They were mere envoys, tied by instructions.

They were powerless to act, except after tedious reference to the will of their masters, the provincial boards.

The deputies of the Union came thither, he said, as advocates of their provinces or their cities, not as councillors of a commonwealth--and sought to further those narrow interests, even at the risk of destruction to their sister states.

The contributions, he complained, were assessed unequally, and expended selfishly.

Upon this occasion, as upon all occasions, he again challenged inquiry into the purity of his government, demanded chastisement, if any act of mal-administration on his part could be found, and repeated his anxious desire either to be relieved from his functions, or to be furnished with the means of discharging them with efficiency.
On the 12th of December, 1579, he again made a powerful speech in the states-general.