Weekly national intelligencer., 1852-02-07
MEMORANDUM.


the historical facts which preceded the establishment Of
the union between Sweden and Norway in 1914, and Of
the terms upon which it based well Of the feel
ngs which now animate the Norwegian people towards
their brother country The following expressions used in
this artcleyiz " the transfer completed, and Noricay
to this day remains appanage Of edeconvey such
idea of the real state Of things thatt is due
to historical truth to have them corrected.
1t is true indeed that by the treaty Of peace concluded
between Sweden and Denmark, at Kie the l4th oil
January, 1874 the King of Denmark renounced in favor
Of the King of Sweden, all his rights and tides to the
kingdom Of Norway; which, however, according to the
9th article of the treaty guaranteed in the enoy
ment Of the liberties and privileges existing at that time
1t is also known fact that the Norwegian people de-
cared their independence elected the Prince Chxisan
Frederick Of Denmark lat that time Governor ok NeK
their king and formed the constitution which W6y
toned by him May 184 and that the King q ewsdsn1
marched his army into Norway under the commsnd Of the
Crown Prince afterwards King Charles johns but after
hosttes had taken place. and the Norwegian peo-
pie becoming sensible of the useessness Of further resist
ancc and Of the advantages of union with Swe-
den convention was concluded at Moss the l4h Of
August 1874 between the Crown Prince of Sweden, in
the of his Swedish Majesty the sde and the
Norwegian Government the other, by which Prince
Christian renounced his executive authority, and the Con-
stituton of Norway acknowledged by the King of
Sweden with the notifications which the union between
Sweden and Norway rendered necessary.
may be well to state here the first four articles Of
this convention
cart. His Royal Highness Prince Christian shall,
corng the mode fixed by the Constitution of Norway
conyoke, without delay, the sStorthing (Nationa As
semby) Of the Kingdom Of Norway which is to be open
ed the last day Of September if this be not possible
within the first eight days of October
cart. ii. His Majesty the King of Sweden will place
himself in direct negotiation with the Sortng, by one
or commissioners whom he win name.
cart. III. His Majesty the King of Sweden promises
acknowledge the constitution made by the delegates in
the National Assembly Edswold His Majesty will not
propose any other change except such may be neces
sary for the union Of the two kingdoms and binds himself
not to do this till after consultation with the Storhg
cart. w. The promises which have been given to the
Norwegian people by his Majesty the King Of Sweden
well by his Royal Highness the Crown Prince, in his
name will be conscentously fulfilled, and confirmed
by his Majesty before the Norwegian Storthng'"
The aStorthing" assembled the 7th of October, and
the 4th of the following November the King of Sweden
unanimously elected King of Norway, and the
sttution with the notifications required by the union Of
the countries, voted by the Storthng" and the
10th Of the month confirmed by the King of Sweden
The first paragraph of this constitution reads:
The Kingdom of Norway is free, independent, in
alienable and indivsible kingdom united with Sweden
under King The form of its Government is limited
and hereditary monarchy"
Thus, by the farseeng wisdom of King Charles John
mOuero0Dn
the national Independence Of the Norwegian peo
its foundation and prosperous in les consequences than
any right of conquest.
In the following year the Swedish Diet and the Nor
wegian q Sortng agreed upon the terms of the COM
pacts Of Union called the " Rgs-Ac" which was con-
irmed by the King on the 9th of August, 1875
The preamble of the 1st article Of this taken from
Norwegian copy, all the other quotations here
given) reads follows
swe the undersigned Representatives of the Kingdom
of Norway, united at Chrstiania in ordinary storth
ing; and we the Orders of Sweden, &c. &c. &C., united
in an Extraordinary Diet at Stockholm, make known
That whereas, by the mighty aid Of Providence, bond Of
union has happily been established between the peoples
of Scandinavia which being made not by the force Of
arms, but by that of free conviction ought to and shall
only be maintained by mutual acknowledgment of the
legal rights of the two nations to the defence Of their
common thrones and whereas we, the undersigned Or
ders Of the Kingdom of Sweden upon the gracious pro-
position of his Majesty dated the 18th of April last
cernng the constitutional relations which have arisen
from the union between Norway and Sweden, have
knowedged and confirmed by unanimous consent the
stpuatons which in that respect have been introduced
into the fundamental law Of the Kingdom Of Norway of
the 4th of November 1874 and which, with the
ton Of constitutional right to such regulations
involve any change modification in the fundamental
law of Sweden have been sapctoned and to by
most gracious King and Sovereign the legal repre-
sentatives Of the inhabitants of Sweden and Norway
have deemed no mode appropriate and solemn Of
confirming the conditions of the union established be-
tween Sweden and Norway under King, but with
parate laws Of Government than to agree upon fixing and
introducing into special compact those conditions
they follow word for word:
Sec l. The Kingdom Of Norway is a free, independ
ent inalienable, and indvsibe kingdom, united with
Sweden under King, the form Of its Government is
| limited and hereditary monarchy" &c.
The stpuaons in this compact have been carried into
effect during the thrtyeght years which the union has
lasted The Administration of the two countres-their
Legislatures their armies and navies their customs and
monetary systems-are separate footing Their di
plomatic relations however, common, q natural
of the union of the two kingdoms under the
same King and the identity Of their political in
terests in regard TO foreign Powers.
II is further said in the article in the National Inte-
gencer before alluded to, that
aThough the Government is not by any means an op-
pressve one is obnoxious TO the whole people, who
extremely desrous of returning to the rule of Denmark
II is entirely to suppose that any such feel
ing exists in Norway far from it. Every patriotic Nor
wegian cngs the union by which the nationality Of his
country has been established, and and strong
for the future attained in the connexion with the
noble and kindred people Of Sweden The words Of the
compact Of Union above quoted have been reazedthat
the bond which untes the nations and which
tabshed the ground Of free consent is to be maintain
cd by mutual acknowledgment of their legal rights And
the union Of the nations Of Scandinavia upon
the secure basis Of common and due respect their
Sovereign and the brothery feelings they entertain
for each other
NOTE BY THE EDITORS.