Ambassadors were appointed by them, also the Treasurer-General of the Union, and numerous other important officials.

Yet with all these attributes and powers the States-General possessed only a derived, not an inherent, authority.

To foreigners the sovereignty of the republic of the United Netherlands appeared to be vested in their "High-Mightinesses." In reality the States-General was, as already stated, a gathering of deputations from the seven sovereign provinces.

Each deputation voted as a unit; and in all important affairs of peace and war, treaties and finance, there must be no dissentient.

A single province, however small, could, by obstinate opposition, block the way to the acceptance of any given proposal.