ordered under arrest, as was the Burgomaster; and the troops forcibly obtained what their leader had demanded. Colonel d'Addesparre, at the head of 2,000 regular troops, and about the same number of peasantry, is now on his march to Stockholm, to demand of the King to call a Diet of the States, as well as to obtain payment of the troops under his command. Proclamation of the Commander of the Troops stationed in Weimland. A considerable number of soldiers have taken up arms, in order to march to the capital, and relieve our common, now unfortunate, and dismembered native country. As all our fellow-citizens must be sensible that our views are such as public spirit and honour dictate to virtuous minds, we cannot be mistaken in our implicit confidence, that our brethren in arms and our unarmed fellow-citizens, will not form any incorrect opinion of our sentiments and views. They are merely these, that the States of the realm and our Legislators shall be at liberty to assemble and deliberate uncontrouled on the means of restoring the prosperity of our suffering country. We have solemnly contracted the engagement to lay at their feet the arms which we have taken up to procure them freedom. We will form a wall round the hall where Swedish Legislators hold their deliberations, which no power upon earth shall be able to beat down. We have solemnly contracted the engagement to destroy all such as still endeavour to prefer foreign connections to the internal welfare and tranquility of Sweden. Sweden's German dominions are delivered up to the enemy, and Finland, the native soil of a noble and gallant people, is lost. We have solemnly contracted the engagement, that not a single inch more of the Swedish territory shall be given up to the enemy. Sweden's trade and mines are ruined and deserted; Sweden's youth are taken from agricultural pursuits, in order to be destroyed by sickness and the sword, The burthens laid on agriculture are such that they cannot be borne any longer. Grinding taxes are exacted without mercy; desolation and misery are speading wide and far, and threaten universal ruin. We have contracted the solemn engagement, that the fathers of the country shall enjoy full liberty to restore the welfare and prosperity of the country. May the higher and lower States of the commonweal also join heart and hand to assert the freedom of the country, and thus, by harmony and well-concerted efforts, ensure success to our enterprize and views. May the fathers of the country offer peace and amity to our neighbours, but accompany this offer with the assurance that every Swedish hero will rather be buried under the ruins of his country, than suffer a single inch of Swedish ground to be taken by our enemies, or transferred to them. Our ally, Great Britain, shall learn to appreciate and value a nation, which knows how to break its fetters, and rescue liberty from its chains; France shall learn to respect a people, anxious to rival her military prowess; the rulers of Russia and and Denmark, incessantly engaged in pursuits tending to promote the prosperity of their people, will not disturb the peace and tranquility of a nation which merely desires to live or die independent. We have seen with sorrow the most important concerns of Sweden managed in a manner which was as destitute of any well conceived plan as of success. Might not the remaining strength of Sweden have been wasted by folly? but, if directed by wisdom, may it not be employed for the real benefit of the country? Such are our wishes for our country, and we shall readily sacrifice our lives to obtain their fulfilment. It is of the utmost importance for Sweden, that every Swede should at length be allowed to return to a peaceful home, as far as it can be done without any disparagement to the honour and independence of Sweden. The frontiers of the kingdom are for a short time left without defence, on account of our departure from thence; but should the enemy, contrary to his solemn promise, avail himself of our absence to attack them, we shall speedily return, take a severe revenge, and convince him of the difference of a warfare carried on by personal hatred of the rulers, and a war urged by a nation, anxious and determined lo assert its independence. Since we, according to our gra cious Proclamation of the 13th instant, have found ourselves called upon to take the reins of Government as Regent, in order to save our beloved native country from unavoidable destruction, we have considered it of the highest importance to deliberate with the States of We implicitly confide, that all mi- the Realm, upon the means which litary commanders will readily comay procure and confirm the fuoperate with us, to secure, byture happiness of the Swedish naspeedy and vigorous exertion, the restoration of our lost prosperity, in the destruction of our foreign foes. i tion. We wish, therefore, and command that all the States of the Realm may assemble in the capital of the kingdom before the 1st of May next, and that not only the Nobility may regulate their conduct by the laws for the House of Nobles giver on the 6th of June, 1626, by the King Gustavus Adolphus, of glorious memory, &c. and revived and confirmed by King Gustavus III. on the 9th of November, 1778, but that the other States, which, as usual, send Deputies, may observe the following order: From the Clergy are expected to appear the Archbishop, every Bishop from his Diocese, the first Pastor in Stockholm, together with so many from each Diocese as usual, and of the other States as many as usual, all provided with necessary letters of deputation, in order that we may be able to begin the Diet, and after its being fortunately finished, give you permission to return every one to his province. Which every one must respectfully observe, and we are, &c. &c. Address of his Royal Highness the Duke of Sudermania, to the People of Sweden, dated Stockholm, March 15, 1809. His Royal Highness, the Duke of Sudermania deems it right and conformable to the duties of his high station, publicly to lay before the Swedish people, the motives and causes which produced the important change, which has lately taken place in the government of this country. The archives of the state contain a great variety of documents, which will prove the necessity of that measure, both to the present age and posterity. For this long time past the public opinion condemned a system of warfare, which so little suits a country, the commercial concerns of which claim that neutrality, which her fortunate geographical situation, which seems to secure Sweden, demands, and that was sacrificed by the government. As early as 1805, Sweden, joined by other Powers, entered into a war with France, which from local circumstances, was then, however, confin ed to the loss of her trade with nearly all the States of Europe; a loss which, although not to be com pared with that she has since sustained, was yet of great moment. Soon after differences with Prussia arose, which, however, were not attended with consequences equally important. In 1807, the share which Sweden took in the coalition against France became momentous, and its influence on the dearest interests of the country more detri mental. Swedish Pomerania was occupied by foreign troops, and Stralsund besieged; yet one prospect of more fortunate times yet remained. A continental peace was on the point of being concluded at Tilsit, and Sweden invited to form one of the contracting parties; Sweden refused; and in consequence of this refusal she was compelled to fight France, and her numerous allies, single-handed on the continent of Europe, and the siege of Stralsund was carried on with increased vigour. Even during that siege, nay, after the conclusion of the conven tion, which stipulated the evacuation of Pomerania and Rügen by our troops, offers of peace were made by the enemy, and rejected; and the German possessions of Sweden, the last remains of the conquests of Gustavus Adolphus the Great, were lost. Sweden had, however, to sustain losses still more severe. In the winter of 1807, and the the following year, serious apprehensions arose of an impending rupture with our neighbours, both on the East and West of our empire. These apprehensions and dangers might have been warded off a few months before by the Swedish government, by its accession to the, peace of Tilsit; a peace which Sweden was not prevented from concluding by her only ally, which was offered on terms by no means irreconcileable with the public interest of Sweden. The war broke out in Finland, and its gallant defenders, at the end of a severe and honourable conflict with an enemy far superior in number, were obliged to give up to him their beloved country. This misfortune, the most calamitous event which has befallen Sweden for centuries past, might have been avoided, if the powerful preparations of defence, which the situation and nature of the country admitted, bad been conducted with wisdom and skill, and if the plans of resistance, no sooner adopted than relinquished, had been conceived and carried into effect, with unity and firmness. Finland, which, in point of population and intrinsic value, formed one third part of the Swedish Empire, was lost, and this loss bore with the most destructive pressure on the two remaining thirds. In this state of affairs, the means of waging war against such numerous enemies could not prove sufficient for any length of time, and no other resource was left than to burthen with new taxes a people unable to bear them, The public necessities increased in proportion as the means and resources of the state were destroyed. Trade and navi gation were at a stand; our nines and agriculture were unproductive from want of hands; universal ruin was spreading wide and far; and yet it was universally known that His Royal Majesty had again repeated his former firm and unalterable determination uot to conclude a peace with the present government of France, without which, however, no reconciliation with Denmark and Russia could take place. In this situation of affairs a considerable part of the Western army formed a resolution to march to the capital with the patriotic view which appears by the proclamation issued on their part. Similar movements took place among the rest of the Swedish troops, and it was in this critical position his Royal Majesty came to the unfortunate resolution of leaving Stockholm, and directing his family and several officers of the state, to follow him. The garrison was ordered to file off, and it was intended to assemble an army in the South, to oppose the troops who were approaching from the North and West. Two distinct governments were thus to be formed, two armies to be assembled, and a civil war was to fill up the measure of our calamities and distress. The King's departure was, how. ever, postponed until the 13th March, at noon. An universal con sternation prevailed. The most réspectful remonstrances against his Majesty's determination were rejected, and no other means remained even to secure the safety of the King's own person, than to prevent him from carrying his unfortunate resolve into effect. In these circunistances all the officers of state, in conjunction with the States of the Empire, Empire, who were present at Stockholm, expressed to his Royal Highness the constitutional wish that he might take the reins of government into his hands; a wish to which his Royal Highness, notwithstanding his advanced age, thought himself in duty bound to accede, confiding that this step will be viewed in its proper light by every honest patriotic Swede. From the Royal Courant, published at Amsterdam on the 4th April. Louis Napoleon, by the Grace of God, and the Constitution of the Kingdom, King of Holland, and Constable of France, taking into consideration that the term prescribed by our Decree of the 27th November, 1808, No. 5, expires on the 31st instant. Taking further into consideration that it is necessary, at the present period, to take further measures, either for the renewal of the aforesaid Decree, or the previous Decrees respecting the means of carrying into execution the prohibition of all commerce with the enemy, or of replacing them, in whole or part, by other measures calculated to place all matters relative to navigation on a footing of complete uniformity with the Decree of France and of our Brother the Emperor; and notwithstanding the difficulties arising from the maritime war, and those which commerce suffers for its own interest, being continually anxious to contribute to that important object, we have decreed and hereby decree; Art. 1. All commerce, correspondence, and communication with England, remains prohibited accord, ing to the purport of our previous Laws, Decrees, and Regulations, and particularly such of them as expired on the 21st instant, so far as no alteration is therein made by the present Decree. 2. From the first day of the succeeding month of April, the following fifty-two articles may be exported to friendly or neutral countries in Dutch vessels, or those sailing under the flag of neutral or allied powers, viz Books, beans, butter, brandy, bricks, white lead, cheese, cambricks, copper manufactured, clocks, clover and garden seeds, eels, flower roots, fruits, geneva, guazes, glue, hoops, hides dried, iron manufactured, leather, linen, linseed, madders, mill-stones, oak bark, ground oats, oils of seed, pottery, powder blue, peas, paper, perfumery, plants, pipes, playing cards, quills, rushes, silk manufactured, sacch. saturni, starch, tiles, thread and thread-tape, tobacco, tarras, turf, vinegar,watches, wine, wood manufactured. 3.The importation of the following thirty-two articles shall be permit ted, viz. Brandy, ashes (pot,) candles, cop per, corn, fish-oil, isinglass, hareskin, hemp and hemp-seed, hides (rough,) iron, leather (unmanufac ture), lead, linseed, mercury, mats, pitch, Russia skins, rape-seed, stockfish, soda, tar, tallow, tobacco, tiniber, wax-wool, wool, bristles and fruit.. 4. The commodities prepared for exportation shall not be put on board until previous notice has been given thereof to the Marine Direc tor of the Ways and Means, with a particular specification of such articles, which cannot be exported but from the ports of Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Dordrecht, Gröningen, Embden, |