122 on the kiit^ of Sweden. March 28. 



government v/as first establifhed it held forth to the 

 people the allurements of democracy ; the very pea- 

 sants themselves, \\Y\o were in their domestic situa- 

 tion no better than slaves to their mesne lords, were 

 admitted to a fliare in the legislative afsembly of the 

 nation ; no law could be pafsed without their own 

 consent to it. But notwithstanding this seemingly- 

 important privilege, they soon found themselves, 

 as others in similar circumstances have often been 

 before, subjected to a more rigid opprefsion than that 

 was, under which they groaned when they effected, 

 their last revolution, and they longed to experience 

 another change, without knowing what they fhould 

 wilh it to be. 



The king having observed this general discontent 

 in the nation, and feeling that he pofsefsed the name 

 of arcing alone, without those prerogatives he thought 

 fliould be annexed to it, formed a plan to emancipate 

 himself from this galling state of pupilage, and di- 

 gested his scheme so well, that he effected in one mo^ 

 ment an entire revolution in the government ; and 

 without one drop of blood-fhed, rendered himself, to 

 the great satisfaction of the bulk of his people, the 

 despotic lord of all his dominions *• Since that time 

 he has made such a proper use of his authority, as 



• Nothing can point out in a more strikirg manner the futility of 

 ■11 political oaths, and consequently the iniquity otimpcsirg them, thai 

 what occuneJ in this trinsaction. But «uch is the weakncfs of men, 

 whenever they afsume nny degree of power that their own minds make 

 them suspfctis beyond the bounds of re.-son, they grasp at even the smal- 

 lest appearance of a /hac'ow, that they think has a prospect of perpetuating 

 it. Hence ic has hapjier.ed In every^encroachmcnt that has ever been 

 maile upon the ji si rights of mankind, the parties conccincJ in such en- 



