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52]                  ANNUAL REGISTER
transactions of life, they would have excited strong suspicious of their sincerity, with those who value themselves on being acquainted with (what is called)the world.  Notwithstanding these plausible appearances, and the strenuous endeavors of the court party in the Diet, no relaxation could be obtained in the capitulations, though the coronation had been so long delayed upon that account.  The 18th Feb. 1772 King was accordingly obliged to sign the capitulations in their pristine form, and to confirm them by oath.  Indeed the articles were to numerous and so restrictive, that they could not have been supposed eligible to any other prince; but the King had so repeatedly professed the most republican principles, that it might have almost been thought, that he had been the framer of them.  In the two last articles, which were evidently added by himself, he absolves the states from their oath of allegiance; if he should premeditatedly infringe his oath and the capitulation, or even anything in the future, which the states should judge it necessary to prescribe further, for the improvement or security of the form of regency.  He also menaces with his utmost wrath, whoever should dare to propose the addition of one degree of power or splendor more to him, than what was contained in the present capitulation.  Upon the whole, we may find many princes, that will imitate Trajan in the manner, that will resemble him in the sincerity of the action.
  The coronation was May 22d. conducted with extraordinary magnificence, and the different orders of the state, as well as the people in general, vied with each other in the demonstrations of joy which they shewed upon the occasion.  A few days after, when the different orders of the state waited upon the King, to do homage, and to take the oaths of allegiance, the King in his speech upon that occasion, made the following generous professions; that assured of their hearts, and most sincerely purposing to merit them, and to fix his throne upon their love and felicity, the public engagement they were going to enter into, would, in his opinion, be needless, if ancient custom, and the laws of the country, did not require it.-"Unhappy the King who wants the tie of oaths to secure himself on the throne: and who, not assured of the hearts of his subjects, is constrained to reign only by the force of laws, when he can not by the love of his people."
  Such sentiments, would have done honour to any monarch in any age.  The whole speech carried an air of the most serious piety, the most disinterested patriotism, and the most paternal tenderness.  The different orders were respectively addressed, in terms suited to their particular rank, functions, and dispositions; and the whole was conducted with great art.  In the midst however of this cordiality, and apparent satisfaction, some insinuations of a strange and dark nature were thrown out; which expressed little, and seemed to imply a great deal; and which might have been easily understood so, as to contain any meaning that it was intended to draw from them, and might have been as easily explained  

                 For the YEAR 1772.      [53
in such a manner, as to have no particular signification.  The King reminds the states of the weightiness of the states of the weightiness of the engagement they were going to take; that the best knew the extent of their duty to themselves and the commonwealth: he then suddenly breaks out into an ardent with or prayer, that concord and harmony may unite their hearts; that foreign views and private gain, may ever be sacrificed to the public interests; and that the ambition of no part of them should ever raise any such disturbances, as might endanger the freedom and independency of the whole commonwealth.
What effect this part of the speech had upon the hearers, we are not acquainted with.  It was undoubtedly well contrived, to excite extraordinary doubts, suspicious and jealousies, in the minds if these who had not a clue to unravel the mystery.  The three lower orders of the state must have been particularly affected in this manner, who could scarcely avoid supposing, that the nobility and senate had formed some atrocious scheme for the destruction of the nation, with which they had not themselves penetration to discover.
  The Diet still continued sitting, when those designs, which probably had long been in embryo, began to reveal themselves.  As it was necessary that the experiment should be made at a considerable distance from the metropolis, in order that it might operate in some degree, before the senate and states should receive information of it, and might thereby acquire a considerable growth, before their attempts to crush it could take place, it was equally necessary that the scene should be laid, in a place where the military force, which the crown could safely confide in, should be superior in power, if not in number, to the inhabitants, whose inclinations were every where doubtful. The small city and strong fortress of [[Chri...]] in Scania, at the distance of about 250 miles from Stockholm, afforded all these advantages, and many others, and was accordingly, with great judgment, made choice of for the purpose.
  As the province of Scania forms the southern extremity of Sweden, and is the frontier to Denmark, from which it is only detached by the narrow passage of the Sound, it is consequently better furnished with troops and fortifications, than any other part of the kingdom; ad contains besides, the great arsenal, and magazines for the navy, at [[Carelscroon ]].  Besides the strength of this province, its situation would be of the greatest consequence, if the troubles were to prove lasting and dangerous; it would preserve an open communication with all foreign countries, as well as with the Swedish Pomerania; and would enable the King Prussia, to have thrown any forces that he thought necessary into the kingdom for the support of his nephews; in the worst extremity, it would have afforded a secure retreat out of the country.  It may not be an improbable opinion, that as that province has frequently changed its masters, having been long and often in the possession of the Danes, it might have been also supposed, as less attached to the ancient forms of government, and more indifferent to