The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-03-26
Constitutional Denmark.

| parliamentary government. The cardinal
right of Withholding supplies is unques-
| tionably conceded by their Constitution 10
the Volksthng, or popular assembly; and
according TO precedent, this ought 10 in
| volve ministerial accountability and uu-
| equivocal submission on the part of the
| crown TO the will Of II parliamentary ma
jority.
| 1t spite. however. OF the favorable condi-
tions presented by the enlightened and
| progressive spirit of the people the Eng
lsh system reproduced in Denmark has
encountered in its practical application in
supcrable obstacles During the brief
period--less than thirty ycars-whch spans
Danish constitutional history, majority
OF the lower house has repeatedly miscar
ried In the attempt TO dictate n ministry,
and even wholesale rejection Of the budg-
1t. which threatened to dislocate the ma
chincry of government, has failed to dis
lodge the advisers Of the crown. 1t will
he found that the representatives of this
nation. which proclaims itself the frecst In
Europe, have been subjected to rebufrs and
sights that no English House OF Commons
would have brooked since the time of the
first SrUARTs.
As respects the recognition accorded TO
the keystone of parliamentary govern
ment, absolute Difference to the decision
Of the majority in the popular branch OF
the legislature, Denmark has refrigerated
within the last ten years. The liberal Con-
stitution of 1910. which had been easily cx-
torted from the good nature Of FREDERIC
VII, was at first interpreted and de-
vclopcd in strict accordance with British
precedent. So long rs the knot of orators,
writers. and professors who directed the
National-Lbera party were fortified in
their grasp Of power by the support of the
DANISH people, the drift toward republic
can institutions was continuous and pro-
nounccd.
Throughout indeed, lease Of office
which lasted seventeen years, and doubt
less seemed to them intciminahle. these
learned and eloquent but as events proved
uutrustworthy men, missed no opportunity
of weakening and discrediting the royal
| prcrogatiVe. In their definition of Il con-
stitu,ioua state the function Of the crown
seemed TO have shrunk to II legal fiction,
and tho ultimate source Of all authority
was LODGED in the popular vote. On The
two occasions when the party came in
direct collision with tho crown, the latter
was shown to have been utterly shorn Of
dignity, rs well as influence. When Mr.
HALL who had borne undisputcd sway in
> all public affairs, chose TO interfere in the
King's personal concerns, FREprRIc VII
, found courage to decline further inter
= course with the Prime Minister, where
/ upon Mr.. HALL went ont of office,
but the MoNRAD Government. which sue
a "A l..t
: to rcadmit him to the Cabinet. sull more
: significant was the attitude Of the party
on the accession Of CuRIsrIAS IN.
l whose Signature to what il known as the
November Constitution was imperiously
demanded as condition precedent to his
F. coronation.
Z Alter the humiliation and dismcmbor-
, mcnt resulting from the Scheswig-l lolstcin
4 war and the consequent downfall of the
I Natonal-Liberals, public opinion in Den-
= mark underwent n conservative reaction.
l The country districts developed special
q hostility to the discrcdited doctrines of
{ the late Government, and powerful asso-
Citations were organized among small ms
well rs large proprietors, with the object
Of unfolding the royal prerogatvc. A
J. curious feature of tins monarchical propa-
Il gauda WAS the emphatic support IL derived
10 from the organs and Spokesman OF the
/ ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS, who, for the sake OF
e partial reinstatement in office. dishonorcd
q themselves before the country 10y dIsavow-
C ing all their previous utteraucos.
Il The conservatives, however, were par
+ TALLY held in check by the growth OF a gen
}. uine democratic party. Already in 1870 It's
Is adherents were sufficiently numerous in the
, Volksthng 10 lend decisive impetus tC
81 the movement which placed the Holster
D, ministry in power; and under veritabl'
le parliamentary system its leaders, Messrs
n JANSEN and BERG, must have received
y seats in the cabinet. The Indifference will
IS which their claims We're put aside had the
= wholesome effect Of fusing the radical fac
~ uous which, under the name of the Unitet
is Left, acquired in 1873 prcponderance IL
Il the popular assembly. Theroupon in
II petition to the throne, they requested
II change of ministers, and ON the refusal o
y tins reasonable demand, had recourse {,
r the coercive measure prescribed by tn
en- Cons tituhon, and declined to vote supplies
ne As il happened, the existing ministry ha'
rd gained Office by an identical proceeding
but when radicals resorted to the ster
m spcakablc, aud parliament was summnril.
st dissolved. In the new elections the radica
H. parry secured n majority, but although
d. they confined the expression of their ms
g. pirations within temperate and street.
-, lawful bounds, and succeeded in oven
We throwing two successive ministries, the
re still failed to win recognition from tn
p crown, or the smallest representation i
ly the government.
re The desperate and successful resistanc
d, to the legitimate demands OF the radici
by party has involved melancholy results fo
Denmark. In the first place, the royi
is prerogatve has received an expansion NJ
SIX easily reconciled with the theory of popl
he lar government. Moreover, the vital priI
is ciple of the Constitution has been sappe
mt by pernicious doctrine lately formulated
is which allows the crown to levy provisions
TO- taxes in case the assembly withhold SUI
"a | nIiae AnOthar rafroOroda eVmntOm w