STATE PAPERS. 



419 



conclusion of peace, the colonies 

 are to be restored, but not the 

 island of Heligoland; nor h there 

 to be any indemnification for the 

 loss of the fleet. Every inhabitant 

 of these kingdoms and countries 

 may be assured, that these propo- 

 sitions were, by his majesty's com- 

 mand, answered in a manner cor- 

 responding to the dignity of the 

 crown, and the known interests of 

 his states. The flag of truce re- 

 turned from this place in the after- 

 noon of the 2nd inst. It was ordered 

 to wait only forty-eight hours for 

 an answer. 



His majesty, deeply afflicted at 

 the scarcity which inevitably re- 

 sulted from a prolonged defensive 

 war, which interrupted the corn 

 trade, and obstructed the commu- 

 nication between Denmark and 

 Norway, had, as is already known, 

 made proposals of peace to the 

 government of Great Britain; but 

 the person who was authorized to 

 deliver them, could not obtain a 

 hearing. To the proposals which, 

 with the same view, were trans- 

 mitted through the medium of the 

 English Envoy in Stockholm, for 

 the information of his government, 

 no reasonable objection can be 

 made, as they claimed the restitu- 

 tion of all that had been taken 

 from his majesty, in consequence 

 of the unexpected rupture ; or an 

 indemnificatiou for the same, and 

 to guarantee to his majesty the 

 possession of his states. When 

 two governments, after the break- 

 ing out of a war, unite again, in 

 order to conclude peace, nothing is 

 more usual tlmn to demand in- 

 demnifications ; but such demands 

 are not to be constituted indispen- 

 sable prehminaries, without which 



negociations are not even to tako 

 place. 



It will, on the other hand, be 

 remarked, that the proposals for 

 peace and reconciliation, just made 

 by the agents of the English go- 

 vernment and the Swedish chan- 

 cellor, are entirely dependent upon 

 such preliminaries as have no jus- 

 tification whatever in the events of 

 the war in which Denmark has 

 been involved with England. Both 

 the above-mentioned governments 

 endeavour to give their demands a 

 colour of justice, whilst they, on 

 the contrary, refer to engagements 

 entered into among themselves, by 

 which the kingdom of Norway is 

 destined to become subject to Swe- 

 den ; as if any obligation upon his 

 majesty could thence be derived 

 to fulfil what had been stipulated 

 between his majesty's enemies, 

 and a neighbouring power, whose 

 ruler endeavours to separate the 

 two kingdoms from each other 

 whilst he in the mean time subju- 

 gates Norway. 



It is the king's unalterable de- 

 termination to maintain the union 

 of his kingdoms. 



Fellow countrymen I we will 

 support his majesty's incessant ex- 

 ertions for the independence and 

 welfare of the country 1 We will 

 with him encounter every danger, 

 and our banner shall be • God and 

 a just Cause.' 



Almost insuperable obstructions 

 have been thrown in the way of 

 the corn trade to Norway, with the 

 view of weakening the courage of 

 the brave Norwegians, by the cries 

 of their wives and children for 

 bread, — by the want of food for 

 their necessary subsistence. These 

 are the weapons that have been 



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