claimed it for them they would hardly have understood him.  The nation dealt with facts.  After abjuring Philip in 1581—­an act which had been accomplished by the Estates—­the same Estates in general assembly had exercised sovereign power, and had twice disposed of that sovereign power by electing a hereditary ruler.  Their right and their power to do this had been disputed by none, save by the deposed monarch in Spain.  Having the sovereignty to dispose of, it seemed logical that the Estates might keep it, if so inclined.  They did keep it, but only in trust.  While Orange lived, he might often have been elected sovereign of all the Provinces, could he have been induced to consent.  After his death, the Estates retained, ex necessitate, the sovereignty; and it will soon be related what they intended to do with it.  One thing is very certain, that neither Orange, while he lived, nor the Estates, after his death, were actuated in their policy by personal ambition.  It will be seen that the first object of the Estates was to dispossess themselves of the sovereignty which had again fallen into their hands.

What were the Estates?  Without, at the present moment, any farther inquiries into that constitutional system which had been long consolidating itself, and was destined to exist upon a firmer basis for centuries longer, it will be sufficient to observe, that the great characteristic of the Netherland government was the municipality.

Each Province contained a large number of cities, which were governed by a board of magistrates, varying in number from twenty to forty.  This college, called the Vroedschap (Assembly of Sages), consisted of the most notable citizens, and was a self-electing body—­a close corporation—­the members being appointed for life, from the citizens at large.  Whenever vacancies occurred from death or loss of citizenship, the college chose new members—­sometimes immediately, sometimes by means of a double or triple selection of names, the choice of one from among which was offered to the stadtholder of the province.  This functionary was appointed by the Count, as he was called, whether Duke of Bavaria or of Burgundy, Emperor, or King.  After the abjuration of Philip, the governors were appointed by the Estates of each Province.

The Sage-Men chose annually a board of senators, or schepens, whose functions were mainly judicial; and there were generally two, and sometimes three, burgomasters, appointed in the same way.  This was the popular branch of the Estates.  But, besides this body of representatives, were the nobles, men of ancient lineage and large possessions, who had exercised, according to the general feudal law of Europe, high, low, and intermediate jurisdiction upon their estates, and had long been recognized as an integral part of the body politic, having the right to appear, through delegates of their order, in the provincial and in the general assemblies.