New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-11-13
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
NORwEGIANs AND THEIR KING.

A LETTER FROM UJALMAR II. BOYEsEN-THE SIC
NIFIcANCE OF THE RECENT ELECTION - AN
UPRISING TO CONDEMN UNCONSTITUTIONAL Gov
ERNMENT.
To ne Edtt0r OF The Trf6Une
SIR; As the nature of the great constitutional
struggle which has been in progress in Norway for
several years past is very little understood on this
side Of the ocean, you will perhaps permit me to
offer few words in explanation of the crushing de-
feat which the Government has sustained III the
recent elections.
As you know, Norway has never had native
nobility aud the Danish nobility, which imm-
grated into the country during the long union with
Denmark and whose descendants are yet cOnspic-
nous among the official class in Norway, have now
constitutional privileges which not also
vouchsafed to every other citizen Ever since the
constitution of 1914 was given. however, this
official class has formed a sort of bureaucracy,
which has been III close union with the Crown and
has despsed the peasautTy and resisted
every attempt to give the people any real
pert in the Government. The Ministers OF
the Crown have invariably been selected from
this so-called party Of intelligence. and as they
have governed the country in their own interest
and with only secondary regard for the interests
ofthe peasautrY, the discomfort among the latter
has with every year been growing more pro-
nounced. and has asserted itself with increasing
force at every new election. For a long series OF
years the peasants or the Liberal party tho Left
which has hitherto been mostly made up of country
representatives, have had a strong majority in the
Storthing and have with perfect justice claimed
the right to conduct the Government. The leader
of the Liberal Opposition. Johan Sverdrup. is man
Of unqucstioned craftsmanship and of unblemished
character and thus admirably qualified for being at
the head of the Cabinet. The King. however, has
per.istently turned deaf ear to the clamor for a
Liberal Ministry with SverdTup at Its head, and,
instead of yielding has boon showing every undlg-
nifed personal irritation and corresponding ten
dency to defy the Liberal majority. The Consti-
tuition gives him only suspensive veto
bat as this would not of late have
suficed him to arrest the rising tide OF democ-
racv, be has had the audacity to claim
an absolute veto in constitutional amendments.
When three successive Storthings had passed over
his veto the bill admitting the Ministers of the
Crown to seats in Parliament, he openly violated
the Constitution by refusing to promulgate the law
When the old Conservative Premier stang, VINO
had, IN spite of many Parliamentary defeats re-
NAMED steadily in office for some twenty or twenty
five years, forced 10 resign on account OF Old
age, the King would have had an adlnuanle OppoI-
tuuItv for settling his quarrel with the Norwegian
people without any sacrifice Of dignity. instead OF
that, he flung down the gauntlet TO the ctorining
lutelV reacuonarv gentleman named Selmer 10 the
Premiership. This Srlmer Ministry has developed
a combatIvr policy, prosecuted people for INSULT
ing the maJcstN OF the hihg procured FetOr- loI 81
o-res-Ive measures passed by Parliament. and
finally the last speech from the Throne, made IL
self responsible for menacing language such a
was probably never before used by constitutional
sovereign TO the assembled representatives OF his
people.
Now the free people OF Norway have responded
to thi, challenge by returning a majority against
the Government which Will amount 10 fOuT-tifths
OF the whole Parliament. While formerly the Oppo-
siuon has drawn it, strength from the country DIS
ulcts il has now tor the first time made a strong
impression upon the cities which have been 50
utterly disguised By the coerclYe policy OF resist
auce that thev have wheeled into line and swelled
tue Liberal majority into this unprecedented size.
OF course a crisis of somU sort must now
lie AT hand 1t is hardly conceivable
that Government which pretends TO rep
resent a limited constitutional monarchy can 90 on
under the forms OF law wltn.a Parliamentary sup
port Of lJ-2O, and an opposition of 95-lOO. W nat
shape the crisis will take 10 yet prema ure 10
predict. A large number of the Liberal representa-
tives are republicans, and would undoubtedly, II
they consulted tier own predictions abolish the
monarchy and establish a republic. But the great
mai rIty would prefer 90 postpone This day for
many years yet aud would only adopt the republic
as q last al ernatIve. when II had been cOncusIyey
shown that 1t Is incompatible with the sel-respect
OF a free people to continue 10 acknowledge the
sovereignty of such King As Oscar IL; Respect
fully, uJAL-dAf IL DOAESi-N'
Aec- York, Nov. 0, 1882.