Immediately after the great war the Norwegians
were ready to take sword in hand to prevent their coming under the
domination of Sweden. But the Powers of Europe undertook the
settlement of that question, and they united those countries upon a
footing of strict legislative independence and co-equality.... And
yet with two countries so united, what has been the effect? Not
discord, not convulsions, not danger to peace, not hatred, not
aversion, but a constantly growing sympathy; and every man who
knows their condition knows that I speak the truth when I say that
in every year that passes the Norwegians and the Swedes are more
and more feeling themselves to be the children of a common country,
united by a tie which never is to be broken."
The tie was broken within twenty years.
It may be that the Nationalist leaders, or some of them, do not desire
separation; but it by no means follows that a concession of their
demands would not lead to that result. Franklin, in 1774, had an
interview with Chatham, in which he says--
"I assured him that, having more than once travelled almost from
one end of the continent (of America) to the other, and kept a
great variety of company, eating, drinking, and conversing with
them freely, I never had heard in any conversation from any person,
drunk or sober, the least expression of a wish for a separation, or
a hint that such a thing would be advantageous to America.
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