402 



ICELAND. 



ILLINOIS. 



the monarchy. The dominant political party 

 in Denmark demanded that Iceland, though it 

 might retain a certain amount of provincial in- 

 dependence, should become an integral part of 

 the monarchy, and send deputies to the Danish 

 Diet at Copenhagen. On the other hand, the 

 immense majority of the Icelanders insisted on 

 retaining an independent legislation, and re- 

 fused both to accept this fundamental law and 

 to send deputies to the Danish Diet. They 

 wished to be united to Denmark under one 

 King, as Norway is with Sweden, Hungary 

 with Austria, and Luxemburg with Holland. 

 In addition to these constitutional difficulties, 

 financial complications of a peculiar character 

 had sprung up between the two countries. 

 For many years the Icelandic budget has shown 

 a deficit, which has had to be met by Denmark. 

 On the part of the Icelanders it was, however, 

 alleged that both the old domains on the islands 

 and the episcopal property had been sold in 

 favor of the royal treasury ; that a number of 

 funds, which had been specially intended for 

 Iceland, had been exclusively used for Danish 

 purposes ; and that, finally, the commercial poli- 

 cy of Denmark had for centuries been so shaped 

 as to enrich Danish merchants at the expense 

 of the people of Iceland. The propositions 

 made by the Government for settling the diffi- 

 culties were not acceptable to the Althing, and 

 in the years 1872 and 1873 the popular dissat- 

 isfaction assumed more and more threatening 

 dimensions. One of the papers of the island 

 proposed to invoke the intercession of foreign 

 powers for the protection of the national rights, 

 or secession from Denmark and annexation to 

 some other country. In case this should be 

 found impossible, the emigration of the entire 

 population to America was proposed. Unex- 

 pectedly the Althing, which met on July 1, 

 1873, succeeded in removing the greatest ob- 

 stacles which had thus far obstructed a recon- 

 ciliation, and to make propositions to the Gov- 

 ernment which the royal commissary, on 

 closing the Diet, designated as entirely satis- 

 factory. The royal sanction given to the con- 

 stitution proposed by the Althing on January 

 5, 1874, put an end to this long conflict. 



In consequence of this reconciliation, the 

 millennial celebration of the first settlement 

 of the island, in August, was an occasion of 

 universal joy. The King, accompanied by his 

 son Waldemar and the Minister for Iceland, 

 Klein, arrived on the island on the 30th of 

 July, and was received with great enthusiasm. 

 Oh August 1st the new constitution of Ice- 

 land was formally promulgated. As copies of 

 it had previously reached Iceland, the people 

 were generally acquainted with its provisions, 

 and content to adopt it as the beginning of re- 

 form. August 2d was the first of the two days 

 set apart for the commemorative festivities 

 The .programme of the day consisted of ser- 

 vices in the cathedral, a banquet in the hall of 

 the university, and a popular festival on the hill 

 of Austurvelli, a mile from the town. At the 



service in the cathedral the " Psalm of Praise," 

 written by Matthias Jochumsson, and com- 

 posed by Sveinbjornsson, the first musical work 

 by a native Icelander, produced a powerful 

 effect. At the banquet, the King expressed 

 the hope that the new constitution, which he 

 had brought with him, might contribute to the 

 material prosperity of the island and the de- 

 velopment of its people. There was great re- 

 joicing when the King, in returning thanks for 

 a toast to the health of the Crown Prince, an- 

 nounced that the latter would learn the Ice- 

 landic language. The speech made by the 

 Minister for Iceland, Klein, also gave great 

 satisfaction. On August 3d the King, with a 

 large retinue, set out for the plain of the Gey- 

 sers, which was reached on the next day. To 

 the great dissatisfaction of the party, no erup- 

 tion of the great geyser took place, but two 

 eruptions of the Strokr were witnessed. On 

 August 7th, millennial commemorative services 

 were held in the plain of Thongvalla, when 

 the King received addresses from a number 

 of Scandinavian institutions and corporations. 

 Having returned to Eeikiavik, the King, on 

 August 9th, gave a great ball, and on the next 

 day reembarked for Denmark. 



ILLINOIS. The first general political con- 

 vention of the year was a large and enthusi- 

 astic gathering, chiefly of farmers, in Spring- 

 field, on the 10th of June. This body nomi- 

 nated David Gore, a Democrat, for State Treas- 

 urer, and S. E. Etter, a Eepublican, for State 

 Superintendent of Public Instruction, and pub- 

 lished the following declaration of principles : 



We } the farmers, mechanics, and other citizens of 

 Illinois, in delegate convention assembled, deeming 

 it needful for the best interests of this State and na- 

 tion that independent political action be taken by 

 and in behalf of the producing, industrial, and 

 other business classes, and in opposition to corpo- 

 rate monopolies, that are influencing, even control- 

 ling, our Legislatures, courts, and executives, and tax- 

 ing and oppressing our citizens, appealing to the 

 great fundamental principles of American liberty, 

 and invoking the favorable judgment of our country- 

 men, do hereby resolve that preservation of our 

 national life imperatively demands that every 

 American voter should attend with care all primary 

 nominations and elections, so as to insure the elec- 

 tion of competent and honest men to all the offices 

 in the Government That the recent record of the 

 political parties of this country is such as to forfeit 

 the confidence and .respect of the people, and that 

 we are therefore absolved from all allegiance to them 

 and will act no longer with them. 



Resolved, That we insist on severe retrenchment, 

 reform, and economy in all branches of our public 

 aifairs, and believe that with such economy the tax 

 now collected from the people might be reduced at 

 least one-half without impairing the efficiency of 

 any branch of the public service, State or national. 



Resolved, That we demand immediate reform of 

 abuses in the civil service through which the patron- 

 age of the Government is dispensed as a reward for 

 partisan service rather than in regard to public ne- 

 cessity. 



Resolved, That we are in favor of improving and 

 perfecting navigation on our lakes and rivers and 

 water connections as soon as it can be properly done. 



Resolved, That we are opposed to any further 

 grants of public lands or loans of public credit and 



