~ 
residence, while in every part the honest 
Swedes were rejoicing at this continu- 
ance of their -illustrious line of kings, 
the happy monarch himself, on the 19th 
of March, 1800, summoned a diet at 
Norkoping, and thus addressed them :— 
* Figh and Noble, Reverend and Wise, 
Brave and Honourable, my Good Lor ds 
and Men of Sweden ! 
‘© With the most heartfelt pldasure 
¥ see you this day assembled, for the first 
time, “before my throne, convinced that 
T may safely confide my cares for the 
welfare of faithful subjects, in their own 
bosoms. Eight years have now elapsed 
since the opening of the last diet: It was 
then that my lamented father addressed 
you fur the last time from this throne, 
and expressed his happiness at heing 
king of so faithful a people; of a people on 
whose wisdom he relied; and whom he had 
called together to consult with them in 
confidence and harmony, on the affairs 
of the kingdom. Pressing was the oc- 
casion; a fanatical fury had seized on 
the minds of men; it convulsed almost 
every country, laying waste some and 
destroying others; and seemed with a 
sort of demoniac agency to throw itself 
amidst the senates of the most distant 
states, and possess their spirits to their 
own and their nation’s destruction. Even 
in the midst of their counsellors, kings 
were not always sure of safety. The 
surrounding realms shewed horrid exam- 
ples of these convulsions; and where- 
ever sovereigns looked, they saw the 
minds of men like a train of ; gun-powder, 
ready'to take fire, either by the touch of 
design oraccident. Formidable it was at 
such a crisis to call together an assembly 
of the people; but the King of Sweden 
knew his own good faith and the loyalty of 
his subjects At the moment of their ap- 
pearing before him he saidj—it is my 
dear father’s own words that I repeat, 
‘ Few in a similar station would expose 
themselves to the ferments which often 
arise in large assemblies, but I do net 
dread them. I rely on your attachment, 
and on the frankness with which I shall 
lay before you the state of the country, 
and the affairs on which we must delibe- 
‘rate. If your confidence meets mine, 
the general good can only result from so 
natural and religions a union; the 
kingdom wil become happy and formi- 
dable, and gain the esteem, while it com- 
mands the respect of ioreign nations.’ 
“ How did he then express his sin- 
cere love for his people; what hopes did 
he not declare of being able, with suni- 
320 Memoirs of Gustavus Adolphus IV. King of Sweden. 
‘jects of my father’s 
lar trath, to communicate his pleasure 
on the conclusion of the diet, at the har- 
mony and wisdom which wonld guide its 
deliberations! Alas, he did not’ then 
think that death so near, which he had 
so often braved for Sweden in the field; 
and which he was so soon to meet at the 
hands of his ungrateful and treacherous 
subjects !—It wrings my heart, that I 
must renew, at this moment, when f first 
address my ‘people from the throne, the 
recollection of a crime which ought to. 
have been impossible in this country. 
But it is my duty to remind you of his 
virtues and his fate; and yours to con~ 
tinue to deplore and execrate the trea- 
son that deprived you of such a father. 
The remembrance of that dreadful deed, 
horrible as it is, would excite still more 
grievous ideas within me, had I not the 
consolation of being surrounded by faith- 
ful subjects who abhor alike the per- 
petrators and the crime, and still, with 
myself, bewail the loss of a just and gra- 
cious sovereign. 
“The happiness, honour, and inde- 
pendence, of the kingdom, were the ob- 
labours ; 
of his intentions can no longer be mis- 
conceived; for the times in which we 
live, and the events which we have wit- 
nessed, must convince us more and more 
of the wisdom of his measures and the 
benevolence of his zeal. 
““ As I have inherited, with the throne 
of my father, his affection for his people, 
T hope to experience from you the same 
fidelity which he received; and to have 
the like opportunity that he had, to feli- 
citate you on the harmony and wis- 
dom of the diet. 
“ Thus reminding you, my faithful 
subjects, of the fulfilment of your duties 
to your king and yourselves, 1 cannot 
forget the difficulties that lie before my- 
self, On ascending the throne, from 
which so many great kings have governed 
Sweden, I feared that 1 was not equal 
to so high a callmg; but, when I consi- 
dered, that by my birth T was summoned 
to the post; and that my sincere endea~ 
vours to do justice to the royal duties, 
might atone for immature ability and 
inexperience ; when I prayed for the 
assistance and grace of the: Almighty, 
my courage was re-assured; my con- 
fidence was awakened by. my trust 
in the arm of Heaven; and under 
that conviction, during the  eventfal 
course of the last three years, I have 
faced with intrepidity ail difficulties 
within and withoutiny kingdom, I have 
2 myself 
[May 1, 
the purity- 
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