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In 1584, the Prince of Orange was assassinated by Balthazar Gerard, a
Catholic fanatic: the war was continued till 1609, when it was suspended
by a truce of twelve years. At the expiration of it, the war burst forth
with fresh fury: it was finally terminated by the peace of Munster, or
Westphalia, in 1648, when the King of Spain acknowledged, in the fullest
manner, the INDEPENDENCE OF THE SEVEN UNITED PROVINCES, and of all their
possessions in Asia, Africa, and America.
V.4.
_Their Constitution and principal Officers._
[Sidenote: Constitution of the Netherlands.]
Thus the United Provinces became a confederacy of seven independent
principalities, called in the aggregate the States General. Several
years elapsed before their constitution was finally settled. Then, the
supreme sovereignty of the whole was considered to be vested in the
people of every province represented by the States. These consisted of
deputies appointed to them from the different provinces.
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