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EAR 1771

[89 the fhade, behold things in their natural ftate. Nor can those who.

have been long used to fubmit without enquiry to every act of power, who have been fuccessfully encouraged in diffipation, and taught to trifle with the most important fubjects, fuddenly acquire. that ftrength and tenor of mind, which is alone capable of forming great refolutions, and of undertaking arduous and dangerous talks. Thus has this great revolu tion in the history and government of France, taken place without the smallest commotion, or without the oppofition, that in other, periods would have attended, an infraction of the heretable jurif❤; diction of a petty vaffal.

The parliament of Paris hav ing perfisted in its refufal, towards the clofe of the last year, to regifter an edict of the king's, by which they were to acknowledge as a law of the ftate, the indifpenfible obligation of all the fovereign courts to register any edicts he addreffed to them, even though in oppofition, to their own remonftrances, if he thought proper to perfift in enforcing the execution of his will;, they were at length fummoned to attend a bed of juftice at Verfailles, where the King acted in perfon, and the edict was obliged to be regiftered. The parliament had previously entered protests, against every thing that should be done at the bed of juftice, as the effect of a force which they could not refift, but which they neither ought, nor could affent to, being contrary to the laws, which they were fworn to defend, and under which, alone, they had any right, to act.

Dec.

1770.

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The Swedes are divided, as we are in England, into two great parties, who are diftinguished by the peculiar names of hats and caps, the former being thofe who efpoufe the intereft of the court, and the latter, the country or patriotic party. The principles of one are to extend the power of the crown, and of the other, to confine it ftrictly within the limits prescribed by the capitulations of the year 1720; at the time the states prefented the government of the kingdom to the hereditary Prince of Heffe.

Great exertions were made by both parties in the elections for the enfuing diet, which took place during the King's abfence, and in which the caps, contrary to expectation, were thought to have much the fuperiority. This was the lefs to be expected, as befides the many circumftances favourable to his intereft which generally attend the acceffion of a new, and particularly of a young Prince, the prefent King had alfo the advantage of being a native of Sweden, a matter of the greater importance, as both his immediate predeceffors were foreigners.

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The King made a June 25. fpeech at the opening of the diet, which has been much admired, efpecially in thofe countries, where from the nature of the government, addresses of fuch a kind, from the Prince to the people, are not cuftomary. It certainly contained feveral noble and generous fentiments. Among other profeffions, he declared, that born and educated among them, he had learned from his earliest youth to love his country; that he confidered it as the greatest happiness

to be a Swede, and as the greatest glory, to be the first citizen of a free country; that to fee it happy was the first object of his wishes; and to govern it free and independent the last object of his ambition; and concluded by defiring in the most endearing terms, that thefe may not be confidered as empty profeffions, belied perhaps by the fecret motions of his heart; but as the faithful expreffions of what that heart felt; which was too upright. not to be fincere, and too haughty ever to be falfe to its engage

ments.

The happy effects of concord and union, and the fatal confequences of divifions among themfelves, were much dwelt upon in this fpeech; the evident drift of which was, to reconcile, as far as it could be done, the contending parties; and at least, by leffening their animofity, and removing all jealoufies of the crown, to foften the temper of oppofition in fuch a manner, as that fome favourite points which were in view, might be gained in the course of the Diet. The speech gave univerfal fatisfaction to both parties, and a grand deputatation was appointed next day to return thanks for it, and to requeft that it might be printed.

Nothwithstanding thefe favoura ble appearances, the oppofition in the Diet was too ftrong to be overcome, and too firm to be cajolled. They knew that Princes are too generally as little fcrupulous of breaking through their profeffions, when they find themselves poffeffed of fufficient power to enable them to do it with fafety, as they are free in making them, in order to attain that power. The great ob

jec

ject of the court party, was to obtain a relaxation of those capitulations, which every king at his coronation is obliged to fubfcribe to, and to confirm by his oath as well as his fignature. These capitulations are a kind of bond or obligation from the king to the people, which confift of a great number of articles, and reftrict the power of the crown within very narrow limits indeed. The wifdom of Sweden, has not left thofe rewards in the hands of the crown, which might have infured fuccefs to an attempt of this nature. Being thus left to their natural and undifguised fentiments, the jealoufy of the Swedes got the better of their complaifance to the crown, and of the favourable opinion they entertained of the reigning Prince. This matter however prevented the coronation from taking place until the enfuing year.

The noble efforts of (that faithful repofitory of the laws, and remembrancer of the ancient rights of the people) the parliament of Paris, in the cause of liberty and mankind, have fatally terminated in its own final diffolution. Its fall was not more glorious from the cause in which it was engaged, than from the circumftances that attended it; several of the other parliaments having become voluntary facrifices at its funeral pire.

That ancient spirit from which the Franks derive their name, though still gloriously alive in the breafts of a few, no longer exifts in the bulk of the people. Long dazzled with the fplendor of a magnificent and voluptuous court, with the glare of a vaft military power, and with the glory of fome great monarchs, they cannot now, in the grave light of

the shade, behold things in their natural ftate. Nor can thofe who have been long used to fubmit without enquiry to every act of power, who have been fuccefsfully encouraged in diffipation, and taught to trifle with the moft important fubjects, fuddenly acquire. that ftrength and tenor of mind, which is alone capable of forming great refolutions, and of undertaking arduous and dangerous tasks. Thus has this great revolu tion in the history and government, of France, taken place without the fmalleft commotion, or without the oppofition, that in other periods would have attended, an infraction of the heretable jurif; diction of a petty vaffal.

The parliament of Paris hav ing perfifted in its refufal, towards the clofe of the laft year, to regifter an edict of the king's, by which they were to acknowledge as a law of the ftate, the indifpenfible obligation of all the fovereign courts to register any edicts he addressed to them, even though in oppofition to their own remonftrances, if he thought proper to perfift in enforcing the execution of his will; they were at length fummoned to attend a bed of juftice at Verfailles, where the King acted in perfon, and the edict Dec. 7. was obliged to be regis tered. The parliament had previously entered protefts, againit every thing that fhould be done at the bed of justice, as the effect of a force which they could not refift, but which they neither ought, nor could affent to, being contrary to the laws, which they were fworn to defend, and under which, alone, they had any right to act.

1770.

The

*

The Swedes are divided, as we are in England, into two great parties, who are diftinguished by the peculiar names of hats and caps, the former being those who efpoufe the intereft of the court, and the latter, the country or patriotic party. The principles of one are to extend the power of the crown, and of the other, to confine it ftrictly within the limits prefcribed by the capitulations of the year 1720; at the time the ftates prefented the government of the kingdom to the hereditary Prince of Heffe.

Great exertions were made by both parties in the elections for the enfuing diet, which took place during the King's abfence, and in which the caps, contrary to expectation, were thought to have much the fuperiority. This was the lefs to be expected, as befides the many circumftances favourable to his intereft which generally attend the acceffion of a new, and particularly of a young Prince, the prefent King had alfo the advantage of being a native of Sweden, a matter of the greater importance, as both his immediate predeceffors were foreigners.

The King made a June 25. fpeech at the opening of the diet, which has been much admired, especially in thofe countries, where from the nature of the government, addresses of fuch a kind, from the Prince to the people, are not cuftomary. It certainly contained feveral noble and generous fentiments. Among other profeffions, he declared, that born and educated among them, he had learned from his earliest youth to love his country; that he confidered it as the greatest happiness

to be a Swede, and as the greatest glory, to be the first citizen of a free country; that to fee it happy was the first object of his wishes; and to govern it free and independent the last object of his ambition; and concluded by defiring in the moft endearing terms, that thefe may not be confidered as empty profeffions, belied perhaps by the fecret motions of his heart; but as the faithful expreffions of what that heart felt; which was too upright not to be fincere, and too haughty ever to be falfe to its engage.

ments.

The happy effects of concord and union, and the fatal confequences of divifions among themfelves, were much dwelt upon in this fpeech; the evident drift of which was, to reconcile, as far as it could be done, the contending parties; and at least, by leffening their animofity, and removing all jealoufies of the crown, to foften the temper of oppofition in fuch a manner, as that fome favourite points which were in view, might be gained in the courfe of the Diet. The fpeech gave univerfal fatisfaction to both parties, and a grand deputatation was appointed next day to return thanks for it,

and to request that it might be printed.

Nothwithstanding thefe favoura ble appearances, the oppofition in the Diet was too strong to be overcome, and too firm to be cajolled, They knew that Princes are too generally as little fcrupulous of breaking through their profeffions, when they find themselves poffeffed of fufficient power to enable them to do it with fafety, as they are free in making them, in order to attain that power. The great ob

jec

ject of the court party, was to obtain a relaxation of those capitulations, which every king at his coronation is obliged to fubfcribe to, and to confirm by his oath as well as his fignature. These capitulations are a kind of bond or obligation from the king to the people, which confift of a great number of articles, and reftrict the power of the crown within very narrow limits indeed. The wifdom of Sweden, has not left thofe rewards in the hands of the crown, which might have infured fuccefs to an attempt of this nature. Being thus left to their natural and undifguifed fentiments, the jealoufy of the Swedes got the better of their complaifance to the crown, and of the favourable opinion they entertained of the reigning Prince. This matter however prevented the coronation from taking place until the enfuing year.

The noble efforts of (that faithful repofitory of the laws, and remembrancer of the ancient rights of the people) the parliament of Paris, in the cause of liberty and mankind, have fatally terminated in its own final diffolution. Its fall was not more glorious from the cause in which it was engaged, than from the circumftances that attended it; several of the other parliaments having become voluntary facrifices at its funeral pire.

That ancient spirit from which the Franks derive their name, though still gloriously alive in the breafts of a few, no longer exifts in the bulk of the people. Long dazzled with the fplendor of a magnificent and voluptuous court, with the glare of a vast military power, and with the glory of fome great monarchs, they cannot now, in the grave light of

the fhade, behold things in their natural ftate. Nor can thofe who have been long ufed to fubmit without enquiry to every act of power, who have been fuccessfully encouraged in diffipation, and taught to trifle with the moft im-. portant fubjects, fuddenly acquire, that ftrength and tenor of mind, which is alone capable of forming great refolutions, and of undertaking arduous and dangerous tasks. Thus has this great revolu tion in the history and government of France, taken place without the smallest commotion, or without the oppofition, that in other, periods would have attended, an infraction of the heretable jurif diction of a petty vaffal.

[ocr errors]

The parliament of Paris hav ing perfifted in its refufal, towards the clofe of the last year, to regifter an edict of the king's, by which they were to acknowledge as a law of the ftate, the indifpenfible obligation of all the fovereign courts to register any edicts he addressed to them, even though in oppofition to their own remonftrances, if he thought proper to perfift in enforcing the execution of his will they were at length fummoned to attend a bed of juftice at Verfailles, where the King acted in perfon, and the edict Dec. 7. was obliged to be regiftered. The parliament had previously entered protests, against every thing that fhould be done at the bed of justice, as the effect of a force which they could not refift, but which they neither ought, nor could affent to, being contrary to the laws, which they were fworn to defend, and under which, alone, they had any right. to act.

1770.

The

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