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14 THE PUBLIC LAW OF FINLAND.
and habits of the citizens. To have employed
physical force in order to incorporate this
country with Russia would not have accorded
with the Emperor’s personal views, nor have
conduced to the immediate pacification which
the political interests of the empire necessitated.
Hence Alexander preferred " an act of union."
He confirmed the old Constitution, ancl
summoned the representatives of the nation, so
as to establish, conjointly with them, the new
state of things.
The Finlanders, foreseeing the final issue of
the war and the impossibility of a return to
the past, could not hesitate to meet half-way
the proposals of the Emperor Alexander, who
had given them, as a security for the future,
the most formal assurance to maintain the
former Constitution. In Sweden the King had
been dethroned ; the Swedish Government had
no more power over Finland ; the Finnish
Estates, elected and assembled according to
law, could alone at this moment represent with
perfect right the Finnish people. Hence the
authority they made use of in binding the
V
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