itions, to
make an attack, as they foolishly expected, on every person obnoxious
to them. Saturday, 7th, they endeavored, in order to renew the scene
the following Monday, to gain the peat carriers, who answered, that
the troubles of 1748 had taught them to be more wise for the future.
The evening of the same Saturday they hinted secretly to the
Pensionaries of Dort and Amsterdam (remaining in the city) that they
must not depart on their peril. But they, disregarding the danger,
immediately went to require the Grand Pensionary to convoke an
extraordinary Assembly on Monday. He obeyed in spite of himself, and
despatched couriers during that night.

On Monday morning, the 9th, the Assembly adopted by the large
majority of sixteen, against two cities (la Brille and Enkhuisen) and
to the confusion of the nobles and the Stadtholder, who were present,
a resolution (a true _quousque tandem_) in which the Court and the
officers of justice, municipal and provincial, are strongly censured
for having looked on without interfering, and in which the Provincial
Court of Justice is ordered to prosecute the affair criminally; and
the Counsellor Deputies, to provide that for the future like disorders
shall not be committed. The same day the Provincial Court of Justice
assembled in consequence, and named two Commissioners of its own body,
and another fiscal not suspected, to attend to the examination of the
conspiracy. The Counsellor Deputies have likewise named a commission,
to effect what is enjoined on them. From these two commissions are
excluded the old Provincial Fiscal of Justice, who has besides a
_quasi_ gout, and the Grand Bailiff of the Hague, who, on the part of
the nobles, is of the Council of Deputies, and who prudently declined
before rejection, for both are under censure by the resolution.

The Court, alarmed at the consequences which they feared from all
this, engaged M. Thulemeyer, Envoy of Prussia, to act for them, who,
in continuation of a certain measure, which he took about two months
ago by order of his Court, has been this morning to the Deputies of
Dort, Haerlem, Amsterdam and Rotterdam, to tell them "that his Majesty
has learned with displeasure the dissensions which have place in the
Republic, that, _without wishing to meddle, in the domestic affairs of
the Republic_,[47] the interest that his Majesty takes equally in the
welfare of their High Mightinesses and of the Prince, his kinsman,
does not permit him t