were in fact left at liberty to take up whomfoever they pleased. Many diforders and much violence was committed. The prifons were filled with unhappy perfons, who were cut off from all means and hopes of redress: and by the injuftice and facrilege of the Emperor, thus executed by them whom they regarded in no other light than that of military mercenary ruffians, the general odium against the Auftrian government was carried to the higheft pitch of abhorrence. A confpiracy, in which from the nature of its defign, must have confifted of a very great number of perfons, was formed and carried on in the very feat of government and heart of the capital city of Bruffels. It was refolved to undermine the houfe of Count Trautmandorf, the Emperor's civil engine of oppreffion, as well as that of his military tool General Dalton, together with the guard-houfe; and to blow up thofe buildings, together with their poffeffors, into the air with gunpowder. The confpirators, during the confufion occafioned by this explosion, were to feize the arfenal with the city gates, and to admit feveral small bodies of emigrants, who were to be prepared, and at hand for the purpofe. This gunpowder plot, which was laid in the month of August 1789, and speedily to be executed, being difcovered, above twenty fufpected perfons were immediately taken up; and the number would have undoubtedly been much encreafed, and a long fucceffion of fevere punifhments have enfued, if the troubles now faft approaching had not put an end to this and fimilar profecu tions. The numbers and the menacing afpect of emigrants and others dif affected to government being daily increased, the plan of purging the country by emigration was changed. The magiftrates were ordered not to grant paffports: and the emigrated nobles and clergy were charged by proclamation to return, under pain of forfeiture. But the magiftrates were themfelves too much interested in the common cause, to lay any restraint that could poffibly be avoided, on those who were difpofed to take a more active part in its promotion; while the nobility and clergy laughed at the threat of forfeiture, which they well knew no compliance could avert, if ever it fhould be in the Emperor's power to inflict the penalty. The emigration was continued without interruption or diminution. Nothing less than a powerful army, with the advantage of numerous and well chofen pofts and garrifons, could have effectually retrained emigration from provinces fo open on all fides, interfected by fo many rivers and canals opening an eafy and various communication with other countries, and in the near vicinity and uncommon variety of unconnected states. In addition to all thefe circumftances tending to facilitate emigra tion, the dangerous ambition, with the ever reflefs and infidious policy of Jofeph, had infpired all the neighbouring powers with a defire to embrace any opportunity that might occur for fruftrating his defigns, and humbling his pride. And while the ruling powers in the neighbouring ftates, were fo favourably difpofed towards the Flemings from motives of policy, their fubjects, from ties of affinity and blood, long habits of commercial intercourfe, private friendship, and above all, a general commiferation of of the injuries done them, were much more fincerely and deeply interested in their behalf, and generously afforded them all poffible affiftance and protection. The Duke of Urfel and the Prince of Aremberg, Count of la Marck, his fon, with the other nobles who had retired to Breda, being joined by the Archbishop of Malines or Mecklin, primate of the catholic provinces of the Netherlands, and by most if not all the ftates of Brabant, both civil and ecclefiaftical,-about the middle of September 1789, conftituted and declared themfelves to be the regular and legal Affembly of the ftates of that province. In that character they unanimoufly paffed a remonstrance to the Emperor, which might be confidered as a declaration of rights, and at the fame time, of a firm determination to maintain them. In this manifefto, which was fent exprefs to Vienna, after lamenting the fad neceffity which had compelled them to affemble in a foreign land, under the deplorable character of a banifhed legiflature, they entered with the utmoft freedom into the moft rigid examination of his Majefty's conduct. They ftated the rights and privileges which the province of Brabant had enjoyed from the most remote times; and ratified and extended by a long fucceffion of fovereigns. They reminded him of the folemn oaths by which he was himfelt bound to maintain and defend them; and then reprefented the wanton and oppreffive infrac tions of them which had taken place during his reign, and, to complete the full measure of oppreffion, the lawless and fhameless fubverfion of their conftitution. They concluded by declaring, that, although they were ready to facrifice their lives and fortunes for the profperity and glory of their fovereign, they were not prepared for a pufillanimous and perfidious furrender of thofe rights which they held in trust for their fellow-citizens, and for pofterity. They therefore adjured him, by an immediate revocation of his illegal edicts, and restoration of the rights of the province, to fpare them the cruel neceffity of appealing to God and their fwords. Sometime after this, which may be confidered as the prelude, but before the commencement of actual hoftilities, the Cardinal Archbishop of Malines, fent a letter containing fome particulars relative to the conduct of the Emperor and the prefent pofture of affairs in the low countries, to the Pope. The Cardinal affured his Holiness, that every effort had been used by the bifhops and the other clergy for the prefervation of tranquillity and the prevention of a revolution. But that matters had been precipitated into their prefent pofition by the fluctuating counfels, the unsteady measures, and a general inconfiftency in the conduct of his Imperial Majefty. That his laws and decrees, which were perpetually fucceeding, and in continual variation with one another, were confiftent only in this, that they had all of them an immediate tendency not only to overthrow the difcipline of the church, and to efface from the minds of the people every trace of their native piety and religion, but likewise to annihilate the national cuftoms and ufages, the privileges of the cities, and the liberties of the citizens. The declaration of the ftates of Brabant was little calculated to make any impreffion in their favour on the mind of the Emperor; jea loufy loufy and refentment increased on both fides, burst into acts of open hoftility but the first blow was ftruck by the injured and oppreffed party. A body of infurgents, towards the end of October 1789, without much refiftance, took the two fmall forts of Lillo and Liefenfhock, which had been originally conftructed by the Dutch, to prevent all intercourfe between the fea and Antwerp; but which, being of little importance, had been given up to the vanity of the Emperor, in the adjustment of the late differences refpecting the navigation of the Scheldt. In Fort Lillo, befides the military ftores, they found a confiderable fum of money. They likewife feized a frigate, which had been ftationed off Lillo, in the vain parade of appearing to protect a trade that was not permitted to exift, or perhaps as a kind of proteft that the dominion over the Scheldt belonged to the Imperialists. General Dalton fent General Schroeder against the invaders, at the head of 4000 troops, well difciplined. On the advance of this force the infurgents abandoned the two forts, and retreated towards Turnhout, a fmall town fituated about eight miles to the north-eaft of the forts. The Imperialifts purfued them clofely: but with all their expedition they could only obtain fight of a small party who brought up their rear, and who were immediately received within the gates before they could come up with them. The gates were in ftantly fhut; but foon forced by the Imperialists, who made good their way into the town. The Brabanters, as they retreated along the main ftreet, which they did in good order, maintained a hot fire not without confiderable execution, on their purfuers. In this manner the Imperialifts were drawn farther and farther into the town, until Schroeder, with his whole force in a compact body, arrived at the marketplace. Here he was faluted with a roar of artillery from different openings: while a fire of fmall arms deliberately pointed, ftill more tremendous, inceffantly poured from the roofs and windows of all the furrounding houses. The number and compacted order of the affailants, which in other circumstances might have been their strength, was now their weak nefs. Schroe der, caught in the toils of crossftreets, houfes, lanes, and unknown paflages, laboured for extrication by the greateft prefence of mind and perfonal courage in vain. Two horses were fhot under him, and he was feverely wounded. His troops, to withstand the intolerable fire that ftreamed upon them in every direction, fell into immediate confufion, and made a very diforderly retreat out of Turnhout, by the gate at which they entered. Their lofs was computed at no less than 700 men, befides at least two pieces of cannon. The date of this event is October 27th, 1789.* The rage of the Auftrians at this unexpected defeat and difafter, was vented in the most frightful masfacres. The indignation of the Emperor at this "fhameful affair," as he con The reports tranfinitted by the General to Vienna were fo inaccurate and confufed, that the Emperor himself could not make out whether two or four pieces of artillery had been lost. VOL. XXXIII. fidered it and pronounced it to be, was extreme. Schroeder was ftripped of all his military commands, and ordered to return to Germany. The misfortune of Count Schroeder, who had enjoyed a confiderable military reputation, evidently arofe from the contempt in which he held raw and undifciplined troops; and the eagerness with which he grafped at the glory of crufhing at once the infurrection, and reftoring the provinces to their wonted obedience; for there were two other columns of troops on their march to join him: fo that by only enclosing the infurgents in the town, they must have been compelled to furrender in a few days for want of provifions. The fuccefs at Turnhout awakened by hope all the paffions that warmed the breafts of the Belgian patriots into an ardent flame. The emigrants, affuming the name of patriotic troops and patriotic army, penetrated the open frontiers, in more or lefs numerous bands, on every quarter. The peasants in Brabant, Flanders, Namur, Hainault, and other provinces, embodied themselves wherever the immediate prefence of the Auftrians did not reftrain their motions. All ranks of men burned with impatience to join their countrymen in the field, fo. that they might be entitled to fome fhare of the praise due for the deliverance of their country from foreign tyrants. The action at Turnhout was followed in a few days by another, in fome points of a Gimilar nature, at Tirlemont, a large town in Brabant, on the river Geet, nine miles fouth eaft from Louvain. A fmall body of patriots, clofely purfued by General Bender, juft arrived with his regiment from Luxemburgh, had taken refuge in that place; but into which, being an open town, Ben. der forced his way fword in hand. The inhabitants of Tirlemont, though they had no artillery, and were but badly provided with fmall, arms and ammunition, immediately and univerfally took part with their countrymen, determined to afford them protection, or to perish in the attempt. The fmall band of patriots, mingling and fupported by thofe generous citizens, kept up as conftant a fire from the roofs and windows of the houfes as their provision of arms and ammunition could poffibly supply, and defended every houfe, frect, and avenue, with the utmost intrepidity. On the other hand, the Auftrians penetrating into many houfes and even, churches, perpetrated fuch maflacres as had been committed by their countrymen in their retreat from Turnhout, and which we fhudder to relate. The conflict was continued with unabated fury and obftinacy on both fides, till the approach of night compelled General Bender to relinquish his enterprize and withdraw his troops. In this paltry and difgraceful affair, the lofs of lives on both fides, including in that number both fexes and all ages and conditions, was faid to amount to 1300. It was stated by the patriots, that in General Bender's retreat from Tirlemont in the night, he met General Dalton full in his way, at the head of ftrong detachment to his afftance; and that each party fired on the other, under the double mistake of their being mutually enemics; and that feveral hundreds were killed and wounded on both fides before the error could be detected*. The repulfe of General Bender was foon followed by the defeat of a body of Auftrians under General D'Arberg, to whom the Brabanters dared to give battle in the open field. We have not been able to ascertain either the time or place of this action; but it was faid, and generally understood at the time, to have been very difaftrous to the Auftrians; who it was alfo faid and credited, would have been cut off in their diforderly flight over the Scheldt, if their retreat had not been covered on the banks of the river by the fingular bravery of the regiment of Bender. While this brilliant fuccefs attended the Belgian arms, the patriots gained poffeffion of Oftend, Bruges, Louvain, and other places, without any conteft: victory and uninterrupted fuccefs infpired bolder and bolder defigns. Early in the morning of the 13th of November 1789, a fmall body of patriot troops, not exceed ing it was faid 700 men, marched with unparalleled boldness and audacity to attack the city of Ghent. They directed their courfe to the gate which takes the name of Bruges, which they forced. During the conflict which attended this operation, the bridges within the walls were all taken up, and every other meafure adopted for preventing or retarding their progrefs when they fhould enter the town. A battle enfued in the streets, which contiAued for fome hours; when the affailants drove the Auftrians before them with fuch impetuofity, that one part of them fled for refuge to the citadel, and another to the barracks; which however they prepared refolutely to defend. This party, to the number of 500, and commanded by Colonel Landlen, on the third day of the fiege hung out a whole flag, gave up their arms, and furrendered themfelves prifoners of war. During the time of the attack on the barracks, the citadel, inftead of attempting to relieve the befieged, was wholly occupied in throwing bombs and combustibles of different forts, with a view of destroying the town by one general conflagration. But thefe, whether from a want of a fufficient stock of combuftibles, or fromwhatevercause, produced no other effect than that of deftroying a number of houfes, damaging others, rendering the ftreets impaffable by the ruins, and, by the fires which were continually breaking out in different quarters, keeping the inhabitants in a state of conftant terror and confufion. The bafe garrifon, who durft not attempt the relief of the barracks, made frequent fallies into the streets, particularly by night; when, betides rapine, the most horrid crimes are faid to have been commit. ted. The patriots obliged Colonel Landhen to write an order to the commandant of the citadel for its immediate furrender: which he very Though there is nothing incredible in this report, as fuch fatal mistakes have often happened, yet the truth of it has been doubted. In fuch a cruel and bloody. war as this, in which exorbitances committed on one fide drew forth fevere retaliation from the other, and all things were involved in blind prejudice, animofity, and rage, the reports of common fame are more than ufually exaggerated. We have no other accounts of the military exploits in the Netherlands at this period, than those published by the patriots. The Auftrians, under their misfortunes, were wholly flient. D2 properly |