the flag,
broke an agreement with Sweden made in 1844, was of course only in
conformity with everything else.

II.

[Sidenote: _The Consul question._]

The Consular Question is a red thread running through the history of the
Union struggles during the last fourteen years--

[Sidenote: _The change in the Swedish Constitution of 1885._]

The Norwegians on their part in attempting to defend the way in which the
Left Side started the Union Policy in the beginning of 1890, always
allude to what happened in Sweden in 1885[8:1].

What was it then that happened in 1885?

[Sidenote: _Norway's attitude to the same._]

By the amendment of the Swedish Constitution, the Prime Minister was also
in the Ministerial Council (for Foreign affairs), so that the Council
instead of having only two members, ever after had three, the object
being to guarantee that the Cabinet Council should be more fully
represented in they the in administration of Foreign affairs. Now, as
previously mentioned, by a Royal Decree in 1835 the Norwegian Prime
Minister at Stockholm was admitted into the Ministerial Council when
foreign affairs affecting the two Kingdoms were negotiated. Thus Norway
by the proposed Constitutional amendment was supposed to occupy a
somewhat more unfavourable position than formerly. But Sweden immediately
offers a more extended representation in the Council for Foreign affairs,
which offer, however, is, for some inexplicable reason, refused by Norway
on formal grounds. In the year 1891 this offer was renewed, but then the
majority on the Left Side of the Storthing finds a very excellent reason
for refusing the proposition, by pointing out, that the Swedish Council
in motioning towards the proposed amendment in the Act of Union (not in
the proposed paragraph itself) maintains the stand-point that Sweden's
leadership in the administration of Foreign affairs is founded on legal
right[9:1].

But something else is said to have happened in 1885, which was not
discovered by the Norwegian side till several years later, and which,
being exposed by the Norwegian agitation in these days, offers to we
Swedes the delights of novelty. Formerly foreign affairs were supposed to
be administered chiefly by the Swedish King personally, and the Minister
for Foreign Affairs is said to have stood in a more personal relation to
the King. Foreign Affairs under such circumstances were supposed to be
more impartially treated, so that even