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60] ANNUAL REGISTER

ling, who had for some time a strong and well-founded suspicion of the designs of the court. That he accordingly assembled the senate privately, who immediately resolved to open the dispatches without the king's knowledge; that by his means they became possessed of the unwelcome knowledge of the whole scheme that had been laid for the subversion of the government, and of the effect which it had already taken. Upon this alarming discovery, the senate spent the whole night in consulting upon and taking such measures, as might, if possible, prevent the completion of this deep-laid design; and as it was supposed, that nothing could operate so efficaciously to this purpose as the taking of the King's person into custody, it was accordingly concluded upon; and, having the proofs of the conspiracy now in their hands, he was summoned to appear the next morning, when they intended to lay the dispatches before him, and then put the design in execution. In the mean time, baron Rudbeck, the commandant of Stockholm, and count Hessenstein, who was next day to command the guard, were informed of the whole affair, and, having received the necessary instructions, promised their utmost assistance.

The revolution was however too far advanced, and the plan too well contrived, to be now prevented, or even impeded in its progress. The King attended the senate, as we have before seen; but took care to have a strong body of the guards posted under the windows, and, as soon as the design of seizing his person was mentioned, he put his head out of one of them and called to the soldiers to come up; who having obeyed his commands with great alacrity, the amazed and confounded senators were put into their custody, where they remained, while the King proceeded to the execution of the remaining parts of his design.

When Count Hessenstein was abandoned by all his officers and soldiers at the grand guard, who, contrary to his orders, were busily employed in taking new oaths of allegiance, the King required of him to do the same; upon which the baron, with his sword in his hand, is said to have replied with a generous indignation, that he was not base or mean enough to betray his trust, the rights of his fellow-citizens, and the constitution of his country; that, on the contrary, he had patriotism enough to become a voluntary victim in such a cause and resolution enough at that instant to rescue his country from the slavery with which it was threatened; but that however, from a firm persuasion that legal justice would be fully obtained, he would not oppose violence to force; that therefore he surrendered his sword to the King, and submitted to be his prisoner, till he hoped to be his judge. The count accordingly delivered his sword into the King's hands, and was immediately taken into custody. Some officers of the artillery, and others, followed the count's example; and all those who refused to take the oaths were secured.

From this period of the revolution we quit the controverted ground, and come to particulars which are not disputed. When the King had received the oaths of the officers and soldiers at the different departments, 

For the Year 1772. [61

the next measure he thought necessary was to secure the person of baron Rudbeck, the governor and general commander. That nobleman, when he found himself disobeyed and abandoned by the whole garrison, was seized with such an extremity of passion and grief, that he ran through the streets with his sword drawn, crying out, Brother Swedes, to arms! to arms! if not, your liberty is lost. As it was apprehended, that the arrest of this nobleman would, from his popularity and influence, be attended with danger, and probably excite an extraordinary commotion among the people, the King sent to the foreign ministers, to intreat of them to withdraw to the castle, for fear of those accidents to which such tumults are liable. This proposal was readily complied with; but the precaution was needless. Whether the people, through length of time, were grown insensible of the value of their liberties; whether they wanted spirit to defend them; or that the military power which surrounded them was of such force, as apparently to render all opposition fruitless; however it was, Rudbeck was arrested without commotion or tumult.

Thus was this great and almost unparalleled revolution accomplished, and an extensive nation deprived of it's liberties in a single morning, without bloodshed, without noise, without tumult, and without opposition; while the people flocked together with as much indifference and tranquillity as if it had only been some holiday sport. The King then repaired to the castle, and, having sent for the foreign ministers, informed them, that it was with tears in his eyes he had agreed to the measure of which they were witnesses, and which he was forced to take for the security of his person, as well as of the state, which were both equally in danger. He intreated them to assure their respective courts, that his motives, when made known, would justify him in the eyes of all Europe; that this affair should not be productive of any alteration in his conduct with respect to other powers; and to be assured, that what he had done was for the welfare of his people and the maintenance of true liberty.

Orders were immediately dispatched to Schonen, to counteract those which the senate had given to their delegates, and to confirm prince Charles in the command of the troops. Three declarations were also almost instantaneously issued; one, under the title of a most gracious assurance to the lifeguards, the corps of artillery, and all other faithful subjects within the city of Stockholm; the next, a gracious declaration to the faithful subjects at Stockholm; and the third, a notification to the nation in general, of some pernicious attempts against the King's rights and the safety of the nation. 

In the first of these pieces the King declares and avers, that his sole view is the repose of his dear country; which he will accomplish, by the extinction of despotifm, the suppression of an aristocratical power, the revival of the original Swedish liberty, and the re-establishment of the ancient laws, as they were antecedently to the year 1680. He thereby renounces, as he had done before, the detestable

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