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The Norwegians, on their side, had no exaggerated confidence
in the Swedish promises. As a matter of prudence, provisions
touching the union were embodied in the Norwegian fundamental
law; and the Act of Union, which was passed by the Storthing on
the 5th August, 1815, became fundamental law for Norway, without
being so in Sweden. In the history of the Union, this circumstance,
of which the sole intention was to secure guarantees for the Norwegian
nation, has gained significance from the fact that Swedish politicians,
by its means, have claimed rights for Sweden over the fundamental
law of Norway.
The composition of the Norwegian government also contained
a proof that Carl Johan approved in the main of all that had
taken place in this country in 1814.
For the first 15 years after the union, vice-regents (statholders)
of Swedish birth stood at the head of the government. The
council itself was composed of men belonging to the various
parties in the country. Two or three of Christian Frederik’s
ministers also had seats in the new ministry.
There was at first no possibility of establishing the democracy
on which the constitution was based. On the contrary, the
bureaucracy which had developed under the former absolute power,
attained its highest level, and being of an extremely marked national
character, became the constitution’s best defence during the
reaction that soon supervened under the pressure of the Holy Alliance.
When Norway entered upon the union with Sweden, her
condition was anything but a prosperous one. Great want and poverty
prevailed, and all trade was depressed. Since the great national
bankruptcy in 1813, the finances of the country had been in the
most grievous plight. The first ordinary Storthing (1815—1816) saw
no other way out of the difficulty than to depreciate still further
the paper currency. In order, however, to impart a fresh firmness
to money matters, the Bank of Norway was founded in Trondhjem,
its paid-up capital being procured by the assessment of an
extraordinary tax.
This, of course, could not but increase the depression at first,
and, as a result of the growing discontent, a rising of the peasants
in the Uplands took place, with the object of dissolving the
Storthing, and bringing in an absolute government. Some have
therefore claimed to see the machinations of the royal power
behind the rising, which was organised by a large farmer in
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