A KINGDOM WITHOUT A KING.

Bruce Herald, Volume III, Issue 98, 15 February 1866, Page 7

A KINGDOM WITHOUT A KING.

Liechtenstein is the name of the smallest i | principality in the great German ' Vateri land,' and this has hitherto been the most [remarkable thing that could be ssiid about it, for in the great politisal world it has a3 } T et played no part. It appears, however, tha* its time has now arrived ; and for the benefit of those who might receive this bit of intelligence with a sceptical smile, I subjoin a Jew words of explanation. In order fully to appreciate this important question, it will be necessary to commence by going back into the past — it not so tar as to the Flood, at least to some part of the twelfth century. It will not do to believe that the Lich' tensteiners are people of vulgar extraction. True, their ancestor* hardly anticipated that the house of Lichtenstein would evp.r (be reckoned among the reigning families lof Europe ; but this did not affect the nobleness of their quartering. The founder of the house was a lively and enterprising Lombard, and related to rhp Este family. He went to Germany wi r .b the object of making" his fortune, and there he married, 1145 a.d., a little princess of' the house of Schwaben. They had not the slightest fraction of a principality, but they had plenty of children to educate and provide for. Their fortune was not very l.irge, but in his quality of Lombard, tho father exercised the lucrative business of a usurer, whenever the occasion presented | itself. The sovereigns of those times were I often in want of money, and our Lombard supplied them with this article, proper security beinsr forthcoming 1 . When the time of restitution arrived, it was not always convenient to tho debtors to pay in cash, and the affair was therefore generally settled by means of small pieces of land, titles, or privileges. The Lich tensteiners soon became allied to the s^e-stest German i families. In the year 1614, tho Emperor M.ittlms ceded to them, in settlement of their peennJarr rbums, tho principality of ! Troppau in Schlesian. Ten y ears later, the j Emperor Ferdinand 11. added to their possessions the principality of Jacendorff. Thsn they obtained Mie title of ' Prince of the Holy Roman Empire; 1 and by this rime they had purchased the districts of Vndut* and Schnellenherg, on the borders !of the Rhine, and close to the Swiss frontier. These possessions form the actual j principality of Lichtenstein, which has the small town of Vadutz for its eqnal. Thfl Congress of Vienna — contrnrv to its principles of medintisation — resolved, from reasons which we jj'wtnin from investigating 1 , to maintain Lichtenstein as n sovereign and independent state, and cave it an entire vote in the German Confederation. In return for these advantages. Lichtenstein bad to provide a contingent ofninetv men and one drummer to the Federal army. It is important not to lose siirht of these ninety men and one drummer, for they play a principal part in the impendingquestion. The snbjects of the principality of Lichtenstein, according to the last census, numbered 7150; they are clever people, of a peaceable disposition, bur. impressed with no particular awe for authoHti^s. They even have a slight taiut of independence, undoubtedly owing to the close vicinity.of Switzerland. A year had scarcely elapsed after the remodelling of the map of Europe by the Conffre <! s of. Vienna, when the inhabitants of Lichtenstein addressed themselves to their sovereign, John 1., and declared with rustic frankness, that they had HO' objection

to be ruled by him, since the Congress had decided it so; hut that they found it entirely superfluous to pay any civil list ; besides, they were too few in number tocontribute every year ninety men and one drummer to the" Federal army. PrinceJohn was an excellent man, and, moreover, he was immensely rich. He informed his subjects that he could do very well without any civil list; and as for the Federalcontingent, he concluded a convention with the Austrian government, by which the latter undertook to furnish it together with its own. With this the loyal subjects declared themselves satisfied; and everything went on well until the year J. 836, when Prince Aloysius I. ascended', the throne. In the meantime, the native* of Lichtenstein had made various reflections. The conclusions arrived at were — that & prince, even if paid nothing, entails sundry expenses on the country where he is reign'ingj festivals have to be given, as well as solemn audiences, illuminations, fireworks, Accordingly, they sent a deputation to their new lord and master, and made it obvious to him that he must indemnity the | country for all expenses of the description j alluded to. Aloysius I. was as excellent; a monarch as his predecessor; he admitted the claims of his subjects, and made an agreement with them concerning an annual indemnity, which he paid with exemplary regularity. ■ The Lichtensteinere had now attained the objact of their wishes; they led an existence entirely ideal. They occupied a position unique in Europe, nay,, in the whole world; for, instead of paying for government, they actually were paid; for submission to it. It would now be- supposed that nothing in future could disturbthe good understanding existing between prince and people. But alas ! that the old saying should here find its application— . namely, that he who has got yellow hair, wantsit also co be curletl. John 11. became Prince of Lichteastein. One finp morning he said to himself: ' Since I- have no civil list, nay, since I — contrary to all established usages — pay a tribute to my subjects, I ought at least to ! have full liberty to live according to my ! tastes. This small capital is a bore. I have plenty of money; I will set out for Vienna !' No sooner said than done. Joint IL built a magnificent palace in the capij tal of Austria, and there he lived- in a luxurious style. The government ot the principality he intrusted to a minister,.witii whom he corresponded. But when were those stupid Lichtensteiners to be satisfied T They put their heads tog-ether, and resolved to &end a deputation to their supreme master in Vienna; and one particular morning, just as the prince had got out of bed, a dozen of the most distinguished among his subjects made their appearance. After the customary reverences and ceremonies, the depuration put forthits request with becoming solemnity, expressing itself somewhat to the following effect: *:We don't nay youv Serene Highness any civil list; on die contrary, your Serene Highness pays an annual indemnit}" to us. But ! your Serene Highness is in possession of a large fortune, and spends it in a royal manner, by the which formerly your principality benefited. If, now, your Serene | Highness continues to reside in Vienna^. | von inflict a serious loss upon your- subjects: and it appears therefore to us but just that you should in future inhabit atleast six months of the year your own capital/ Several demands of a political nature were appended to this petition. John 11. granted their request, and issued, moreover, a brand ! new constitution, with a parliament of fifteen members, whom he, promised to pay out of his own pocket. But what about the ninety men and the drummer ? Well, now the difficulty arises, for they are exactly the cause of the present dispute. Austria having long furnished' this contingent sent, some time ago, a.^ bill of the resulting expenses to the- prince;. But the prince thought that, as he had renounced his claims to a civil list, and even paid his subjects a round sum every year; it could be no very heavy burden for the said subjects to pay their own Federal contingent. This the Lichtensteiuers obstinately refuse to do ; the prince on the other side, tired of so much trouble, has expressed his intention to abdicate, and to- cede his dominions to Austria; But against this^ scheme his people pi'otest most energetically — they would rather belong to Switzerland.