The month of December, 1829, was however to bring the king and his Belgian subjects into violent collision.  A motion was brought forward in the Second Chamber (December 8) by M. Charles de Broukere, an eminent Belgian liberal supported by the Catholics under the leadership of M. de Gerlache, for the abolition of the hated Press Law of 1815.  The motion was defeated by the solid Dutch vote, supplemented by the support of seven Belgians.  The decennial budget was due, and opposition to it was threatened unless grievances were remedied—­the cry was “point de redressements de griefs, point d’argent.”  On December 11 came a royal message to the States-General which, while promising certain concessions regarding the taxes, the Collegium Philosophicum and the language decree, stated in unequivocal terms the principle of royal absolutism.  To quote the words of a competent observer of these events: 

The message declared in substance that the constitution was an act of condescension on the part of the throne; that the king had restrained rather than carried to excess the rights of his house; that the press had been guilty of sowing discord and confusion throughout the State; and that the opposition was but the fanatic working of a few misguided men, who, forgetting the benefits they enjoyed, had risen up in an alarming and scandalous manner against a paternal government[10].

The Minister of Justice, Van Maanen, on the next day issued a circular calling upon all civil officials to signify their adherence to the principles of the message within 24 hours.  Several functionaries, who had taken part in the petition-agitation, were summarily dismissed; and prosecutions against the press were instituted with renewed energy.  From this time Van Maanen became the special object of Belgian hatred.

The threat of the Belgian deputies to oppose the decennial budget was now carried out.  At the end of December the ministerial proposals were brought before the States-General.  The expenditure was sanctioned, the ways and means to meet it were rejected by 55 votes to 52.  The Finance Minister in this emergency was obliged to introduce fresh estimates for one year only, from which the mouture and abbatage taxes were omitted.  This was passed without opposition, but in his vexation at this rebuff the king acted unworthily of his position by issuing an arrete (January 8, 1830) depriving six deputies, who had voted in the majority, of their official posts.  Meanwhile the virulence of the attacks in the press against the king and his ministers from the pens of a number of able and unscrupulous journalists were too daring and offensive to be overlooked by any government.  Foremost in the bitterness of his onslaught was Louis de Potter, whose Lettre de Demophile au Roi was throughout a direct challenge to the autocratic claims advanced by the royal message.  Nor was De Potter content only with words.  An appeal