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66*] ANNUAL REGISTER For the YEAR 1772. [*67

it may well preserve from contempt those that are ridiculous. As the names of the two Gustavus's were very dear to the Swedes, the King accordingly missed no opportunity of shewing his attachment to the memory of theose great men, of holding them up as models by which to regulate his conduct, and of insinuating some resemblance, at least, between his own situation and theirs. We have already seen the parade with which the silver hammer of Gustavus Adolphus was displayed at the plenum; the King did not lose sight of this object upon the appointment of a new senate, and the letters of vocation, which were sent to the members upon that occasion, were a direct transcript of those that had been used in the time of the former great prince. At the same time, to shew his own attention to the distresses of the people, and to confirm the odium which he had already brought upon the states, by attributing to them the famine which prevailed, he caused ten thousand measures of meal, of twenty pounds each, to be distributed amongst them; which, though insufficient to afford them any effectual relief, was equal to the purpose for which it was designed.

The doubt of the states with respect to their being again assembled was soon removed. Every thing was now changed, and they no longer seemed the same men. The 25th marshal of the diet opened the plenum with a long speech in praise of the King, mixed with pious acknowledgements to Heaven for the blessings of the late happy revolution. The different orders had no other emulation than in acts of adulation and servility;
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and no other business than to execute whatever they were ordered. The King made a short speech, in which he preserved the same tone and manner which he had hitherto so successfully practised; he returned thanks to Heaven, which had that day enabled him to address them with that confidence, and that ancient Swedish simplicity, which had been in use in the time of his ancestors; that as they had all now but one common aim, which was the good of the nation, it was necessary for the purpose, that the assembly of the states should be speedily terminated; that therefore his proposals were very concise; that the exigencies of the state were great, and that frugality should not be wanting on his side; he then recommended concord and unanimity in their deliberations, and assured them that whatever they granted should only be employed to their own good.

The propositions contained, that the usual contributions should be agreed to and confirmed; that an extraordinary supply should be furnished for the expences of the late King's funeral, and for those of the coronation; that, as it could not be determined how far the amount of those two articles, together with the ordinary revenues, might be sufficient to answer the necessities of the slate in these times, a secret committee might be appointed, chosen from the three orders who direct the affairs of the bank, with whom the King might deliberate upon the means to be used in certain cafes in which secrecy might be necessary; and lastly, that the states should speedily put the affairs of the bank into such a condition, as would effectually facilitate all money

money transactions. The states were also informed that it was the King's pleasure, that they should immediately take these matters into consideration, and determine finally upon them within fourteen days, as it was necessary that the diet should at that time be terminated.

The day was concluded by a grand deputation from the four orders, consisting of 120 persons, to return thanks to the King for his paternal care, by which the nation had been restored to it's true liberty, and to desire that a medal might be struck in commemoration of that happy event. 

The subsequent meetings of the diet were productive of nothing but compliances in the fullest terms with the King's requisitions. The grants for the usual and for the extraordinary the supplies, with respect to the funeral and coronation expences, were immediately passed. A motion was however made in the assembly of the nobles, that the supplies should only be granted for a limited time, as well in conformity to the ancient constitution, as to the practice of the late government; and it was therefore proposed that the grant should be restricted to the term of six years. This restriction was strongly opposed by the court party, and particularly by marshal of the diet, who had made the late copious harangue in praise of the King's virtues; they pretended, that the debating of the question, which was of such infinite consequence to the nation and to posterity, would prolong that affair too much, and prevent their giving an answer within the limited time, and it was therefore better to refer it to the King, before they passed any resolution upon it. Absurd as this proposal must for ever appear, it was immediately agreed to; and the King, as a proof of his patriotism, in return expressed his wishes, that the nobility should have the same confidence in his paternal care that the other orders had, by whom no limitation was proposed.
 
Thus the contributions were made perpetual; and the third article which the King proposed, of being enabled to raise extraordinary supplies upon particular occasions by the help of a secret committee, was not only complied with, but the whole power lodged in the King's hands; who was both to judge of the exigence, and find the means of supply; while the directors of the bank were to act the part of a secret committee, in such matters as he thought proper to consult them upon. By these measures the King is become virtually possessed of all the powers of government, and the states seem thereby to have irrevocably sealed their own doom; nor does it now appear, that, without some extraordinary change of circumstances, the crown can have any motive for the future convocation of a diet.

The states having now done everything that the King wished for, he thought it proper to dismiss them to their respective countries, in a state of as much good humour, and self-satisfaction with respect to their own conduct, as it was possible. His parting speech, at the breaking up of the diet, Sept. 9. was filled with effusions of piety and gratitude to the Almighty, and of acknowledgements to them, for the happy facility with which, in so short a time, they 
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Transcription Notes:
In 1700's the letter "s" at the beginning of a word and within a word often had an appearance similar to the letter "f" but without the crossbar.