The condition of the country had now considerably improved, and King Oscar's reign was marked by the carrying out of im portant legislative work and reforms. New roads were made, the first railway built, steamship routes established, lighthouses erected, and trade and shipping developed. During the Schleswig Holstein rebellion (1848-5o) and the Crimean War, Norway and Sweden remained neutral and Norwegian shipping especially bene fited. The abolition of the English navigation acts in 185o opened up a great future for the Norwegian merchant fleet.
In 1826, by the treaty with Russia, the frontier in the Polar region was definitely delimited; but in 1851 Russia demanded for her frontier Lapps the right to fish on the Norwegian coast, and to settle upon a portion of the coast on the Varanger fjord. The Norwegian Government refused, and serious complications might have ensued if the attention of Russia had not been turned in another direction. During the Crimean War the king concluded a treaty with England and France by which these countries guar anteed Norwegian and Swedish territory against Russia. Rela tions with Russia therefore became strained; but after the peace of Paris in 1856, and the accession of Alexander II., the Russian ambassador at Stockholm restored harmony.
Owing to the king's ill-health his son was appointed regent in 1857, and two years later succeeded as Charles XV. This gifted, genial and noble king desired to inaugurate his reign by proof of his willingness to acknowledge the claims of Norway, but he did not live to see his wishes carried out. According to the constitu tion, the viceroy might be either a Norwegian or Swede. Since 1829 no Swede had held the post, and since 1859 no appointment had been made. But the paragraph in the constitution still ex isted, and the Norwegians naturally wished to have this stamp of "provinciality" obliterated. A proposal to abolish the office was passed by the stoning in 1859. The king had privately prom ised that he would sanction the proposed change in the constitu tion; but a violent outcry arose in Sweden. Under pressure the king eventually refused to sanction the resolution ; but he added that he shared the views of his Norwegian counsellors, and would, when "convenient," himself propose the abolition.
In the following year the Swedish Government pressed the de mands of the Swedish Estates for a common parliament which, according to population, would contain two Swedish members to every Norwegian. The Norwegian Government did not seem at all disposed to entertain the proposal ; but some dissensions arose with regard to the form of its reply. The more obstinate mem bers of the ministry resigned, and others, of a more pliable na ture, were appointed under the presidency of Fredrik Stang, min ister of the interior from 1845 to 1856. Both the new and old
governments agreed that no proposal for the revision of the Act of Union could then be entertained. The king, however, advo cated a revision based upon full equality. In 1863 the storting assented to his appointment of a second Union committee. It was not until 1867 that its report was made public, and it could not be diAcussed by the storting before 1871. Meanwhile, the Danish complications in 1863-64 threatened to draw the two kingdoms into war. The king favoured a defensive alliance with Denmark, but the storting would only consent if an alliance could also be effected with at least one of the Western Powers.
In 1869 the storting passed a resolution by which its sessions were made annual instead of triennial. The first yearly storting in 1871 had once more to consider revision. The Norwegians steadily postulated (I) the full equality of the two kingdoms, and (2) no extension of the bonds of the union. However, the new draft implied the supremacy of Sweden and introduced im portant extensions of the bonds of the union. Strangely enough, the new Stang ministry accepted it and it was even supported by some of the most influential newspapers under the plausible garb of "Scandinavianism." In these circumstances the "Lawyers' Party," under the leadership of Johan Sverdrup, and the "Peas ant Party," led by Siiren Jaaboek, allied to defend the constitu tion of 1814. Thus was founded the great national party of the "Venstre" (the left). The proposed revision in 1871 was rejected by an overwhelming majority.
In 1872 a private bill proposed that ministers should be ad mitted to the storting and take part in its proceedings. After stormy debates, Sverdrup carried the bill by a large majority, but the Government, jealous of the new Liberal Party, advised the king to refuse his sanction. In the preceding half-century the Government Party had several times introduced a similar bill, but the opposition had feared lest the superior skill in debate and political experience of the ministers should turn the scale too readily in favour of Government measures. Now, on the contrary, the opposition had gained more experience and had confidence in its own strength ; but the Government saw in the proposed reform the introduction of full parliamentary government, by which they could not remain in office unless supported by a majority. The Liberals carried a vote of censure against the Government but the king declared that the ministers enjoyed his confidence. Three, however, resigned, and enthusiastic public meetings were held all over the country in support of the proposed reform.