430 are, like you, members of the Scandinavian family; and battles between the two nations are equally repugnant to nature, to reason, and to sound policy. Norwegians! Suffer not yourselves to be heated by the instigations of the individuals who have only their personal interest in view. Sacrifice not the welfare of your country to the deceitful illusions which they present to you. Open your eyes to the dangers into which a criminal ambition is precipitating you. Sweden will not lay down her arms until she has effected an union necessary to her safety and repose. You may prevent the calamities of a war which can only be advantageous to your seducers. Look forward to the futurity which awaits you, and to the glory and prosperity which must ensue from an union of the two nations. Norwegians! Reject, then, an influence and errors, equally unworthy of you; let the national will speak, and fix its laws under the aegis of an enlightened and He offers beneficent monarch! you, with the removal of every semblance of war, independence, liberty, and the guarantee of all your privileges. Your fidelity shall be the pledge; his virtues shall be your securities. NORWAY. Christiana, July 26. they had an audience of his Majes- Note A. The undersigned, charged by their respective courts with a special mission to his Highness Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark, have the honour to address to him the present official note. The cession of Norway, produced by the treaty of Kiel, was guaranteed by the four powers, allies of Sweden. That decree of policy was irrevocably fixed. The allied sovereigns consider the union of Norway to Sweden as one of the bases of the new system of equilibrium, as a branch of indemnities which it is impossible to replace by any other. The events which latterly occurred in Norway, the opposition which the decision of Europe found there, and the resolution which his Highness has taken to put himself at the head of that opposition, determined the allies of Sweden to take the necessary steps for effecting the union of Norway. It is with this object that the undersigned have repaired to his Highness. They are charged to express to him the painful impression which his proceedings have produced on their sovereigns, to summon him formally to return within the line of his most sacred duties, and to declare to him, that should he refuse to yield to the general wish of Europe, which recals him to Denmark, an unequal war will arise in the north, and arms will infallibly produce what persuasion has in vain attempted. For this purpose the army of General Count Beniugsen, as well as a corps of Prussian troops, have been placed general at the disposal of Sweden, and the general blockade of Norway has been resolved upon in common concert with Great Britain. At the same time time the King of Denmark compromised in the eyes of the monarchs, the guarantees of his word, and of the treaty of Kiel, was justly irritated against his late subjects for the non-execution of his will. His Majesty resolved, in consequence, through the intermedium of the undersigned, to transmit his final orders to the Prince the heir of his crown, who, in quality of first subject, is bound to set the example of obedience to his Majesty's subjects in Norway, Danes by birth, who, by refusing to return, will become guilty of rebellion; and to the Norwegians, in fine, from whom, as a last proof of his affection, he should endeavour to avert the horrors of a destructive war. The adoption of this resolution by his Danish Majesty, and the orders which the undersigned have received from their respective courts, characterize the nature of their special mission. The undersigned deem themselves compelled to declare, that they are by no means mediators between Norway and Sweden, but rather commissioners (heralds at arms, if the expression may be used), charged with carrying into execution in its full extent the treaty of Kiel, and the stipulations guaranteed by their sovereigns. However, the known character of his Highness, the rectitude of his intentions, the general esteem of Europe for the Norwegian nation, and the wish to effect the union of the two kingdoms with out the effusion of blood, have induced the undersigned to enter into modifications which they acknowledge are not within the lite ral meaning of their instructions; they have yielded to the wish to furnish his Highness with the most honourable means of descending from the eminent place to which circumstances have unfortunately raised him; and they have with pleasure lent themselves to every arrangement which could prevent the character of his Highness from suffering, and to stipulate immunities for the Norwegian people. They have thought, that in so doing they in no respect departed from the liberal intentions of his Swedish Majesty; but they could not regard the following arrangements to which they have acceded as articles stipulated and agreed upon, until they had received the assent of that monarch. His Highness Prince Christian Frederick has positively declared, that he could only replace in the hands of the Diet the rights which he had received from the nation. The convocation of the Diet was in consequence deemed necessary, and the time for effecting this convocation and securing its deliberations becomes the object of negociation. A truce was proposed by his Highness; the undersigned were anxious to second his wishes; but the various conditions which they proposed were all successively rejected. At length, upon mature deliberation, they have the honour to submit to his Highness the expression of intentions from which they cannot depart. The bases of the armistice are: 1. A solemn engagement from his Highness to the King of Sweden and his august allies, to resign into the hands of the nation assembled by its representatives, all the rights which he has received from from it, and to employ all his influence with the people to induce them to consent to the union. 2. The country between the Glommen and the Swedish frontier shall be evacuated by the Norwegian troops, as well as the isles of Walchoren, and the fortresses of Frederickstadt, with its citadel, Frederickshall, Frederickstein, and Konigswinger. The country shall be declared neutral, and the fortresses shall be occupied by Swedish troops. 3. After the occupation of the fortresses the blockade of Norway shall be raised, in respect to the ports of Christiania, Christiansand, and Bergen, with the necessary modifications, and during the period of the truce. After giving in this ultimatum, with regard to which the undersigned demand a categorical answer, they also address themselves to his Highness, in order to learn his resolution in regard to the letter of his Danish Majesty. They have, at the same time, the honour to declare to his Highness, that whatever may be his answer to this official Note, they will consider their negociations as terminated, and will demand their passports, whether for the purpose of continuing to bring about the union of the two kingdoms in a pacific manner, or to follow up an ineffectual negociation by more efficacious measures. They seize with eagerness this opportunity of presenting to his Royal Highness the expression of their profound respect. (Signed) STEIGENTESCH. ORLOFF. FORSTER. MARTENS. Christiania, July 7, 1814. To hisHighness Prince Christian Frederick of Denmark. The Answer of his Majesty. To the note from you, Gentlemen, the envoys of the courts allied to Sweden, charged with a special mission to Norway, I hasten to reply conformably with my duties to the people of Norway, and to the regard due to the overtures you are commissioned to make. The happiness of Norway is the sole object of my actions. The Norwegian nation, delivered from the oath of fidelity to the King of Denmark, and not acknowledging his power to cede them in full sovereignty and property to the King of Sweden, as well as justly irritated by learning it was a principal condition that Swedish troops should take possession of fortresses never occupied by Danish troops during the union, wished to avail themselves of those rights, which in similar cases belong, according to public opinion, to every nation. Aware of this general sentiment, which an inveterate hatred between bordering nations rendered more marked than ever, I perceived that internal disturbances and anarchy would result from a forced union: and I put myself at the head of the nation in order to prevent these calamities. The regard due to the sovereignty which resides in the nation itself, made me assemble a Diet, and it formed a constitution calculated to consolidate the happiness of the people. Their affection and confidence offered me the crown, which I then thought it my duty to accept; and desirous of contributing to the happiness of the people, I was persuaded that the independence of Norway, under a government which the nation itself had formed, and an alliance with Sweden, Sweden guaranteed by the great powers, which should secure the repose of the North with that of the Norwegian people, who wish only to live free among their rocks, would be the most desirable state of things for Norway. I founded my hopes on the application, in our favour, of the same principles in support of which such generous efforts had been lavished in Germany and in Spain. The great powers of Europe have otherwise decided; the declarations which you have made, persuade me that the safety of Norway demands that we should yield to the law of the strongest; and I perceive that these same powers, not wishing to bring the calamities of war on Norway, are desirous of attending to every thing that may secure as much as possible the happiness of Norway united to Sweden. I even see it in my power to stipulate for the welfare of Norway, by the sacrifice of a situation personally flattering to me. I do not hesitate to make such sacrifice, in a manner worthy of a man of honour, worthy of the crown which I wear, and of the people who have conferred it on me. You have recognised that it is only into the hands of the Diet that I can resign my rights; and it is also only that assembly of the representatives of the nation which can decide, whether the nation should prefer an unequal struggle for its independence to the honourable conditions which shall be offer ed to Norway as a kingdom united to Sweden. Í acknowledge it to be my duty to make known to the nation the dangers to which it is exposed, and to represent to it the advantages which must be secured to it on its acceding to a constitutional union with Sweden; but VOL. LVI. you know me sufficiently to be convinced, that, faithful to my engagements, I will never separate my fate from it's, in the event of a brave though useless resistance against the united forces of Europe, being preferred to an honourable reconciliation, for which I shall employ all my credit. It is to this effect that I have written the letter to the King of Sweden, a copy of which is herewith subjoined, and by which I accede to your first basis for the truce which you also have deemed necessary, and which I demand of the King of Sweden, on honourable and admissible conditions. To the second basis of the truce, I reply, that if the point at issue be the rupture of negociations which can alone lead to an amicable union, I will accede to the evacuation of the country, between the Glommen and the Swedish frontier, as well as of the isles of Hualoerne, and the fortresses of Frederickstein and Frederickstadt, by the Norwegian troops, on condition that the territory, as well as the fortresses, be neutral during the armistice. Kongsvinger being on the north bank of the Glommen, and a league on this side the neutralized ground, I think it will not be proper to insist on its evacuation. In regard to the occupation of the fortresses by Swedish troops, I deem it my duty to represent to you, that conditions which have once already animated the whole people to the defence of the country, ought not to be redemanded, if it is wished to soothe the public mind; that the inevitable consequence of the entrance of Swedish troops would be a general rising of the people, and that, in that case, I must prefer war against the enemy to the civil 2 F war war which I should have occasioned by outraging the constitution in the eyes of the whole nation by a criminal weakness. If the King of Sweden wish an amicable union and not war, he will not insist on this, and will accede to the proposal which I have made to him of leaving the two fortresses of Frederickstein and Frederickstadt in the custody of the citizens of these cities. The evacuation of these two fortresses by the Norwegian troops, which leaves them without the necessary defence, will give every military advantage to the Swedes; and when I consider the generous sentiments which should guide his Swedish Majesty, I trust that that monarch will at the same time be satisfied to fix the neutral ground on the east bank of the Glommen to a circle of three leagues around these fortresses. With respect to the third basis, I must also observe to you, that the proposed raising of the blockade of Norway, which I consider as a condition inseparable from the truce, and as an unequivocal mark of the humanity and benevolence of the allied powers towards the people of Norway, must also be extended to all points of the coast, if it is wished that it be regarded as a real benefit. Any other condition would give rise to embarrassments and perpetual quarrels, which might too easily lead to a rupture of the armistice, and of the negociations consequent thereon. I have also demanded this of the King of Sweden, and I hope that he will acknowledge the truth of all these observations on the subject of the raising of the blockade, if it be wished to avoid every thing that might yet bring on a disastrous war in the North. I will furnish Major-General Petersen, and my aide-de-camp Captain Holsteen, with my full powers to conclude the truce at Frederickshall, or at Swinemund; and I sincerely wish that this negociation may be happily terminated, and be only preliminary to reconciliation and amicable union. I demand the guarantee of the allied powers for the truce, and for the propositions regarding the basis of union, to which his Swedish Majesty shall please to accede. On the subject of the King of Denmark's letter, as to which I abstain from all reflection, I shall beg of you to take charge of my reply. It will contain in few words the declarations which my present position and my honour have required my making to you, and of which you have acknowledged the weight. It will shew his Majesty that it is impossible for me to follow his orders until the Diet or the fate of arms shall have decided the future condition of Norway; and for the rest I must leave it to his wisdom and his conscience whether he judge it proper to carry into effect his threats against me and the Danish officers, which, however, would change greatly my personal situation, and the line of conduct which I have resolved to pursue. This note being the last which I shall have to hand over to you, Gentlemen, envoys from the allied courts, I seize this opportunity of begging you to be persuaded of the very particular consideration with which I subscribe myself, Your very affectionate, CHRISTIAN FREDERICK. (Signed) HOLTEN. Christiania, July 13, 1814. Letter |