controlled by the "generality" of the union. For the expense occasioned
by the protection of the provinces, certain imposts and excises were
to be equally assessed and collected. No truce or peace was to be
concluded, no war commenced, no impost established affecting the
"generality," but by unanimous advice and consent of the provinces.
Upon other matters the majority was to decide; the votes being taken in
the manner then customary in the assembly of states-general. In case of
difficulty in coming to a unanimous vote when required, the matter was
to be referred to the stadholders then in office. In case cf their
inability to agree, they were to appoint arbitrators, by whose decision
the parties were to be governed. None of the united provinces, or of
their cities or corporations, were to make treaties with other potentates
or states, without consent of their confederates. If neighbouring
princes, provinces, or cities, wished to enter into this confederacy,
they were to be received by the unanimous consent of the united
provinces. A common currency was to be established for the confederacy.
In the matter of divine worship, Holland and Zealand were to conduct
themselves as they should think proper. The other provinces of the
union, however, were either to conform to the religious peace already
laid down by Archduke Matthias and his council, or to make such other
arrangements as each province should for itself consider appropriate for
the maintenance of its internal tranquillity--provided always that every
individual should remain free in his religion, and that no man should be
molested or questioned on the subject of divine worship, as had been
already established by the Ghent Pacification. As a certain dispute
arose concerning the meaning of this important clause, an additional
paragraph was inserted a few days afterwards. In this it was stated that
there was no intention of excluding from the confederacy any province or
city which was wholly Catholic, or in which the number of the Reformed
was not sufficiently large to entitle them, by the religious peace, to