The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1890-03-22
NORWEGIAN HISTORY.


A butte Gentleman Takes Exception t0 u
Statement In Colonel O'Leary's speech.
To Tho Editor ~ tn Standard.
In Tuesday mornings STANDARD mention was
made Of the ,ioings I'm ~. Iatrick's day In Ana
conda, appended Ia which was - speech delivered
by Colonel OIcary, containing an historical In
accuracy which ! desire 10 correct IL the TAN
ARD kindly permits the space. The speaker ~.
ferrcd la SAYS: NORWAY under the leadership
Of her poet, Bjorn Iijopsen, won her national In
dependence. The voice ~ a single man, backed
by n united people was more potent than the
armed forces 81 sweden" The contents Of the
above paragraph are untrue, and do injustice Ia
Il noble people who live In peace with the Nor,
wcgians. The writer Of this article, although
,crscd In the histories of the two countries up Ia
the present time, has. tlrougl, all his researches
and studies ~ far, failed To discover where and
when ,Bjorn BIornsen, during his lifetime, has
Unidentified himself with any revolution, and
where sweden. ever since isiI, proceeded To put
any armed forces In operation against Norway.
dns hingd",a ., sIssien aha N NINA Sa samI,e
two parts came about early IN The present cen
fury. by the treaty of Kid, January IL, 1874, Nor
way was c-ied by Denmark by whose sovereign
II had been previously ruled 10 the King 81
sweden. THIS crssion The Norwegian people NJ
fused Ia recognize, and declared themselves In
dependent. They chose delegates to 4 constituent
assembly, which met AT Eidswold In MAY.
adopted a constitution and elected a King.
sweden, however. raised an army and proceeded
Ia o','upy the country. by iorrr, and rs The
European powers refused Ia recognize the
new government the Norwcgians were obliged
Ia yield. August ~ The convention of Moss was
held hy which the independence uf Norway in lis
union with sweden WAS soleIunly proclaimed. \
constituent assembly was then called, which for-
maily accepted the union, adopted such modili.
cations ~ were necessary, AMI elected King
Charles NIL, king Of Norway. The following
year the charter Of union, or Riks;ict. was pro
mulgitcd, which established new fundamental
laws On the terms that the union 81 the two
Kingdoms should be iudssoluhle aid lrreyocablr
without prejudice, however. 10 the separate gov.
'rnmcni constitution and code of laws ~ either
sweden or Norway. The two states are thur
united In the person 81 their sovereign only.
There is n united diplomatic service, II IL true,
hui this is simply the representative " the SOY.
crcign abroad. There Is also a council Of state,
COMPOSED 81 representatives from both king.
doins which decides nidn affairs colnn,on TO both.
hut this II simply a committee 81 conference OF
advisory hazard. and exercises no powet except In
The ease III minority uf the King, when II II L.
hold sovereign power until 4 regent has been ap.
pointed hy the united action Of the IarliamcntS
oi the two states. should the succession to the
throne fail, the two parlialnrnts must assemble
toelert a new sovereign. and should they be tn'
able la agree upon olc person an equal number
If swedish and Norwegian deputies must meet
at the city 1T Carlsbad In Sweden, 10 choose n
King and their choice II Ia be absolute. Til,
union has secured ~ both countries 80 years 0f
uninterrupted peace.
tSienedl e. =. WILLIAMsoS.
Butte. March II, tsG.