St. Paul daily globe., 1892-06-05
THE DANISH FOURTH.
Today Is Dear to the Heart Of
Every Loyal and Patri-
Otie Dane.
A Celebration Of the Great
Victory Gained by the
People
When the King Agreed to Re-
store Constitutional Gov
ePnment.
Tho HoIdnn Wpddino Ami
The Golden Wedding Ami
versary of the Danish
King and Queen.

Inc ON OF June is lHe uaN Ol dlI udNS
in the year dear to the hearts of the
people of the ancient little kingdom of
Denmark. 1t is the Danish Fourth of
July. The day that heralded to the
Danish nation a new era of freedom,
when monarchial despotism had to give
way to a constitutional form OF govern
ment, and it is but natural that the
Danes who have emigrated to the
United States, the land of liberty, feel
called upon to honor the day also in this
country, especially as II carries with 1t
many sweet memories of Il beautiful
home and of dear ones left behind,
while it brings to mind vivid recollec-
tionS of the thrilling hours, When the
echoes of the great revolution, which
made the thrones of Europe totter, Vi
brated even to the smiling shores and
peaceful homes of little Denmark.
The kingdom of Denmark, once a
potent factor in the political makeup Of
continental Europe, is now, i'll popula-
ton as well as territory. one OF the
smallest independent states III the
world, comprising. as it does, only 1,500
square miles, with about 2,000,0 600 in
habitantS; but. although the Danish ma
tiOn is small in numbers. it has pro-
duced a large number of distinguished
men of science and art, and the Danish
literature in verse and prose may truly
be said 10 rank with those of the lead
ing nations of the world. In early
times the government of Denmark was
of quite liberal characteristic office
of king being an elective one until as
late as 1860, when the people Volun-
tarily bestowed absolute powers on the
king. in order to gain protection from
the expressions and eXtOrtiOnS of the
nobility When the late King Freder-
lex VII. succeeded to the Danish
throne in January, 1S4S, he at once
offered to grant to the people of Den
mark a constitutional form of govern
ment, and accordingly charter was
drawn up by an assembly elected for
that purpose. and on June 5, 1919, the
king affixed thereto his royal signature
and the Danish nation became in virtue
thereof a free and Self-gOvern-
ing people, with representative
government; and it is this in
the Danish history which the Danes
at home and in this country commem-
crate in their 5th of June celebrations,
sentiment to which the native Amer
lean cheerfully and consistently can say
"Amen. and good speed"
The Royal PrerOgatives.
The administrative authority in Den
mark is vested in the king, and the
judicial powers in the officers of the law.
The king must profess the Lutheran
faith; he is Irresponsible: his person
sacred. His royal prerogativeS include
the appointing and dismiSsing Of state
officials. declaring of war or making
peace, entering Into or abrOgating treat
les of commerce, war or peace, the con-
currence of the rigSdag (the two houses
Of parllament, however, being essential
in cases involving the ceding of any
portion of the Danish dOminiOnS or the
modification of the existing integrity of
lhe state. The ministry, which COM
priseS seven portfolios home, foreign,
war, navy. treasury, Justice and church
and Schools responsible, and any
minister may be made to answer indi-
vidually for any law or enactment to
which he has. ex-oficio. appended his
name in atteStatiOn of the royal sigma
ture, which is required to give validity
to the resolutions of the diet.
The present king of Denmark,
Christian X, who succeeded to the
throne of Denmarkin 1868 upon the death
of Frederick VII, was born in the an
cient castle of GOtsOrp, and is direct
defendant of the youngest son of the
Danish king Christian Ill, known
as Duke Hans, who was the founder of
the numerous, now nearly extinct Son
GerbOrg lines OF the Oldenborg dynasty.
Prince Christian came to Copenhagen
when quite yODng. received a military
education, aud was made lieutenant
in the royal horse guards in 1887. of
which crack regiment he in time be-
came cOmmander-in-chief. On the Goth
day of May, 1912, now just fifty years
ago, he was married in the palace of
AmalienbOrg, his present residence, to
his cousin, Princess Louise of Hes
sen-CaSSel, a niece of the
queen eOf king Christian VII.
Through this marriage the prince be-
came still more closely allied to the
reigning royal house of Denmark. and
when the revolution of 1S4S-49 80 broke
out he remained loyal to his country
and fought with his regiment through
out the war, while his brothers joined
the cause Of the reYOlutioniStS. His
being the nearest heir to the Danish
crown when the direct line of the Olden-
bOrgers became extinct with Frederick
Wilt became possible, according to
the Treaty of London of May s, 1852,
whereby the succession In the Danish
monarchy was guaranteed by the great
powers, to elect Prince Christian as
successor to the Danish throne.
A stormy Reception.
The male line of the Oldenborg dy-
nasty becoming extinct by the death
of Frederick VII. on Nov. Is, 1868,
Prince Christian was called to the
throne, and on the Nov. IS the
new king affixed his signature to the
constitutional charter granted by his
predecessor on June ), 1S49. His ac-
cessiOn TO the throne was the signal for
reasonable outbreak in the duchies
of SchleSwig and HOlstein, led by the
kings rebel relative, the ''duke'' of
Augustenborg. which. however, proved
of little consequence, but no sooner was
this troublesome pretender disposed of
than far more formidable foe ap-
peared in the two German powers,
Prussia and Austria, who, pretending
to champion the cause of the German
confederation, which they claimed that
Denmark had given reason to feel
aggrieved, attacked the little kingdom,
and by their overwhelming forces de-
feated it and deprived it of nearly two
ffthS of its territory. which, after a
quarrel between the two aggressors,
was annexed by Prussia.
Although King Christians reign thus
began with war, bloodShed and disaster,
which naturally tended 10 make the
new ruler unpopular, yet the monarch
has lived 10 see the anlmoSlty and dis
trust, with which the Danish people re-
garded the successor to their beloved
Frederik VII. changed into the most
cordial and intimate feelings of respect
and devotion. a condition of things
fully demonstrated when little over
a week ago King Christian and his
Queen Louise celebrated their golden
wedding, the iftieth anniversary of the
day when he, as poor prince and Off
Ger in the Danish army, married the
equally poor young princes of Hessen-
Cassel. Little did he then dream of be-
coming king Of Denmark, and far less
could he conceive the brilliant future of
his children. His oldest son as his sue
cessor on the Danish throne, and his
youngest married 10 the Wealthiest prin-
cess in Europe, the last descendant of
the oldest royal family in France. and
tile third son as king of Greece.
His oldest daughter as future queen of
England and empress of india, the sec