The King's reply to the address of the Rigsdag was
firm and entirely Danish in character. " I will admit," he said, "of no abolition of the existing political connection between the king- dom and Schleswig. I wish to be a free King over a free people. A Maw is only free when his people is independent, and when the constitutional condition is maintained and developed." He ended by saying, " God grant that at my death this epitaph may de- servedly be inscribed upon my tomb 1—' A truer heart never beat for Denmark." The position of the King has been singularly unfortunate, for his known previous dislike to the November Con- stitution really rendered him utterly powerless to refuse his sanc- tion. The more German he was thought, the less would it be believed that he refused that sanction from any honest regard to Danish interests, and, consequently, the great act of his reign was a sacrifice of his own sincere political convictions to the almost accomplished fact of the new Constitution. And now he has to animate his subjects to fight in defence of an act which he per- sonally conceived to be impolitic, if not a breach of agreement.
Previous page
