Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Quote of the Month

Writes “Fjordman” over at the Brussels Journal:

The underlying belief behind the American-led efforts to export “democracy” to Islamic countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan is that all human beings should be subject to democracy, just like they are subject to gravity. But as we have seen, gravity applies throughout the entire known universe. What happens if we discover intelligent life on other planets? My bet is that on day one we will all be excited over finding E.T. On day two, American neoconservatives will ask whether E.T. has democracy. If he doesn’t, the USA must promptly send an interplanetary expeditionary force to export democracy to his planet. After all, if E.T has gravity then E.T. must also have democracy, just like Afghan Muslims.

E.T. vote home.
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Franz Joseph Haydn 278

Two years short of fourteen score years ago today, Franz Joseph Haydn was born.



Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Leather Anniversary

Three years ago today, this web log was launched.

The occasion was the royal promulgation of entering so-called responsible government in the written Constitution of the Kingdom of Norway. This promulgation took place on this day three years ago.

I also wrote this article on the occasion.

Monday, March 29, 2010

Amendment XXIII

Ratification map for Amendment XXIII to Constitution of the United StatesA year short of four decades ago today, Amendment XXIII to the Constitution of the United States was ratified.

The amendment runs counter to the concept of those United States as a federal union of states by succumbing to the concept of “everyone having a say.” So the federal capital with its federal bureaucracy must have a say too – instead of purely being at the service of the states. Now, it can of course be argued that the federal bureaucracy has long since fermented outside the borders of the federal capital. However, those United States would do wisely to return to a purer form of the concept of a federal union of states.

You may notice that it was largely the former Confederacy that did not ratify the amendment.

Swedish War Resignation

Hjalmar HammarskjöldFour score and a long dozen years ago today, Swedish Premier Hjalmar Hammarskjöld resigned, after having lost support for his stand of neutrality in the Great War.

Saturday, March 27, 2010

History Bunk?

Wrote James Jackson over at Taki's Magazine earlier this year:

In losing our history, we lose part of ourselves and impoverish what is left. So forget textspeak and philistinism. My advice to the young is simple — climb to the highest vantage. And then look back.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

A.J.P. Taylor

A.J.P. Taylor: English History 1914-1945A century and four years ago today, A.J.P. Taylor was born.

Amongst what the notable historian wrote was:

Until August 1914 a sensible, law-abiding Englishman could pass through life and hardly notice the existence of the state, beyond the post office and the policeman. He could live where he liked and as he liked. He had no official number or identity card. He could travel abroad or leave his country for ever without a passport or any sort of official permission. He could exchange his money for any other currency without restriction or limit. He could buy goods from any country in the world on the same terms as he bought goods at home. For that matter, a foreigner could spend his life in this country without permit and without informing the police.
Another quote:
He was what I often think is a dangerous thing for a statesman to be – a student of history; and like most of those who study history, he learned from the mistakes of the past how to make new ones.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Feldkirch Manifesto

The children of the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family91 years ago today, the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family arrived at the Austro-Swiss border in an Imperial train and departed Austria – under the protection of the icon of this weblog, Lt.-Col. Edward Lisle Strutt.

At Feldkirch, the Emperor-King issued the Feldkirch Manifesto, declaring the November 11 power renunciation – so often referred to as an abdication, but erroneously so – null and void, and denouncing the authority of the republican government.

Bhutan Elections

Bhutan election results 2008
Two years ago today, Bhutan elections were held.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Internal Exile Ended

Study of the Emperor-King at EckartsauSeven baker's dozen years ago today, the Austro-Hungarian Imperial and Royal Family departed the hunting lodge at Eckartsau, where the Emperor-King and his family had been in internal exile since the end of the war, under various protection, the last three and a half weeks led by this weblog's icon, Lt.-Col. Edward Lisle Strutt.

The family left for external exile in the Helvetic Confederation in an Imperial train, also under the protection of Lt.-Col. Strutt, after the latter's clever defeat of Karl Renner's abdication demand.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Goethe Passing

Georg Melchior Kraus: Johann Wolfgang von Goethe178 years ago today, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe passed away.

A quote of choice:

None are more enslaved than those who falsely believe they are free.

The Last Britannic Veto

Anna dei gratiaThree centuries and two years ago today, Her Britannic Majesty denied Royal Assent, a right never since exercised by a Britannic Sovereign.

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Benito Juárez

Two centuries and four years ago today, Benito Pablo Juárez García – after whom Benito Mussolini was named – was born. He was a “hero” who “saved” Mexico from Habsburg rule.



Chancellor Bismarck

Jacques Pilartz: Otto von BismarckA year short of seven score years ago today, Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck became Chancellor of the German Empire.

Saturday, March 20, 2010

Henrik Ibsen 182

Gustav Borgen: Dr. Henrik Johan IbsenNine score and two years ago today, Henrik Johan Ibsen was born. Incidentally, it is also World Storytelling Day.

Please feel free to visit or revisit my centennial article on Ibsen.

A quote of choice:

The majority is never right. Never, I tell you! That's one of these lies in society that no free and intelligent man can help rebelling against. Who are the people that make up the biggest proportion of the population -- the intelligent ones or the fools?

Louis XVI Receives Rebels

Antoine-François Callet: Portrait de Louis XVIEleven score and a dozen years ago today, His Majesty King Louis XVI of France received American rebels.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Boston Evacuated

J. Godfrey after M.A. Wageman: An engraving depicting the British evacuation of Boston, March 17, 1776, at the end of the Siege of BostonEighteen Roughrider's dozen years ago today, the Siege of Boston ended with evacuation of Boston for the King's men.

Monday, March 15, 2010

Sunday, March 14, 2010

British Upper Chamber to End Soon?

The House of Lords ChamberPlans are right around the corner for abolishing the House of Lords. So The Sunday Telegraph reports.

The Gold Standard Act

Gold nugget110 years ago today, the Gold Standard Act was ratified.

Saturday, March 13, 2010

Gold at USD 1000

A gold bar, a quarter of a metric tonTwo years ago today, the spot price for gold for the first time hit USD 1000.

Swedish King Deposed

Per Krafft: Gustav IV AdolfTwo centuries and a year ago today, Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden was deposed.

Friday, March 12, 2010

Sun Yat-sen

Seven dozen and a year ago today, Sun Yat-sen, Father of the Chinese Republic, passed on.





Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn Talk Today

This year's Austrian Scholars Conference is ongoing. The schedule is here.

The second block of afternoon sessions today begins at 2:45 PM CST (8:45 PM GMT / 9:45 PM CET). It includes a session entitled Sociology and Economics. During this session Professor Michael King of the Benedictine College in Kansas will be having a talk entitled The Thoughts and Writings of Erik Ritter von Kuehnelt-Leddihn.

The conference can be watched live here.


Update: The parallel sessions, of which said talk is part, seem not to be streamed.

Defecting Regiments

His Imperial Majesty Nicholas II of RussiaFour score and a long dozen years ago today, several Russian regiments defected to the revolutionaries.

Monday, March 8, 2010

Saturday, March 6, 2010

The Bees' World

You'd better BEElieve it!


H/T: American Monarchist

Friday, March 5, 2010

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Frederik Stang

Gørbitz: Frederik StangTwo centuries and two years ago today, Frederik Stang was born.


Previously: Frederik Stang

Inaugural Addresses

March 4 was until Amendment XX to the United States Constitution took effect, Inauguration Day for the President of the United States.

Three years short of a century ago today, the bête noire of this weblog gave his first inaugural address. On the day four years later, he gave his second inaugural address, in which he – amongst other things – said:

We stand firm in armed neutrality since it seems that in no other way we can demonstrate what it is we insist upon and cannot forget.
That neutrality was a so-called one since the summer of 1914.

His successor, Warren G. Harding, spoke 89 years ago. He said:
The unselfishness of these United States is a thing proven; our devotion to peace for ourselves and for the world is well established; our concern for preserved civilization has had its impassioned and heroic expression. There was no American failure to resist the attempted reversion of civilization; there will be no failure today or tomorrow.
And:
When World War threatened civilization we pledged our resources and our lives to its preservation[...]
Preserved civilization?

Senator Harding had spoken previously:





Saying at the end:
This Republic has never failed humanity, nor endangered civilization.
We know that the Great War ended civilization as we knew it. Although the ignition of the war was the great catastrophe, and those United States had no part in its ignition, their involvement on the modernist side through “neutrality” and later military involvement certainly gave a large contribution to the destruction of the world that was – and, hence, to the rise of the totalitarianism of the 20th century, the democratic soft totalitarianism included.

The United States Constitution

Federal Hall, New YorkEleven score and a year ago today, the United States Constitution took effect.

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

The War in the Vendée

Paul-Emile Boutigny: Henri de La Rochejacquelein au combat de Cholet en 1793217 years ago the War in the Vendée commenced.

According to Wikipedia:

On March 3, 1793, virtually all the churches were ordered closed. Sacramental vessels were confiscated by soldiers and the people were forbidden to place a cross on their graves.
Some old articles/blog posts:

Abdülmecid II

His Imperial Majesty The Caliph Abdülmecid II86 years ago today, His Imperial Majesty The Caliph Abdülmecid II was deposed.

The Treaty of Brest-Litovsk

The Treaty of Brest-LitovskFour score and a dozen years ago today, the Treaty of Brest-Litovsk was signed.