The National Register. — 1809-04-02 (London, England)

REVOLUTION IN SWEDEN. The last twenty years have been peculiarly marked by physical and moral convulsions. Whilst earthquakes, inundations, and volcanic eruptions betrayed an alarmibg fermentation in the interior of our globe, all the hinges of society have been viwently burst by conspiracies, rebellions, and the worst crimes which have disgraced the worst ages of our world. Where, and how, they will end, it is now beyond the reach of 'human prudence, or foresight, to determine. It requires, however, only a superficial spirit of observation to be convinced,i that the calamities with which we have been already visited, tremendous as they have been, arc only a prelude to others, at which thought itself recoils. Our nature abhors a constant anticipation of gloomy events; but the symptoms we have noticed ' and which assume every day a more malignant aspect, prove there is a mass. of feverish matter in society, which must occasion a dreadful and unheard of crisis. The rev elution, which has taken place in Sweden, is, in whatever light we regard it, one of the most dangerous, criminal, and impolitic occurrences, we have ever read or heard of. It is as silly and unretlecting an action, as to put a sword into the hands of a Madman. The minds of the lower classes, in every part of Europeare already too much dissatisfied with their governments and institutions t. betray too impatient a sense of every kind of restraint, manifest too thatmark ed a jealousy of the higher and privileged orders; one or two more examples of this kind are only necessary to make them feel, that the supposed hardships of their condition originate in the injustice of their governments. Whenever that dreadfal moment arrives—whenever so fatal a sentiment begins to take rooted possession of their minds, a, scene cif anarchy and complicated atrocities will ensue, which will convert society itself, into a great slaughter-house. This is the fatal presentiment, which. rushes on our minds, in coutemplatin:, the rash and iithiuitous act which has taken place in Swellen. The weak and unprincipled instigators will bemoan, we clearly foresee, their injustice and violence, with tears of blood. They have given a dreadful precedent in the deposit-;on anti arres:ation of their Sovereign—hat force conqtituica riOt! and the Poplace, they arc obliged to flatter in order to support their aggression, impressed with the uli!ity of this maxim, will seize the first opportunity to turn it t”,:alust themselves. Exclusive or the atrocity and iinpolicy of the act, every individual, who is averse to the horrid system of gratin?. which is now established in the greater part of Eurevs., must warmly spupthise in the sufferings of a- voting  . ~  - :.:,: .  Monarch, whom neither threats nor promises could induce to swerve from the general cause of freedoM. Ile had his faults; blithe amply made up for them by a numbeiof splendid virtues; he was chaste, temperate, laborious, loving the good though lie might have erred in the means of attaining it.. We appeal to every man of honour and, honesty, had he been placed in the situation of GUSTAVUS, if he would not have pursued the same line of policy, which that Monarch did. In condemning him, every Englishman Must condemn his own government, and ivakes the base acknowledgment, that . interest, and not justice, is the basis of his morality. . The KING of SWEDEN detested BONAPARTE; and where is the honest man, who does not detest a murderer and a robber. He had the magnanimity to spurn his insidious oilers of friendship ; and every man, who has the slightest respect for himself, or feeling for others, would act with the same spirit and magnanimity. He tried to maintain the independence of his country against an unprovoked attack; he appealed to the loyalty and courage of his subjects to assist him in so sacred and lionouraLle a cause ; . and if he has fallen in it, he carries with him the consolation, that the honest and impartial of every country admire his principles, and take a warm interest in his fate. It may be asked how far a government has a right to in. terfere in the conduct of another country.. But if an interference of that kind be justifiable, ours has a strong interest to employ every means in its power, to re-establish the deposed Sovereign. Conciliatory measures may have a good effect on some occasions; but we believe, that only vigorous and decisive policy can bring back the Swedish nation to a sense of the atrocity committed against their