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

lost. that State was sure to absorb. She was
probably as strong as the six other roVlnces To-
qetber; 1t was evident that without her GUARDIAN
ship the republic could not be saved; ana TINS
once recognized of course her will became
law to her confederates. The two branches OF lie
Wits policy were often closely intortwlned' nos.
tilitv to the house of Orange and jealousy VI
federal authority both impelled him to reduce the
army, break up the military commands, and leaNe
tho land forces without either an organization OF
titular head For this error the United PROVINCES
paid q fearful price aud 1t is by no means certain
that the final success of England IN the ha'ai
operations was not attributable to the demofallza-
tIou introduced into the Dutch feet by the same
distrustful course.
II was by the bodness and sngacity Of his dipio-
mary that DE Witt established his best claim to
the gratitude of his country The story of BIS nego
tiatiors with Cromwell, with Charles H., with LOUIS
XIV. is told by Mr. Pontalis in careful detail. In
most Of these transactions the States were Obliged
to make more or less Oncrous CONCESSIONS Dut the
general result was always to raise them 10 mghei
placs among the European Powers By the Triple
Alliance, with England and Sweden, De WITT
baked the ambitious projects OF France IN inc
Spanish Netherlands and the States became TO all
appearances the arbiters of Europe. III was al all
events brilliant triumph to have defeated, one
after another, tho uO>lIle ucsiShS VI tiA0 iL"7'
nowerfnl ,senarchies, and to have broken up their
most slnlfnl combinations. France however was
not easily beaten. She returned to the attack IN
overwhelming force TIE United Provinces were
overrun There was army capable OF opposing
her A general outbreak iii the states
demanded the restoration Of the Prince
of Orange to the family honors and offices; ana
William Ill, now IN his twenty second year, was
proclaimed Stakeholder, Captain-General, ana Adj
miral-General Popular wrath and terror now
turned against Dewitt. The most outrageous accu-
sations were heaped upon him, and iinalyVith ms
brother Cornelius, he was murdered by mob WIN
every kind Of indIgnlty and feroclty NJ P"nIahs
accuses the Prince of Orange of gross lherau-
tudcD toward the Grand PelsIonary 1t is not to
be denied that William III showed n great want
of maqnanimity toward his fallen adversary, and
there is but too good reason for believing that he
might have saved De Witt If he had seen fit; but
what debt of gratitude he owed to the lifelong
opponent of his claims we fail to understand.
Whatever grace. vivacity, and ilpeucy the narra-
tive of this great career may have IL TN" original
French will hardly be found in tho English YER
SION. The trlnslatOrs are careless and melcgant,
and sometimes their comprehension Of the text Is
evidently at fault They have seen tit to suppress
the authors foot-notes references, etc, which, III
a work of this character, drawn largely from
sources hitherto unused, seems to MS a serious mis-
take: and they have added t. the catalogue Of
their misdeods the llagrant offence OF sending out
these two compact volumes without an index.