Free Political Propositions

Theory, or the contemplation of reason, remains the same for me, and I am most highly assured that the people of Holland, through a good and free administration—and from that, an in-itself-quickly-following, broadly doubled growth and strengthening of the people, as well as, in addition to that, a most strong, free expansion of the people, and the free trade and shipping with the East and West Indies depending on that—can become the happiest, most magnificent, and most invincible people that has ever existed, or can be thought to arrive on this earth, and is also rightly positioned to be able to endure this very earth in an endless improvement and prosperity: for the nature of all human affairs is such that nothing can remain in one state; but everything is subject to necessary change, and where human affairs are not organized by wisdom for continuous improvement, there they must finally collapse into inevitable ruin through deterioration. And accordingly, it is also highly likely to happen that the people of Holland, now wanting to rise, and also having to, yet unable to do so solely through weak administration, but also visibly being held down, will eventually—and it is to be feared, perhaps too hastily—have to come to a fall, etc. For the prevention of which, and for further assistance toward continuous improvement, no better advice or remedy, in my judgment, will be able to be found or given than to relieve Holland's common people, in due time, of all their unbearable burdens immediately and forever, and then, as said, to protect and continue with a strong hand, against all Potentates, a properly well-regulated, free East and West Indian commerce and shipping, predominantly depending on a free expansion of the Dutch people, as well as the introduction of a truly free policy, which alone may be said to be the Source of all the prosperity a people could wish for. Concerning both the one and the other, and especially the best and true interests of the Dutch people and, consequently, the Regents, I will truly and most forcefully attempt to induce and impress this upon you, my Reader, in the following two parts, provided you show yourself to be keen and ready for it; but otherwise, if I find you sick, I leave you sick, then die in the Name of the Lord, the complete slave's death of all equal-freedom and prosperity: and for which reason I wish to have warned and impressed upon all of Holland's few Regents, and the observant, equal-freedom-loving Citizens, once more thoroughly in advance, that the present few—and with reason, fearing the traps and subversions from within and especially from abroad—and therefore weak Dutch Regents, will be unable to preserve themselves any longer, even if occupied and guarded by the strongest guards of hired foreign or domestic soldiers; but without the heartfelt and well-united support of the Citizens, they will necessarily have to end in destruction.