Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - Pages ...
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
COXE’S TRAVELS IN DENMARK. 423
hands. For this purpofe, his governor, General Eikfted, who was not-beloved by his
royal pupil, was difmifled ; and Sporen, his preceptor, and fuppofed to be his favourite,
appointed fecretary of the cabinet. A new privy-council was nominated, confifting
almoft entirely of the queen-dowager’s creatures, in which Guldberg had the princi-
~ palfway. Every thing feemed to bend before the Queen-dowager, the Prince effected a
revolution as fingular as it was unexpected.
On the 4th of April 1784, the Prince was confirmed in the royal chapel of Copen-
hagen, in the prefence of the King and court. According to the cuftom of the Lu-
theran church, he underwent a previous examination by the King’s chaplain, which
continued above-an hour ; and the Prince replied to every queftion in a fenfible man-
ner; fufficiently proving, from the readinefs and perfpicuity of his anfwers, that the re-
ports ofthis incapacity were malicious and unfounded. He {poke in a loud, clear, manly
tone of voice, with a dignity and propriety which aftonifhed the aflembly ; and repeated
the oath, to continue true to the eftablifhed church, in fo feeling a manner, as drew
tears from the eyes of many who were prefent.
Having, on a fubfequent occafion, received the facrament, he was.admitted into the
privy-council ; and on the morning of the 14th of April, took the accuftomed oath.
About five in the afternoon, the Prince and members of the new privy-council aflem-
bled for the firft time in the King’s prefence. Steman, who was at the head of the
treafury, was going to propofe the ordinary bufinefs of the day, but was interrupted by
the Prince; ‘turning to the King, His Royal Highnefs thanked his majefty for his educa-
tion, and remonftrated againft many abufes in the-late adminiftration of affairs, particu-
larly on the irregular.mode of iffuing orders from the cabinet, and not from the dif-
ferent boards of government. He then faid, ** Confcious of my own inexperience, I
cannot advife your majefty for the glory of the crown, or the advantage of the nation,
unlefs the privy-council confifts of thofe perfons who poflefs my confidence, and the
confidence of the people. But, in the prefent inftance, neither myfelf nor the nation
can place any confidence in the perfons now in power; I therefore requeft your ma-
jefty to diffolve the prefent privy-council, and to appoint in their place Count Bernf-
dorf, and fuch other perfonsas I take the liberty of recommending. I hope and truft
that your majefty will iffue an order, that no edict fhall be valid unlefs counterfigned
by me.” At the conclufion of thefe words, which he uttered with great firmnefs and
noderation, he laid the appointment of the new privy-council before the King, and
entreated him to fign it.
All the members (except Baron Schach Rathlow, who alone was acquainted with the
Prince’s determination) were fo petrified with aftonifhment, as to be incapable of
making any refiftance. But when the King appeared to hefitate, one of the members
rofe, and faid, ‘ Sir, His Majefty cannot fign fuch papers without due confideration,”
and endeavoured at the fame time to {natch them from the Prince’s hand. The Prince
replied with fome warmth, but with great dignity, “ Sir, it is not your bufinefs to ad-
vife His Majefty on fuch occafions, but mine, who am heir apparent, and refponfible to
the nation for my conduct ;” and again tendering the papers to the King, His Majefty
inftantly figned them. The papers were fent by a confidential meflenger to-the chancery,
and regiftered accordingly.
The privy-council being thus diffolved on the firft time of their affembling in the
King’s prefence, the Prince himfelf announced the change to the Queen-dowager in
terms of high refpect.
Throughout the whole tranfaction, the condu& of the young Prince was remarkable
dor a difcretion and fecrecy extremely uncommon in a perfonot his age. Being difcon-
TT 2 tented
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
