Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-12-17

ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE
THE KING OF HOLLAND.

William Frederick Of Holland is now 81 years
of age Looking at him when seated in church
or at the theatre. he at the first glance, strikes
EngIishman. as having considerable resemblance
TO our own William; but on closer obser, alton
he appears in every respect person OF :nore vi
gour. In his figure he is stout without corpuen
CIV; bis hair is what ia commonly calls. iron
grew, or an equal mixture Of brown and white,
and it is brushed upwards erect on his forehead
the latter is high enough to please the phreno
losists, but is rather narrow; his nose is very
slightly acquine; his mouth compressed like
that Of man who has lost his teeth, which gives
il rather forced expression Of great determina-
ton; and his eye, always IN motion, expresses
alternately curiosity aud animated imperiousness.
This is not remark able-f0r his lille is one OF bu.
siness, in which he constantly scrutinZes, deter
mines, and orders As long as he adheres to
the mercantile interests Of the country he may
do almost any thing that he pleases. consequent
ty he receives petitions on almost every subject
of complaint that Dutchman can be liable to
in the chapter of accidents.
The solemn decisions Of iav are as much liza
BILE to his revision, mat of his ministers, as is
the mos, ordinary judgment Of Coprt-martial.
On every Wednesday he sits IN his Palace tor
levee and receives not merely the visits OF cere.
monial formality, but the humble obeisance Of in
d,v,duaIs IL. every class of suciety, and memori-
ais Of every grievance under the sun. | have
seen him, in church, most attentive to his reli-
gioas observaDces, singing out as loudly and as
tremendously as any OF the cong egation, retiring
hnmewards with but two A!ds-dc Camp, and as
h. walked along the streets, receiving the petit
tons Of his poor subjects,
At ,,mps tao, stranger walking through those
rcry ;,ea,i;iiss.. waad.. raaiSa are the pleasure
groand and the pride of the Hague, meets With
an elderly gentleman, carrying his hat under his
arm. and who, looking at him very hxedly, re-
turns satua;ion With great courtesy, and passes
on. ar peradyenture, enters into lively and in
t.l,iVent conversation. On his departure the
STRANGER observes thar lis late companion is res.
oectfnlly, saluted BY all the Dutch people whom
he meets, who, at his approach, stand still. and
,,L =. m their hats. H.. has no hesitation, then
in determining the character of this parsonage.
I, i. the King who has no horse guards or house.
hold br,sade 20 attend HIN on his movements,
and keen nf tie vulgar. Ihdeed it is one OF the
most agreeable features in the Hague, that not
,;,h.,andire the character Of the times. and its
h.,nu the residence OF the Dutch Court and state
ofi ers, one Is seldom, indeed scarcely ever, ex'
nn.ed to the annoyance Of those military formal
ra,,l,nu nf old kettles called drums, winch are
such nuisances to the many garrison towns
,hro,uh which traveller Oh the Continent must
pass - e.,
There ia not one Of the present Kings OF Eu'
roma who have led so active lille AS William
Frederick of Hoaud--in his early youth, when
h. was baoished with his father. the StadihoIder
i'm his wars with Revolutionary France. where
in be performed. IN manner worthy OF his race
,he dntv Of Communicable the private pursuits
| tn which he afterwards dedicated himsef-and
finally, in his de facto performance OF the iunc
, FMS nj R,ya,t,, which IN Holland stlll retains
much more preroyative than Is consistent with
.oupd laws and constitutional primo pies OF Gov
eminent. Appeals To the k'ns IN person, IRON
Ioc,, decisions even in civil Cases. are quite ID
consistent with welt regulated system OF J"ri'
,rndsore. and must lead 10 infinite abuses. botf
in curling the independence OF the tribunals ahe
in throwing people at the mercy OF very !h'ef
a.ted Judge. On the other hand, there Is NJ
responsibility here in the administration OF th'
sxecut;ve nower. The Ministers are positivel,
,iphers; the King may consult them, but Il
usll known that he acts always on his own dis
cretion: he has his Private Secretary, aud lars
ofire full of clerks. through whom he transact
the most important parts OF the pubic business
lfany Thing goes wrong it is his fault alone
for he has ali the characteristics OF the race 0
N assam from the taciturn do~nwards. to TAX
his own couusels. and act with unyield'nS deter
mination upon his own conclusions win al
this he is not man Of great talent; but he poses
e. fair por,ion Of common sense and has, VIVA ,ia
is most important. a natural disposition {" NV
moderately. and labour assidously -1hs Hag"
Correspondent of the London Herald.
The Editor of the Pennsylcaa'an =.
80, ,,,,uun;c ate Ia the puhlic the IN