The New York herald., 1874-08-27

the people nee to choose tnelr Chei Masis',a1s -
we are. there would be no douot oi 'iis ,,,'
There Is no doubt that the lcelahoe's 49,
wen TO be free from Danish control 10 na'o , oaoa
a,r ,ha oid ronpnc which their lore athers lived
nnder for 400 wears and which was 80 oruehy oe
travad m Norwav by suorro Sturiiseh, ana a'eet-
ward sau 20 penmark with the union Oh the Danisn
and Norwegian crowns -, . no,os
The Icelanders have never hAeu .t ~
,he,r language nor their laws inef ian
ouaoe diners more rom the ieeiahaic than tne
Sora,aotan While theirs is the pure, unadalter-
.taa scandinavian, the Danlsh Is almost "holy
.ro.,,oc rom H. and no Dane thinks OF speaking
-, ,eo,opd,e The Governors and many other OIL
,, acontre il imperfectiy, and speak II but lttle
rna neope are very proud OF their language, their
saoas and their history; and well they may De-
tor their language Is rich, beautiful ana express
s,va their sagas are the record OF hardy race OF
Uberty-loying men-o1 men who have never ceased
70 battle for freedom, who came here 10 escape
nom tyranny thousand years age, and enjoyed
their freedom ior time and when they
had lost 1t through treachery, have never
ceased the light TO regain IL. and
are nghting still to-day Thanks to Jon sigurds-
son, tney have, at least in form, local govern
ment, as OF old, for conducting the business and
the legislation their own soil. TO be sure the
new constitution does not satisfy them, ior tne
Crown still holds practically the power OF govern
ing the island; but they have gained the great
point that they raise their own revenues and
expend them they Will. Besides the imperial
government stipuates TO pay back into the Ice
landic Treasury some OF its llgotten gains toward
which the people have looked for long.
long WHILE but until now looked In
vain. as their rightful neshpots. So, now
that the home government can no longer
thrust it's hands into the Icelandic money bags 1t
Is not likely that 1t Will care much TO disturb the
Iceanders with the cumbersome machinery OF the
new constitution. For, in truth, t practically
gives them but this one right, and even this may
be interrupted by the veto OF the Crown or by the
votes OF the Kings appointees In the Althing.
HOPEFUL PROSPECTS FoR THE ISLANDERS.
1t is mistake to suppose that the Icelanders
are not worthy OF being we'll governed. Its climate
is too rigid to allow OF any great wealth being pre-
duced the SOIL but the about IT, IT'S lakes
and clear, dashing rivers abound in the finest nsh,
and with their new ''nome rule,'' with hands un-
tied and feet unshackled, with abundant spirit and
enterprise there can be no doubt they Will develop
their resources, and In very few years double
them. Their exports of fish and wool are even
now, with the hopeless burden or misrule under
which they have groaned. sapping their energies
and destroying all ambition, surprisingly great.
rhe population is about 10000, and they are far
from being poor people.
The scandinavian people are and always have
been lovers of liberty; but they have never
been great adopts in the art Of expressing the
liberty they love well in the forms Of law hence
the bungng defects OF this new constitution,
which, bad though IL is, has won their hearts and
sealed their devotion to their King. They really
think II he had his own way he would grant them
everything they wish. They like him and his
dynasty, and are thoroughly loyal, and none the
ess Is this the that they have the impression
that the dynasty is not popular with the Danish
people, whom they hate, so far rs can see, right
cordially.
cRTTICIsING THE CONSTITUTION.
Though the constitution was not to-day formally
promulgated by royal proclamation. it is In every
oody's hands and everybody is reading and COM
menting on 1t. Some approve sparingly; some
accept it with Ill will; some say, 'Wel 1t is good
step in the right direction and an entering wedge
1or something better" i heard one say ''Oh 1t
would lie all right enough If we were rid Of this
Danish Governor and the royal spies.r The truth
is these hardy fellows simply want to be let alone
To rear their sheep on the heath and catch their
nsn along the rocky coasts. Thoroughly peaceful,
with neither army nor police TO maintain (there
are only three policemen on the island, as am In
1ormed), with little to expend their money
grumbe to see their revenues carried into the
imperial Treasury or swallowed up by ofncials wht
nave no interest in the prosperity OF the island
urther than that gives them the means of living
at the public cost.
nave before me copy Of this new constitu-
zion, which. as constitutions 60 with US and all
English speaking people. would be esteemed little
better than huge joke OF some shrewd politician
'.nd viii give brief synopsis Of 1t. one OF It's
merits is certainly not brevty. 1t comprises in
~ seven chapters and sixty-two articles
The Constitution OF Iceland.
CHAPTER l.
RELATIONS BETWEEN ICELAND DENMARK.
and the hPs Kns
alone judiciary power with the ndees Iceland has no
and has 70 rsDresentai,on IN the Danish algsdas
1 may hs be s Of ns
6s Mn;;sF ss BY the Athns after
petition the king against acts OF the Governor anc the
All appointed sy the King must be
.anguage He may remove an officer or transfer him,
y s every
The Eng may can extraordinary sessions and direct
fFe King may may adjourn the regular Althins but no,
than. once however the same year "'' '''
lhs kias may dissolve t6s SSIthing in which case
newly elected AIthing shall be summoned meet the
year following
The King shall have power TO lay draughts Of bills
before the Althing
TO- II the King not given his assent a bill within
two years it cannot have the power Of law and Is null
And void.
H. When the King con siders il necessary he may de-
cree ad interim laws These must not however violate the
the next session. though unless with the assent OF the
Alng they cannot be annuled.
~ Ali power and repreve rests with the King.
rs me king may directly or by royal ommisson
Antexempton from the operation OF laws enacted by
the Althng under the constitution in they
dict with Laws formerly in force
CHAPTER II.
rHE CONSTITUTIONS ALTHING.
IL The Athing shall consist OF thirty.six deputies
nrty 70 be elected by the people, six appointed by the
Ains. The number OF the former may be altered bv law
The deputies shall be elected years, unless the
AlthiN shall be sooner dissolved by the King The six
appothted By the King, however, in case dissounon