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Proclamation of General Lake, Com mander in Chief of the Northern Diftrict in Ireland.

Belfaft, March 13, 1797. Whereas the daring and horrid outrages in many parts of this province, evidently perpetrated with a view to fuperfede the laws and the adminiftration of juftice, by an or ganized fyftem of murder and robbery, have increased to fuch an alarming degree, as from their atro eity and extent to bid defiance to the civil power, and to endanger the lives and properties of his majefty's faithful fubjects: And whereas, the better to effect their traitorous purposes, several perfons who have been enrolled under the authority of his majesty's commiffioners, and others, have been for cibly and traitorously deprived of their arms; it is therefore become indifpenfably neceffary, for the fafety and protection of the welldifpofed, to interpofe the king's troops under my command; and I do hereby give notice, that I have received authority and directions to act in such a manner as the public fafety may require. I do therefore hereby enjoin and require all perfons in this diftrict (peace officers, and those ferving in a military capacity, excepted) forthwith to bring in and furrender up all arms and ammunition which they may have in their poffeffion, to the officer commanding the king's troops in their neighbourhood. I trust that an immediate compliance with this order may render any act of mine to enforce it unneceffary. Let the people seriously reflect, before it is too late, on the ruin into which they are rufhing; let them reflect upon their prefent profperity, and the mileries in which they will inevitably be involved by perfifting

in acts of pofitive rebellion; let them inftantly, by reftoring those traitorously taken from the king's forces, rescue themselves from the feverity of military authority.-Let all the loyal and well-intentioned act together with energy and fpirit, in enforcing fubordination to the laws and reftoring tranquillity in their respective neighbourhoods, and they may be affured of protec tion and fupport from me.-And I do hereby invite all perfons who are enabled to give information touching arms oranımunition which may be concealed, immediately to communicate the fame to the feve ral officers commanding his majefty's forces in their refpective dif. tricts; and for their encouragement and reward, I do hereby promise and engage that strict and inviolable fecrecy fhall be obferved, with refpect to all perfons who fhall make fuch communications; and that every person who fhall make it fhall receive as a reward the full value of all fuch arms and ammunition as fhall be feized in confequence. thereof.

Signed by G. LAKE, lieut. gen., commanding the northern district.

Mellage from bis Excellency the Lord. Lieutenant to the House of Com

mons.

CAMDEN.

The dangerous and the daring outrages committed in many parts of the province of Ulfter, evidently perpetrated with a view to fuperfede the law and prevent the administration of justice by an organized fyftem of murder and robbery, have lately increased to fo alarming degree in fome parts of that province, as to bid defiance to the ex

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ertions of the civil power, and to endanger the lives and properties of his majesty's fubjects in that part of the kingdom.

Thefe outrages are encouraged and fupported by treasonable affo. ciations to overturn our happy conftitution.

Threats have been held out against the lives of all perfons who fhall venture to discover fuch their treasonable intentions. The frequent treasonable affemblage of perfons, and their proceedings by threats and force to difarm the peaceable inhabitants, their endea vour to collect great quantities of arms in obfcure hiding places, their affembling by night to exercife the practice of arms, their intimidations, accompanied by the most horrid murders, to prevent his majefty's faithful fubjects from joining the yeomanry corps established by law, their having fired on fome of his majesty's juflices of the peace, and threatened with murder any who should have the spirit to stand forth in fupport of the laws, which threats have been recently exemplified, their attacks on the military, by firing on them in the execution of their duty, have fo totally bid defiance to the ordinary exertions of civil power, that I found myself obliged by every tie of duty to his majefty, and of regard to the welfare of his faithful fubjects, to provide for the public fafety by the moft effectual and immediate application of the military force entrufted to me.

I have accordingly ordered the general commanding in that province to difpofe of and employ thofe troops under his command with the affiftance and co-operation of the yeomany, to fupprefs thefe outrages, and by feizing upon all arms and ammunition, to recover fuch as

had been traitorously taken from his majesty's troops and others, and more effectually to defeat the evil defigns of those who had endangered the public fafety.

I have the fatisfaction of informing you, that by the firm and temperate conduct of the general and the troops under him, and the zealous co-operation of the yeomanry corps, a very confiderable number of arms has been taken, and I am encouraged to hope that a continuance of the fame vigorous measures will give confidence to the well-difpofed, and restore to the civil power its constitutional authority, which it has ever been my wish and shall be my ftrenuous endeavour to fupport with energy ad effect.

CAMDEN.

Refcript, published by Order of the King of Pruffia respecting the Prufian Territories on the Left Bank of the Rhine.

Frederic William II. &c. We having been informed, that an opinion has been propagated through a part of our state of Weftphalia, fituated on the left bank of the Rhine, to wit, the provinces of Cleves, Meurs, and Guelders, in the actual poffeffion of the French troops, that fufficient remonftrances and proteftations had not been made on our part against the various innovations and oppreffions which the French commiffaries and agents exercife over our faithful fubjects; we have therefore thought it good to make this public declaration, by means of our regency, jointly with our chamber of war and of terri tory; and we do publicly declare, that we have never ceased, nor fhall we ever ceafe, to intereft ourselves (U 3)

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In concluding the treaty by which the war between our state and the French republic was put an end to, it was never our intention to grant them more than a mere military poffeffion of our provinces on the left fide of the Rhine, till peace fhould be concluded with the emperor; and this intention, which has been taken as a bafis in the negotiations, is fufficiently manifeft by the tenor of the 5th article, which exprefsly declares, "that the troops of the republic fhall. occupy these countries belonging to

to us.'

The difference between provinces conquered from an enemy, and thofe which belong to a power in alliance, and which have been merely conceded for a temporary military occupation, is fufficiently evident, and it is obvious that they ought not to be treated in the fame

manner.

It is therefore impoffible for us to believe that the French government, confidering the amicable ties fubfifting between us and it, will ftill oppofe fuch evident reafoning. It cannot fail to conceive, that neither fequeftration nor confifcation of the goods of the clergy, nor the projected fale of woods, nor the enormous contribution of three millions impofed on the country. between the Meufe and the Rhine, which would entirely ruin that country, can take place with any regard to appearance of justice.

It has already in effect given our envoy at Paris the moft pofitive affurance, that the meafures taken with refpect to the clergy should be put an end to, and that the ec clefiaftics fhould remain in quiet enjoyment of their goods and revenues. We therefore constantly expect the revocation of the order for the fale of woods, and in general, a renunciation of all thofe deftructive innovations relative to our dominions.

We shall not by any means recognife as valid the fale of woods, which have already taken place to our great aftonishment; and we are pofitively determined to have recourfe to the purchasers for reftitution in kind, or for the value at which the property fold fhall be estimated by our agents, and for the damages which fhall refult from the wafte committed on these woods.

In thofe cafes where the purchafers cannot be found, we shall exercise our severity on all thofe who are employed by these laît for cutting and carrying wood. We, in confequence, exhort our faithful fubjects of the faid provinces to remain affured of our lasting and efficacious protection, and to wait with confidence for the return of that ancient order of things, fo highly to be defired.

At Wefel, in our chamber of war and territory, 29th of December, 1796, in the name and on the "behalf of his majesty.

BARON DESTEIN, first president. Given at Emmeric, in our regency, the 29th December, 1796, in the name and on the behalf of his majesty.

ELBERS.

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Letter of Convocation addressed to the Plenipotentiary Envoys of the Affociated States of Northern Germany, by Von Dohm, the Pruffian Minifter.

The undersigned is charged, by the exprefs command of the king of Pruffia, his moft gracious fovereign, to make the following overtures to all their excellencies, the plenipotentiaries of the affociated ftates of Northern Germany, delegated to affemble in convention at Hildesheim: The general con cerns of Germany, with regard to the continuance of the war, ftill remain in a most undecided condition, and the confolatory hope of a general peace, fo devoutly to be wifhed, remains as yet uncertain and remote to the laft degree, fince the negotiations entered upon for that purpose may, alas! produce a farther and more obftinate war, rather than bring about its final conclufion. In this perplexing fitu ation, it certainly is a happiness which Northern Germany cannot fufficiently praife, to fee itfelf en tirely freed, not only from the miferies of this ravaging war, but also from all the inconveniencies connected with it, fuch as the requifitions of the belligerent powers, the paffage and marches of troops, and many other fimilar burdens. It needs but a flight comparative glance at the most piteous ftate of the countries of Southern Germany, formerly flourishing and now ruined for a long time to come, in order to feel, in its whole extent, the happiness of the northern parts, which have for the two laft campaigns enjoyed the most perfect tranquillity.

The king is fully convinced, that it can be unknown to none of his co-states, who participate in

this bleffing, that it is the mere re fult of the indefatigable exertions of his majefty, by which he has laid a fate foundation for the neutrality of Northern Germany, and muft effectually protect it by a corps of his own troops, and of thofe of the two allied courts. His majesty has further confolidated this neutrality, by the formal acceffion of his ferene highnefs the elector of Saxony, and the whole circle of Upper Saxony, in virtue of a fupplementary article added to the convention of the 5th of Auguft, 1796, by which a line of demarcation, extending from the utmost coasts of the North Sea, to the Lower Rhine, and from hence to Silefia, encompaffed the whole north of Germany. The two affociations in this vaft extent of territory muft remain feparate, with refpect to the maintenance of the troops, drawn out to cover their neutrality, which is done in Upper Saxony by a corps belonging to the elector himself; but with regard to their common defign they join hands, and by this enlargement, effected by his majefty, the neutra lity of Northern Germany receives a new and manifest importance.

The king is likewife firmly refolved to fecure farther, and until the conclufion of the war, the full enjoyment of the neutrality to all the affociated states, to protect them and their territories against every power, and to defend them in particular at all times, and in the most effectual and powerful manner, against the incurfions of the troops of the belligerent powers, against each and every demand of military requifitions, of whatever fort, and the levying of those requifitions which might be attempted by execution, and againft all fimilar bur dens of war; likewife to screen them by his moft forcible interpa(U 4)

fition,

fition, during the period of this neutrality, from all the fubfequent demands of fupplies for the war of the empire.

The undersigned is exprefsly inftructed to give once more thefe definite and most explicit affurances. It affords infinite pleasure to his majefty, to have thus fecured the invaluable benefits of the neutrality to all his co-states, connected with his dominions by their topographi cal locality, in the fame manner as it has been done to his own territories, and to have thus given them fo ftrong a proof of his friendly fentiments. Befides the gratifying consciousness of having hitherto accomplished this happy end, his majefty requires no other proof of gratitude on the part of his co tates, than that they fhould continue as heretofore to co-operate in the maintenance of the troops. The king flatters himself the more to find the most perfect readiness on their part, fince the burden which will arife from this measure to the countries thus protected, does not bear the moft diftant comparison with the manifold evils, and the probable and entire ruin averted from them, especially fince the two courts allied with his majesty, and furnishing troops in a like manner, made the major part of the facrifices required for that end. This latter circumftance muft ftrike all the affociated states with the moft perfect conviction, that the continuance of those measures will not be prolonged a fingle moment beyond the period of their indifpenfa ble neceffity. But the underfigned has his majefty's direct commands, to declare in the most pofitive manner, that his majefty deems the continuance of those measures abfolurely neceffary for the prefent, as he will only find himself enabled by

the corps of troops which is drawn out, covering the line of deniarcation, maintaining farther, in the moft efficacious manner, the neutrality of the countries fituate within their precincts, to fulfil their promifes previously given. Yet in this he will not compromise himself refpecting thofe very poffible events which accompany the viciffitudes of the fortune of war. But whereas the king is under the neceffity of fetting boundaries to the great facrifices he has already made; and whereas the concurrence farther demanded of the protected countries for the maintenance of the troops who defend them, is so extremely juft and equitable; the underfigned has also express orders, herewith to declare, that in the unexpected cafe of the majority of the ftates not difplaying the neceffary zeal and alacrity, his majesty will forthwith withdraw his troops, renounce entirely all the obligations which he has voluntarily taken upon him from motives of patriotism; fupprefs totally the convention made for that purpose with the French republic, and confine himfelf folely to the defence of his own dominions, abandoning all the reft to their own means and refources, and making known his intention to the belligerent powers. Should fuch a refolution once be taken, and the corps be withdrawn, no circumftances, of what complexion foever, fhall induce his majefty to recur again to the adoption of fimilar meafures; and the undersigned is obliged to announce beforehand, that his majefty will at no rate intereft himself again in the fate of thofe of his co-states, who shall not now accept of the friendly proffer of protection, made with fo much friendship, and fo many perfonal facrifices.

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