendered public, the institution of the
Jury promised, and new guarantees secured to persons tried before the
courts of maize ; the abolition of the degrading punishment of the has-
tonade, the popular election of the Burgomasters and regencies (city
magistracy,) the direct election of the Deputies to the National Con-
gress, no more general boards of police, no more high police, the en-
franchisement of the dramatic art, the abolition of the lottery, the publi-
city of the accounts, and the budgets of the Communes ; and, lastly, full
and entire liberty of the Press, of instruction, of associations of all kinds,
and of opinion and forms of religious worship, henceforth delivered fro.:
all fears of persecution, and from all danger of oppression ; such ; Gen.
elemen, are the principal titles to approval with which the Provisional
Government appears before the nation and its representatives.
" As for relations with foreign countries, we have not thought it
advisable to enter into any such, under the circumatanses in which the
nation and we ourselves were placed. Besides, we know for certain,
and we can give you the positive assurance that the principle of
nonintervention would be strictly observed towards us. We, therefore,
thought that free Belgium ought to found its independence by its own
force, always ready to oppose whoever should attempt to impede this
sacred right.
" Since we took this resolution we have received from the five great
Powers recent and official communications, which we are happy to be

able to lay before you on this solemn day. These comm.unicadons
fully conam the assurances previously given, and make us hope, with
the speedy cessation of hostilities, the evacuation, without any condition,
et
the whole territory of Belgium.
" Gentlemen, you are going to finish and to consolidate our work.
Found the edifies of our future prosperity on the principles of the liberty
of all, of the equality of all in the eye of the law, and of the most rigid
economy. Let the people be called to ptMit by our revolution ; let the
expenditure of the state be in the proportion of its real
wants, the salaries ot pub tomelmovin iroducW, so as to be no mere
than a just indemnity use the dim seed tolmoi wblch they devote to the

• The word employed by M. de Potter la not " gouversement,” but
the Mote vague term " wmb."

country. La
suppression ot useless offices, anti of the nutne.
taus pensions t.:,) e:, !7.lllted to servility, will enable you to e. :Isllll,-
mate the work of our ii.tt!or.al representation.
" And li (ft:tee:nen, in witate.ver situation we may be pLaced,
shall *import, b‘ di ow wishes- -by all our means—by all our effotte...
this pr.trititie ; happy, after its completz success, to mingle in
the writs of the I, otl.. who will both have conquered and inAtrt.sci the
benefits of victory.
In the name of tlw llelgic people, the National Congress is in-
stalled.

(S gned) "DE POTTER,
"ALEX. (lENDEBIEN,
" CH. ROWER.
" Baron EM3I. D'HOOGVORST,
" JOLLY,
" J. VANDERLINDEN,
" F. DE COPPIN,
(By order) "L. A. VAN DE MEYER."
Tilts specctt was reccist..: t.ith long-continued applause and the most
lively acclamations, amidst which the members of the Provisional Go-
vernment with their suite retired, accompanied by tit:: deputation.
M. FALLoy proposed a vote of thanks to the Provisional Govern-
ment, but he was not seconded.

Tne ussembly then proc..ltel to the necessary proliminary business,
verifying the powers of the members, &c.
h. the sitting of the 11.11, it was resolved there should be a President,
two Vice-Presidents, and four Secretaries. 111. Surict de Chokicr was
chosen President, after three ballots, by 106 votes out of 167.
Messrs. de Gerlache and M. Stassart were chosen Vice Presidents.,
A committee was appointed to draw up a plan of regulations for the
proceedings of the assembly, and another committee to draw up an
answer to the opening speech of the. Provisional Government.
Nov. 11 —Mr. Croth. a British Cabinet messenger, who brought
despatches from London for our government. set out again yesterday
evening with despatches for London.
The magistrates have set workmen to repair the streets and rtmove
the barricades; but unless they employ more hands, we feat they will
rot finish the work before
A NTT ERP.

Nov. 10.—We have been in great agitation and some danger, in
consequence of a ship, ti.e Hull packet, tielonging to Mesas. Cassiets.
having entered the port in spite of the terms of the armistice, and of
the prohibition of the commander of the rquadron, alto, by way of
reprisal, refused to let the ships proceed to the interior, as they lied
permission to do by the c,.tivention concluded with Gen. Chaasi•, The
latter demanded satisfaction for this intrainion of the convention, and a
deputation of merchants went to atit him what satisfaction he required.
In the end, Gen. Chasse ageed to let the ships proceed to the Interior,
and the Hull packet was taken to Lillo by an officer of the Dutch squa-
dron. It is said the city was threatened with a second bumbardinem.
From the courier des Pays Bar of Saturday.
SECOND SITTING OF THE NATIONAL CONGRESS.
President-31. °mnism', the father, oldest Member.

There were present 17l members, many of whom were ecclesiastics.
The Sitting was opened by the reading of the minutes of the last Sit-
ting by one of the secretaries.
The Chamber then proceeded to the verification of the powers of the
members.
Several were admitted.
31. LAUGHS reported the following objection to a M. Paillot, as
aching under the decree of the 10th of October, 1330 :
" Tbat M. Hippolyte Louis Paillot is a Frenchman ; though, by a
decree of the Provisional Government of the 10th of October, he ought
to be born or indigenated a Belgian.
" That he had not, by his own admission, been domiciled till 1819,
and cannot produce other letters of naturalization than those of the date
of the 20th June, 1820.
" And upon these facts the Committee are unanimous against his
election. No opposition is made to this decision, and it is declared to
be adopted."
M. Vax Snicn rose, and stated that he thought the naturalization
granted to 31. Paillot was enough to satisfy the spirit of the decree in
question.—(Several voices, " Oh, too late!" •• The decision is rc.
corded." 31. Van Snick sat down.)
A member demanded the reading of a letter relative to the elections
of Tourney.
Several voices, " No, no : it is personal."
M. Lehon.—ls this letter confidential or official P It appears to me
official. It insults several members of the chamber: it has been read
to the central committee, to the committee of the Interior, and in the bu.
name of this chamber. I think it ought to be read, and refuted pub.
Hely ; that is due to those whom it accuses. For myself, personally,
I shall not stoop from my place here to repel the insults of a function.
ary whose power is but temporary.
The chamber, however, decided against the reading.
The chamber then proceeded to choosing its officers.
As a first step, it was resolved " that a definitive committee be formed,
to consist of a President, two Vice-Presidents, and four Secretaries."
For regulating the mode of electing these functionaries, it was de-
cided " that the return for President shall be by an absolute majority ;
but, of the two Vice-Presidents and the four Secretaries, by relative
majorities.
Another resolution was," that this Bureau be renewed every 15 days."
The scrutiny was then proceeded with.
The" Elder" presented three lists; the first containing the name* et
31M. Gerlache, De Stassart, Surlet de Chokier ; the second, those et
MM. Hippolyte Vilain XIV. the Abbe de Foere, Lebesu ; the third,
td. Forgeur, Francois, De 31eulenaen • they declared the number
of votes to be 170; the absolute majority 86.
Upon the first scrutiny, M. Surlet de Chokler had 51 voices, Da
Gerlache 51, De Stuart 50, Lehon 8, De Meulenaere 3, Beauties.
lemy 3, Fallon 1.
None of the candidates having obtained the absolute majority (86,)
the Chamber proceeded a second time to the scrutiny. Votets, this
time, 189 • absolute majority 85.
Result.—Surlet 63, De Galache 62, De Stassart 43.
The contest was now between De Gerlache and Surlet; upon this
third trial, it resulted in Surlet 106, De Gerlache 61. Ordered that the
Doyen ord9e (the President) record the result.
The election for Vice-Presidents fell upon MM. de Chalache and de
Stassart.
M. SUBLET DE CItOKIER took the chair amidst the loudest accla
mations. He addressed the assembly in these terms—" Gentlemen, the
distinguished confidence with which you have just honoured me is more
than embarrassing; language is unable to express my acknowledgments.
Not having the honour to be known to the greater part of the members
of this assembly, I owc, without doubt, this remarkable favour to the
friendly zeal of my former colleagues, who, I am afraid, have con.l
suited less the sense of the necessary qualifications for this high
place than their attachment to me. Gentlemen, I thank youe
the trust which you have confided to me I accept cheerfully e
where so much partiality has been shown, indulgence will not be want-
ing. I make no promises, and all my professions are wrapped up in
these words—l shall do my best"--(loud cheers.) The President con-
cluded by moving a vote of thanks to their late venerable " Elder,"
M. Gendebien.—Carried with acclamation.

A discussion then arose upon the appointment of a Committee, to
prepare an address in answer to the speech of the Provisional Go-
vernment; but "darkness," a the reporter says, " having begun to
spread itself throughout the Hall," the nomination was postponed to
the sitting of the following day, which was to commence at ten o'clock
in the forenoon.