The New York herald., 1874-08-27
The Theussnath Aaaivsrssry OF lee.
land.

The splendid moon which last night hung
over this city, silvering its steeples towers and
streets, it's rivers and the forest hidden islands,
shines upon far different scene when from
the northern sky it looks down upon Iceland.
1t is a land so unlike our own that imagination
can but family realize its nature. Long ages
ago the bottom of the sea rose above the waves
avast volcanic plain, out of which, in some con-
vulsion of the subterranean forces, mountain
ranges were hurled, with craters pouring from
their enormous jaws oceans.of lava and fire.
In that distant time what We call Iceland now
was land of flame and smoke. Then in Gen.
turies upon centuries Of Arctic winter the
molten mass was cooled and Iceland
became, what we now know it, a
land of desolation, with abysses and
peaks and waste places, where no man
comes, or hath come, since the making of the
world" Its interior is desert of snow and
ice, between which and the tempestuous sea
thin girdle Of green gives inhospitable re-
fuge to hardy people. To the unfruitful
zone of this cold Venus of the North
they have chung with as passionate
love as in the warm South the
islander clings to the shores of Cyprus,
daughter of the Mediterranean foam. A thou
sand years have come and gone, and the Ice
lander celebrates the birth of his republic, in
that strange earnest way, not without its
pride and ponp, which is so fully described in
our pages to-day.
Iceland is of little material value to the
10
commerce or progress if it could sink
again into the sea from which it
rose. Yet its millennial celebration has
commanded the attention Of the world.
Almost inaccessible as it is, certainly
far beyond the usual paths of travel, men from
nearly every civilized country were present at
Thingvalla, when the new freedom was given
to Iceland by Denmark to console her for the
loss of the old. In the harbor Of Reikiavik,
where strange vessel is an unfamiliar sight
six men-of-war were anchored, and the
French, Danish, German, English, Swedish
and Norwegian flags hoated in honor of the
anniversary. The Star-Spangled Banner waved
above little vessel which bore upon her deck
man who had planted the American colors
in regions far nearer to the Pole than even
Iceland-the famous Arctic explorer, Dr.. l. I.
Hayes, to whom the public is indebted for the
powerful and thorough narrative the HERALD
prints to-day. And for the first time in her
history Iceland looked upon her King,
whom she welcomed with enthusiasm
and joy, because he came not, as monarchs
generally d. to take away liberties, but to re-
store long forfeited rights. But SO difficult is
travel upon this strange island. which can
hardly be traversed from coast to coast, that at
Reikiavik but three thousand persons were
present out of q population of seventy thou
less cordial. There was no army to
receive him, for Iceland is with
out soldier. But the Governor, the
priest, the Icelandic girls in the singular
picturesque costume Of their country, the
judges Of the courts, and the three policemen
1.-TWO having been recently appointed, because
the other one. who had formerly sole charge of
the island, complained earnestly of the extraor-
dinary length Of his beat) were present
in all their dignity and splendor. DR..
Hayes intimates that there was some
disappointment at first because Chris
tian * did not wear q crown nor
carry q sceptre, insignia which some Of the
Icelanders, no doubt, supposed to be insepa-
rable from royal display. He was arrayed
in the simple Danish naval uniform, and in
the end, no doubt, his Arctic subjects were
better satisfied to have king who waived
superAuous ceremony and came among them
as . friend rather than ruler. The recep-
ton at Reikiavik was but preliminary to
the grand celebration at the plain OF
Thingvalla, the ancient seat OF judgm ent,
years ago abandoned. But there the Icelander 8
rightly thoughtit best to commemorate the birth
of the nation and to receive from the hands
of the first Danish King who ever trod their
shores the new constitution, which Writ ually
gives them independence. This charter does
not free Iceland in law, for Den
mark still retains the sovereignty, and
the King has the veto power over the Althing,
or Legislature. But the heavy burden which
Denmark has hitherto imposed upon Iceland
is removed the people are allowed to
raise and expend their own revenues as
they please. This is the great gift OF
the new constitution, and in the end
will not only endear Chris tian *. to
the Icelanders, but will remove the
enmity which they have long felt toward the
Danes. The cause Of hatred, injustice. is
des stroyed by this wise concession of freedom
in local affairs. The Evangelical Lutheran
Church is declared the national Church, and
the State is required to assist it as such; but
freedom Of conscience is also fully guaranteed.
Public education is provided for, and ''the
freedom OF the press is absolute" To US the
theoretical control which is reserved by Den.
mark is radical fault of the charter, but it is
likely to remain mere formal affirmation OF
| sozarainn riuhts xithnnt any nractical effect