The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1875-01-21

nrable nhanditli' dispatch he uneon'
srIMsly plagariled one Of The most
striking epis0les Of the revolution Of
The Netherlands, the stirring story OF
which has been admirably told 10y Mr.
Motley, one Ot the great lights 0f llle
republican party, The similarity be-
tween the treatment Of the Dutch by
lhnt hnalirnl lyrani, Philip llu lnd
his blood thirsty representative, Ava,
aud lhe course adopted ly drahl aud
carried out by his lieutenant, Nhef'
idnn toward the people OF Louisiana,
are ~ nearly Identical ~ events tax lng
place NJ an Interval OF three centuries
can possibly be,
When In 1909 the bloody work Of the
Spanish lyrant was lnauguraled IN the
Netherlands, aud his nqulsltorsslalked
abroad boldly In the devoted provinces,
Carrying persecution aud death IN
their train, numerous hut partial In
surreplOns opposed these OdlOus lnlrll-
derS, Every district aud town became
the scene Of frlghtful executions or IT,
niulluOus resistance. The converts 10
the new doctrine multi piled, ms usual,
N der the elects Of persecution,
"There was nowhere 10 be seen,n says
n contemporary author, "the niennesl
mechanic who did not llnd weapon
TO strike down the murderers Of his
cOmpNlrlOtsh Ia few years, anys
another historian, this 10 lately
llourlshlng aud happy nation presented
u frlghtlul picture; aud In the midst Of
European peace, prosperity ana clylll'
ZatlOn, tho wickedness OF one prince
drew down on the country he mis-
governed mere evils than II had suf'
lered for centuries from tho worst
efforts Of ts foreign foes,n
II was then that the celebrated "oon-
federation or "league' was formed,
under the leadership Of Marnix dc ~.
Aldcgonde, followed by numbers Of
people belonging to every class, and 10
every profession. Having drawn up
statement OF their grievances, they mp
pointed three hundred delegates TO pre-
sent their petition to the council Of re-
gcncy, then sitting ut Brussels, and
presided over by the Duchess Parma,
Philips hall-sistcr.
This document inveighed bitterly
against the tyranny ola heap OF stran-
gers, who, induced only 10y private NV
arIce aud ambition, were making use
of an affected zeal for the Catholic re-
ligion TO persuade the king into vio'
lation OF his oaths.n The signers pro-
tested that, "having II due regard to
their duties IA faithful vassals of his
majesty, and In order not to be depriv-
ed of their estates and their lives 10y
those who, under preteXt of religion,
wished 10 enrich themselves by plum
der and MURDER they had bound
themselves to each other 10y holy COW
enant aud solemn oath.
This compromise" or covenant, rs
Motley describes IL, "was directed
against the foreign influence by which
the Netherlands were exclusively gov
erned." "Fhere Is no doubt he adds,
"that the country was controlled EN-
tirely by Spanish masters, and that II
was intended TO reduce the ancient lib
erty of the Netherlands into subsection
to n junta of foreigners sitting ut Mad
rid Nothing more legitimate could be
imagined than constitutional resist
ance to such policy"-just rs in our
ridden state, "nothing Is more legiti-
mate than n league to prevent "a jun
tn of foreigners from reducing US
''into subsection"
When the respectful petition of the
leaguers was presented to the regent
and council, one of the councillors,
Meghen, was excessively indignant at
the plan of the confederates, which he
pronounced ''an insult to the govern
ment n reasonable attempt to over
awe the duchess by few wretched
vngabonds ~
He swore that "he would break
every bone of their heads, if the king
would furnish him with u couple of
hundred thousand FORMS" The prince
of Orange quietly rebuked this trucu-
lent language" says Motley, "by as
surfing him that such process would
be more difficult than he thought, and
that he would also find many men of
great respectability among the vaga-
bonds.n
The cOntemptuous expression of
Meghen, however, was taken up by
Berlaymont, another adviser OF the
duchess, who uttered the jibe, which
was destined to become immortal and
to give Il popular name to the confed-
eracy. "What, madam" he is report
ed to have cried in passion, "is it
possible that your highness can enter
tain fears of these beggars ?n lgueur).
Great was the indignation of all,n
says the historian we have just quoted,
that the state councillor should have
should have dared to stigmatize as beg
gars' band Of gentlemen with the
best blood of the land in their veins.
Brederode (the leaguers' chief, ON the
contrary, smoothing their anger, assur-
ed them with good humor that moth
ing could be more fortunate. They |
call us beggars,' said he, let us accept
the name. We will contend with the
inquisilion, but remain loyal to the
king, even till compelled to wear the
heggar's sack
He then beckoned to one of his
pages, who brought him leathern
wallet, such as was worn ut that day |
by professional mendicants, together |
with a large wooden bowl, which also
formed part of their regular appurten-
ances. Brederode Immediately hung
the wallet around his neck filled the
bowl with wine, lifted it with both |
hands, and drained 1t q draught. |
F." Long live the beggars p he said as
he wiped his beard and set the bowl
down, Vfrent les gue,lr!m
"Then"-adds the eloquent historian
-" then for the first time, from the
lips of those reckless mobiles rose the
famous cry, which was so often to ring
over land and sea, amid blazing cities,
on blood-stained decks, through the
smoke and carnage of many stricken
field"
When the story of Sheridan's "rides"
shall cease to trouble the memory of
men. and even his upparaIlalad Mum