The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1890-05-17
ed laws to govern tho social or private
mode Of living for their Norwegian sub
jects-called in America s'sumptuary

- ~
laws
TIE BENEFICENT REVOLUTION.
The French revolution inspired some
Of the chained but naturally liberty low
ing Norwegians, and, with Count j. X.
Wedel-J arlsberg as leader, an association
called '.Selskabet for Norges VeI' was
formed; the people had come to see how
absurd and detrimental the union with
Denmark (which now had continued for
over 400 years. really was, and they agi-
tated and worked for q separation. The
first reward Of their labor was the estab-
ishment of the University OF Christiania
the first in the land-the I'd day Of Sep
TENDER, 1911. This stimulated the work,
but the next year the country again met
with a sad blow, a failure Of crops, and
the people from n end Of the land to
the other were destitute. At the same
time Denmark had wars with England,
Russia, Sweden and Prussia, and the 14th
Of January, 1914, the Swedish king, Carl
Johan. went with a large army into Hol-
stein and forced the Danish king, Fred
rik vi, to accede to the terms of peace
agreed upon in Kiel. BY this act Nor
way was released from Denmark and as
signed to Sweden.
The governor of Norway, Prince Chris
.tian Fredrik, Immediately demanded
the throne. He made a trip through
the country and went as far north as
Trondhjem, on which occasion the peo-
pie everywhere manifested their love
and affection towards their young gov
rho He called together the ablest
and most influential men Of the state to
meet him at the Eidsvolds Iron works
the 10th Of February, 1914. He ex-
planned the situation to be that he, &C
cording to the law of succession, was
the only heir to the throne, since King
Fredrik vi had been compelled to resign
the claim. Professor George Sverdrup re-
piled: His majesty has no more right
to the throne than I have" He further
more explained the true situation, and
the governor consented to his view.
At the same conference it was resolved
that the treaty between the several ma
tons, termed 1.-The Kielerfreden," should
not be binding for the Norwegians;
that Prince Christian Fredrik, however,
should hold the reins Of government, and
that a national assembly should convene
at Eidsvold and form and adopt a con-
stitution.
That body assembled the 10th of April
the same year-112 in number. They
were divided into two factions-the in
dependent, led by Sorenskriver Christian
Magnus Falsen, and the so called svensk-
sindede (who preferred 4 union with
Sweden), led by Count Wedel-Jarlsberg
On the 18th Of May the Norwegian con-
stitution was completed. according to
which Norway was a free, Independent
and inseparable kingdom, with a limited,
heritable monarchical form of govern
ment.
The same day Christian Fredrik was
elected king of Norway. He accepted
office on Ascension day, the 10th of May.
The "Eidsvoldsmendene" the members
of the constitutional c"onvention) swore
fealty to the constitution and the new
king, whereupon the latter declared the
convention adjourned, and closed with
these words: Return home, fellow citi-
zens, with the browning conviction that
You have acted in the spirit of true patri-
otism, and that our people will acknowl-
edge with gratitude that you have shown
yourselves worthy of their confidence, as
you have upheld the honor of the state
and laid the foundation for it's future
prosperity. May God add his blessing
to the act"