checked pace. The
Norwegian radical policy had reached a climax.

The following events in Norway point decidedly to an energetic and
designing leadership organised from the beginning. It may be left unsaid
how far back the plans that where brought to light after the foundering
of the Consular question, were in existence. That they had already been
discussed long before that period can hardly be doubted. Neither can it
be doubted that just in reference to these plans, strong efforts had been
set at work on the Norwegian side to get the Consular negotiations broken
off[47:2]. And it is an indisputable fact that those men of action in
Norway had scarcely dared to take the step, if the ever threatening
danger in the east had not been allayed for a time; the real importance
of the Union to which they had for some years been alive, could be laid
to rest.

That the old traditions of the radicals now took the most prominent place
became manifest in innumerable ways. One symtom of this, was the
systematic labour of exciting opinions against Sweden. The orgies of
Swedish hatred and "national persecution", which in Christiania were held
in the Spring of 1905, far outstepped the limits of decency which even a
Norwegian ought to feel. The coarsest invectives were flung against the
government and people of Sweden. All Europe rang with accusations of
breach of agreement, ambitions for the supremacy spread from Christiania.
A few sensible and intelligent Norwegians, who really comprehended that
the Swedish government's claims had legal grounds, and were not meant as
an insult to Norway, made themselves heard[48:1] in the beginning, but
their voices were soon silenced in the tumultuons confusion that reigned.
In Norway feelings were excited, which more than ever gave Norwegian
opinion a tone of unreasonableness.

Another symptom was the distinctness with which the Union separation
shone as the goal. This was shown in the Cabinet meeting by the very
tactless, but very Norwegian expressions when the break-down of the
negotiations was officially announced. The old King was pleased to
express his hearty wishes, "that the two Kingdoms which could soon
celebrate the centenary of their Union, would never let any differences
of opinion break their bonds, as it was the safest security for the
independency, safety and happiness of the Scandinavian country and its
two peoples". To this, the Norwegian Cabinet replied that they had taken
the libe