, 1874-02-25

OF Wudb WIG ministry OuSuO w uO' dHu lie
hope that they will do it, and this ne does
in the exercise of his constitutional prero-
gative, to select his ministers according to
his own decision. But of course all
the difficulty lies here, for it is just this
prerogative that the Left will not admit.
With regard to the publication of the let
ter which caused the resolution passed on
the 28th it is defensible under cIrcumstan-
ces like the present where the question is
about the political responsibility of the
ministry to the representation and public
opinion. "When a ministry, says DagbIa-
det, "has been prosecuted beyond the
bounds of decency, and calumniously &C
cused offorcing themselves upon the King,
it is natural and Just that the people
should know what is the real truth"
There is no attempt to throw the response
bility on the King. The letter only serves
to shew the exact wording of the Kings
reply to the ministry on rendering their
resignation. Had the King, on an occa-
sion like, f. in, at the ley6e on New Years
Day, said the same thing by wordofmouth,
nothing would have been said Of its being
afterwards published. The Ministerial
Gazette is a fit organ for its publication,
being under the control of the Ministry Of
Justice.
In the House, Count Holstein-Ledre-
borg, who brought in the Interpolation
and proposed the order of the day, main
tanned that the publication of the letter
was politically dangerous in its consequent
ces, as this letter was the only reason
assigned for the Ministry's remaining in
office, The responsibility for their re-
manning was thereby thrown upon the
King. This step was rendered still moro
important by the Ministry having, in
their most submissive representation, only
spoken Of a party in the House, whereby
the King was involved in the party strife.
That must not be. To do it would be to
place the Ministry above the interest of
the crown. 1t was an attack on the
monarchical principle and it was not less
so on the constitutional; for it is a neces-
sary condition for the existence OF an oppo-
sition that it be not accused of illoyalty.
By a portion Of the Press the people are
now divided into loyal and illoyal, which
is dangerous to constitutional life. The
object of the contention was, whether or
not, the great body of the people should
have o due influence OF legislation and the
carrying of important reforms.
The principal point in the reply Of the
Minister of Justice, was the refutation
of the assertion that the King had been
drawn into the contentious. This asser-
ton would be right if Mr.. Berg's (ot the
Left Interpretation of the position of the
constitutional King was correct, that he
must be neutral and allow himself to be
carried hither and thither on the political
surges, right. or left, following the current.
Under this supposition the King would
indeed, by having and maintaining a will
of his own, descend into party conflicts,
but the Minister was astonished to notice
that Holstein, who had formerly used his
weapons so we'll against republican monar-
chy or a monarchical republic, now by
his conception of the position Of the King
had sided with Berg. The Minister must
positively deny that the King, by using
his constitutional %prerogative in deciding
about bis Ministry's dismissal or remain
ing, had taken any part in party s%trifes.
The same might then have been said if
his decision had gone the other way.
What had been done had been provoked
l. A. Ho,eo ~, bovinO raDoo+oJlv odJ,ono