Part 15

The liberals are becoming more exasperated every day, and now are completely led by Monsieur Ducpétiaux and the deputation from Liege, composed chiefly of young men of the most exaggerated opinions. They have since Tuesday formed two clubs, one at the Hôtel de la Paix with Monsieur Rogier president and Monsieur Ducpétiaux vice-president, and the other at the Hôtel de Bavière, where I am told the language used is equal to any in the times of the French Revolution, and yesterday at the fermer they voted an address to the commission de sûreté to engage that body to proclaim a Provisional Government.... Not a night passes without attempts of some kind to create disorders, and yesterday evening a mob of at least 2000 persons remained for some hours collected in front of the Hôtel de Ville.... There is an open rupture between the two parties since Tuesday, and the struggle is most tremendous. Although at the meeting at the Hôtel de Ville on that day, the moderate party were well supported and carried their point, they have by the intrigues and mischievous efforts of their adversaries very great difficulty in maintaining their ascendancy, and unless they receive some moral support by favorable intelligence from the Hague, they will probably fall, for they are losing ground among the populace every hour. I cannot form an idea what they will do when pressed to the last, but I shall never be surprised to learn that a majority of the Bourgeoisie have made an overture to the troops to enter the town, sooner than cooperate in establishing a Provisional Government[147]. The crisis is working its way very rapidly.”

Cartwright 19 September: „The Committee of Public Safety as yet maintains its ground, and firmly resists the project of the liberals to proclaim a Provisional Government, but the moderate party is so undermined, it is very probable the present fabric will fall within 48 hours.... Were the King to support the moderates at this moment by issuing a proclamation thanking the Garde Bourgeoise for the tranquillity they had maintained and protection they had given to private property,—were H. M. to declare frankly He would take into immediate consideration their grievances,—and were He to follow this up by an amnesty, I am very much inclined to think from all I hear _in various quarters_, that H. M. would find a large portion of the inhabitants well disposed to receive his troops, provided they were Belgians. So many persons even among the moderate party stand committed for having been impelled by the force of circumstances beyond what they at first conceived possible, and from this insurrection having taken a much more serious turn than they ever contemplated, that they now want some assurance they may not consider themselves as compromised with the Government, and till they obtain some sort of support as I have hinted at above, they will still cling to the machine as long as it is in motion....”

[147] Over de uitnoodigingen, die Prins Frederik inderdaad bereikten, zie Juste II, 91.

Op den dag dat deze dépêche geschreven werd, Zondag 19 September, had een in zichzelf nietig voorval plaats, dat de breuk tusschen de twee partijen verhaastte. De Luikenaars maakten dien dag, bij een eigenmachtig uitgevoerde verkenning naar den kant van Tervueren, vier paarden van de maréchaussée van Prins Frederik buit; de veiligheidscommissie en de krijgsraad zonden deze paarden terug, verontschuldigden zich bij den prins, en waarschuwden bij proclamatie tegen alle dergelijk bedrijf[148]. „The Liegeois and liberals were much displeased at the proclamation, as well as at the approbation it met with from the generality of the Burghers and better disposed persons, and raising a cry that the moderates wished to betray the people, about half past six on Sunday evening, 30 of them, with colours flying and drum beating, forced their way into the Hôtel de Ville, and entered the room where the council of the Garde Bourgeoise was holding its sittings. They insisted that the person who had drawn up the proclamation should be delivered up to them. Monsieur d'Hooghvorst refused to accede to their demand, seized their colour, upbraided them with their disorderly conduct, and after a warm altercation they retired, probably from not being in sufficient numbers effectually to resist the threat made to turn them out by force. They then went to their quarters, but the rabble, who had been during the whole day in front of the Hôtel de Ville, remained there in considerable numbers all the evening, continually repeating the cry, that they were betrayed by their leaders, and that they wanted arms to march to Vilvorde and attack the troops. They were prompted to this movement by the Liegeois and some secret agents, who have been very busy here, since the commencement of this insurrection, and about one o'clock in the morning of the 20{th} they became so riotous, that the Garde Bourgeoise fired on them, killed two and wounded several, when the rest dispersed. About seven they returned in greater numbers with the Liegeois to support them, and made a sudden attack on the post at the Hôtel de Ville; they disarmed the guard, made themselves master of that building without any difficulty, and seized what arms they could find there, which consisted in a few cases of muskets and several pikes. They then separated themselves into different parties, to attempt and disarm other posts, and in some instances they succeeded. The rest of the 20{th} they passed in parading the town in different detachments in good order, trying to enrol men, as they said, to attack the troops at Vilvorde. I met one of these detachments, consisting of about 200 men, marching very regularly, and followed by 300 or 400 of the rabble, who, could they have procured arms, would have fallen into the ranks. Monsieur Ducpétiaux, the most violent liberal leader, was in the ranks, performing the duties of a soldier. The Garde Bourgeoise, with the exception of those who had been disarmed, occupied several posts in force throughout the day, but they neither interfered actively to suppress the movement of the Liegeois and their followers, nor were they at all molested by them. Nothing was heard of the Committee of Public Safety, nor of the council of the Garde Bourgeoise from the moment the Hôtel de Ville was entered by the populace, and this movement so far succeeded in one of its objects, that it overturned the authorities against whom it was directed. Though there was in fact no authority in existence since the 20{th} and 21{st}, those days nevertheless passed quietly, with the exception of the agitation resulting from such a state of confusion, but there was no attempt at pillage or tumult. Great alarm certainly pervaded the town; all the shops were shut, and no business whatever was done by the merchants, bankers, or tradesmen. The night of the 20{th} was perfectly quiet.

[148] „De pareils actes sont de nature à exposer sans nécessité les habitants de cette ville aux conséquences funestes d'une agression militaire que ceux-ci ne cherchent pas à provoquer” (Juste II, 89).

About the middle of the 20{th}, a list was circulated with the names of the eight following individuals as members of a Provisional Government: Count d'Oultremont, of Liege; Count de Mérode (Brussels), MM. de Stassart (Namur), Gendebien (Mons), van de Weyer (Brussels), Raikem (Liege), van Meenen (Louvain), de Potter (Bruges).—I believe it may be considered certain, that this list emanated from the liberal club at the Salle de St. Georges[149], and seems merely to have been a project put forward by the liberals, in the hopes it would be supported and sanctioned by the sections, and the individuals therein named would instantly come forward and act. On the morning of the 21{st}, lists with the names of the eight individuals above mentioned were sent from the Hôtel de Ville (which was in possession of the liberals) to the commander of each of the different sections, for the purpose of being approved by them, but the chief of one assured me that not a single individual in his section signed the same, and I believe but few signatures were affixed to this project.

[149] Hier hadden zich thans de beide clubs uit het hôtel de la Paix en uit het hôtel de Bavière vereenigd.

Monsieur van der Fosse, governor of the province, left the town on the evening of the 20{th} so soon as he heard of the attempt to form a Provisional Government, which failed, there being no one of sufficient courage at that moment to put himself at its head, and though the arrival of Monsieur de Potter was announced for the evening of the 20{th} to give the finishing stroke to the plan, he never made his appearance. Monsieur d'Hooghvorst, the commander, convoked the sections of the Garde Bourgeoise on the morning of the 21{st} and went round to each separately, to entreat them in the state the town then was, to remain firm to their duty; to protect the public tranquillity, and their own property; that what passed beyond the walls did not concern them; that the Count van der Meere had taken the command of a free corps which had been formed, and whatever he and his followers chose to undertake, would rest solely upon their own responsibility. Several of the respectable Burghers on hearing this appeal, consented to continue their services a short time longer. Monsieur d'Hooghvorst to preserve order as much as possible amidst the anarchy which reigned in the town, established himself again at the Hôtel de Ville on the evening of the 21{st}, and remained till he resigned on the 22{nd}, but he was alone and unaided by anyone, and totally without a shadow of power. The free corps was to have acted as partizans in bands of 50 or 100 each, but was never effected[150], because the attention of the Liegeois was directed shortly afterwards to more serious matters.

[150] Mémoires du comte van der Meere, p. 153.—Hijzelf verliet de stad.

About two o'clock on the evening of the 21{st} a sudden alarm was given, that a detachment of dragoons had been seen within a short distance of one of the gates of the town, the Porte de Schaerbeek. The tocsin was immediately sounded and, without exaggeration, in a _very few_ minutes the whole population was in motion. The few cannon in the town were drawn by men to the different gates, the streets were unpaved, barricades erected, and every measure put in force which could at all contribute towards a determined resistance. The barriers were instantly closed, and persons who wished to enter searched.

An opinion instantly became general that the town was to be immediately attacked, unless the inhabitants made an entire submission, and the preparations for defence proved that there was a fixed resolution to use every effort to repulse a forcible entry, if attempted on the part of the army. The Liegeois gave the greatest impulse to this movement, made every exertion to increase the excitement, and shewed an almost incredible zeal and activity in the cause in which they had embarked. About an hour after the alarm was first given, they left the town with some other associates to reconnoitre, and having fallen in with some dragoons on the road to Vilvorde, a few men were lost on each side. They returned to the town about eight in the evening, and it being evident that a strong force was advancing upon Brussels, all means were employed to arm the rabble, which shewed itself in great numbers. During the night many domiciliary visits were made to obtain some muskets from the Burghers, others were seized by force, and in the end there were very few of the inhabitants, originally composing the Burghers Guard, who retained them on the 22{nd}. Advice was sent off to Liege, Louvain, Wavre, the Borinage for assistance, and the tocsin was sounded in all the villages in the immediate neighbourhood of Brussels, which brought in some hundreds of men.

On the 22{nd}, about one in the morning, an alarm was sounded, and the people were instantly under arms, but on parties being sent out, it proved unfounded. About eight o'clock 2000 men went out of the town to attack the advanced posts, which were within a league of Brussels at a village called Dieghem, and some skirmishing took place, when the rebels killed a few of the military, but lost more themselves and about 20 prisoners. They remained in advance of the town till evening. The proclamation of the Prince Frederick[151] announcing the King's decision that His troops should proceed to occupy the town, became generally known in the course of the morning, and many of the Burghers declared themselves satisfied with the terms in which the amnesty was offered to all but the leaders who had fomented the insurrection[152]. Baron d'Hooghvorst resigned the command of the Guard, and declared he should thenceforth only serve as a simple soldier to aid in preserving order; and all that was moderate and respectable immediately followed his example. The command was then assumed by a Monsieur Pletinckx, a man of the most violent principles, who is the proprietor of the Hôtel de la Paix, where the dinner was given on the 14{th} to the Liegeois, and the liberal club was first established.

[151] Juste II, 103.

[152] „Un généreux oubli s'étendra sur les fautes et les démarches irrégulières que les circonstances ont produites. Les auteurs principaux d'actes trop criminels pour espérer d'échapper à la sévérité des lois, des étrangers qui, abusant de l'hospitalité, sont venus organiser parmi vous le désordre, seront seuls et justement frappés”.

The agitation and anxiety was intense during the 22{nd}, the barricades and breastworks were multiplied and strengthened, and every street was filled with groups of rabble who wandered two and three together through the town, armed with muskets taken from the Burghers. Aid also arrived from various quarters, and I saw one party enter from Louvain consisting of about 300 men of a resolute appearance, chiefly of the class of peasants, well armed and marching as if perfectly disciplined. The town was literally swarming with persons of this description, generally dressed _en sarran_, which is the custom of the peasantry of Belgium.

The night was perfectly quiet.—The morning of the 23{rd} the troops were discovered drawn up on the heights in the neighbourhood, and about a quarter after eight the first shot was fired from the Boulevard adjoining the Porte de Louvain, and was returned by the artillery in position opposite that gate, which sent a few shots into the lower part of the town. The troops then commenced the attack on the upper part of the town by marching to the gates of Schaerbeek, Louvain and Namur at about the same moment, and they entered at each without much difficulty. At a quarter before nine the Chasseurs of the Guard entered the Park; they dispersed themselves through the trees, and the Park was occupied with hardly any opposition. So far I was an eye-witness, but in a short time afterwards heavy firing commenced on all sides, which lasted till night put an end to it.

On the 24{th} the firing commenced at eight, and was if anything more heavy than on the 23{rd}. It continued occasionally during the night, and yesterday[153] commenced at dawn, and lasted without intermission till sunset, though at times more slack than on the preceding days.

[153] 25 September.

During those three days I was completely cut off from all communication beyond the house[154] by the warm contest which was incessantly carried on, before the very door, between the troops and the people, and finding that no apparent advantage was gained by either party, and being naturally very anxious to obtain a correct account for your Lordships information of what was passing around me, I determined on removing from the Embassy, which I accordingly did early this morning. It was only then that I became fully aware of the lamentable state of things in Brussels, as I now give them to your Lordship.

[154] Het hôtel van het Engelsche gezantschap, aan het Park gelegen.

After three days contest without a minutes interruption, the troops not only do not make any progress, but they are not masters of as much ground as they were on the first day. They now have possession of the two Palaces which front the Park, the Park itself, and the three gates in the upper town, two of which are very near the Park. They have also the Boulevards from the Porte de Schaerbeek to the Porte de Namur, but they have nothing besides. The Place Royale which commands one entrance into the Park from the lower town, and the Rue Royale Neuve, which leads from the Park to the Porte de Schaerbeek, both most important points as they would give to the troops entire possession of the upper town, are still in the hands of the people, and every attempt to carry them has entirely failed. The entrance from the Park to the Place Royale is barricaded, with two cannon to defend it. All the windows of the houses adjoining on the place are filled with men, who keep up an eternal, and too effective fire on any of the military who come within their view. This is the system followed in every part, and the perseverance and determined spirit with which it is pursued, makes it very difficult to think that the troops will ever be able to subdue it, and if at all, without an immense loss of lives.

I have not yet been able to ascertain the exact amount of the military killed and wounded up to this moment, but from the nature of the contest, I fear it must be very considerable. Those who are dangerously wounded are taken to the Palaces, and the rest to this place[155] or Malines and Antwerp. The people fight with most desperate resolution; they took on the 24{th} two pieces of cannon by rushing out upon them in vast numbers and overpowering the men who were with them; but these cannon were retaken yesterday. An officer of the Lancers[156] who was sent in on Friday with a flag of truce was seized by the people, ill-treated in every way, almost dragged to the Hôtel de Ville, where he was retained as a prisoner. Several of the troops were made prisoners at the commencement, when they entered the town without sufficient caution. The town has been on fire various times, and in some instances the fire did not arise from accident, but was laid intentionally by the populace. On Thursday the rabble, to shew their detestation of the Dutch nation, set fire to a Dutch school, which extended to a riding house adjoining, and it was entirely consumed. A whole street has been burned near the Porte de Schaerbeek, and not a day passes without some terrible conflagration. This day as I was leaving the town, another fire manifested itself and appeared very extensive.

[155] Vilvoorde.

[156] De luitenant-kolonel de Gumoëns.—„Friday” is 24 September.

This morning the firing recommenced about seven, and when I left the gate of Louvain at half after eleven, some artillery had been opened within forty paces of the Hôtel de Bellevue, which forms the corner house of the Place Royale and the Park, and which is filled from the cellar to the roof with the armed rabble.

The soldiers are now disheartened and many of the officiers of my acquaintance, and one or two indeed holding high rank in the army, with whom I conversed, are of opinion that either a negotiation would be attempted, or the troops drawn off in the evening to occupy a position on the heights beyond the town. They all agreed that unless some great advantage was gained in the course of the day, there would be little use in persevering in the contest....

I am told by an Englishman, who with difficulty got out of the lower town this morning, that the exasperation is intense, and is now gaining all classes, even the most respectable inhabitants; and all are equally infuriated at the ruin brought upon their town. The animosity and detestation of the Dutch, to whom the whole population join in attributing the melancholy results of this attack, are carried to such a pitch that it is impossible to say what horrid excesses may not be committed on any unfortunate individual of that nation upon whom they may lay their hands. To give your Lordship an instance of this feeling: my informant told me that on Friday evening hundreds of persons flocked in a tumult to the King's Church, where the service is performed in Dutch, and after one of them had ascended the pulpit and made a mockery of religion amidst the applauses of the multitude, the whole of the interior was totally demolished” (Cartwright 26 September, geschreven uit Vilvoorde).

„In my last I stated that as I left the gate of Louvain at half after eleven on the 26{th}, some artillery had been placed within forty paces of the Hôtel de Bellevue to dislodge if possible the rebels from that building. Within half an hour afterwards a most furious effort was made by the people to drive the troops from the Park, and the grenadiers lost 60 men in the space of half an hour in the stand they made against them. A piece of cannon was placed in the Hôtel de Bellevue, from which were fired square pieces of iron, which have caused with few exceptions most incurable wounds. In the evening the fire was laid to a house next to the wing of the Palace usually inhabited by Prince Frederick, which soon gained that building, but fortunately by the exertions of the persons in the palace, aided by some soldiers, it was extinguished.

Early in the evening preparations were made to carry a retreat into effect during the night. The wounded were removed from the palaces and by four in the morning yesterday every soldier was beyond the gates of the town.... Monsieur d'Hooghvorst when he saw the resistance was firm, and would prove successful, went on the night of the 25{th} with two others, to obtain from Prince Frederick the assurance that the troops should be withdrawn seven leagues from the town. The proposition was refused, and he then appears to have made this a pretext for again coming forward as the ostensible leader of the people. He and some others immediately established themselves _en permanence_ at the Hôtel de Ville, and the next day they formed a Provisional Government[157].... All parties have united, and this rebellion is now to become a national question. The moderates and better disposed inhabitants, who ten days since were actually begging for the entry of the troops, from the moment they saw the efforts of the armed populace were to be successful, and that the army would be repulsed, joined the cause, declared themselves, and they are now all identified with the liberals, and form but one party, and have but one object: to drive the troops back to Holland. This is their cry, and every moment confirms me more in the opinion, that a general rising cannot be prevented throughout the whole of the Netherlands properly so called” (Cartwright 28 September, uit Vilvoorde).

[157] d'Hooghvorst, Charles Rogier, Felix van Merode, Gendebien, van de Weyer, Jolly; op den volgenden dag ook de Potter.

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