Between 1815 and 1830 Northern and Southern members of the States General clashed over how to behave as political representatives. This article presents this conflict as evidence of the continuity... Show moreBetween 1815 and 1830 Northern and Southern members of the States General clashed over how to behave as political representatives. This article presents this conflict as evidence of the continuity of the meeting practices employed in the States General since the Dutch Republic. Examples from three different periods show the continuity of three elements of the Northern meeting practice. Pragmatic, secluded and dignified meetings aimed at achieving consensus among the provinces or among members, Chamber, king and government. Deliberations on a resolution or a bill had to take place in an orderly and harmonious manner to ensure the willingness of the provinces or the Dutch people to obey the law. Hence, the political legitimacy of the state was constantly at stake during sessions of the States General and directly connected with correct procedure and behaviour. The continuity of the three practical elements nuances the impact of the constitutional ruptures which on first sight clearly separate the States General of the Dutch Republic from its successor in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands. Show less
