The Stor tiling 323 



was supposed to be part of the Coiistitution of Norway 

 that the niiuistry could not be members of the Storthing, 

 and could not be present at the debates of Parliament, 

 nor in its committees. But in 1884 the Storthing 

 brought in a Bill abrogating this law, and making the 

 ministers more directly responsible to Parliament than 

 they had been hitherto. The ministers at that time 

 were Conservatives, but the Storthing was Liberal ; and 

 it was on the motion of the Liberal leader, Svedrup, that 

 this Bill was introduced. The Constitution of Norway 

 (which in many ways follows the lines of the French 

 Constitution of 1791) allows the king a suspensive veto 

 on all legislation, but with regard to Svedrup's Bill it 

 was maintained by the Conservative ministers tliat it 

 effected a change in the Constitution of the country ; 

 and that the king might exercise not a suspensive, but 

 an absolute veto upon it. Again and again the Bill 

 was brought in, again and again it was vetoed. The 

 excitement in the country rose to a great height. The 

 present writer was in Norway at this time, and he 

 remembers one person who talked about the crisis to 

 him, comparing it to the contest between Charles i. and 

 the Long Parliament. It must be said, however, that 

 all this political excitement lay beneath the surface of 

 life visible to the ordinary traveller ; and, probably, not 

 one per cent, of the tourists in Norway during this 

 year was aware of what constitutional questions hung 

 in suspense. Finally, the king or his ministers gave 

 way, and the Bill was carried. It does not seem to us 

 a matter of enormous importance ; but it was the most 

 exciting political contest that Norway has passed 

 through for many years. 



