Quote by Benjamin Franklin
Dr. FRANKLIN mentioned the case of the Prince of Orange William V, during the late war. An arrangement was made between France and Holland, by which their two fleets were to unite at a certain time and place. The Dutch fleet did not appear. Every body began to wonder at it. At length it was suspected that the stadtholder was at the bottom of the matter. This suspicion prevailed more and more. Yet, as he could not be impeached, and no regular examination took place, he remained in his office; and strengthening his own party, as the party opposed to him became formidable, he gave birth to the most violent animosities and contentions. Had he been impeachable, a regular and peaceful inquiry would have taken place, and he would, if guilty, have been duly punished,if innocent, restored to the confidence of the public.
Summary
This quote explains the situation involving the Prince of Orange, William V, during a war. An agreement was made between France and Holland for their fleets to unite at a specific time and place, but the Dutch fleet failed to appear. This led to suspicion that the stadtholder (leader) of Holland, who could not be impeached, was responsible for the missed rendezvous. As no proper investigation took place, he remained in power, strengthening his own political party and causing intense strife. The quote proposes that if the stadtholder had been impeachable, a fair inquiry could have occurred, potentially leading to either punishment or restoration of public trust.
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