Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-20
A GONCILIATORY TONE
ADDRESS BY SToRTHIN0 TO KING
OSCAR AND RIKsDAG.

CHRISTIANA. Norway June o0.-The ad-
dress to King Oscar and the riksdag
adopted by the Storthing yesterday and
the Swedish people generally, in reply to
the long letter which the king sent June IL
to the president of the storthng NJ Berner,
is OF a conciliatory character. At the same
time however, it indicates the unalterable
determination Of the storthing to adhere to
the action taken in dissolving the union
with Sweden. The text is as follows:
Your Majesty-Norway's storthing re-
spectfuliy begs to address your majesty.
and through your majesty Sweden's riksd az
ana Sweden's people, follows:
What has been happening recently in
Norway Is the inevitable result of a COM
bination of late political events and cannot
De altered. and as 1t is certain that neither
or the two peoples is DESTROYS of returning
20 the former condition of union, the
storthing Is of the opinion that it ought
not TO reconsider the various questions of
the constitution and public law that have
neen Drought up In your ma iesty.s note to
tne storthng president in connection with
the resolutions adopted and on which the
storthing and the government have already
expressed themselves in detail The storth-
Ing recognizes fully your ma jesty's difficult
position and never for a moment has doubt
ed that your majesty's decisions are in ac-
cordance with what your ma jesty has re-
garded as the rights and duties Of the
crown At the same time the storthing Is
desirous of addressing an appeal to your
majesty, the riksdag and the people of
Sweden with the object of contributing to
the peaceful carrying through of the disco
tuition Of the union and the safeguarding of
the friendship and concord of the two peo-
Piles of the peninsula. - z-
The storthing has seen from expressions
OF opinion in Sweden that the resolution
which the storthing felt 1t to be its duty
to the fatherland TO adopt in declaring the
union of the two kingdoms dissolved has
In form and action been considered mortify-
ing to Sweden. That has never been its in
tentfon. What has happened and had to
happen In Norway was merely the inevta-
bic maintenance of Norways constitutional
rights. The Norwegian people never in
tended to assail Sweden's honor.
'As your majesty In council. MAY g. de-
clared you were unable to sanction the
stOrthings unanimous resolution for the
establishment of separate Norwegian
consular service, and as no Norwegian gov
eminent could be obtained by your majesty,
the constitutional state of Norway was so
far dis1ointed that the union could no
longer be maintained. Upon Norway's
stOrthing was therefore imposed the neces-
sity of procuring without delay govern
ment for the country.
Every other course was closed all the
more so as your majestys Swedish govern
ment had, April 25, already explicitly de-
clined to enter into new negotiations with
the dissolution of the union an alterna-
tive in the event that it was found impossi-
BILE to arrive at an agreement In regard to a
new form of union.
THE stOrthing as already stated, and the
Norwegian people do not feel any bitter
ness or animosity against your majesty or
the Swedish people. The statements to the
contrary, which possibly were uttered on
occasions, have wholly and solely been
grounded on dissatisfaction at Norway's
position In the union, and as that source Of
bitterness and animosity would disappear
with the dissolution of the union its effects
also would vanish.
Ninety years of cooperation in material
intellectual labors have awakened in the
Norwegian people feelings of sincere friend
ship and sympathy for the Swedish people.
These feelings WILL with Norway no longer
occupying a position offensive to her ma
tional independence, once more grow apace
and insure the entrance of a mutual under
standing between the peoples In the belief
that the Swedish people share these views,
the Storthing suggests to Sweden'S conS1i-
tutional authorities that they enter upon
the negotiations requisite for a final settle
ment on the dissolution of the union with
the recognition of Norway's new status and
her rights a sovereign state.
THE storthng is itself prepared to meet
every fair and reasonable wish that may be
put forward to safeguard the kingdoms in
dependence and integrity. Constitutionally
the two peoples will henceforth be separate,
but at the same time the storthing is fully
convinced that this will lead to the develop
ment of good and trustful relationship for
the defense of their mutual interests.
"If the future settlement can be attained
without prejudice and bitterness the storth-
ing is convinced that what has happened
will prove for the lasting welfare of the
northern peoples. For the sake OF the
north the storthing addresses this appeal
to the people, which by its magnanimity
and chivalry has attained for itself such an
eminent place among nations and with
which the Norwegian people desire most
sincerely to maintain good relations