The Ladysmith news and Ingram news. [volume] (Ladysmith, Wis.) 1905-1906, 1905-06-17
THROWS DOWN GUANTLET.
Repudiates Storthings Claim That
Veto Violates Constitution

Repudiates storthing's Claim That
Veto Violates Constitution.
Chrlstiania, June hiking Oscar
has thrown down the gauntlet to Nor
way by writing to President Berner
of the storthing letter vigorously
worded and surcharged with bitter
ness, in which he unQualifiedly de-
nounces as absolutely illegal the &C
| ton of the storthing in decreeing the
dissolution. The king spiritedly de
tends the constitutionality of his veto
of the consular bill and declares that
the council of state Of Norway is
wholly in the wrong.
AS viewed here, King Oscars letter
presents the issue clearly and sharp
ly. What the next development may
be is a topic Of deep interest and
wide speculation.
King Oscar Defends Himself.
Stockholm, Sweden. June liking
Oscar in long and vigorously worded
letter to the president of the Norwe-
gian storthirg, M. Berner, declares
that the accession oath of Norway
king makes it the kings duty not to
pass over in silence the pronounce
ment of the Norwegian council Of
state on the occasion of his majesty s
veto of the consular bill. The king
maintains that he did not overstep
his prarogative under the constitution
and says that consideration for the
union imposes on the king the duty
of exercising his constitutional rights.
''The king of Norway" he adds,
s'must always bear in mind paragraph
1 of the Norwegian constitution.
which reads:
"'The kingdom Of Norway is rree.
autonomous, independent am iEdi.
visible
Demands Respect.
'I feel seIf-iustified il demanding
respect Tor the decision taken by the
king Of Norway. in accordance with
tho constitution"
After lengthily repudiating the dec
laration of the council OF state that
his veto was unconstitutional because
no member Of the council regarded
himself as being in position to couu-
tersign it, King Oscar proceeds:
Zone of the fundamental princ'
piles of the constitution and fact that
is most important is that Norway
shall be a constitutional monarchv.
It is clearly incompatible herewith
that the king should sink to the posi-
ton of a mere tool in the hands OF
the state council If the members OF
the council of state, by refusing TO
counter ign any of the royal deci-
sions. could prevent them from haV-
ing force the king of Norway would
be excluded from participation III the
state administration. Such sltua-
ton would be as degrading to the
monarchy as harmful to Norway. The
position Of the king as monarch OF the
united kingdom Of Sweden AND MOI
way makes it incumbent upon MIN not
10 preiudge, as monarch of one king
dom. questions affecting the other
kingdom.
'The duty of the king on this point
cannot be recorciled with the view
that one kingdom, through the refusal
of it's council of state to append a
counter-signature can anEul the royal
Judgment wherein the king refuses to
give a decision prejudicial to the
other kingdom and injurious TO the
union The Norwegian nation has
tried
To Force the King
to give a decision which in his Opln
ion conflicts with his duty as monarch
of the United kingdoms and king OF
Sweden.
"My eEdeavor has always been to
give Norway that place within the
union to which she can rightly lay
claim. MY duty to the union requires
me to endeavor to uphold its legal ba-
sis. even when by so doing come into
opposition with the Norwegian ma
tional feeling.
.'The law or which l took the oath.
and which has regard tor the welfare
of the united kingdom, has detec-
mined nv decision on the consular
Question. but here was met not only
By the Refusal
of the Norwegian council Of state to
countersign that decision, but by the
resignation of it's members. The
storthing approved this breach OF the
constitution and bv a revolutionary
proceeding declared that the legltl-
mate king of Norway had ceased to
reign and that the union OF the two
kingdoms was dissolved
'|It remains for Sweden and for me
as king Of the union TO decide whether
the attack by Norway on the existing
union shall lead to the legal dissolu.
ton of that union
Let the present generation and
posteritv Judge between me and the
rooY1n -