annexation.  On Verhuell’s return with the report of the emperor’s ultimatum, the council-pensionary (April 10, 1806) summoned the Council of State, the Secretaries and the Legislative Body to meet together as an Extraordinary Committee and deliberate on what were best to be done.  It was resolved to send a deputation to Paris to try to obtain from Napoleon the relinquishment, or at least a modification, of his demand.  Their efforts were in vain; Napoleon’s attitude was peremptory.  The Hague Committee must within a week petition that Louis Bonaparte might be their king, or he would take the matter into his own hands.  The Committee, despite the opposition of Schimmelpenninck, finding resistance hopeless, determined to yield.  The deputation at Paris was instructed accordingly to co-operate with the emperor in the framing of a new monarchical constitution.  It was drawn up and signed on May 23; and a few days later it was accepted by the Hague Committee.  Schimmelpenninck, however, refused to sign it and resigned his office on June 4, explaining in a dignified letter his reasons for doing so.  Verhuell, at the head of a deputation (June 5), now went through the farce of begging the emperor in the name of the Dutch people to allow his brother, Louis, to be their king.  Louis accepted the proffered sovereignty “since the people desires and Your Majesty commands it.”  On June 15 the new king left Paris and a week later arrived at the Hague, accompanied by his wife, Hortense de Beauharnais, Napoleon’s step-daughter.

* * * * *

CHAPTER XXVIII

THE KINGDOM OF HOLLAND AND THE FRENCH ANNEXATION, 1806-1814

Louis Bonaparte was but 28 years old, and of a kindly, gentle character very unlike his self-willed, domineering brother.  He was weakly, and his ill-health made him at times restless and moody.  He had given great satisfaction by his declaration that “as soon as he set foot on the soil of his kingdom he became a Hollander,” and he was well received.  The constitution of the new kingdom differed little from that it superseded.  The Secretaries of State became Ministers, and the number of members of the Legislative Body was raised to thirty-nine.  The king had power to conclude treaties with foreign States without consulting the Legislative Body.  The partition of the country was somewhat changed, Holland being divided into two departments, Amstelland and Maasland.  Drente became a separate department; and in 1807 East Friesland with Jever was made into an eleventh department, as compensation for Flushing, which was annexed to France.