The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-05-25
STORY of FREEDOM.
How Norway Gained Independents.
From Denmark and sweden.

How orway Gained Independents
From Denmark and Sweden.
To every true son and daughter OF
Norway the seventeenth day Of May q
one Of deep significance. It ID the Inde-
pendence day Of their native land. the
anniversary of that day when a sturdy
hand Of patriots arose like a young
giant and tore OFF the shackles which
had bound the little country to Dem
mark for over 400 years-in fact, ever
since 1897, when Queen Margaret, the
semiramis Of the North, promulgated
the union of the three scandinavian
countries at Kalmar, Sweden. The
doughty woman was heir to- the throne
of Denmark, married King Hakon OF
Norway, and after the death OF her
husband and son, took the scepter her
self and then conquered Sweden. The
swedes soon broke away from the
union. but Norway remained a depend.
ency Of Denmark until 1914.
DISSATISFACTION with Danish hirelings.
who filled every Office In Norway, and
more especially the success achieved by
the people of America and France n
attaining political independence, fired
the hearts and minds Of the more culti-
waited classes in Norway with a desire
for liberty. Their representatives met
at Eidyold, and, on May II, adopted the
now famous constitution and elected
Prince Christian Frederic as king.
Some months before, Denmark, which
had been worsted in a brief war with
Sweden, had, at Kiel, coded all Norway
excepting Iceland and the Foeroe is
lands, to Sweden. Old Charles XIII.
was still reigning in Sweden, but the
real ruler was Jean Baptiste Jules Ber-
nadotte, one of Napoleon's ablest mar
shals, who had been chosen crown
prince and adopted the name of Carl
Johan. After making a triumphal en-
try into Stockholm and properly cele-
brating the victory over the Danes,
Bernadotte assailed Norway with an
army of 10000 men while the venerable
king took charge Of the navy. A smali-
er Swedish force Of 5000 men was re-
pulsed by the Norwegians at Lier and
MedskoR. but before a. decisive battle
could be fought, Bernadotte suddenly
agreed to sanction Norway's constitu-
ton, the only condition being that
Charles XIII. Of Sweden should succeed
Christian Frederic. The terms were
ratified by the first Norwegian storth-
ing. and Norway once more was free.
Norway is not a dependency OF Sweden
in any way. The only bonds OF union
are the king and the consular and Dip
lomatic service. Each country q Its
own constitution, its own diet or parli-
ament, its W cabinet. flag, coinage.
postal service, army and navy, ano
ever a tariff against each other.
Not a great deal Of blood was spilled
in attaining Norway's independence,
but is was all due to the sudden and In
explicable concession Of Bernadotte.
The Norwegians had 10000 men In the
field, and were defiantly waiting for the
great marshall and his army to come
within striking distance. Whether the
ENGAGEMENTS at Lier and Medskog, OF
which the Norwegians are very proud,
had created q wholesome respect FOR
the fighting abilities Of the Norwegians
in the mind Of Bernadotte. az Is main
tanned, is now immaterial. They won
their liberty, at any rate.
It is no wonder that they want to re-
member the 18th of May, whether they
are digging gold in Alaska, In Austria
liza or South Africa, raising stock In the
Argentine Republic, filling the soil from
the Atlantic to the Pacific coasts In
North America, carrying the pretty tri-
color of Norway into every port In the
world, or living out their destiny In h
land of their birth, the N~orwegians cell
citrate the day.