16 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1818. [Feb. 



The following Royal proclama- 

 tion was published, inconsequence 

 of which his Majesty King Charles 

 John was proclaimed King on 

 the 6th instant, by the herald of 

 the kingdom, in the usual form: 



" We, Charles John, by the 

 Grace of God, King of Sweden 

 and Norway, &c. to all our faith- 

 ful subjects living and dwelling 

 in Sweden, greeting. 



" As we, in consequence of 

 the proposal of our late beloved 

 father, our august King and 

 Sovereign Charles XIII, to the 

 Estates oftheKingdom of Sweden, 

 were unanimously chosen, on the 

 21st Aug. 1810, his successor on 

 the Swedish throne, and at the 

 same time, invited by the unani- 

 mous voice of the King and the 

 people, accepted this honourable 

 call, though attended with great 

 responsibility ; we felt a par- 

 ticular impulse thereto, in the 

 events, wholly foreign to us, 

 which decided your choice, and 

 which, without our having any 

 share in them, solely directed 

 your free and independent reso- 

 lutions, We were thereby taken 

 from that repose which had been 

 our sole aim ; and immediately 

 on our arrival here, your deceased 

 King received us with the dearest 

 proofs of confidence and friend- 

 ship, by adopting us as his Son, 

 and impressing on your work a 

 more holy zeal ; which could but 

 increase our obligations and our 

 tlevotedness to our new country 

 during the years that have 

 elapsed since that event so inter- 

 esting to our heart. We have 

 exerted ourself to fulfil towards 

 that never to be forgotten and 

 ever beloved Prince, all the 

 duties -of a faithful subject and 



an affectionate son ; and have 

 daily received in his paternal, 

 never changing tenderness, tlie 

 noblest recompense of our en- 

 deavours. This happiness we 

 are no longer to enjoy. Death 

 has deprived us of him who in 

 this world was attached to us 

 with the most faithful love. From 

 our filial bosom, from the arms of 

 an inconsolable consort, from the 

 circle of sorrowing relations, from 

 a people of whom he has been 

 twice the deliverer, he departed 

 with the calmness of a sage, with 

 the peace of a good conscience, 

 attended with the consolations of 

 religion, and the tears of grati- 

 tude, to receive his eternal reward 

 in a better world. We have re- 

 ceived his last blessing upon you, 

 which he pronounced on the 

 verge of life with the same energy 

 as in his most vigorous days ; and 

 in his dying hand we took the 

 sacred oath, to inherit, together 

 with his Crown, his tender cares 

 for the country, his ardent wishes 

 for your welfare. 



" As we now, in consequence 

 of this afilicting event, ascend 

 the united thrones of Sweden 

 and Noi'way, to govern both 

 kingdoms according to the funda- 

 mental laws of each, which were 

 approved by the Estates of the 

 Swedish Diet on the 6th of Aug. 

 and by the Storthing of the king- 

 dom of Norway on the 31st of 

 July, 1815, we have given the 

 royal declaration, fixed by the 

 King and the States of the king- 

 dom, in the decision of the Diet 

 of the 2nd of May, 18)0. 



" Since we first trod on Swe- 

 dish ground it has been our 

 highest care to defend your 

 liberty, your privileges, and the 

 independence 



