ir vigourous
resistance to it. The circumstances into which it drove the United
States, compelled them to appoint the Prince of Orange Captain General
and Admiral: he took the oath prescribed by the Perpetual Edict, not to
aspire to the stadtholderate, and to reject it, if offered. He was at
this time in his twenty-second year: he owed his elevation to the
critical situation in which the United States were then placed; but it
was also owing to the great prudence with which he had conducted himself
when fortune was opposed to him; and to the talents and application to
business which he then discovered.

At sea, the navy of the United States was generally successful. At land,
the arms of Lewis XIV. triumphed; he conquered Gueldres, Overyssell, and
the city and province of Utretcht. This maddened the populace. They
massacred John De Witt, and Cornelius De Witt, his brother, after having
subjected them to the cruellest tortures and the most brutal
indignities. To the indelible reproach of William III. he did not
interfere to prevent or stop these horrors. His measures for obtaining
the stadtholderate succeeded.

[Sidenote: XIV. 1. William III.]

On the 4th of July 1672, it was re-established in the person of William
III.; and all the dignities and rights enjoyed by his predecessors were
conferred upon him. These, in 1674, were made hereditary in his family.
His subsequent conduct is entitled, on many accounts, to the warmest
praise. The success of the United States at sea compelled Charles II. to
make peace with them, so that Lewis XIV. was their only enemy. The war
with him was terminated by the peace of Nimeguen in 1678. Ten years
after it, the Stadtholder, on the abdication of James II. became King of
England. In 1690, England, Spain, Austria, and the United Provinces,
entered into the Grand Alliance against France. The Duke of Savoy and
several Princes of Germany afterwards joined it. In general, the
proceedings of the confederacy were unsuccessful; the war was terminated
in 1697 by the peace of Ryswick. In 1700, the disputes on the succession
to the Spanish monarchy, in consequence of the death of Charles II. of
Spain, without issue, called the world again to arms. William III. died
in 1702.

XIV. 2.

_John William Count of Nassau Dietz_, 1702-1711; _William IV_.
1711-1751.

The government of William III. was generally displeasing to the United
States: they accused him of sacrificing them to the i