New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-10-05
A 0Hesfiou of Inv.

We lately published the letter Of
correspondent Of long standing, writing from
Copenhagen, and commenting upon the aspect
of politics in the ancient Kingdom OF Denmark,
One topic, however, which just at present excites
the warmest interest not only in the capital but
in the provinces of that country, our coneSpOn-
dent did not touch upon, and we accordingly
proceed to supply his omission.
Some year or two ago the King mrned
privately mllliner and dressmaker Of COpen.
hagen named Luisa Rasmussen. At the same
time she was raised into the ranks Of the
nobility by the title Of the Countess Dancer.
The ady 's earlier reputation had not been morally
spotless, but she was as good as her bridegroom'
with whom she had been on intimate terms for
some time previously. The marriage was intended
20 be Of the sort called mOrgGnGtic, lefJ'hsnded
IL this Lind OF unions, which are peculiar to royal
and noble families Of Northern Europe, the wife
ami children are excluded from the rights belong
ipr TO the rank and flom the succession OF the
husband. The Countess Danner-- who is forty
three years old, rather stout, and very plain, but
kind-hsartsd and full of talent,-has never been
publicly acknowledged az Copenhagen as the wife
of Frederic VII, but he has always spoken of hor
an such to his intimates. Every body knows the
fact Of the marriage.
Recently, however on occasion Of visit made
by the Countess to utland, she was received with
public festivities by magistrates and people. just
as il she had been the Queen, and since then it
has been whispered abroad that he int ends to
raise her to that dignity. llereupon arises tenn
nest in the public mind, and newsp ipers aud
pamphlete grow heated in the discussion. Thirty
two Of the latter have already appeared at COpen-
HAGEN. and the cry is still they come. THESE
publications are Of every kind, from the gravest
,sgaI Arguments down to the grossest attacks
unou the character OF the lady, and the most
piouant revelations as to her history. And yet
40 much liberty Of the press exists IN Denmark at
present, that the police have suppressed only one
a poem eatitled RdSRuSSsae, which describes the
,ise Of the Countess from her childhood among
The loyest classes of the people, through her
career as theatrical supeInumerary, and MILF
mel at Paris and Copenhagen, up to her marriage,
i, re,faotly merciless strain Of truth or fiction,
and more probably Of both.
The more serious pamphlets relate to the legal
aspects of the matter, and where lawyers differ on
such point, the controversy OF course interest
ing. The pivot ofths whole dispute is the fact that
,norganatic marriage, though legally recognized
in Germany, is not known to the DANISH law thus
on the one hand it is contended that the union IS
absolutely the as any other marriage, and
the Countess enttlod to all the rights aud privi-
,eges Of the Kings wife, just as though there had
been no special compact or understanding between
them. The opposite party maintain that there is
no legal marriage in the case, aud that wedding
where the husband gives the wife his leh instead
Of his right hand is no wedding at all. To this
abe reply is that neither the civil the ecelesi-
astical law prescribes which hand shall be given,
and TINT one is as good as the ether. A marriage
even where no hand gwen would, they cen
tend. be sscramenta and binding, and therefore
the oft hand conlers the same rights and the same
obligations as the right. Ii is almost needless to
say that the clergy go with this party against
those who maintain that there has been no mar
risge 10 the case.
Still more warmth is given to the quarrel by the
desire Of the King to proclaim the Countess as
his Queen, and, indeed, the suspicion that such
was his intention has long been entertained. His
next friends say that he may do so, since
Denmark, very recently absolute monarchy,
has no law restraining the Sovereign's pleasure in
that nspeet. Some Of them, however, dissuade
him from the step.
What Is singular is that the people dislike the
Countess as much as the aristOeracy. while many
among the middle classes support her cause for
the simple reason that she is Of the humblest
birth. But so great is the popular opposition to
her, that she cannot appear in the street without
being insited; the other day lady, who was
mistaken for her, had her carriage stopped by a
mob, aud was desperately frightened, til the Eis-
lake was explained and she was allowed to go.
The Countess, however, lives in great retirement
and avoids all public display. She is said to be
both patriotic and charitable, and it is possible
that, 10 time, she may outlye the hatred Of her
antagonists and see herself peacefully acknowl-
edged; at any rate, few Of the adventurous char
actsrs of tho dsy have passed through stranger
Hcssitude Of circumstance Meanwhile. the
question as to whether she is legally married or
hot' may continue to afford subject for the
"ransbag Of Danish LAWYERS.
m