JB/109/202/001

Click Here To Edit

1821. Septr 15.
Collectanea
Norway
3

the soldiers, & the vast multitude of inhabitants of all classes,
who had repaired to the camp to witness the imposing scene.

Message from the King to the Storthing of Norway on the 2d of
August, 1821, relatively to the changes to be made in the Constitution:—

The 112th Section of the Constitution having indicated the means
of a change in the stipulations of the fundamental Pact, the King is
bound to discharge a Constitutional duty by calling the attention of
the Storthing to questions of the highest interest, as well to promote
the peaceable progress of general affairs as for the maintenance
of the liberties of the nation — liberties which experience has proved
cannot exist without a change, or distinct & precise interpretation
of several articles of the Constitution.

The King will point out the evil & in proposing the remedy,
which the several cases require, his Majesty will much more discharge
his obligations to the future, than seek for himself a guarantee
for the present. But founder himself of the liberty of the Norwegian
nation, the King will never limit either his views or his solitude,
merely to the time which he can contribute to her happiness. Experience
has proved, that a State which wishes to maintain its tranquillity
& dignity & to live under the guarantee of laws which protect individuals
& the rights of property, can preserve neither, when its King
is not invested with power sufficiently extensive, legally to guarantee
them, & without his being necessitated to have recourse to force &
or arbitrary controul.

The absolute veto of the King ranks first in the series of important
questions. It is indisputable that wherever there exist a
King & a Legislature, their powers must be so balanced, that one
of these two authorities do not encroach upon the other. — Where
this principle is not obpreserved & it is the more disregarded when
the contrary is acknowledged in the fundamental pact, the
struggle between these two parties, Powers, which for the interest of
all, ought to march hand in hand, is it may be said, established by
right, & the result can never be foreseen. — When the originating
of laws begins belongs equally to the King & the Legislature; when
their reciprocal assent is necessary to the enactments of a Law,
then the parties are equal, the chances are the same, & the equilibrium
of rights becomes the guarantee of liberty. If a blind mistrust,
or a false theory involve Legislative Assemblies in opposition
& if with a view to establish, against the presumed encroachments
of the Executive Power, obstacles which give a preponderance to the
Legislature, founded upon arbitrary will, for in a well constituted
State, all that has not a counterpoise is arbitrary then there exists
no longer a guarantee; the latter requires a solid, & not a fluctuating
basis. Now all is vacillating, when the Legislature can make

Identifier: | JB/109/202/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 109.
Date_1	1821-09-15	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	109	Main Headings
Folio number	202	Info in main headings field	Collectanea
Image	001	Titles
Category	Collectanea	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	E3
Penner		Watermarks	C WILMOTT 1819
Marginals		Paper Producer	Andreas Louriottis
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year	1819
Notes public		ID Number	35857
Box Contents