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FORTIA’S TRAVELS IN SWEDEN, 519
affixture was only placed there to prevent the curious from making the fame refleStions
that we do now, reflections refuiting from the verbal procefs entirely, fince no author
has ever fpoken of the effect of the ball? If to this be added the epoch at which this
mafk was moulded, the fhort time elapfed from the event, it will readily be conceived
that this precaution was ufed from a formal refolution to make no perquifition after the
origin of his death, as has been proved by the event.
Let us now examine upon whom our fufpicions ought to fall, fince, from this exa-
mination, in our opinion, we may gather, if not the certainty, at leaft the poflibility of
afcertaining the aflafiimation. It has been noticed before that Siquier was generally fuf-
pected, and it will be allowed from all the relations we cite, that it was not without
fome reafon: M. de Voltaire in attempting to juftify him but increafes it: we think
that he ought not for the honour of Siquier to have made public this phrafe, fo highly
extraordinary: I could have killed the King, but fuch was my refpect, that if I had been
difpofed, Tyet could not have dared: that is to fay that if ‘he had lefs refpected him, he
could have done the deed. What language! he could, he fays, have killed him; but is
there an aide de camp of a King with the army, who might not kill him even ten times
a day? and was it ever known to come in the mind of any fuch to fay Le could have killed
him? .’This phrafe appears to us fomething more than aukward in his mouth, at leaf
it is far from any poflible juftification, M. de Voltaire fays, that Siquier died poor.
Without {peaking again of an anfwer to this objection, the example of many might be
quoted, who, in the courfe of afew years, have expended enormous fums, fums more
than adequate to the remuneration of the greateft crimes. As for the third objetion of
M. de Voltaire it is rather an evidence again{t Siquier ; that he himfelf related the cir.
cumftances ; for Siquier knew well enough that the ball did not weigh half a pound,
that it was impoffible to introduce three fingers into the wound, and that his eyes were
not forced out of their fockets: he could not be ignorant of thefe matters, fince he was
upon the fpot, and faw the body of the King recently after the event *. He had there-
fore avery formal intention to difguife the truth: would he have aéted thus if the thot
had truly come from the citadel, and if he had not had very cogent motives for putting
fuch conftruction on his death? We fee Siquier take the King’s hat and carry it imme-"
diately to the Prince of Heffe; whytake his hat? If he had fimply to announce the
death of the King what need was there of a fpeaking proof? It would have been be-
lieved without that. We fhall add to thefe obfervations an anecdote, but little known,,
which we have from’good authority. — * Sequier, upon his arrival, found the Prince of
Hefle about to fit down to table, wafhing his hands in a golden ewer: upon learning
the death of Charles, he immediately made a prefent of the ewer to Siquier, no doubt
as an acknowledgment of the value of the information.” Such a prefent, in our fancy,
would have been more properly beftowed on the bearer of intelligence of a victory.
Thefe details do not juftify Siquier, but they are evidence, not againft himalone+. We
lay no ftrefs on the circumftance of almoft all the well-informed Swedes coinciding with
us in-opinion as to the affaflination, becaufe conjeCtures are not facts; but we think we have
* He is even without excufe, fince Counts Lieven and Carlberg who had feen the body of the King, as
well as him, affirm pofitively (according to Mr. Coxe in his firft travels) that’the fhot proceeded either
from amvfket or a piftol. What tends further-to criminate Siquier, is his miftating the fact fo as to do
away with the idea of his being aflaflinated. Coulda murderer, we afk, or the accomplice of a murder, do
more.
+ This is not the only example which might be found in modern hiltory of a fovereign; a frightful fuf-
picion of whom would’ have tarnifhed the memory, but that the fplendour of a long reign has caufed it to
be forgot.
fat thrown
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