The Somerset reporter., 1896-08-13

of Hanover Lost Its Independence and
Was Absorbed by Prussia.
A relic of prehistoric barbarism, of
times when women were regarded as
soulless beings but one remove superior
to the brute creation, is that Salic law
which debars the fair sex from all rights
of succession to most of the thrones of
Europe No one knows with any degree
of certainty the origin of this law, al
though many theories and arguments
have been advanced regarding it, yet
there is no law that has been the cause
of SO much bloodshed and desolation
throughout the last 500 years
Nearly all the historic wars that have
taken place in Europe since the days of
the first crusade may be attributed to
the existence of this law, and even in
the present century sanguinary struggles
have taken place ON its account Great
Britain and Russia are the only two
countries where it has never secured any
foothold.
Spain. Portugal and Holland have
within the last 100 years erased the
law from their statute books, and have
benefited by the change, while since the
reign of Maria Theresa and the seven
years war it exists only III modified
form i'll Austria, and, perhaps, not at
all i'll the kingdom of Hungary.
But it is still in force in Denmark, in
Sweden, i'll Prussia and all the other
federal states of the German empire, as
we'll as in Belgium, Italy, Roumania,
Servia Bulgaria and Greece, the ma
| tional constitution of which, being of
more mushroom character and drawn
up by enlightened statesmen Of the pres
ent century, might reasonably be ex-
pected to be more up to date and free
from such marrow medieval prejudices
and doctrines.
1t is precisely in the three countries
which are now ruled by women-Eng-
land, Holland and Spain - that the
greatest degree of peace and prosperity
prevails, the three royal widows dis
playing far more common sense, en-
! lightened craftsmanship and political
sagacity than any of their brother mon
archs
Under the circumstances it must be n
matter of regret that the Salic law
shonld dehar a number of beautifnl
charming and clever p1incesses from
succeeding to thrones Thus there is
the pretty Princess Pauline of Wurttem-
berg. the only child Of the nresent king
and a yonng girl whom it is no exag
eeration to describe as the national idol.
/ Yet Notwithstanding the fact TINT all
/ the affection Of the pcoplc is centered in
her she is comnelled Inv tbe SaIic law
/ to stand aside and to nprmit her fathers
! crown TO descend 10 a distant copsin
/ horn and bred not in Wurttcmberg hut
! i'm Austria. and 1ybo in addition Ia he
+ ing regarded as a FOREIGNER. has the su
preme disatlvautapo. in the eyes of the
/ Intheraus and Protestants. constitute
ing tl,e vast ,naiorltv of the nation. Of
/ being a Catholic.
Altbouah Kur Oscar Of Norway is
, one Of the most cnlichtcncd and accom-
plishcd Of r.an. endowed with a char
actcr that can only be described as nm
blemisbcd. he has not proyed a succcss-
ful ruler
4 The fact is that the king. in spite Of
/ all his talents and his perfections, moral
and otherwise. is entirely wanting in
! that personal magnetism. and. if may
be permittpd to coin the expression. that
/ nublic tact which DISTINGUISHED his
! homely. genial and by no means so in
tellectual brother. King Charles XIV.
The latter had only one daughter.
p.;,,ooc., T ,,,;e, ,,Lo Lo,;,od ~. ,,,,ol
ities. and who in snite of her plalnness
was lust as much the idol of both the
Norwegians and Swedes as Princess
Pauline Of Wurttemberp is at Stuttgart.
) Over six feet high. and far from being
endowed with intellect above the aver
age. she possesses the best temper in the
world and an incxhaustible fund of
merrimcnt and good humor. and heart
as big as her laugh. which has been
compared to that of horse.
Had she been permitted to succeed
her father as queen regent of Sweden
and Norway it is doubtful whether the
present conflict in the sister kingdom
Would ever have arrived at the acute
stage. and certainly the LOYALTY to the
throne on both sides of the border would
not have reached its present low ebb.
But, being debarred from her fathers
throne bv the Salic law, she married the
crown prince of Denmark, carving out
of the country of her birth all the vast