Maese, was evacuated by the Russian and Prussian troops. English corps and Germans in British pay poured into Brussels and the other principal towns; and it appeared that Great Britain meant to take upon itself the chief share in securing the Belgian frontier till the final adjustment of the affairs of Europe. About the close of August, an arrangement was signed by the Prince Regent of England and the Prince Sovereign of the Netherlands, in which it was stipulated that Great Britain should retain the Cape of Good Hope, DemaFara, Essequibo, and Berbice; and that Batavia, and all the rest of the conquests made upon the Dutch during the late war, namely, Suri nam, Curaçoa, and St. Eustatia, should be restored to them. Ceylon, as being ceded to England before the war, remains in her possession.. The long incorporation of the Belgic provinces with France had naturally produced the settlement of many Frenchmen in those provinces, and it became a matter of considerable political importance to determine how to act with respect to them. On September 22, the Prince. Sovereign issued a decree at Brussels, which began with stating, that many persons born in France had obtained employments in Belgium which they still continued to exercise, and to which, according to the principles of sound policy, the Belgians had a preferable right; that, however, there might be particular reasons for granting to some of those persons the same political rights as are enjoyed by the Belgians. Four articles then followed, the substance of which was to declare, that the French, who had received letters of naturalization, were in future to be equally eligible to public offices with the natives of Belgium; that those who at present fill such offices should cease to hold them, unless they claim letters of naturalization within two months from the date of this decree; and that such letters shall be granted only on the report of the commissioner-general of justice on the morality of the applicants, and the connections they have contracted in Belgium. The evident object of this decree was to prevent a French interest from being fostered in the Belgic provinces, which in some parts was suspected to have gained a considerable footing. At the same time a measure wa adopted for attaching the Belgians to the new government, by freeing the press from those restraints under which it had been placed by the French ruler, and securing to authors the property of their works. The decree published by the Prince Sovereign relative to this subject, after abrogating all the laws and regulations of the French government respecting printing and bookselling, declared every one personally responsible for what he writes and publishes, and for what he prints, vends, and distributes, the printer alone incurring this responsibility when the author is unknown. For securing this point, every publication appearing without the name of the author or printer, is to be considered as a libel, and its editor or distributer to be liable to prosecution. To every author of an original work is granted the exclusive right of printing and selling it within the government of of Belgium during his life; and his widow and heirs are to retain the same right during theirs. All editors of journals, advertising sheets, and periodical works, under whatever denomination, are required, in order to be entitled to establish new ones, or to continue those already in circulation, to provide themselves with the authorization of the sovereign, which will not be given unless it can be proved that they have at least 300 subscribers. It does not appear that in such case the requisite authorization must follow; and this example may be added to other recent ones, which prove the peculiar jealousy entertained by governments, of the publications that belong to this class. The regulation above-mentioned is stated not to apply to papers treating solely on subjects relative to literature, the arts and sciences. The desire of the new Belgic government to raise an army attached exclusively to Belgian interests, may be inferred from a proclamation of Lieutenant General Evers, inspector-general of cavalry, by authority of the Prince Sovereign." Belgian soldiers (says the General) you fought under the banners of France, when the interests of our country. were confounded with her's. The happy revolution which has delived Europe, has restored to our country its name and national existence: it invites you to still higher destinies, by uniting you to your ancient brethren, under the tutelary sceptre of a prince, sprung from that race of heroes who so gloriously defended the independence of our ancestors.". After some sentences of animated appeal to their patriotism, he proceeds to say, "Corps of all arms are forming; battalions of infantry, regiments of carabineers, light dragoous, and hussars, open their ranks to you, where good pay will spread comfort among the privates and officers of all descriptions." It must be confessed, that the language of this proclamation has a very warlike sound, but it may be hoped that the intention does not extend beyond defensive preparation. That this was brought to a very effective state will be apparent from the following account, given towards the close of October, of the position of the different corps forming the army of the Netherlands. "Ostend, Nieuport, Furnes, Ypres, Menin, and Courtray, have numerous garrisons, consisting of English and Hanoverian_troops. The other places in Flanders, as Ghent, Bruges, and Tirlemont, are also garrisoned by English and Hanoverians, with the addition of Belgian troops. Tournay has a garrison of three English regiments, a corps of the Hanseatic legion, and some squadrons of horse. At Mons and Charleroi are Belgian infantry, and Hanoverian dragoons and hussars. In the villages between these places are cantoned troops of the same description. Namur is wholly garrisoned by Dutch troops. In the interior, the hussars of Croy are at Ath; and the Belgian light horse, with a strong division of artillery, at Malines (Mechlin.) The Congreve rocket division is at Vilvorden. At Louvain are some battalions of Belgian infantry; and the garrison of Brussels consists of English guards, and a corps of horse artillery, and the Belgian regiment of carabineers." Thus was this coun [H2] try try guarded, as during the Flemish wars of former times. The Prince Sovereign of the Netherlands having returned to the Hague on November 7th, he opened the first ordinary session of the States General with a speech. He began with recounting the happy auspices under which their sitting commenced. "Perfect tranquillity reigns in every part of the country, though scarcely regenerated: the organization of the principal branches of the administration is prosecuting conform ably to the regulations of the fundamental laws, without obstacle or even difficulty; every where the spirit of industry and commerce manifests itself more and more, which we had reason to fear might have been totally extinguished and annihilated during so many unhappy years." His Royal HighBess then proceeded to touch upon particulars relative to their situation. He regretted, that till the termination of the congress he could not inform them with certainty of the extent of the territory of the state, and of its possessions beyond sea, but adverted to the arrangements with the crown of England, which had enabled him to take measures for the re-occupation of the most considerable part of their ancient foreign dominions. He spoke with great satisfaction of the state of the public finances, by which, at the end of 1814, sixteen months of the interest of the national debt, and the vast expenses required by the re establishment of so many branches of the administration, might be wholly paid, all the accounts of government services since his accession to power be liquidated, and a considerable sum left in the treasury applicable to the expenses of the next year. On the whole, the view given by his Royal Highness of the state of the country was such as might gratify every patriot. On December 8th, the secretary of finance, Mr. Falck, presented to the States an estimate of the expenditure for the year 1815, which amounted to fifty-one millions of guilders. He acquainted them, that by care and economy the expense of the last year had been reduced 3,700,000 guilders below the estimate, and that there would remain in the treasury, at the end of the year, a sum of about ten millions and a half. He gave reasons for the persisting,at the present time, in making extraordinary exertions, and recommended the continuance of the existing taxes, with the exception of some alteration in that on patents. The States General, after deliberating on the report, and on the plan of a law with which it was accompanied, passed a resolution, approving of the same; and the patience with which necessary burdens are borne in this country, and the wise frugality displayed in the administration of its revenues, are equally deserving of the applause and imitation of other states. HAPTER Germany.-Hamburg-Hanover, its erection to a Kingdom. Prince Regent's Proclamation. - Hanoverian Diet assembled.-Speech of the Duke of Cambridge.-Free Constitution of Nassau.- Prussia, its military regulations: alterations in the ritual of public Worship.-Congress of Vienna.-Views of Prussia on Saxony-Declaration of the King of Saxony-Frontiers of Turkey: cruel treatment of the Servians. As S no country in Europe had undergone more changes during the long war, of which it was so often the seat, than Germany, so in none was the process of restoration more tardy, or more obstructed with difficulties, arising as well from the actual state in which it was left at the period of the general peace, as from the complicated nature of its political constitution. So much, in fact, was to be done in order to reduce it to a harmonious and well balanced system, that the year elapsed without settling some of the most important points relative to the future condition of the Germanic States. Some dispositions, however, were definitively made, of which it will be proper to give an account. No city in Germany had so much reason to rejoice at the subversion of Buonaparte's power as Hamburgh, which had suffered the extremes of tyranny and spoliation under the rigorous and corrupt administration of Davoust. From the richest and most commercial city in that part of Europe, it had been reduced almost to beggary, and had seen many of its principal inhabi tants in the condition of fugitives or exiles, its finest suburbs demolished, and its population wasted by want and disease. It must, therefore, have been with sensations of true patriotic delight, that on May 26, the Hamburghers witnessed the resumption of the government by their native constituted authorities, and their independence restored under the patronage of the allied Powers. The Senate, on that occasion, published an address to their fellow citizens marked by the spirit of wisdom and moderation. Though it was not yet thought proper to leave the city without the protection of foreign troops, confidence was sufficiently renewed for the operation of those causes which are found so efficacious in speedily effacing the wounds inflicted on commercial prosperity. "Every thing (says an account from Hamburgh) here acquires new life, activity, and cheerfulness. The Elbe is again filled with vessels of every description, and several richly laden ships have already entered our port. The road from Altona to Hamburgh is covered with an almost uninterrupted line of waggons, laden with the household household furniture, &c. of emigrants. Many small huts and sheds have been already built out of the wrecks of the suburbs, and the foundation walls are laid open in order to be built upon." The French left 5000 sick in the hospitals of the place, and it was a great relief when the major part of them were embarked to be conveyed to their own country by sea, since their wretched condition would probably have given rise to a pestilential disease in the hot months. The events which took place in Hanover will naturally be regarded with peculiar interest in this country, especially as they have terminated in a new regai title annexed to the British crown. It appears from a note published by the Hanoverian Cabinet on July 13, that the minds of the people had been disturbed by reports propagated of an intended cession or exchange of the States of that Electorate by the house of Guelph; and it is the purpose of this notification to declare, that there is no foundation whatever for such an apprehension. All doubts that might remain on this subject were dispelled by a note presented on October 12, by Count Munster, the Hanoverian minister of state, to the Austrian and other ministers, assembled at Vienna. Its purpose was to convey the declaration of the Prince Regent of Great Britain and Hanover concerning the title which he had thought it necessary to substitute for that of Elector of the Holy Roman Empire. This title, it was observed, had been rendered unsuitable to present circumstances, by the 6th Article of the Peace of Paris, by which it was agreed, that the States of Germany should 66 remain independent, and joined in a federal union." In consequence, several of the powers concurring in the treaty had invited the Prince Regent to renounce that title, and in its stead assume that of King, by which he would facilitate many of the arrangements which the future welfare of Germany seemed to require; and these considerations alone had induced him to consent. The declaration proceeded to observe, that the House of Brunswick Luneburgh being one of the most ancient and illustrious in Europe, and all the ancient Electors, and the House of Wurtemburg, having erected their states into kingdoms, the Prince Regent could not derogate from the rank which Hanover held before the subversion of the German Empire; and that he had, therefore, resolved to erect his provinces, forming the country of Hanover, into a Kingdom, and to assume, for his Sovereign, the title of King of Hanover. It cannot be doubted that before such a declaration was made, the concurrence of the powers, to whose ministers it was addressed, had been fully as certained; hence we are told in an article from Vienna, that all the plenipotentiaries recognised the new dignity of the British Sovereign. A proclamation was afterwards issued by the Prince Regent, informing all the Hanoverian subjects of this change, and its motives. A proclamation was published in the same month at Hanover, from the Prince Regent, dated August 12th, in which, after adverting to the difficulties that bad occured in forming an uniform plan of taxation and finance, from the separation of the states of the dif ferent |