HOLLAND.

Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God, the constiution of the king

OF HIS ELDEST SON.

Amsterdam, July 3, 1810. Louis Napoleon, by the grace of God and the constitution of the kingdom, King of Holland, constable of France.

To all those who may sec, or hear, or read these presents, health. HOLLANDERS-Being convinced that nothing more for your interest or your welfare can be effected by me, but, on the contrary, considering myself as an obstacle which may prevent the good will and intentions of my brother towards this country, I have resigned my rank and royal dignity in favour of my eldest son, Napoleon Louis, and of his brother, Prince Charles Louis Napoleon.

Her Majesty, the Queen, being of right, and according to the constitution, regent of the kingdom, the regency shall, till her arrival, be vested in the council of ministers.

HOLLANDERS! never shall I forgét so good and virtuous a people as you are. My last thought, as well as my last sigh, shall be for your happiness. On leaving you I cannot sufficiently recommend you to receive well the military and civil officers of France. This is the only means to gratify his Majesty the Emperor, on whom your fate, that of your children, and that of your whole country, depends. And now, as ill-will and calumny can no longer reach me, at least so far as relates to you, I have a well-founded hope, that you will at length find the reward for all your sacrifices, and for all your magnanimous firm

Bess.

Done at Haarlem, July 1, 1810. LOUIS NAPOLEON.

France.

Considering that the unfortunate state in which this country now is, arises from the displeasure which the Emperor my brother has conceived against me;

Considering that all endeavours and sacrifices on my part to support this state of things, have been fruitless;

Considering lastly, that it cannot be doubted that the course of the present state of things is to be attributed to my having been unfortunate enough to displease my brother, and to have lost his friendship, and that I therefore am the only obstacle to the termination of these incessant differences and misunderstandings;

We have resolved, as we by these letters, published by our own free will, do resolve to resign, as we do from this moment resign, the royal dignity of this kingdom of Holland, in favour of our well beloved son Napoleon Louis, and in failure of him, in favour of his brother Charles Louis Napoleon.

We further desire, that according to the constitution under the guarantee of his Majesty the Emperor, our brother, the regency shall remain with her Majesty the Queen, assisted by a council of regency, which shall provisionally consist of our ministers, to whom we commit the custody of our minor king, till the arrival of her Majesty the Queen.

We further order, that the different corps of our guard, under the command of Lieut.-General Bruno, and General Bruno, second in command, shall render their service to the minor king of this kingdom; and that the great officers of the crown, as well as the civil and mi

litary officers of our household, shall continue to render their customary services to the same high personage.

The present act done and concluded, and signed by our hand, shall be transmitted to the legislative body, and then deposited copies shall be taken, and these letters be published in a legal manner, and in the customary form.

LOUIS NAPOLEON.
Haarlem, July 1, 1810.

In the name of his Majesty Napoleon Louis, by the Grace of God and the Constitution of the Kingdom, King of Holland, the Provisional Council of Regency of the Kingdom of Holland, to all those who may see, hear, or read, these presents make known-That in consequence of the resignation of the royal dignity and authority made by his Majesty, Louis Napoleon, in favour of the crown prince, his Majesty's eldest son, Napoleon Louis, and of his brother, Prince Charles Louis Napoleon, and by virtue of his Majesty's authority contained in the open and sealed letters published by him on the 1st July, 1810, the provisional regency has this day constituted itself, under the presidency of the minister Van Der Heim, waiting the arrival of her Majesty the Queen, as constitutional regent of the kingdom, and guardian of the minor king, and in expectation of the measures which her Majesty shall be pleased to adopt relative to public affairs.

VAN DER HEIM.

lies, and especially to the troops of the Emperor Napoleon.

The justly famed military discipline, which, besides so many other military virtues distinguishes these troops, is a guarantee to the inhabitants of this capital for the safety of their persons and property; and also assures these troops that they will every where be received and treated as friends and allies, as every one must be sensible of how much importance it is to the whole country in general, and the capital in particular, to fulfil in this respect the utmost wishes of his Majesty.

His Majesty, therefore, trusts that the inhabitants of the capital, feeling their duty in this respect, will zealously co-operate in that which is of such imperative importance to this city, and to the whole kingdom, and avoid the destructive consequences which must ensue, should they, contrary to all expectations be guilty of an opposite conduct.

The above mentioned Minister,
VANDER CAPELLAN.
Amsterdam, July 2, 1810.

HOLLAND ANNEXED TO FRANCE.

REPORT TO THE EMPEROR.

Paris, July 9, 1810.

I have the honour to lay before your Majesty an act of the King of Holland, dated the 3d inst. by which that monarch declares that he abdicates the crown in favour of his eldest son, leaving, according to the constitution, the regency to the Queen, and establishes a council of regency composed of his ministers. Such an act, Sire, ought not to have appeared without a previous concert with your Majesty. It can have no force without your approbation. Ought your Majesty to confirm the disposition taken by the King of Holland? The union of Belgium with France has destroyed the independence of Holland. Her system has necessarily become the same with that of France. She is obliged to take part in all the maritime wars of France, as if she were one of her provinces. Since the creation of the arsenal of the

Scheldt, and the annexations to France of the provinces composing the departments of the mouths of the Rhine and the mouths of the Scheldt, the commercial existence of Holland has become precarious. The merchants of Antwerp, Ghent, and Middleburgh, who can, without any restriction, extend their speculations to the extremities of the empire, of which they form a part, necessarily carry on the commerce which Holland transacted. Rotterdam and Dordrecht are already on the verge of ruin; these cities have lost the commerce of the Rhine, which goes direct, by the new frontier, to the port of the Scheldt, passing through the Biesboch. The part of Holland which is still alien to the empire, is deprived of the advantages enjoyed by the part united thereto. Compelled, nevertheless, to make common cause with France, Holland will have to support the charges of this allowance, without reaping any of its benefits.

Holland is sunk under the weight of her public debt, which amounts to between 85 and 90 millions, that is to say, a fourth more than the debt of the whole empire; and if a reduction had been projected by the government of the country, it would not have been in its power to give a guarantee for the inviolability and permanence of such a measure, inasmuch as the debt, if even reduced to 30 millions, would still be beyond the actual means and ability of that country. It is estimated Holland pays triple the sum that France pays. The people groan under the weight of twenty-three distinct descriptions of contribution. The Dutch nation sinks under its contributions, and can no longer pay them. Nevertheless, the necessary expences of the government require that this burden should be augmented. The budget for the marine amounted, in 1809, to three millions only of florins, a sum scarcely sufficient to pay

the administrators, the officers, and seamen, and to defray the expence of the arsenals, and which has not admitted of the equipment of a single ship of war. To provide for the armament ordered in 1810, and which is the minimum of the naval force necessary for the defence of Holland, triple that sum would be requisite. The war budget has scarcely afforded a sufficiency for maintaining the fortresses and 16 battalions; and whilst two branches of such importance are so far from having what is necessary for supporting the honour and dignity of independence, the interest of the public debt has ceased to be paid. It is more than a year and a half in arrear.

If in such a state of things, your Majesty maintain the recent dispos sitions, by assigning to Holland a provisional government, you will only be prolonging her painful agony.. If the government of a prince in the vigour of life has left the country in so distressed a situation, what can be expected from a long minority? It cannot, therefore, be saved but by a new order of things. The period of the power and prosperity of Hols land was when it formed part of the greatest monarchy then in Europe. Her incorporation with the great empire is the only stable condition in which Holland can henceforth repose from her sufferings and long vicissitudes, and recover her ancient prosperity. Thus, ought your Majesty to decide in favour of such an union, for the interest, nay more, for the salvation of Holland. She ought to be associated in our blessings, as she has been associated in our calamities. But another interest still more imperiously indicates to your Majesty the conduct which you ought to adopt. Holland is, in fact, a shoot from the French territory; it constitutes a portion of soil necessary to complete the form of the empire. To become full master of the Rhine, your Majesty should advance

to the Zuyder Sea. By this means all the rivers, which have their source in France, or which wash the frontiers, will belong to you as far as the sea. To leave the mouths of your rivers in the possession of strangers, would, in fact, Sire, confine your power to an ill-limited monarchy, instead of erecting an imperial throne. To leave in the power of foreigners the mouths of the Rhine, the Meuse, and the Scheldt,would be tantamount to submitting your laws to them; it would render your manufactures and commerce dependent on the powers who should be in possession of those mouths; it would admit a foreign influence in that which is most important to the happiness of your subjects. The annexation of Holland is still necessary to complete the system of the empire, particularly since the British orders in council of No-, vember, 1807. Twice since that period your Majesty has been obliged to close your custom-houses to the trade of Holland, in consequence of which, Holland was isolated from the empire and the continent. After the peace of Vienna, it was in your Majesty's contemplation to annex this kingdom. You were induced to abandon this idea from considerations which no longer exist. You agreed with reluctance to the treaty of the 14th. of March, which aggravated the calamities of Holland, without meeting any one view of your Majesty. The obstacle which prevented it has now disappeared of itself. Your Majesty owes it to your empire to take advantage of a circumstance which so naturally leads to the union. There can be none more favourable for the execution of your projects.

Your Majesty has established at Antwerp a powerful arsenal. The astonished Scdeldt swells with pride to behold twenty vessels of the first rate bearing your Majesty's flag, and protecting its shores that were formerly scarcely visited by some

trading vessels. But the great de sign of your Majesty in this respect cannot be fully accomplished except by the union of Holland. It is necessary to complete so astonishing a creation. Under your Majesty's energetic government the ensuing year will not terminate before, by calling into action the maritime resources of Holland, a fleet of 40 sail of the line, and a great number of troops, shall be assembled in the Scheldt and Texel, to dispute with the British government the sovereignty of the sea, and repel its unjust claims. So that it is not the interest of France alone that calls for this union; it is that of continental Europe, who ap, plies to France to repair the losses of her marine, and combat on her own element, the enemy of the prosperity of Europe; whose industry it has not been able to stifle, but whose communications it obstructs by its insolent claims, and the vast number of its ships of war. Finally, the union of Holland augments the em pire, in rendering more close the frontier she defends, and in adding to the security of her arsenals and docks. It enriches it by an industrious, thrifty, and laborious people, who will add to the stock of publie wealth, increasing their private fortunes. There are no people more estimable, or better adapted to derive benefit from the advantages which the liberal policy of your government affords to industry. France could not have made a more valuable acquisition.

The annexation of Holland to France is the necessary consequence of the union of Belgium. It completes your Majesty's empire, as well as the execution of your system of war, politics and trade. It is the first, but necessary step towards the restoration of your navy; in fact it is the heaviest blow which your Ma jesty could inflict upon England, As to the young Prince, who is so dear to your Majesty, he has alrea

dy felt the effects of your good will. You have bestowed on him the Grand Duchy of Berg. He has therefore no occasion for any new establishment. I have the honour to propose to your Majesty the projet of the following Decree. I am, &c.

CHAMPAGNY, Duke of Cadore

Extract from the Registers of the office of the Secretary of State.

July 9th. 1810.

We, Napoleon, Emperor of the French, King of Italy, Protector of the Confede ration of the Rhine, Mediator of the Swiss Confederation, &c. &c. have decreed, and hereby decree as follows: Art. 1. Holland is united to France. 2. The city of Amsterdam shall be the third city of the empire.

S. Holland shall have 6 senators, 6 deputies to the council of state, 25 deputies to the legislative body, and 2 judges in the court of cassation.

4. The officers by sea or land, of what ever rank, shall be confirmed in their employments. Commissions shall be delivered them signed with our hand. The royal guard shall be united to our impe rial guard.

5. The Duke of Placentia, arch-treasurer of the empire, shall repair to Amsterdam in the capacity of our lieutenant general. He shall preside in the council of ministers, and attend to the dispatch of business. His functions shall cease the 1st. of January, 1811, the period when the French administration shall commence.

6. All the public functionaries, of whatever rank, are confirmed in their employments.

7. The present contributions shall continue to be levied until the 1st. of January, 1811, at which period the country shall be eased of that burden, and the imposts put on the same footing as for the rest of the empire.

8. The budget of receipts and disbursements shall be submitted to our approbation before the 1st. of August

next.

One-third of the present amount of interest upon the public debt shall be carried to the account of expenditure for

1810.

The interest of the debt for 1808, and 1809, not yet paid, shall be reduced to one-third, and charged on the budget of 1810.

9. The custom-houses on the frontier, other than those of France, shall be organized under the superintendance of our director-general of the custom-house, The Dutch custom-houses shall be incorporated therewith.

The line of custom-houses, now on the French frontier, shall be kept up until the 1st. of January, 1811, when it shall be removed, and the communica❤

tion of Holland with the empire become

free.

10. The colonial produce, actually in Holland, shall remain in the hands of the owners, upon paying a duty of 50 per cent. ad valorem. A declaration of the amount shall be made before the 1st. of September, at farthest.

The said merchandize, upon payment of the duties, may be imported into France, and circulated through the whale extent of the empire.

11. There shall be at Amsterdam a special administration, presided over by one of our counsellors of state, which shall have the superintendence of, and the necessary funds to provide for the repair of the dikes, polders, and other public works.

12. In the course of the present month, there shall be nominated, by the legislative body of Holland, a commission of 15 members, to proceed to Paris, in order to constitute a council, whose business shall be to regulate definitively all that relates to the public and local debts, and to conciliate the principles of the union with the localities aud interests of the country.

13. Our ministers are charged with the execution of the present decree.

SPAIN.

NAPOLEON.

PROCLAMATION FOR ASSEMBLING THE CORTES.

FERDINAND, by the Grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies, and in his Royal name, the Council of Regency, to all presidents, govern ors, &c. be it made known, that under the 18th of the present month of June, I have thought fit to issue the following decree:-

"The council of regency of Spain and the Indies, desirous of giving to