Cornelis van Mathenesse Quotes
It is sometimes necessary to keep matters secret among a few.
At the time Holland was a republic and a confederation of different states. There was an assembly of delegations from each of the States but most important decisions tended to be made by the Prince and a few of the representatives in his sway. Mathenesse was the delegate of the largest and wealthiest state but even others in his state delegation were out of the loop. Others claimed that the necessity of secrecy was just a pretext for a small group to dominate the republic. See {620069}. This battle goes on in almost every country including the United States where there are many matters in which only a few members of Congress and the President make decisions with national security given as the reason. In many cases there has been such a reason, but it is very easily corrupted into a pretext as only the people on the inside who get to make the decision know what the secret material was.
Cornelis van Mathenesse, 1638-1653, Dutch Noble & Politician, Explanation for a small group of the leaders and the Price of Orange making decisions without consulting the other representatives
Sourced by: Eigen's Political and Historical Quotations
At the time Holland was a republic and a confederation of different states. There was an assembly of delegations from each of the States but most important decisions tended to be made by the Prince and a few of the representatives in his sway. See {620056} for a contemporary justification. This battle goes on in almost every country including the United States where there are many matters in which only a few members of Congress and the President make decisions with national security given as the reason. In many cases there has been such a reason, but it is very easily corrupted into a pretext as only the people on the inside who get to make the decision know what the secret material was.
The “wrong” people to Helms. Were Americans who disagreed with his methods and politics—especially members of Congress who wanted to make the CIA more accountable for its actions. If nothing is ever written down and everything is secret, there is no practical way of holding the agency accountable in a democracy. Helms was later convicted to perjury for lying to Congress.
Privacy was a much more important value then and for Smith and most contemporaries there should be NO compromising records kept at all. Keeping records secret was itself an unacceptable compromise.
In the early 1950’s Costello’s Health Minister Noel Browne introduced proposal to provide health care for mothers and children. The Irish Catholic Bishops objected and in the face of their opposition the remainder of the cabinet abandoned the plan. When the public found out, it became a cause celebre. Browne resigned, and the Protestants of Northern Ireland argued that this was an example of Catholic religious control of the Southern Irish government. The President was distressed that the public had ever found out.
