New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-10-31

A.Ht
HOughton Mlhlin ~ Co.
The painstaking author of this detailed nara
tive had the advantage of a picturesque and not
too familiar subject, and he was able, by fresh re-
searches among state and family archives TO throw
upon it some new light. The period covered DIV
his work. from about 1850 to 1872, fills one OF the
most impressive chapters in the history Oh inc
United Provinces. The young republic had re-
covered rapidly from the disasters OF the war OF
independence It's commerce had made the round
of the globe It's colonies and trading posts flour
ished on The most distant The wealth Of ASIA,
whose mysteries were still but hahrevealed, flowed
into ITS harboTs. It's merchants We're becoming the
most powerful personagos OF their time. The
Dutch East India Company maintained an absolute
monopoly Of the splendid trade Of Japan and
although they purchased this privilege at the cost
of the basest acts Of apOStasy ever known, dehhhg
the name of Christ at tho arrival of every cargo
and lending their forces to the Government 1or the
massacre of Christian converts yet the prohJ on
the trade was at least one hundred ana hity per
cent-and perhaps the Vehemence OF theOlogica
ouarTels at home made amends for excessive
Iberality in the Indies. The commerce with
America employed 800 vessels. Dutch ships be-
came the carriers for all Europe. The youngest OF
nations was the greatest maritime power IN the
world When the Dutch fleets engaged those OF
England the issue was for long time doubt
full. Van TrOmp swept the English
Chanuel and tod broom to his masthead Us a
mark of derisiOn and defiance. De Ruyter saled
up the Thames and the Midway, destroyed memoir
warunder the Notifications of Chatham and spread
panic in London. TIE United Provinces were stud
Ged with handsome aud thriving Cities between
which stretched highly cultivated and blooming
country. If the population under the influence OF
material comfort, had lost some Of those sturdy
oualities which illustrated the heroic struggle
against SPAN, they nevertheless presented an at
tractive picture of thrifty responsibility The life
of the towns which NJ. Pontalis sketches agreeabIy
in his introductory chapter was active and not III
elegant. Arts, sciences and letters had blossomed
suddenly in the sunshine OF prosperity and free
dom, and the Dutch burgher was well
able to hold his own in polite inter
course with any society. Moderation
however. was the fashion in personal expenditures,
and domestic decorum reflected the National pru-
dence and sobrety.
The Government of the United Pro vinces was
complicated organization republican inform,but by
no means democratic in spirit. The unit OF author
itv was the town-council. composed OF deputies of
the friftv trading class forfhe most part sef-per-
netuating although in few places the citizens had
the right of voting. The town-councis appointed
deputies to the provincial States, and these in turn
sent representatives to the States-Geneal; yet the
authority of the States-GeneTal was III fact inferior
TO that of the provincial assemblies. An executive
head called the Stakeholder, was chosen by the
States of each of the seven provinces. Inc NUS
trious services, of the House OF Orangesm the
war of independence had Thus far
directed the surages of the assemblies toward the
head Of that family.s that the Stadthodershp not
merely of one province, but Of five or six of the
seven. had become practically hereditary with the
Princes of Orange To this Office was joined the
supreme military and naval command. Thus the
Government might be said to consist OF a powerful
hereditary princedom, checked by trade guilds and
burgomasters 1t offered extraordinary opportuui-
Ties for intrigue and dissensOn, and although 1t
had served the nation well in the money-makng
years of peace ii was too loose confederation for
the strain of foreign war; At the middle OF the
seventeenth century the Stakeholder OF hVe
provinces was William H. grandson of William the
Silent and father of that William who became
King of England The Stakeholder of the remain
inc two was his cousin and close ally. William IL.
had married the Princess Mary OF England,
daughter of Charles l., and had entered
into a negotiation with Louis XIV. for an
offensive alliance with France against the Spanish
Netherlands In return for which Louis was TO ana
Charles in his struggle against the Parliament
But the United Provinces were reSOlute for peace
and q reduction of their army William attempted
he died. Then the States Of Holland
took the lead IN a movement to abolish the
Stadthodersmp. The others might do as tley
pleased within their own territory, but Holland
had determined to leave the Office vacant. Holland.
too the richest and most important of the prov
inces would not consent to q renewal OF the APP
pointments of admiral and captam-gencraL The
person to WHOM the three executive posts would
naturally fall was the infant son of Will
lam H., born few days after his faith
er's death The action of Holland there
fore, which the other States were compelled
if not in all cases to follow at least to respect was
primarily the exclusion of the House OF Orange
from an authority which seemed inconsistent with
the perpetuity of the republic. But it was some
thing more than that. There being no longer any
central power Holland became inevitably the con-
trolling force in the confederation, and every year
her preponderancc grew more marked Having
deposed the Stakeholder she practically took his
place Her Grand Pensionary, who was at once the
president of the assembly and the principal adj
ministratve fuRctonary, was appointed by the
States dhe provincial assembly, for ave years, but
was perpetually re-eigble. lie was soon recognized
under the new order of things as the true head of
the confederation The foreign affairs of the re-
public were in his hands and his authority was
generally admitted by ambassadors.
To this anomalous position John De Witt was
chosen in 1853 at the age of twenty-eght and he
was continued in office by three re-elections until
his death. His personal traits are not wildly H.
Illustrated In the pages of the Woodworking NJ.
Pontalis but he seems to have been man OF some
engaging qualities and many stalwMt virtues.
He showed a splendid integrity Ill an age when
corrup ton although not more common than 1t IS
now, was more respectable. His patriotism was
pure and ardent, though narrow inits scope. His
attachment TO republican institutions was I'M
couOuerable HIS courage reached an heroic
grandeur and persistence Ho was naughty III his
manners, but amiabe in hls domestic relations
and what we are allowed to see Of ms