Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-02-17
9allg!. vG;.nlpite
tWrltlen expressly for the Dayton Entarel a
A SUMNER In EUROPE.
NO XXX

NO. XXXI.
THE fiolLASDERs AND rREIR coUETRY-aM
'NIuIn sfAu sTERDAN l.taI- .-
The ladies and gentlemen of Holland in
their appearance closely resemble Americans,
and i we had seen the gay assembly which
was in the Kings park that evening, in the
Central Park OF Now York, we would have
noticed nothing unlcs. we had heard them
talkipg which would have induced us to sus-
pect that they were not New Workers. They
are better dressed and more intellipe 1t
looking peopl, thnn the Euglish, and it was
hard for MS to realize that they were of the
same despised nation Of Lotr Dutch, repre-
seniod in America by unwashed, unshaven
uncOmbed individuals smoking short throat
seorchng pipes, wearing wooden shoes and
carrying on their shoulders, stupid wooden
heads The poorer classes here wear still
the clattering wooden clogs, but they are all
clean and thrifty, aud seem well contenled
with their lot in life We did not see 4 beg
gar in Holland, ,.,..1 .:.r,,.4,....
In the cars between the Hague and Am.
sterdam, gentleman sat by me who looked
so much like an American that addressed
hidl in Eugdsh. He shook his head and |
tried German He responded at once in that
snguage, and gave me great deal of nfor
mati6n about his country, It's canals, wind
mills people, government, and king, and
asked many questions about America, and
our terrible civil war, which | answered AZ
well as my imperfect knowledge of the Ian
guage would permit, He hoped the North
would succeed he said, because he hated
slavery, but he feared all our efforts, our
treasure and blood, would be expended in
vain, and thought we had better separate and
work our destinies upon our vast continent as
two great nations. '- ..' 'ii. '|
| told him had taken him for an Ameri-
can and he lifted his eyebrows in surprise.
| assured him | meant it as compliment.
apd with frenchy shrng, he said that as il
came from an American he received it as one,
but that, although he admired the Americans
very much as a great and free people, he was
very glad he was born Hollander instead of
M American AS looked out of the car
window upon the platitudes Of that thorough.
ly soaked andscape-for it was raining, and
the water seemed 10 be coming to take pos.
session again of the Hoilooland from above
below and from the sea--and compared that
ITey little kingdom with the vast empire we
call our own, thought again that there was
no accounting for tastes 1t may be however
that he was thinking Of the proud history Of
his little hali-dr0wned country Of tho he,
roisP and success with which they wthstood
/ the power of Spain when she was foremost
ameRg the nations, and, as the towers Of Lev.
den we're even then in view, of that devotion
to their countrys cause which induced the
people of that city to hold out against the
armies OF Philip, though hundreds of them
died of starvation Perhaps he remembered
how, in their extremity, they pierced the dik,s
and gave their fields and homes to the ocean,
to secure the discom6ture Of the invader, how
they finally secured their Independence, and
then, under the influence OF their greatest
prince and general, freely extended 70 their
| enemies, the same federation ia religion, opin.
ion and speech, for which th had been con
tending through long years of bloody and du-
bious strife. He might perhaps, have had
be tore his mind the name aud virtues of Will
liam the Silent, his constAncy and fortitude in
adversely his moderation in success, his IN.
waving devotion at all times, to the interests
OF his counirymen TO whom he was another
Joshua or Washington. Perhaps he was run.
ming over in his mind The names OF his
other eountrymen who have left their nance
.I.a "IAfhts and landmarks 1
On the cliffs OF fame"
OF the brave sailor Van Tromp, who de-
stroyed for a time the power Of the Eng hsh
upon the seas, and carried broom at his
masthead to testify that he had swept them ]
from the ocean. OF Grotius and Pufendorf, !
the venerated Illustrators Of International
Law; of BArneveldf, Soaliger and Boerhaave.
When came TO think OF sll these things |
afterwards, was not surprised that even |
Hollander should be proud Of his country -.
| II should have said TO him, "yOur country |
is 40 insigni6cant--it is not larFer than one
third Of the Stalein which live, he could
have well replied, yes; but Notwithstanding
her limited territory, we can proudly compare
her history, her deeds and her men with those
OF the greatest nations of the earlhlH
When He arrived at Amsterdam, Il was
raining, and there was no cat or omnibus Tor
US at tho depot, aud not a soul that could
understand Eword we said One Of our party,
without meaning to be proiane repeated the
name OF the place twice with an emphasis
and feeling that We could all appreciate -
After some delay we found a cab, and Alter
being taken to the wrong hotel, At last found
comfortable accommodations at Hotel Doelon
(Which occupies both sides Of one OF the prin.
cipal streets), and walters who spoke both
English and German,
Everything We saw In Amster6am Was