"La Convention nationale, après avoir entendu le rapport de son comité diplomatique, sur le vœu librement émis par le peuple souverain des ville, faubourgs et banlieue de Bruxelles, dans leur assemblée primaire, pour leur réunion à la République française, décrète ce qui suit: na ART. 1. "La Convention tionale déclare, au nom du peuple français, qu'elle accepte le vœu, et qu'en conséquence les ville, faubourgs et banlieue de Bruxelles, sont partie intégrante de la République. ART. 2. "Les commissaires de la Convention nationale, envoyés dans la Belgique, sont chargés de prendre provisoirement toutes les mesures nécessaires pour l'exécution des lois de la République française, dans les ville, faubourgs et banlieue de Bruxelles, ainsi que de recueillir et transmettre à la Convention tout ce qui peut lui servir à déterminer dans le plus bref délai possible le mode de réunion." (La Convention adopte ce projet de décret). . Séance du samedi 2 mars 1793. CARNOT, au nom du comité diplomatique, fait un rapport et présente un projet de décret pour déclarer que le nom de département de Jemmapes; grante du territoire de la République et formera un 86° département, sous le nom de département de Jemmapes; il s'exprime ainsi : Citoyens, les communes du Hainaut ci-devant autrichien, viennent enfin de "The National Convention, after having heard the report of its Diplomatic Committee, concerning the vote freely given by the sovereign people of the city, outskirts, and suburbs of Brussels, in their primary assembly, for their union with the French Republic, decrees as follows: ARTICLE 1. "The National Convention declares, in the name of the French people, that it accepts the vote, and that consequently the city, outskirts and suburbs of Brussels are integral parts of the Republic. ART. 2. "The commissioners of the National Convention sent into Belgium, are charged to take provisionally all the measures necessary for the execution of the laws of the French Republic in the city, outskirts, and suburbs of Brussels, and also to gather and transmit to the Convention all that may be of use to it in determining the manner of union, in the shortest possible time." (The Convention adopts this draft decree). . . Session of Saturday, March 2, 1793. CARNOT, in the name of the Diplomatic Committee, makes a report and presents a draft of a decree to declare that the country of Hainault forms an integral part of the territory of the Republic and will make the 86th department under the name of the Department of Jemmapes; he expresses himself as follows: Citizens, the communes of Hainault formerly Austrian, have at secouer le joug honteux que leur imposaient depuis si longtemps les despotes de Hongrie et de Bohême; elles se sont déclarés libres et souveraines; en cette qualité elles ont délibéré sur le régime qu'il leur convenait d'adopter; celui d'une liberté à la française, c'est à dire d'une liberté pleine, sans restriction, leur a paru meilleur: elles ont voté avec enthousiasme leur réunion à la République. Mons, Ath, Lenze, Enghien, Jemmapes, sont du nombre de ces communes. Sur trois cent trente, deux seulement ont montré quelques regrets pour leur ancienne constitution, et treize auraient préféré un gouvernement particulier et pourtant libre: mais l'immense majorité des citoyens veut être française; elle réclame de la loyauté nationale l'exécution des décrets par lesquels nous promettons secours et fraternité à tous les peuples qui veulent être libres; vous ne pourriez vous y refuser sans ternir la gloire que vos armes vous ont acquise dans ces contrées. length thrown off the shameful yoke which the despots of Hungary and Bohemia have so long imposed upon them; they have declared themselves free and sovereign; in this capacity they have considered the form of government which it suits them to adopt; that of a French liberty, that is, a complete liberty without restriction, seemed best to them; they have voted enthusiastically their union with the Republic. Mons, Ath, Lenze, Enghien, Jemmapes, are among the number of these communes. Out of three hundred and thirty, two only showed any regret for their ancient constitution, and thirty would have preferred a separate government but free nevertheless; but the immense majority of the citizens wish to be French; they demand of our national loyalty the execution of decrees by which we promise help and fraternity to all the peoples who desire to be free; you could not refuse it without tarnishing the glory that your arms have acquired for you in these countries. Les mêmes raisons qui vous ont The same reasons which decided déterminés pour Bruxelles s'appli- you for Brussels apply to all the secquent à tous les pays du Hainaut, leur tions of Hainault, their vote was vœu a été émis avec la même liberté, given with the same liberty, the same la même unanimité de suffrages, les unanimity of suffrage, the same mêmes transports; ce pays a de plus transports of enthusiasm; this region l'avantage de la proximité et de la fa- has the further advantage of proxcilité des secours; il offre l'étendue et imity and facility for assistance; it la population d'un vaste département, offers the extent and the population et présente des ressources qui, dévelop- of a vast department, and shows repées par le génie de la liberté, deviensources which, developed by the dront immenses. En ce moment, il genius of liberty, will become im n'y a plus d'autorités existantes; il est pressant d'y établir une organisation conforme à nos principes, et il faut se hâter d'y instituer une administration, d'y créer un département. Le nom de Jemmapes, si cher à la liberté, si cher aux Français, est celui que demandent, celui que se sont donné d'avance, comme peuple souverain, les citoyens du ci-devant Hainaut. Sans doute, vous confirmerez cette dénomination qui seule suffirait pour garantir l'indissolubilité des liens qui doivent les unir à nous. Votre comité vous propose donc d'accepter le vœu libre de ces citoyens, de former du cidevant Hainaut dit autrichien, un quatre-vingt-sixième département sous le nom de département de Jemmapes, d'abattre à l'instant toutes les barrières commerciales qui nous en séparent encore, et de transférer les bureaux des douanes jusqu'aux nouvelles limites de la République. Voici ce projet de décret : "La Convention nationale, après avoir entendu le rapport de son comité diplomatique sur le vœu librement émis par le peuple souverain du pays de Hainaut, dans ses assemblées primaires, pour sa réunion à la République française, déclare, au nom du peuple français, qu'elle accepte ce vœu, et en conséquence décrète ce qui suit: ART. 1". "Le pays de Hainaut fait partie intégrante du territoire de la République, et formera un quatre mense. At this moment, there is no existing authority; it is imperative to establish there an organization conforming to our principles, and we must hasten to institute an administration, and create there a department. The name of Jemmapes, so dear to liberty, so dear to Frenchmen, is the one they ask, the one that the citizens of the former Hainault, as a sovereign people, have given themselves in advance. Doubtless you will confirm this denomination which would alone suffice to guarantee the indissoluble ties which must unite them to us. Your committee therefore proposes to you to accept the free vote of these citizens, to form from the former Hainault called Austrian, an eighty-sixth department under the name of the Department of Jemmapes, to throw down at once all the commercial barriers which still separate us, and to transfer the custom houses to the new boundaries of the Republic. Here is the draft of the decree: "The National Convention, after having heard the report of its Diplomatic Committee concerning the vote freely given by the sovereign people of the country of Hainault, in their primary assemblies, for their union with the French Republic, declares, in the name of the French people, that it accepts this vote, and in consequence decrees as follows: ARTICLE 1. "The country of Hainault forms an integral part of the territory of the Republic and will make vingt-sixième département, sous le nom de département de Jemmapes. ART. 2. "Les bureaux de douanes établis sur les confins de la France et du ci-devant Hainaut sont supprimés, et seront transférés, dans le plus bref délai possible, aux limites extérieures du nouveau département. ART. 3. "Les commissaires de la Convention nationale près les armées de la Belgique sont chargés de prendre toutes les mesures nécessaires pour la prompte exécution des lois de la République dans le département de Jemmapes, de procéder à la division et organisation provisoire de ce département en districts et cantons, et enfin de recueillir et transmettre à la Convention tout ce qui peut lui servir à fixer définitivement cette organisation. ART. 4. "Le pays de Hainaut nommera, provisoirement 10 députés à la Convention nationale." (La Convention adopte ce projet de décret.)1 an eighty-sixth department, under the name of the Department of Jemmapes. ART. 2. "The customs offices established on the borders of France and of the former Hainault are suppressed, and shall be transferred, within the shortest possible time, to the outer boundaries of the new department. ART. 3. "The Commissioners of the National Convention with the Armies of Belgium are charged to take all necessary measures for the prompt execution of the laws of the Republic in the Department of Jemmapes, to proceed to the division and provisional organization of this department into districts and cantons, and finally to gather and transmit to the Convention everything that may serve it in definitely settling this organization. ART. 4. "The country of Hainault will nominate, provisionally, 10 deputies to the National Convention." (The Convention adopts this draft decree.) 1 At this same session of March 2, the deputation from the Principality of Salm on the frontiers of Alsace and Lorraine presented the vote of the Principality, cast in primary assemblies. Carnot immediately reported for the Diplomatic Committee in favor of accepting the vote. The decree was adopted at once, without debate, the territory being provisionally incorporated in the Department of the Vosges. (Arch. parl., 1st series, vol. 59, p. 543.) Carnot thereupon presented a draft decree for the acceptance of the vote of the communes of Franchimont, Stavelot and Logne, which was also adopted without debate (Arch. parl., 1st series, vol. 59, p. 544). On March 3, the minutes of the communal assembly of the city of Bruges, asking for incorporation in the Department of Mer du Nord, were read before the Convention by a delegation from the city, and a decree of union was rendered without reference to the Diplomatic Committee (ibid., p. 571). On March 4, a letter of Lebrun, Minister of Foreign Affairs, was read, informing the Convention of the vote of Florennes and of thirty-six neighboring villages (ibid., p. 599). The Diplomatic Committee was ordered to report on this at the same session. Its draft decree accepting the votes was adopted without debate (ibid., p. 603). Letter of the Citizens Rewbel, Merlin (de Thionville) and Haussmann, Commissioners of the National Convention to Mayence, Announcing the Erection of a Revolutionary Municipality. Read before the Convention, March 12, 1793 1 Mayence, le 4 mars 1793, CITOYENS NOS COLLÈGUES, L'adresse qui nous a été présentée, et dont nous vous joignons une traduction littérale, vous prouvera qu'il y a actuellement à Mayence une munici Mayence, March 4, 1793. CITIZENS AND COLLEAGUES: The address which has been presented to us, and of which we enclose a literal translation, will prove to you that there is at present in exist On March 6, three deputies from the City of Tournai presented the vote of the primary assemblies of the city. The Diplomatic Committee at once reported in favor of acceptance and the decree was adopted accordingly (Arch. parl., 1st series, vol. 59, p. 648). On March 8, three deputies of the City of Louvain presented the popular vote. Carnot reported for the committee at the same session and the Convention at once adopted the decree (ibid., pp. 700, 703). The minutes of the vote of the City of Ostende were read at the same session and accepted, on report of the Diplomatic Committee, on March 9 (ibid., p. 702; vol. 60, p. 11). The vote of Namur, presented on March 9 (ibid., p. 10), was accepted on March 11, together with those of several neighboring villages (ibid., p. 87). The minutes of the vote of Porentrui (on the Swiss frontier) formed into the General Assembly of Rauracia and first reported on March 13 (ibid., 154) in a letter from Lebrun, were laid before the Convention on March 16 (ibid., p. 243) and referred to the Diplomatic Committee, which reported in favor of acceptance on March 23, under the name of the Department of Mont Terrible (ibid., p. 490). On March 14, the votes of Bergzabern, Oberhofen and twenty-nine other communities of Alsace were accepted, and union decreed (ibid., p. 205). On March 21 (ibid., 368) Lebrun submitted the minutes of the primary assemblies of sixty-six communes of Tournesis, which were referred to the Diplomatic Committee and favorably reported on March 23 (ibid., p. 487), and union decreed. The commissioners were instructed to form these communes into a district of the Department of Jemappes. The vote of Tournai, like that of Liège, carried a reservation as to the mode of circulation of the assignats. The Diplomatic Committee reported that this was not a condition embodied in the vote of union but merely a request. The Convention, after decreeing the union, referred the request of the citizens to the Committee on Finance for immediate report. On March 20 the communes of Biding, Enting, and Lelling-Empire were united to France, and on March 23 the vote of Bâle was accepted. All of these decrees of union, either in the preamble or in Article 1, repeat the formula "The National Convention, having heard the report of its Diplomatic Committee regarding the vote freely expressed by the sovereign people of the communes of declares in the name of the French people that it accepts the vote of these communes for union with France, and decrees, in consequence, that these communes shall form, from the present time, an integral part of the territory of the French Republic. . . ." 1 Ibid., vol. 60, p. 105. |