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TO NORWAY.
Ahundred years ago, as an incident of the Napoleonic
work, after being in political tutelage for several centu
ries, Norway through the wisdom and fortitude of her own
people once more regained her ancient independence. This
independence however was not like the older one based on
mere kingship, but was founded and based upon a written
constitution guiding and controlling both king and people.
The convention at Eidsvold which framed adopted and pro
mulgated the constitution of 1814, was a unique and remark
able body, both in its make-up and in the character of its
work. A majority of its members consisted of officeholders
civil, military and ecclesiastical —; the great mass of the
people the peasantry were but scantily represented both
in numbers and in makeup. As a rule none of the members
were experienced in the methods and workings of free par
liamentary governments and systems, and there were no
constitutionel models worthy of the nåme, save the written
constitution of the United States and the so-called unwritten
constitution of England. But there was however a small
number of bright, clear-headed, highly gifted and intensely
patriotic men in that convention, embued with and versed in
the theory and principles of free representative government,
who had the wisdom and the skill to formulate a constitution,
which blended and assimilated some of the most essential
and vital principles of the constitutions of England and the
United States. By its terms the government is distributed
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