Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-03-20
rsErrrse AGAINST RESTRAINT.

In many parts of the world the Unborn
sense of right to freedom, the love OF lib
erty, the struggle against despotic control,
is being constantly made manifest where
monarchical restraint is applied. He reads
the history and signs of the era to small
p-oft who does not see that there is deal
of frettipg against bars and struggling
with letters. Sooner or later the one will
give way and the other be thrown eff. The
right to seli-government is being more and
more boldly asserted, and 10 attempt to
suppress the spirit that aotuates the ssseE-
tion has been entirely successful. 1t is
needless to recall the enlargement of hu.
man rights, and the recognition Of the
voice of the people which hsve obtained in
England standing out in such bold relief
against a not very distant background OF
absolute control by q ruling class. y more
recent instance of the march of the repre-.
sentative idea, is found in the present agi-
tation IN Norway and Sweden. 1t began
with the grant to the demand thai the
Kings veto should be limited to three sp-
plications to the same measure. The Nor.
wegian legislative body may pass measure
and the monarch has the right of absolute
veto but if twice thereafter the bill is
presented for kingly approval and fails to
receive if, it becomes the law and his pre-
negative expires. The Strothing two
years ago passed bill requiring the Kings
Ministers of State to sit with that repre-.
sentative body, take part in its proceed.
ings, and be subject to its catechising.
Three different Legislatures presented the
measure, and three times King Oscar
treated it with contempt. Indeed, he
made no concsalment of his anger, and his
Ministers openly manifested their hatred
of the legislative body and their dislike of
the demands it made. The measure, by ex-
piration of the veto prerogative, became
law. Still the Ministry, backed by the
King and his advisers, refused obedience.
Thereupon, very recently, the Minister
of State was impeached by the Legisla-
ture, tried, found guilty, fined, and the
declaration Of deposition made. The Leg
islature now pauses to note the effect Of
this example upon the remainder of the
Cabinet. which still holds out. II is not
going too far to say that out Of this strug
gle there may arise revolution aud a
change of government, and this, despite
the powerful moaarchical coalition in Eu-
rope that always exists between sovereigns
for mutual defense of the prerogatives of
royalty. 1t is not true shat Oscar is tyr
aunous, nor that his rule retards the coun.
try. The people are reasonably prosperous
and happy, and the Kings administration
has in the main been wise and just, and
under it his realm has materially ad.
vanced. Still il is true that pronounced
and aggressive majority OF the National
Legislature is inoculated with republican
ideas, and that no great occasion is needed
to bring on an actual revolution. There is
q deep.seated old grudge against the ruling
house; it was net one of the peoples
choosing; they were given over TO it with
out consultation on their part, and it was
only made palatable at all by Constitu-
tional grants that deprived the King OF
pretty much all royal power, and vested it
in a Legislature, which is chosen by the
people, under property qualification, VINO
also select their civil oticers under like
suffrage restraint. Bat still there is
substratum of republicanism in the king
dom, and the possibility is by no means .
vague enc that Oscar may be the last King
with even solitary absolute right over
Sweden and Norway.