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496 FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN.
for he is too great not to have calumniators. He is accufed of a crime in declaring
war at a time that he had not the power of making either war or peace. This reproach
is not unjuft; we have no doubt but Guftavus knew that he exceeded thus the
powers he himfelf had obtained, and that he thoroughly repented not having inferted
fuch an article in his conftitution of 1772, which would have pafled them as well as
the reft ; and his deficiency in this inftance is certainly a fault on the part of the prince
which can no otherwife be excufed, than by an apprehenfion he might have of acquir-
ing the lefs from his afking too much. However that may be, this prerogative inherent
in royalty hedid not poffefs; he was defirous of obtaining it, but at the fame time anxi-
ous that the war fhould be carried on for the advantage of his country: and people
worthy of credit, even in Ruffia, agree that had it not been for the defettion of his
officers in Finland, nothing could have prevented the King going to St. Peterfburg, not
for the purpofe of keeping it, that he would not have been able to do, but of laying it
under contribution, of drawing thence a confiderable fum of money, and of obliging
the Emperor to agree to the reftitution of a part of the countries wrefted from his pre-
deceffors; in one word, for terminating the war in one fhort campain by a glorious peace,
of which he himfelf would have prefcribed the terms.
Here again have we occafion to admire the clemency of His Majefty*. The campaign
of 1788, was prepared a long while before in the midft of entertainments and fpedtacles.
A fine army, a fleet of nearly thirty fhips of the line, equipped in two months time, an
affurance of the defencelefs ftate of the enemy’s coafts ; what a profpectwas here of fuc-
cefs! A traitor, a Swede, Sprengporten, who had gone over to the Ruffians fome years
before, fruftrated the grand preparations. The Emprefs propofed to him to ferve againft
the Turks, but he preferred being employed in Finland, where he could be of greater
fervice, affuring her that he fhould be able to feduce good part of the Swedifh army.
This villain entered the camp on different occafions difguifed as a peafant, with his
pockets filled with gold, and gained over nearly a hundred officers, principally Fins.
It is affirmed as a faét, that an officer can be pointed out who fold himfelf for a hundred
roubles ; a cheap price indeed to take in exchange for infamy. The project of thefe
wretches was not confined fimply to a refufal of advancing, they were likewile to feize on
the King’s perfon and deliver him to the Ruffians. ‘This Prince wasin perfect fecurity,
abfolutely ignorant of this frightful confpiracy; that he was not feized was wholly owing
to the cowardice of thofe who had engaged in the plot. Reflect but an inftant on what
mutt be the fituation of Guftavus, when his troops having entered the enemy’s terri-
tory, his officers flatly refufed to march, owing to his not having authority to undertake
a war, as they aflumed, without the approbation of the States. ‘The King inftantly per-
ceived that all his blooming hopes were blafted, all his great preparations rendered ufe-
lefs, in one word, the whole campaign abortive; a campaign, of the fuccefs of which
he had fo much reafon to be confident. He caufed his forces to retreat, and fent the
officers to be tried at Stockholm. Weare far from inclined to blame this Prince’s con-
duét, we have no fuch right, for clemency, even where exceilive, is {till avirtue. We
fhall only ftate what in his place we would have done. Immediately upon the refufal
of the Finith officers to march, we would inftantly have had them arrefted, difarmed,
and furrounded by fome battalions ; advancing into the circlewewould have faid to them :
Gentlemen, do you perfift in your difobedience ? Remember that at prefent you are foldiers
oppofed to the enemy, and not citizens deliberately in council. Should they have anfwered
* Were we defirous of multiplying examples we fhould not need them. In 3772 a mun conviéted of
offering to affaffinate him was fent to Pomerania with an appointment of 500 rix-dollars.
We
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