The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20)Jefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson: Library Edition - Vol. 6 (of 20)
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1789
The Emperor, on his return to Vienna, disavowed the concessions of his
Governors General to his subjects of Brabant. He, at the same time,
proposed their sending deputies to him, to consult on their affairs.
They refused in the first moment; but afterwards nominated deputies;
without giving them any power, however, to concede anything. In the
meantime, they are arming and training themselves. Probably the Emperor
will avail himself of the aid of these deputies to tread back his
steps. He will be the more prompt to do this, that he may be in
readiness to act freely, if he finds occasion, in the new scenes
preparing in Holland. What these will be cannot be foreseen. You well
know, that the original party-divisions of that country were, into
Stadtholderians, Aristocrats, and Democrats. There was a subdivision of
the Aristocrats, into violent and moderate, which was important. The
violent Aristocrats would have wished to preserve all the powers of
government in the hands of the Regents, and that these should remain
self-elective; but choosing to receive a modification of these powers
from the Stadtholder, rather than from the people, they threw
themselves into his scale. The moderate Aristocrats would have
consented to a temperate mixture of democracy, and particularly, that
the Regents should be elected by the people. They were the declared
enemies of the Stadtholder, and acted in concert with the Democrats,
forming with them what was called the Patriots. It is the opinion of
dispassionate people on the spot, that their views might have been
effected. But the democratic party aimed at more. They talked of
establishing tribunes of the people, of annual accounts, of depriving
the magistrates at the will of the people, etc.; of enforcing all this
with the arms in the hands of the _corps francs_; and in same places,
as at Heusden, Sprang, etc., began the execution of these projects. The
moderate Aristocrats found it difficult to strain their principles to
this pitch. A schism took place between them and the Democrats, and the
former have for some time, been dropping off from the latter, into the
scale of the Stadtholder. This is the fatal coalition which governs
without obstacle in Zealand, Friesland, and Guelderland, which
constitutes the States of Utrecht, at Amersfort, and, with their aid,
the plurality in the States General. The States of Holland, Groningen
and Overyssel vote, as yet, in the opposition. But the coalition gains
ground in the States of Holland, and has been prevalent in the Council
of Amsterdam. If its progress be not stopped by a little moderation in
the Democrats, it will turn the scale decidedly in favor of the
Stadtholder, in the event of their being left to themselves without
foreign interference. If foreign powers interfere, their prospect does
not brighten. I see no sure friends to the Patriots but France, while
Prussia and England are their assured enemies. Nor is it probable that
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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