СНАР. 1783. His desire to abrogate the quently to secure the gratitude and affection of his people, and to form a permanent union between her native and her adopted country. The attachment of Joseph to the interests of France was facilitated by an ambitious project he had formed to abrogate the barrier treaty, in which he was encouraged by the French ministers. When the Dutch republic was finally severed from barrier treaty. Spain*, the boundaries of Flanders had been settled by a formal compact. After the war of the succession, the Spanish low countries were allotted to Austria; but, by the barrier treaty†, the maritime powers, in consideration of their great expenses, annexed to this cession certain conditions, the performance of which was guaranteed by England. This treaty becoming the subject of much dispute, another was framed, by virtue of which the limits of the Dutch Republic were considerably extended; and, although the court of Vienna never formally acceded to this compact, it was always considered as in full force; so much so, that, after the peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, the barrier towns taken by the French were restored to the republic. The court of Vienna was always dissatisfied with this arrangement. From the time of its being concluded to the beginning of the seven years' war, Maria Theresa was in continual contention with England and Holland, on matters arising out of it; and Joseph the Second, finding Holland engaged in hostilities with her old ally, suddenly declared the barrier treaty obsolete, took upon himself the defence of the frontier, ordered the demolition of all the fortifications of the Netherlands, except Luxembourg, Ostend, and the citadels of Namur and Antwerp, and required the Dutch to withdraw their garrisons from the barrier towns§. Projects of Beset by the evils of an unprosperous war, and divided by the influence of factions, the Dutch had neither strength nor spirit to vindicate their rights; and the Emperor, having ascertained, by personal obser * In 1664. † Nov. 1715. + In 1718. § In 1781. vation, their feebleness and anarchy, determined to expel them from all the territory they had acquired since 1664. While bent on these harsh proceedings, Joseph forgot that the treaty he so much desired to abrogate, although it might be galling to the pride of his family, was not less beneficial to him than to the maritime powers: while it continued in force, France could not overrun the Netherlands without engaging in a war with Great Britain and Holland. Confidently relying on the permanency of his newly formed friendship with the court of Versailles, he appears to have deemed this contingency beyond the scope of probability; and these principles and expectations had been fully and freely expressed by Prince Kaunitz to Count Wassenaar, plenipotentiary from the United Provinces. "The Emperor," he said, "will hear no more of barriers, for they no longer exist; every treaty, of which the "basis is overturned, loses its effect: the barrier treaty "was concluded against France; now our connexions "with France render it null and useless, and afford a "more secure barrier than the other, which is chime"rical." To the observations of Wassenaar, that in this world systems are apt to change, Kaunitz replied, "the connexions which the House of Austria has 66 formed are the consequences of a fixed and preme"ditated system; they are not calculated to last only "for a short time, but will, at least, continue in force "a hundred years. Even should a minister start up in "the cabinet of Versailles or of Vienna, sufficiently "insane to attempt breaking these connexions, he will "be sent to the mad-house, instead of succeeding in "abolishing so firm and well-cemented a system. The Emperor acts for your advantage, nor have you any "cause of apprehension either from him or from "France." 181 CHAP. LIX. 1783. ment of The first proceeding toward carrying into effect Commencethe violent resolves of the Emperor was extraordinary, adverse or even singular. A soldier, having died in the fort of operations. Liefkenstock, was, according to custom, carried out and interred in the neighbouring village of Docle. The CHAP. 1783. 1784. Demands of bailiff of Beveren, for the first time, protested against this alleged violation of the imperial territory; and, in a few days, a detachment from the garrison of Ghent dug up the body, and threw it into the fosse of the Dutch fort, while another party from Bruges took possession of the forts of Saint Donat, Saint Pierre, and Job. Early in the following year, a detachment from Antwerp surprised Old Lillo, a fort near New Lillo, where the Dutch ship, which guarded the entrance of the Scheldt, was stationed. Plenipotentiaries from the Emperor. both powers met at Brussels to attempt a reconciliation; but the Emperor advanced new and unexpected demands. Beside the re-establishment of the ancient limits of Flanders, he required several cessions of territory in conformity to ancient treaties, or in acknowledgment of pretended rights, and the payment of large sums, claimed as due to the Sovereign of the Netherlands and his subjects. To these, the United States opposed counter-demands, under the barrier treaty, applied for the mediation of France, and marched troops from Breda to Maestricht. August Scheldt. Suddenly, Joseph offered to withdraw all these Opening of the claims, on condition that the navigation of the Scheldt should be opened, and the people of the Netherlands allowed a free trade to the East Indies. He added, as a threat, that he should, from that moment, consider the navigation of the river to be free, and resent any opposition on the part of the Dutch as a declaration of hostilities. Expectations of Joseph. In making these requisitions, the Emperor probably relied on the cordial aid of France and Russia, and on the inability and unwillingness of the United Provinces to engage with him in warlike conflict. France had not only encouraged, but even stimulated the attempts of Joseph to abolish the barrier treaty; but his further proceedings demanded more consideration. She hoped, with the aid of Holland, not only to regain power in India, but even to overthrow that of Great Britain; and, for that purpose, had begun extensive intrigues among the native powers. She likewise was taught to consider the disgrace of deserting the cause of a country which, whether the policy were right or wrong, she had plunged into a most injurious hostility with a firm and ancient ally, and was beside admonished of the danger of cementing a coalition between the Cæsar of Vienna and the Zenobia of Petersburg*. Reasons were not wanting to determine the French cabinet against favouring too cordially an alliance which was viewed with suspicion and distaste by a large portion of the people. After expressing wishes to remain neutral, and using every means to ascertain the disposition of England, Louis finally declared his opposition to the opening of the disputed river, and his resolution to resist it, if necessary, by force of arms; and, accordingly, ordered two armies of observation, and sent a French general to lead the troops of the States; but it was understood that this resistance was to be conducted with gentleness, and a due regard to the honour and dignity of the Emperor. The Empress adhered to the cause of Joseph; but Prussia espoused that of the Dutch. England observed a strict neutrality, awaiting the result of a transaction which might dissolve the connexion between Austria and France, or bring back the Dutch to their old alliance. CHAP. LIX. 1784. Conduct of This position of the principal powers was rendered more embarrassing by the vigour and resolution which the Dutch. the Republic evinced; they declared, from the first intimation of the design, that they would resist to the last extremity†. While the threat of the Emperor 5th October. was yet recent, they captured a brig from Ostend, attempting to enter the river; and a vessel from Antwerp was fired at by a Dutch brig, and obliged to strike. The Emperor was so wrapt up in his opinion of the Views of Dutch supineness, that, when informed of their having France. armed, he carelessly observed," they will not fire;' and, after he had neglected all military preparations, he received, in Hungary, the unpalatable intelligence P. 13. The phrase of Mirabeau. Doubts concerning the Liberty of the Scheldt, + Letters between the Duke of Dorset and Lord Carmarthen, July 1st, December, 1784. State Papers. CHAP. LIX. 1784. Termination of the affair humiliating to Joseph. 1785. 20th Sept. from Kaunitz, in the mortifying phrase " but they "have fired;" with the addition that they were making vigorous and judicious preparations in every quarter. Joseph now perceived the uncertainty and instability of the system which he had vainly supposed it would require a century to shake. He saw no termination of the difficulties into which he had plunged himself, but by receding from all his demands; and had no cover for his disgrace, but in pompous language, and the acquisition of small concessions as tributes to his injured honour. In relinquishing the points for which he had attempted to contend, he was entirely governed by the French, in whose hands he was helplessly deposited. Having received from the Count De Wassenaar and the Baron De Leyden an apology for the insult offered to the imperial flag, the negotiation for arrangement of differences was conducted at Versailles. Joseph, giving up the Scheldt, demanded the free navigation of the Meuse; that being refused, he required possession of Maestricht; and, when he could not obtain that, the discussion turned chiefly on a pecuniary indemnity. He required ten millions of gilders (£916,666); the Dutch declared they had no authority to exceed eight millions (£773,333); and, to crown the ridicule of the transaction, the French, who had fashioned the treaty in conformity to their own views of policy, paid the remaining two millions (£183,333). Preliminaries having been signed at Paris, the definitive treaty was executed at Fontainbleau, by which Joseph renounced the free navigation of the Scheldt, except to his own dominions, and accepted the ten millions of gilders as a compensation for Maestricht, and as a satisfaction for some injuries said to have been sustained during the contest. Agreeably to the views of France, he acquired the forts of Lillo and Liefkenstock; the limits of Dutch Flanders were reduced according to the convention of 1664; and thus the barrier treaty was in effect destroyed. Some mention was made of India; but it was finally settled that each power might regulate its own commerce and duties. |
