 Ver Huell started scheming with his French patrons behind the back of Schimmelpenninck and feeding negative information about the Pensionary that found its way into the French press . Schimmelpenninck 's position was weakened by the fact that he was slowly going blind . The Dutch Secretaries of State and the Staatsraad could read the writing on the wall . They were faced with Hobson 's choice : either a complete extinguishing of the national identity in the form of annexation to the Empire , or the lesser evil of a new kingdom under one of Napoleon 's relatives . A Groot <unk> ( Grand Commission ) was formed to conduct the unequal negotiations with the Emperor . The latter , however , refused to speak with the Commission , and only communicated to them through the intermediary of Ver Huell . Talleyrand had meanwhile drafted a " Treaty " which contained the conditions under which the crown of " Holland " was to be offered to Louis : no union of the crowns ; no conscription ; a possible commercial treaty with France ; and the basic freedoms of the Netherlands ( linguistic , religious , judicial ) were to be maintained ; while the civil list was fixed at the " modest sum " of 1 @.@ 5 million guilders . The constitution of the Pensionary was actually to be maintained with a few minor alterations ( the title of <unk> changed to that of King ; and the size of the Staatsraad and the legislative corps nearly doubled ) . 
