Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

We do not meddle with the concerns of other countries, and are certain that they will not meddle with ours. Your rights are therefore secured within and without; and every thing announces, that we shall not for a long time be obliged to defend them: but should the honour of the nation require it, I will go at the head of a faithful, tried, and disciplined army, supported by the will of the king and the people, and accompanied by the omens of victory, to meet the enemy, and shed all my blood in the defence of the country. I cannot express myself as I could wish in the Swedish language, but my son speaks it for me. He is educated among you on him your hopes must repose: but I speak the language of honour and freedom; and every Swede who truly loves his country understands me."

A long proclamation was made public by the King of Sweden, respecting the necessity of limiting the use of foreign articles of luxury. His Majesty observes, that the use of such articles far exceeds the ability of the nation to pay, which has occasioned an unexampled depreciation of the course of exchange, and consequent dearness of goods: that it is important to find means to supply the kingdom entirely from its own resources that this end may be in future greatly promoted by encouraging establishments to promote internal industry that this, however, requires time, and therefore extraordinary measures are necessary to limit the expenses caused by the importation of foreign goods. His Majesty alludes to his decree of the 31st of March, on the sub

ject of prohibiting many foreign articles, and of his decree of the same date as this proclamation, forbidding the sale of boiled coffee, and of various foreign wines. He then observes, that notwithstanding he sees with pleasure how much the sentiments of the nation corresponds with his own principles, yet he willingly avoids imposing any regulations on the dress and way of living of private persons, and trusts in the patriotism of the Swedes for their doing their utmost to second his paternal intentions. He expects that the higher classes in particular will set a good example, and that every reasonable head of a family, who has been as it were compelled by the prevailing fashion to take a part in the expenses of luxury, will be glad of the opportunity of retrenchment which his gracious invitation affords them. The magistrates are bound to encourage those who in certain places may wish to form societies against the use of foreign articles. His majesty will regard with especial favour the zeal and exertions of every well-disposed subject to promote his gracious intentions, and will be highly gratified at being thus dispensed from the necessity of enforcing his gracious will by express commands.-This proclamation is dated Stockholm, 30th April 1817.

His Majesty, on July 14, having sent for the Hereditary Prince Oscar, in order to take his seat next to himself in the council of state; and in future to be present at its deliberations, addressed him in the following remarkable and pathetic speech:

My Grandson! It is a solemn

and

and affecting moment for me, when I see you take the place at my side in which you are to witness the deliberations upon the welfare of the people whose future fates Heaven has destined to be your care. My age and infirm health do not allow me to say on this occasion all that my tenderness for you, and my long experience, make me desirous of expressing. I will merely remind you, that you will one day become the chief of two free nations. Show them, by your respect for their rights, how you would have them respect yours. It is the constant equipoise between these rights that in free states produces order and strength; and it is the part of the sovereign, by justice, humanity, courage, and judgment, to direct and develop this principle, for the highest object, the general welfare. Never forget, my grandson, that I this day impose upon you a sacred and cherished duty, namely, that of paying, when I shall be no more, my debt to your father, for all the warm love, the kind attention, and the unwearied tenderness which he has shown me, from the very first hour of his connexion with this kingdom. Be to him what he is to me; be his support, as he is mine; press your heart to his as he presses himself to mine: my country, your father, and you: this, my son, is what you shall read in my countenance as long as my heart shall beat; but when my voice, already faint, shall have become for ever silent, may the Almighty protect thee; may he guide thy steps according to his laws, and permit thee, in the course of ages, to behold from higher regions, thy

name the honour and the delight of the earth!"

The Crown Prince also made on this occasion a solemn address to the King, and to the Prince his

son.

OPENING OF THE DIET.

Nov. 28.-Yesterday, as had been announced, the solemn opening of the Diet of the kingdom took place. The Court, the Supreme Tribunal, the Council of State, &c. after attending Divine service in St. Nicholas church, proceeded to the hall of the Diet, in the palace, where the Minister of State, Count Engstrom, read a Royal letter, announcing that his Majesty, on account of indisposition, was not able to attend the opening of the Diet, but that he commissioned the Duke of Sudermania (Prince Oscar) to read his speech, by which his Majesty intended to give a new proof of his love to that Prince, and his confidence in his people.

The Hereditary Prince Oscar hereupon read the speech, which contained a concise view of all that his Majesty had done for the good of the country, and what he still intends to do; and what related to the support of agriculture and commerce, of the manufactories of cloth, &c. His Majesty has aimed at improving the condition of the troops by sea and land; he has endeavoured to open the way to promotion to those who shed their blood for their country, and to remove all the obstacles which must oppose the soldier whose fortune did not admit of his obtaining the rank of colonel, or lieut.colonel. The pay of the general has been increased, and provision

made

made for their widows, as well as the widows of other officers. The lazarettos and hospitals, the academies of music and the fine arts, have received sums of money for their support; and the capital has been adorned with several new buildings. His Majesty has constantly endeavoured to follow the general opinion and the spirit of the times, not to suppress them. His Majesty, proposing to the consideration of the Diet a new and very detailed plan of finance, is far from thinking it so perfect as he could wish, but he thinks the means he proposes are, for the present, best adapted to circumstances, and that it will be proper to make a trial of them till the next Diet. His Majesty will be happy if this project can be useful to the Diet; and if their own determinations should be found superior, he will thank Providence for having given their meditations on this important subject a more advantageous direction. "Let the slave," says his Majesty, "who sinks beneath the weight of temporary embarrassment, seek in hope alone the possibility of relief; the free citizen himself, the founder of the laws which he obeys, himself the defender of the /rights to which he appeals, meets. the most difficult conjunctures. with composure, sure of conquering them, as his fathers have done before him, sure of leaving the fruit of his exertions, and of his fulfilled duties, as an inheritance to his posterity."

Hereupon the Chancellor, Baron Wetterstedt, read the Royal proposals, of which the Land Marshal, and each of the speakers, received copies from the hands of

the Crown Prince: they then replied to his Majesty's speech, and kissed the hand of the Crown Prince.

VIENNA.

An article dated from, Vienna, May 28, announces officially from the Lemberg Gazette, that his Majesty the Emperor of Austria, King of Gallicia and Lombardy, has resolved to establish, with some modifications, the representative government of the kingdoms of Gallicia and Lodomeria in Austrian Poland, on the footing on which it was placed by Joseph II. There will be, as formerly, four orders of the kingdom, namely, the Prelates, the Barons, the Knights, and the Deputies of the cities. The last, and one of each of the three higher orders, will be elected for six years, the three others for three years. There will be besides a secretary, and an archivist, who will be appointed by government, and for life. The deputies will be elected by the body of the States, which will meet at the next Diet. They will each have a salary.

Thus (says the account) one of the most important articles of the Congress of Vienna is executed.

BERLIN.

The long protracted business of the constitution for the Prussian territories has still remained in an indecisive state, though not without indications of something like progress. A Berlin paper of the 20th of August mentions it is already known, that during the last days, on which the council of State met, there was a sitting of the Constitutional Committee,

over which the Prince Chancellor of State presided. On this occasion the Prince delivered a long speech, in which he described the manner in which the basis of the constitutional labours should commence. He laid down the proposition, that the constitution ought to unfold itself as it were in a historical manner out of the state of society; that therefore a correct knowledge of existing institutions was necessary; and that what was now in existence ought first to be taken into consideration. He accordingly proposed that commisioners should be sent into the different provinces, in order to obtain information on the spot respecting the ancient constitutions; and also to

converse with and collect the opinions of men of learning in the provinces on the subject. These commissioners are to be chosen from the body of the Constitutional Committee, and to receive orders to complete their inquiry by the next meeting of the Council of State, which is to take place in Autumn, in order that their labours may in that meeting be made the subject of deliberation. This proposal was generally approved; and the minister of state, Von Altenstein, Von Boyme, and Von Klewitz, are nominated to this commission, and have set out for the provinces. Thus (says the paper), one step more is taken towards the forming of a constitution for Prussia.

CHAP

CHAPTER XIII.

Stutgard.-Sitting of the States.-Their Dissolution.-The King takes upon himself the Regulation of the Finances.-Duchy of Saxe-Weimar : Its admission to the Germanic Confederation.-Session of the StatesGeneral of the United Provinces.-King's Speech.-Dutch Tea-Trade.Piedmontese Gazette.-Constantinople.

IN

STUTGARD.

N the first sitting of the states, this body presented an address to his Majesty, to which he returned an answer on the 16th of March, assuring them that he would not permit the members of his Privy Council to be present at any discussion in which it should be proposed by the States to prefer complaints to the throne against them. The States, proceeding in the commenced deliberations on the constitution, voted an address to the king for his gracious assurances. At the same time they specify the amelioration of divers laws since the accession of his Majesty, expressing the greatest confidence in his wisdom and good intentions, and anticipating the brightest prospects of national happiness and improvement from his reign.

On the same day the king caused to be read the answer of the Privy Council addressed, by his order, to the States. "Nothing (said the council) can be more pernicious to an assembly composed of different elements, than the spirit of faction, when it is not perpetually qualified by a sufficient counterpoise. If those whom the laws appoint to form that coun

terpoise are, as you desire, excluded from the deliberations or the votes of your assembly, it is too plain that the chiefs of the faction will not bring forward their strongest objections to the views of government in the presence of the privy counsellors, but in secret sittings; and that in these, resolutions will be adopted without allowing an opportunity of hearing or weighing the reasons which government might state against them."

In the further proceedings of the States, differences arose between that body and the king; and on the 28th and 29th of May, in consequence of the decided part which his Majesty had taken in the late discussions relative to the hereditary duchy, a set of rioters, composed, it is said, of the lowest class of people, attacked the house of the minister Wangenheim, where they practised several outrages. They were, however, soon reduced to order with the assistance of the usual patrols. A proclamation was in consequence issued against all seditious assemblies.

The king, on the fourth of June, finding himself unable to control the majority of the States, dissolved that body, and commanded

« AnteriorContinuar »