If there is a true insurrection (like the one that erupted in Bruxelles in 1830) the
cat is already among the pigeons and the well-loved prince Frederik could neither convince the insurgents to stand down nor force them. The National Congress came one month after the insurrection followed almost immediately by the declaration of independence. At this stage Wilhem I cannot do anything else but pray that the Powers will restore order. In another year it might even happen but 1830 was a year of insurrections: Poland, France, Italies. Everywhere the traditional firemen were already working double-shifts and none was willing to step forward and enforce the provisions of the Congress of Vienna. Therefore the Powers recognized the independence of Belgium (while no one gave a fig for Poland or Italy) and when Wilhem sent an army in 1831 there was a bigger French army to confront him.
In a way it is irrelevant if Wilhem was a good or bad king, or if Belgian grievances were based on real or perceived slights. The Belgian sentiment was that they wanted union with France or independence.
The solution to give to the former Austrian Flanders a right of self-rule immediately after the adjudication of these territories to the Netherlands in 1815 does not work either: it does not fit with the principles of Restauration.
Pls. don't worry for the future: it is quite obvious we are looking at the problem in very different and antithetic ways and there is no way to converge on a common solution. I'll stop posting in this thread.
Thank you for your input LordKalvan