The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-09-17

Tho Lat, Prince of oranr..

The following extract from the ForiniqlRy Be
ris,c, shows very clearly the condition of affairs
caused by the death of the Prince of Orange. The
writer puts the subject very clelrly before his rel-
ders. He says:
The death of the Prince of Orange has attracted
particularly attention because he was the last
male of the Orange line of the house OF Nassau
1t will become extinct with his father the present
king of the Netherlands. The PRESENT royal fami-
ly of Holland not indeed the direct representa-
tiyes of the great Princes of Orange Of the family
of Nassau who did such wonderful things in war
and politics for more than Century and q half.
1t is even only by family custom that they con-
tnued to use the name of Orange at all. The
principally was resumed by Louis NV and the
title passed legally to the first king of Prussia
Nevertheless the Eutch branch of the Nassaus
were in a general way the representatives of Will
liam the Silent if not by strict descent at least in
public opinion, aud no other branch of the family
will again be able to call itself by the famous
name of Orange Nassau.
Although, however, there Is very respectable
kind of regret felt among people of any knowledge
and intelligence when great family comes to an
end, it not only because he was the last of his
house that the death of the Prince of Orange was
political event. There was general feeling that
the want of male heir to the king of the Neither
lands might possibly cause dispute over the sue
cession. The kingdom of the Netherlands was
created by an arrangement among the great powers
of Europe after the abdication of the emperor
Napoleon at FOntainebeau, with the intention
that it should be barrier against any future at
tempt of the French to his policy if an in
sane love of war and personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT can
be called by that name. With this object the pow
ers made an artificial kingdom of the Netherlands
including Belgium, which fell to pieces within
twenty years. But although the powers were com
PEELED to see their handiwork DESTROYED they we're
far from cOnsenting to give up their right of CON
troll over the fragments of the barrier raised
against France. The position both of Belgium
and the Netherlands has consequently been settled
by treaty, and cannot be modified without common
consent. In the of the latter the question is
complicated by the fact that the different States
now ruled by the same king descend by different
rule of inheritance. In the grand duchy of Lux
embOurg the Sallc law prevails, and it must be
separated from the crown of Holland on the death
of the present king whose only surviving child Is
daughter. There will then be considerable diff
Guilty in deciding to who is really entitled to the
duchy, and with the help of little good will very
pretty quarrel on the subject may be got up be
tween France and Germany. Neither is the wav
very clear as regards Holland itself. 1t is true
that as the Salic law does not exist there the
throne will descend quietly enough to the present
kings daughter. But if she should die Young a
very considerable difficulty will present itself for
settlement. Failing direct representative of the
king, his heir must either be the Count of Nassau
the representative of the elder and German line of
the family who was deprived of his territory by
Prussia in 1866, or else a gentleman at present
colonel in the German army who descends from
the Princes OF Orange by marriage. If it we're
perfectly certain that the Dutch would be left to
settle the matter for themselves no anxiety need
be felt on the subject. They wonld choose one of
the two candidates, or perhaps they would choose
neither, but simply fall back on the old republican
from of government, or some imitation of it.
There is, however, possibility that the Dutch
might not be left to settle it for themselves Since
the publication of the shameless proposals for the
robbery Of Belgium made in the name of Napoleon
ILL.,, to Prussia there has always been fear that
some fine day Germany and France might settle
their little differences at the expense of third
party. That third party would naturally be the
Low Countries, Belgian and Dutch and then Eng
land at least would find its position in Europe
materially altered. With disputed succession in
Holland, the temptation to make some brigand-
like arrangement would, it is supposed, become
very. strong-so strong as to be Irresistible.