For the Children

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16735, 17 May 1922, Page 3

For the Children

; WILLIAM THE ST LENT. 1 In studying history you must have noticed how few truly great men seem to get into positions of power. Even when governors and rulers would begin well they almost invariably fell away from their high standards and became selfish, or indifferent to the welfare of the people under them. How inspiring, then, to read about such characters as Gustavus Adolphus (King of Sweden), William of Orange, and -George Washington, men »vho made tremendous sacrifices for tho good of humanity and remained always as kind and just under success as under adversity. The careers of the last two were somewhat similar. Both left comfortable estates, influential friends, peace, to fight for a, desperate cause, against what looked like overwhelming odds, and did this for Principle. Orange not only had to turn against i his king and country, but also against Ins rehgio-n, which is what few have the courage to do. But lie could not sit quietly by and watch a despot and a bigot grind a ui.se and thrifty nation beneath his heel. Ho simply must take up arms in their defence—and he did. Ifc happened in this way, William went to Brussels from his home at Dillenburg in 1544. when he was 11, arid was put in the court of Charles \ , the Spanish Emperor, in the same way as one is put in a college. We hoar the Emperor was very fond of his page, gave him a splendid education and allowed him to be an eye-witness of many an important audience and secret affair of state, and about the time that most young men are still in college, he was appointed “ general-in-chief over all the Netherland troops stationed in the neighbourhood of Givet.” About this time Charles resigned in favour of his son Philip, making him Count of I landers and Sovereign of the Netherlands. The Reformation had spread from Germany and Switzerland into France and the Netherlands, much to the horror of Roman Catholics, and Philip made up Ids mind to clean it out of his dominions. So ho told Cardinal Gran va lie and his other leading churchmen to persecute the “ heretics” without mercy, even t-o the use of the inquisition. This was too much for William cf Orange, himself a Roman Catholic, and with other broad-minded nobles he began to use every peaceable means he oould think of to ease the people’s burdens. At first his efforts were fruitful of good, preventing the enforcement of cruel Jaws, restraining the Spanish soldiers from violence, cautioning the gbod burghers themselves from hitting back, and there might never liave been open rebellion if Philip had not gone considerably further and levied a heavy burden of taxation upon the people. This apparently touched the thrifty merchants in a delicate spot, namely, their pocket-book, and finally, at Antwerp, there was an armed outbreak. The ringleaders were mercilessly punished, which only had the effect of strengthening the oppostion. Orange, Bgmont, Horn and other Geitman ami Flemish nobles now frankly showed their sympathy for the Netherlands and incurred tho rage of their sovereign in return. But Orange did not want to use forco to secure justice. If Phillip would only allow the Protestants ro J worship according to their own ideas

and not tax them beyond reason he e was sure that they would remain loyal to their king. But tyranny was r-.s n short-sighted as usual. It insisted or. n smashing ahead until there was nothing left to do but draw the sword ani l fight for everything that man holds d dear. e Orange was the peoples’ natura' i. leader. Rather reluctantly he realized t this, but once he put his hand to the s plow he never looked back. on cannot carry on a war without money and 3 at first there was very little of it. The e burghers wanted to be free, but they il did not want to have to pay for free s dom. Only when they suspected that they would be totally ruined under e their Spanish master did they begin to - pay their leader for protection. He , - also borrowed money from certain of t his powerful German friends, the King t of France, and Queen Elizabeth, and as . long as it held out he kept an army in t the field. The fact that his soldic-6 t were almost invariably beaten did nev e discourage him much. He knew the t Spaniards were considered the best 1 trained fighters in the world and that i his sons of merchants were probably t the worst. But he knew that th* a * justice of his cause must surely win ;n the end and he would continue to "U i his part, come what may. Although : ho was nick-named “ the silent ” there , probably was never a great charact--3 er who was less so. The number . of letters and documents he wrote and ? the number of speeches lie made 1 was simply amazing. Washing--1 ton was more fortunate than i ho in this regard, having Hamil- - ton to attend to most of his corre--1 spondence and to compile many of his i speeches. The citizens were always | asking Orange to address them, to give them advice, to meet their enemies in conclave and he never refused. No lie was not silent I i It was not until nearly 20 years of i defeat, exile and victory that • the ” seven united provinces ” formall'* made William Count of Holland, [ which was equivalent to sovereign ■ ruler, and repudiated all allegiance to i Spain. His great work was accomplished. Never nffain would the Netherlander bow their heads to a foreign yoke; never again would a Protestant be persecuted for his religion : never again would foreign soldiers be given legal right to plunder towns and villages and put peaceful inhabitants to the sword. Orange lißd changed the old things and, as Washington, long afterward, became known as the Father of his Colmtry.