Gazette Of The United States

EUROPE.

MANIFESTO of the PATRIOTS in AUSTRIAN FLANDERS.

The People of Brabant, through the organ of the Ecclesiastical State and of the third order of the three chief Cities, in conjunction with many Members of the Noblesse,

To all those who shall see or hear read these presents, HEALTH.

FINDING ourselves under the hard necessity of declaring the Emperor Joseph II. Duke of Lorraine, Brabant, and Limburgh, to have forfeited his right of sovereignty and dominion over the said countries, it is our indispensable duty to exhort and recommend to all in general, and to every one in particular, to concur in the common safety of their country; in consequence we expressly warn and forbid every one to take part with those who belong to the government of the said late Duke, or with the late Duke himself under pain of being punished as an enemy to his country.

We in like manner forbid the disturbing of the public repose and tranquillity under whatsoever pretext, on pain of being prosecuted and punished as enemies of the nation.

We exhort all and every citizen able to bear arms in defence of the liberty of the nation to end their names to Chiefs established and known, that instructions may be given them, and they may repair to the place assigned them, and submit themselves to the orders to be given them.

On the other hand we forbid all crowds and mobs tending to pillage; declaring moreover, that all convicted of pillaging, or attempting to pillage any house or shop, even belonging to an enemy of the country, shall be punished the same as an enemy to the country.

We declare that all who shall be convicted of laying any plot, or holding discourse tending to favour the despotic plans of the said late Duke, shall be punished rigorously as disturbers of the public tranquillity, and as enemies to the country.

We command and order the present Manifesto to be printed, published, and fixed up, in the Province of Brabant and its dependencies, to the end it may be known, and that no one may pretend ignorance of it. We give it in charge to all those whom it may concern to observe, and cause to be observed, the contents of these presents, for the good and safety of the country require it.

And as the great seal of the state is seized by force by the said former Duke of Brabant, and as we have authorized, by our manifesto of this day, our Agent Plenipotentiary to make use of the seal of his arms in lieu of the seal of the States, until it be in our power, we have furnished the said seal.

Done at Hoogstraten in Brabant, Oct. 24, 1789.

(Signed) H. C. N. VAN DER NOOT.