GENERAL HISTORY. 



[133 



and affecting moment foi" me, 

 when I see yon take the place at 

 my side in which you are to wit- 

 ness the deliberations upon the 

 welfare of the people whose future 

 fates Heaven has destined to be 

 your care. My age and infirm 

 health do not allow me to say on 

 this occasion all that my tender- 

 ness for you, and my long experi- 

 ence, make me desirous of ex- 

 pressing. I will merely remind 

 you, that you will one day become 

 the chief of two tree nations. 

 Show them, by your respect for 

 their rights, how you would have 

 them respect yours. It is the con- 

 stant equipoise between these 

 rights that in free states produces 

 order and strength ; and it is the 

 part of the sovereign, by justice, 

 humanity, courage, and judgment, 

 to direct and develop this principle, 

 for the highest object, the general 

 welfare. Never forget, my grand- 

 son, that I this day impose upon 

 you a sacred and cherished duty, 

 namely, that of p:iying, wlien 1 

 shall be no more, my debt to your 

 father, for all the warm love, the 

 kind attention, and the unwearied 

 tenderness which he has shown 

 me, from the very first hour of his 

 connexion with this kingdom. 

 lie to him what he is to me ; be 

 Ins su])i)ort, as he is luine ; press 

 your heart to his as he ])resses 

 iiimself to mine : my country, yoiu' 

 father, and you: this, my son, is 

 what you shall read in my coun- 

 tenance as long as my heart shall 

 beat; but wiicn my voice, already 

 faint, shall have become for ever 

 silent, may the Almighty protect 

 thee ; may lie guide thy steps ac- 

 cording to his laws, and jjermit 

 tiice, in the comsc of ages, to 

 behold from higher regions, tiiy 



name the honour and the delight 

 of the earth !" 



Tlie Crown Prince also made on 

 this occasion a solemn address to 

 the King, and to the Prince his 

 son. 



OPENING 01 THE DIET. 



Nov. 58. — Yesterday, as had been 

 announced, the solemn opening of 

 the Diet of the kingdom took 

 place. The Couit, the Supreme 

 Tribunal, the Council of State, 

 &c. after attending Divine service 

 in St. Nicholas church, proceeded 

 to the hall of tlie Diet, in the pa- 

 lace, where tlie Minister of State, 

 Count Engstroni, read a Royal 

 letter, announcing that his Ma- 

 jesty, on account of indisposition, 

 was not able to attend the opening 

 of the Diet, but that he commis- 

 sioned the Duke of Sudermania 

 (Prince Oscar) to read his speech, 

 by which his Majesty intended to 

 give a new proof of his love to 

 that Prince, and his confidence in 

 his people. 



The Hereditary Prince Oscar 

 hereupon read the speech, which 

 contained a concise view of all 

 that his Majesty had done for the 

 good of the country, and what he 

 still intends to do ; and what re- 

 lated to tiie support of agriculture 

 and conunerce, of the manufacto- 

 ries of cloth, &c. His Majesty has 

 aimed at imjiroving the condition 

 of the troops by sea and land ; he 

 has endeavovued to open the way 

 to promotion to those who shed 

 their blood for their country, and 

 to remove all the obstacles which 

 must oppose the soldier whose for- 

 tune did not admit of his obtaii.- 

 iiig the rank of colonel, or lieut.- 

 coloncl. The i)ay of the general 

 has been increased, and provision 



made 



