Democratic Sentinel, Volume 6, Number 29, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 August 1882 — A Great Constitutional Conflict. [ARTICLE]

A Great Constitutional Conflict.

The extraordinary constitutional conflict which is taking place in Norway, between King Oscar on the one side and the largest proportion of the Norwegians on the other side, appears to be approaching a serious crisis, and deserves attention. A constituticnal struggle has for several years gone on also in Denmark; but King Christian lias, in a most prudent and constitutional manner, kept “ the King ” in tho background, leaving the Ministers to carry on the fight with the constitutional means in their power; and even the Radical leaders were honest enough a short time ago to acknowledge that the Cabinet had remained strictly on legal ground. The consequence is that King Christian is trusted by the nation, and that his popularity daily increases, notwithstanding the Parliamentary troubles. In Norway, on the contrary, King Oscar speaks personally as “the King.” It is “ the royal!” which a few days ago delivered a speech from the throne to tho members of the Norwegian Storthing, of which a garble ! extract appears to have been telegraphed abroad, but which in its entirety certainly is unique among speeches from the throne in a constitutional country, re sembling in reality more the “hoc volo, sic jubeo ” of a Roman imperator than a speech from a constitutional King. The c .nscquencc of this outburst of the royal wrath lias made a dosp impression in Norway ; all the more as the Norwegian character is naturally proud and selfconscious, and a republican rising eii masse against the union with Sweden under King Oscar, preceded or followed by a declaration of a Norwegian republic, is openly discussed. The popularity of tho King and the dynasty naturally suffers. Already the Storthing lias a second time refused to vote the increase to the appanage of the Crown Prince consequent on his mar,riage, and nobody would be surprised to see the Storthing take the most extreme measures in ; the fight for what rightly or wrongly is considered tlie liberty of the nation against tbe dictation of the King. —St James Gazette.