FORORD.

Blandt de Pligter, der tilligger en Konsul, er ogsaa den i Embeds Medfør at være nærværende og tale ved Nationens Høitidsdage saavelsom ved forskjellige andre Anledninger, da Landsmænd samles for at feire sine historiske Minder eller andre mere aktuelle Begivenheder. Naar jeg ved saadanne Anledninger har talt, baade her i Chicago og andetsteds, blandt Normænd i Amerika, har jeg altid følt dette mindre som en Embedspligt end som et Privilegium og en Fornøjelse.

Idet jeg nu reiser hjem til Norge for at nedsætte mig der og træder tilbage fra min Stilling som norsk Konsul i Chicago, hvis Pligter i de forløbne fem Aar er blevet mig kjære, har jeg ønsket at give de mange trofaste Venner, der altid med 1mødekommenhed og Velvillie har støttet og opmuntret mig i Opfyldelsen af disse Pligter, en liden Erindring om vort fælles Arbeide for Fædrelandet.

Modtag derfor denne lille Samling som et Tegn paa min Taknemmelighed og som et Udtryk for den Hengiver.hed jeg sammen med Eder føler for vor dyrebare "Gamle Mor Norge."

Frogner, Lake Forest, Illinois,

24de Juli 1910.

F. HERMAN GADE,

Speech delivered in Kuhn's Park, Chicago, May 17th 1897 on The Constitution of Norway.

Fellow Countrymen :

Patriotism great and deep-seated is manifested here to-day. On a foreign shore, thousands of miles distant from our beloved country, this patriotism asserts itself and finds expression in celebration similar to that at home. We march in procession with our national colors as they do far off there in Norway, where we ourselves, most of us as children, some even at more advanced age, have marched with flag in hand to the honor and glory of the dear mother-land and her day of rejoicing. To-day we unite in mind and heart with our brothers at home for home it still is and ever will be, however good citizens we make here, and we sing the praises of that home in its national hymns and commemorate the day when there was given to her that bulwark of liberty and independence, the constitution of "Syttende Mai".

Of what does this patriotism consist? Love of our country with its beauty, traditions and customs? Love of all that is dear to us from our childhood; the relatives, friends and other ties there at home? Yes, love certainly and something else beside, which perhaps after all is a part of that love: gratitude deepfelt and lasting, gratitude for what she gave and still gives, gratitude for all she was and still is to us every day of our life.

We are told that we make good citizens in this country, that we are found to be an honest, industrious trustworthy

people. It is said that we are the kind of immigrants this country wishes and needs, and that we seem to bring with us from across the seas a knowledge of institutions and conditions of the freest kind, presumably similar to those existing here. It is said that we are an element for good and benefit to this country in standing on the right side where principle is involved, above all, that we are law-abiding.

If this be true and we are deserving of such commendation, if we are in truth law-abiding, it must be due to the conditions and institutions of our home, where that quality was fostered in us which naturally obeys and respects law. It must be for the reason that we are accustomed to a law that commands respect and deserves obedience.

To a people's laws and institutions one must look to learn its nature. The rules and regulations laid down by a people for its own conduct are a criterion of its sense of responsibility and honor, and according as they are just, good, liberal or reverse, they advance or retard that people's growth, development and happiness. They cannot but affect the attitude, not only of the people as a whole, but in some degree of the individual towards every question met with in life.

What laws has Norway? What is her constitution? It is a constitution than which none on earth can be found more free and just. Some would object to this on the ground of her not being a republic, having an impression that monarchical form of government implies a curtailment of the people's power, that in fact the word "king"

means loss of rights to the people. But is it after all so in Norway? Do we not know that the will of the people is asserted there in more prompt and telling manner than in this republic, and that our constitution retained as chief executive a “king", because our traditions, abounding with the leadership of a king, so demanded it? Has not the Norwegian people repeatedly passed the measures it wished above the king's veto in accordance with its constitutional right to do so? Did not the democratic spirit of the Norwegian people bring about the abolishment of titles against the expressed wish of King Carl Johan, nobility being a last remnant of class distinction repugnant to the spirit of the constitution.

And this constitution it is to which we to-day pay honor and respect with deep feeling of gratitude in our hearts not only for its strong care and protection of us at home, but also for its lasting benefits to us here in training and adapting us to American citizenship. God keep that constitution safe and give to our people strength to preserve it intact and sacred!