The Holland Society of New York - Yearbook (New York, NY)

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St of men ll of Court Lelldul-ing Individual Surely i can We Nation, a more San. WHS the ie of Con. f0l' more Ul degpot H histoiy Uf Celltu. utives of lent and ale? If ands of ienceol acquies- re been :ch life. at issue :ded no uces if rtered. which A ltis l value ntand o plal' 11611621 of lZllC f1eVCt' it all x ,I 47 the onward march of civilization, there could be no retrogression. The men who passed through tor. ture and blood with him who even an English Critic has declared to be the onl ma ' 11 y n in a the history of the world who may fairly be compared with Wash- ington, were the men who enriched the world in gen- eral, and America in particular, with a nobility of manhood than which the world has never ' Wlt- nessed a superior. But 'De La Marck's Ware? Beggars, Haarlem and Leyden, and a hundred fields of conflict and carnage alone' would do little to at- test the true virtues of Dutch character had these not been supplemented by the greater and surer victories of peace. The world to-day stands a great debtor to the little State reclaimed from the seas, because the lessons that Holland has taught mankind-is now teaching, have been triumphs of the mind and heart. We are here in the metropolis of America as the representatives of a peculiar and distinct people, because of the victories of Dutch character and citizenship which have so largely con- tributed, not only to our national existence, but to its advancement and security as -well. I yield to no one in admiration of the Pilgrim Fathers and their inestimable services in this new land, yet 'we should sadly lack some of the greatestblessings we enjoy as a people had it notbeen for the conserva- tism of Dutch character everywhere exhibited, alike in peace and war. The history of the Common- wealth of New York is in itself a sure and complete judgment of Dutch destiny in America. Long be- fore the dark days of Revolutionary conflict, the Dutch colonists of New York were pronounced and determined in their advocacy of freedom. From the Convention of 1754, held at Albany, down 120

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46 f rther esteem it an honor to be the guest of men u Vho represent generation after generation of Cour- t age and self-sacrifice. After all, the only. enelel-ing character of the nation as well as of the 1nd1v1du1 is developed after long trial and struggle. Surely nowhere, in all the annals of the race, can we find more patient endurance, greater privation, 3 nobler bravery, a serener faith, or a more Sen- guine confidence in a final triumph than was the portion of the Dutch people who, in defence of con. science and personal freedom, maintained, for more than eighty years, against the most powerful despet of the World, that pitiless struggle lenown in history as the Eighty Years' War. At a distance of centu- ries are we able fully to appreciate the motives of those men, whose faith was not an expedient and whose liberties were not the chattels of sale? If there had been a submission to the demands of Spain, without actual resistance, if the conscience of a people had been stultified into a guilty acquies- ence, temporarily at least, there would have been little change in the usual routine of Dutch life. But there was something higher and deeper at issue than mere present physical comfort. It needed no divination to foretell the future consequences if freedom of body, mind, and soul was to be bartered. And so arose that heroism of principle which did not then and cannot now know defeat. Itis impossible for us adequately to estimate the value of that momentous struggle in the development and evolution of a character which was destined to play such an important part in the history of America and the world. In such a people, the liberty of the soul, the freedom to think and act, could never again be challenged. Thereafter throughout all I fcifft yeh 0 i, oolllriim The me resstoo' ith htm elfllb I Oil ll' duff and bg to be thC,Oi1 5 debate may fatfl! ll World who an wht? the ere the m t if,gteu,W eric, in PZ, eral old Am wltlfh l' utuboofl thanbr. Bu' ddlllll Haad carnage 3 tleuudtctall, ol ll ruffle We vmucineed tot been Sullplem Th ' 's of Peace' . uttorto th hide reat debtor fo C l teas because the lCS50 5 utanltiudfis n0W mchin tqtetuiud and hem- ll C tluerica as the 'EPM' dstiuet people, bemuif ' ttaracter and citizenship tributed, not only to our ieadvancement and secu tue in admiration Ol l tteir iueetimable stould sadly lack some gl lf'l0Yt'Sf1Pff0Ple had in t but ol Dutch theme, Q ll peace and war, Thr ttealtltof New york is in :udguteut of Dutch duh ere the dark da l5 of R glitch colonists gf Ne' , tlermined theC . Olwtllllon of I 9 9 I 54: 4,

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48 the days of actual conflict and in and throughout the long seven years' War of the Revolution, the Dutch- men of New York could be relied upon at all times in Support of the forces struggling for independence. But neither the fathers who fought and labored against the despotism .of 'Spam nor even those who rendered such meritorious service in the eg. tablishment and preservation of our own Republic, could have dreamed that Dutch destiny would play so great a part in the subsequent history of the world. Yet there is now no one bold enough to dispute the statement, that every portion of man's activity is to-day benefited and uplifted by reason of its contactwith the influences of Dutch thought and character. ln no honorable pursuit of life is there lacking abundant evidence of this strong though silent power. In science, in art, in educa- tion, in everything that goes to make the good and true, the Hollander is felt more and more as a liv- ing, vital force. As in the early days of the forma- tion of our government, so the Dutch influence has ever been a safe and conserving factor in the de- velopment of our national life. In a union of all the peoples of the earth, it would not have seemed strange if some things more radical than we have yet known had been perpetrated in the name of freedom. l need not tell you that there have been-trying times in the history of our government and in the life of our people, when the salutary in- fluence of Dutch character has so far prevailed and dominated as to preserve the integrity of our Union and to restrain within proper limitations the func- tions of government. This victory of the Dutch has been noiseless and peaceful, but it is no ICSS pronounced and emphatic. i . 110i lllfoughpl It 15 p OWC ppafllle rea 3 and C lirouflstanliiavc md uunuutaurhe pnncirld dpslfllllt I the wi ight tlfoh reef mliantlltel 0 Gfg6ll5r- uerors l lou itll conq ' Hucn siletll ln by llc . earl culture uululfll Spf rl! P to Rall' ii eveluyol f untipttpe mmglnd Shi so . . leleat l0f Pfmclpii, una on new in the extent of Ph? superiority of a bmw this lesson mllful alfa ue are compelled 10 be taught again and ag that is not moral and n the soul. Let it be on century the peoples of this lesson, and if they to know that Dutch . been among the most H loeresult so much d up the lirst days of uons ol the earth ha and merited recognptio alll-AuTln-1-1 what there Shall agile' - be :tonal Arbitration lll nat' l , -lu' , ,G t ftp, jr -gk - X.