XXIV. 1830. CHAP. of general good. This concord had been in an especial manner conspicuous during the last session of the Chambers; and the Minister of the Interior, in closing them on June 2, had only expressed the general voice when he said, "that the session had been remarkable for the exMoniteur, tent of its labours and the divergence of its opinions, 1830, Ann. crowned by the most happy accordance between the throne and the representatives of the people, on the subjects of the greatest interest to both." 1 June 5, Hist. xiii. 536, 538. 70. Causes of discord inhabitants. But vain are all attempts to establish a real concord among men, how loudly soever called for by their among the material interests, when their hearts are kept asunder by any of the master passions which agitate and disturb mankind. The two most powerful of these were in secret fomenting discord among the inhabitants, and renewing, even under the paternal sceptre of one monarch, the ancient jealousies of the Flemings and the United Provinces. These passions were religious jealousy and democratic ambition. It is remarkable that the hereditary animosity of the Catholics and Protestants nowhere in Europe, save in Ireland, existed in more rancour than between the longsevered inhabitants of the seventeen Provinces. The clergy of Flanders, in their cathedrals, their palaces, had all the pride, and not a little of the persecuting spirit, of the Duke of Alva; those of the United Provinces were animated by the indomitable spirit of Count Egmont or William of Nassau. Reconciliation was impossible between persuasions animated by such discordant feelings; and the attempt of the Government to reconcile both parties by an equitable arrangement and entire toleration, ended only, as is often the case, in irritating both parties, and reconciling neither.2 2 Ann. Hist. xiii. 538, 539. In addition to this, the democratic passions in Flanders, violently excited by the successful result of the Revolution in Paris, contributed also, in the most powerful manner, to bring about a convulsion, and sever the union between that country and Holland. In Brussels and the other XXIV. 1830. 71. and its great in the events July. great cities of Flanders, the democratic spirit had for CHAP. centuries been strong; and this disposition had been much strengthened in later times by the desire for French connection, and the number of interests which had been Revolutionaffected by the severance of the union with that country, Belgium, ary party in and the breaking up of the imperial sway. When men's minds were in this excited state, no amount of general crease by prosperity and material well-being could appease them, and in Paris in little was wanting, at any time, to blow the discontent, at least among some classes, into a flame. This little was at once furnished by the French Revolution. The clubs of Paris, who possessed an influence in France equal, and in the adjoining states superior to Louis Philippe, immediately sent several agents to excite the revolutionary passions in Belgium. They were received with open arms by the clubs of Brussels, Ghent, and Antwerp, and measures were quickly concocted for following the example of Paris, and dethroning the King of the Netherlands. In this attempt they relied with reason upon the support of the whole democratic party in the Flemish towns, and on that section of the community which, without being inclined to support a republican form of government, was xii. 536, desirous of severing the connection with Holland, and 539; Louis establishing a régime in which the Protestant faith was no 88, 89; longer to be tolerated, and the Catholic might be reinstated 69, 70. in exclusive power and pristine grandeur.1 Ann. Hist. Blanc, ii. Cap. iii. ment of the Matters were brought to a crisis by the revolutionists 72. on the 25th August, just a month after they had com- Commencemenced at Paris. After leaving the theatre, where the revolution. play of La Muette had been performed, which contained several sentiments eagerly caught at and loudly applauded by the popular party, a number of enthusiastic young men collected in the streets, singing revolutionary songs, and the cry was heard among them, " Imitons les Parisiens." Suiting the action to the word, they immediately proceeded to attack and plunder the printing-office of a ministerial journal, break open several armourers' shops, CHAP. 1830. 1 Ann. Hist. xiii. 539, and provide themselves with the weapons they contained; XXIV. while several huge tricolor flags were suddenly unfurled, and excited in the highest degree the enthusiasm of the multitude. They then proceeded to set fire to the 541; Louis hotel of the Minister of Justice, M. Van Maanen, which was speedily reduced to ashes. General Wanthin, the commander of the town, who tried to arrest the disorders iii. 71, note. with a detachment of troops, was surrounded and made prisoner.1 Blanc, ii. 88, 89; Dépêche, 26 Aout, 1830; Cap. 73. the insur rection. With the rapidity of lightning these disorders were Progress of imitated at Ghent, Liege, Antwerp, and all the chief towns of Flanders. The royal troops made very little resistance; so completely did the movement assume a national aspect, and run from the first into an effort to separate Belgium from Holland. The bourgeois in the great towns supported this movement, though they endeavoured to detach it from the cause of revolution, to which they were very little inclined. The populace, however, especially in Brussels and Ghent, were by no means inclined to halt midway in their career, but openly endeavoured to overturn the government by force, and establish a republic in its stead. At five in the mornAug. 26. ing of the 26th, the troops were drawn out, volleys of musketry were heard in the Place des Sablons, and were too few in number to make head against the insurgents, who now began to show themselves in all quarters of the city, and overawed the soldiers as much by the spectacle of unanimity as they overwhelmed them by their numbers. Ere long the hotel of the Minister of Police, and of the governor of the capital, Ann. Hist. fell into the hands of the insurgents, and the work of 541; Cap. destruction commenced. 2 Several steam-machines were iii. 71, 73; Louis destroyed, many shops pillaged, and symptoms of the war Blanc, ii. 89, 90. of labour against property, of the proletaires against machinery, began to appear. Alarmed at this turn the xiii. 540, XXIV. 1830. affair was taking, the shopkeepers turned out, and CHAP. formed a large Burgher Guard, 8000 strong, which in a manner interposed between the contending parties, and, by the respect which they inspired to both parties, suspended hostilities. 74. tions of the King. The Burgher Guard, which was most anxious to terminate the dispute, and recover the lost nationality of the NegotiaBelgians, without endangering the crown on the head of insurgents William of Nassau, presented, in the midst of these dis- with the orders, a petition to the King, in which they prayed him Aug. 30. "to dismiss the minister Van Maanen, so odious to their national feelings, and give a separate administration to Belgium, hitherto devoted to the house of Nassau, of which they did not wish to break the sceptre." The King returned for answer, "That he would abide by the text of the compact that is to say, by the law; that his resolution would depend on a vote of the Estates; that if that assembly determined on a separation of the kingdom, he would conform to it; and that, for that purpose, the Estates should be immediately convoked." At the same time, he ordered the Prince of Orange, the heir-apparent of the crown of the Netherlands, to repair to Brussels, in order to ascertain the sentiments of the bourgeoisie, and see what would really satisfy them. Emboldened by this success, the burghers next demanded that he should come alone, without an escort, and without uniform or arms. This also was conceded, so anxious was the Government to pacify the people by every imaginable concession; and on the 1st September the Prince, one of 1 Louis the heroes of Waterloo, arrived at Brussels in plain clothes,, . and without an escort. He was received with respect Ann. Hist. by the Burgher Guard, which escorted him into the city 548; Cap. under the guarantee of safety to his person, and liberty Moniteur, to depart, if he could not succeed in effecting an accom- 1830. modation. 1 The Prince, in passing through the streets, was received with cries of "Vive le Prince! Vive la liberté! A bas Sept. 1. xiii. 540, iii. 73,75; Sept. 4, CHAP. Barri Van Maanen!" but he beheld on all sides convincing proofs of the serious nature of the insurrection. cades required to be passed in many places; the crossDemands of streets were all blocked up, and armed men at the win 1830. 75. the leaders of the re volution. 1 Cap. iii. 75, 77; Ann. Hist. xiii. 545, 547. dows gave fearful proof of the murderous warfare which awaited the troops if hostilities were resumed. Even before he arrived at the Hôtel de Ville, it had become evident that an accommodation was impossible. The deputations, which succeeded each other with rapidity at the Hôtel de Ville, expressed their wishes clearly; the word "separation was heard, but no wish was expressed to unite with France; and the Prince of Orange returned on the 4th to his army at Vilvorde, with the hope that he might still retain his throne. The yellow cockade was everywhere abandoned; but there was no disposition evinced to break finally with the house of Nassau. Soon after, a deputation waited on the King with a formal and concise statement of their grievances and demands; and for a brief period the hope was entertained that he might retain both crowns, on the condition, as in the case of Austria and Hungary, of an entire separation of offices and administration. But these hopes were soon found to be fallacious. The wish for a separation from Holland was so generally expressed that it was obviously irresistible; and the Prince carried back the mournful conviction that the union could no longer be maintained. 1 * *The demands of the Belgian revolutionists were: "1. L'exécution entière, franche et sincère, de la loi fondamentale, mais sans restrictions ni interprétations au profit du pouvoir, soit par arrêtés circulaires ministériels ou rescrits du cabinet. 2. L'éloignement du ministre de l'intérieur et de l'odicux Van Maanen. 3. La suspension provisoire de l'abatage jusqu'à la prochaine session des états généraux. 4. Un nouveau système électoral établi par une loi, où l'élection soit plus directe par le peuple. 5. Le rétablissement du jury. 6. Une loi nouvelle de l'organisation judiciaire. 7. La responsabilité pénale des ministres établis par la loi. 8. Une loi qui fixe le siège de la haute cour dans les provinces méridionales. 9. La cessation des poursuites intentées aux écrivains libéraux. 10. L'annulation de toutes les condamnations en matières politiques. 11. Qu'il soit distribué à tous les ouvriers infortunés du pain pour subvenir à leurs besoins jusqu'à ce qu'ils pussent reprendre leurs travaux."Ann. Hist. vol. xiii. p. 546. |