FORTIA’s TRAVELS IN SWEDEN.

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for he is too great not to have calumniators. He is accufed of a crime in declaringWar at a time that he had not the power of making either war or peace. This reproachis not unjuft ; we have no doubt but Guftavus knew that he exceeded thus thepowers he himfelf had obtained, and that he thoroughly repented not having infertedfuch an article in his conftitution of 1772, which would have pafifed them as well asthe reft ; and his deficiency in this inftance is certainly a fault on the part of the princewhich can no otherwife be excufed, than by an apprehenfion he might have of acquir-ing the lefs from his afking too much. However that may be, this prerogative inherentin royalty he did not poffefs; he was defirous of obtaining it, but at the fame time anxi-ous that the war fhould be carried on for the advantage of his country: and peopleworthy of credit, even in Ruffia, agree that had it not been for the defedion of hisofficers in Finland , nothing could have prevented the King going to St. Peterfburg, notfor the purpofe of keeping it, that he would not have been able to do, but of laying itunder contribution, of drawing thence a confiderable fum of money, and of obligingthe Emperor to agree to the reftitution of a part of the countries wrefted from his pre-deceffors; in one word, for terminating the war in one fhort campain by a glorious peace,of which he himfelf would have prefcribed the terms.

Here again have we occafion to admire the clemency of His Majefty*. The campaignof 1788, was prepared a long while before in the midft of entertainments and fpedacles.A fine army, a fleet of nearly thirty fhips of the line, equipped in two months time, anaffurance of the defencelefs ftate of the enemy’s coafts ; what a profpedwas here of fuc-cefs! A traitor, a Swede , Sprengporten, who had gone over to the Ruffians fome yearsbefore, fruftrated the grand preparations. The Emprefs propofed to him to ferve againftthe Turks, but he preferred being employed in Finland , where he could be of greaterfervice, alluring her that he fhould be able to feduce good part of the Swedifh army.This villain entered the camp on different occafions difguifed as a peafant, with hispockets filled with gold, and gained over nearly a hundred officers, principally Fins.It is affirmed as a fa£f, that an officer can be pointed out who fold himfelf for a hundredroubles ; a cheap price indeed to take in exchange for infamy. The projedt of thefewretches was not confined Amply to a refufal of advancing, they were likewife to feize onthe King’s perfon and deliver him to the Ruffians. This Prince was in perfect fecurity,abfolutely ignorant of this frightful confpiracy; that he was not feized was wholly owingto the cowardice of thofe who had engaged in the plot. Refledt but an inftant on whatmuft be the fituation of Guftavus, when his troops having entered the enemy’s terri-tory, his officers flatly refufedto march, owing to his not having authority to undertakea war, as they affumed, without the approbation of the States. The King inftantly per-ceived that all his blooming hopes were blafted, all his great preparations rendered ufe-lefs, in one word, the whole campaign abortive; a campaign, of the fuccefs of whichhe had fo much reafon to be confident. He caufed his forces to retreat, and fent theofficers to be tried at Stockholm . We are far from inclined to blame this Prince’s con-duct, we have no fuch right, for clemency, even where exceffive, is ftill a virtue. Wefhall only ftate what in his place we would have done. Immediately upSn the refufalof the Finilh officers to march, we would inftantly have had them arrefted, difarmed,and furrounded by fome battalions ; advancing into the circlewewould have faid to them :Gentlemen, do you perfijl in your difobedience ? Remember that at prefent you are foldiersopp'ofed to the enemy, and not citizens deliberately in council. Should they have anfwered

* Were we defirous of multiplying examples we fhould not need them. In 1772 a man convicted ofoffering to aflaffinate him was fent to Pomerania with an appointment of500 rix-dollars.

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