POTTER United Families

It is important to note that Louis described a “union” which he
thought ought to please the king. There has been an evolution from
the Rapport of April, in which he spoke of the unity of oppositions
to the government. Again, Louis' strategy is to unify, not divide. He
described the union as a joint venture of citizens uniting to obtain
and secure democratic republican (''public good’’) citizenship, rather
than merely being subjects of wealthy kings or self-proclaimed
presidents…
This union has evolved from social necessity to the need to preserve
freedom of all opinions. This new union was not just the closing of
the ranks against a common enemy; this new union had become a
philosophical ideal. Where opposing political entities could compete
and cooperate in an atmosphere of mutual trust and fair play.
Heated controversies arose over the unionist idea of Louis because
both sides had to sacrifice interests and self-esteem, and this was
difficult for men to actually accomplish, no matter how much they
liked his ideas.
The union as an ideal, somewhat utopian ideal, was greatly facilitated
by the practical fact that both groups were becoming less fond of the
Dutch-controlled government every day. Louis' Union was an
immense success, and pragmatism must have contributed to that
success. Nevertheless the eloquence of Louis' arguments still shines
today as in 1829, and it has remained a great political statement, used
by several neighboring democracies.
In the "Forward to Union", Louis emphasized that he thought that
the manner in which the Catholic question, under a Protestant king,
was resolved, would determine the liberty of the Belgian provinces.
He affirmed that religion was an individual affair between man and
God. He repeated what he alluded to in his pamphlet in April, that
the union of the Catholics and Liberals was natural, necessary,
inevitable, and that it would endure politically as long as the political
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