Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1865-06-29
Historical Precedent.

Some two hundred and seventy wears
ago, in the quaint old town Of Delft, III
South Holland, there was wall which
went up as of a mighty crushing sor-
row falling upon city and hamlet. 1t
came from rich and poor, high and low.
Stern faces glowered upon each other
with streaming eyes as they struck hands
and swore, by the God in heaven, they
would give all their treasure, and spill
every drop of blood upon the alter of
Freedom aud Fatherland, ere they would
give over the struggle with tyranny and
the inquisition And why all these tears
and lamentations-stern faces on which
were printed settled, determined re-
venge? A man, usually attired, in
slouched hat and watermans doublet,
tall and lank, thin visaged and homely,
one who mixed freely with the people,
entering into all their wants, and max
ing them his own one whom they called
by the familiar name Of Father William
while ascending staircase in his own
house. had been foully assassinated by
one Balthazar Gerard. . fanatic, employ
ed by the meanest of bigots, Philip the
Second, King of Spain, and his tool of
Netherlandish Governor, Alexander
Farnese. to shoot the father Of his coun-
try, William the Silent; man who
loved freedom better than the fawning
of kings, his fatherland better than gold
or his own life; who laid down titles as
foolish playthings; spent all his world
ly goods and services, as well as those Of
his noble house Of Nassau-all he gave
to liberty.
When Philip the Second struck down
William the Silent, he supposed that he
had killed the liberties of all Holland
but a just God ruled in Heaven, and
had engraved, in letters of gold upon
hearts of steel, freedom of conscience,
now and forever, to all Holland Their
good father William was murder
ed by an assassin but his words of wis
dom, acts of clemency and mercy, and
the benignity of his character, could
never die. Far in advance of his age,
be took broader view of the meaning
Of religious freedom and free institutions
than it was possible for his cotempora-
ries to comprehend at once, and they
were destined to suffer much and wan
der long ere they came to full know
ledge Of their great leaders teachings;
but the light he left was their polar star
to final and ultimate success.
Cannot we of the nineteenth century
see our counterpart in those poor Hol-
landers of the sixteenth century upon
that narrow strip Of land, washed by the
Northern seas, warning for religious
freedom? They were striving for a
freedom they had never tasted we are
striving for what we have drank deeply
from, and felt its healing draughts-
William the Silent was striving for lib
erty of conscience for all, and contend
ing against tyrant who said all must
think his thoughts or be tortured, burn
ed, hanged or drowned Abraham Lin
coin has been striving for liberty to all
who bear the image of God, against men
who say liberty is only for few favor
ed ones.
The assassination Of William the ST.
lent melted the tardy Hollanders, who
had often panied their noble leader by
their penuriousness and luke warmness,
to united, determined action, and
sworn vengeance to tyrants. The assas-
sionatlon of Abraham Lincoln, our be-
loved, long suffering, and humane father,
will only cement the hearts Of the
loyal North as one man for the complete
destruction of that accursed institution
which has cost US such precious treas
ures of blood ; and as cur tears fall over
the dead let US not forget the living,
but love and revere Andrew johnson,
and Put our shoulder to the wheel with
him, until the car Of justice is driven
over the entire South and the very ves-
tage of slavery crushed out. Not until
then shall we have carried out the de-
signs Of the departed martyr Of freedom,
Abraham Lincoln.