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1645.]
His suggestions for the
improvement of the CHRISTINA. THE REGENCY. towns, and the abolition of
burdens on trade. 295
for a contribution, as is customary over the whole
world, and the affairs of the realm allow nought
else*." The chancellor deplores the want of business
ill the towns arising partly from their irrational
management, partly from the exorbitant burdens
and exactions lay which they are vexed, especially
post-service, free-quarters, and unjust contribu-
tions’; all which bring with them such a slavery
that no honourable man can endure to sit under it,
wherefore the towns are now almost quite desolate.
Concerning the regulation of trade introduced in
the time of Gustavus Adolphus, the chancellor
says :
"
Although at the time when it was passed
there were grounds for it, it is now clear and mani-
fest that trade, which ever loves freedom, suffers
under it ;
since also the towns do not increase by
one, two, or three persons only having liberty of
dealing and traffic, but their growth comes from
multiplication of inhabitants, and in the concourse,
whence all the burgesses of a town derive advan-
tages ;
therefore the greatest part of the corporate
bodies and their rigorous laws, especially the need-
less cost, should be abolished. Generally it were
advisable to open Stockholm also, at a conve-
nient season of the year, both for inlanders and
8 This counsel was the rather to be taken to heart, as
after the death of Gustavus Adolphus we find statements
like tlie following (from the protocol of council for April 7,
1636):
" The lord John Skytte declared that he had repre-
sented to his late blessed majesty not to alienate so many
estates from the crown, whereto his majesty made answer
that he did this in order that those who obtained the estates
might be so much the more true to his family; he might
well suppose that if another family came to the government,
they would disapprove his concessions, and revoke the
estates to the crown."
9 Thus the chancellor complains that those who came to
Stockholm by horse or boat were bound to portage. In the
protocol of the council for Oct. 30, 1633, the councillor of
state Clas Fleming laments that it was impossible speedily
to procure bread for the men who were to be sent off, since
the bakers excused themselves on the plea that they were
not allowed to grind. Jacob de la Gardie thought that sol-
diers should be billeted in their houses, when they would
soon get bread enough. In consequence it was intimated to
the bakers that if they did not furnish three hundred tuns
bread within three days, they would be set in the tolbooth
(smedje-gard, lit. smithy) of Stockholm.
1 At the diet of 1633 the three unnoble estates collectively
presented complaints respecting the farmers of the crown
revenues. The high-marshal Jacob de la Gardie (who de-
clared in the council, March 1, 1633, "There was no man
before who dared to speak the truth," but had himself shared
in the crown-Ieasings,) severely rebuked some of the repre-
sentatives of the clergy, because they had said that the ven-
geance of God followed such contrivances.
2 The copper cross-pieces, struck and issued by order of
Gustavus Adolphus, seem to have had no currency. The
Swedish agent in Holland, Eric Laurenceson, offers to send
them back again. Letter of the council to the chancellor,
Jan. 14, 1633. The government was constrained to order
that debts which had been contracted in copper money,
should be paid according to the value which the rix-dollar
bore at the time, namely, until 1628, 6^ marks to the rix-
dollar; 1629, 10 marks, and afterwards 14 marks, as ascer-
tained by the crown receipts. Thenceforth the rix-dollar
was to be worth 6 marks, or 48 ore ; but the copper ore or
rundstycks in circulation were at the same time depreciated
to the half value, and the government undertook to cause
silver coins to be struck. Compare Stiernman, Economical
Ordinances, ii. 13, seq.
’ A remarkable document, of which a copy exists in the
Nordin Collections, delivered by Axel Oxenstieriia to Gus-
strangers. We may be convinced of the advan-
tages of such an institution by the foreign towns,
and by Gottenburg ; and although some few
hucksters should set themselves against it, and it
should have the appearance of impairing, by free
trade, the maintenance of the burgesses, yet he
who observes the matter with intelligence, and
without bias, and considers the welfare of the
whole, will find that om- inland wares will
thereby
only be more in request. It would be better that
the salt-license were rescinded, since the subject
thereby suffers, and the fisheries are kept under ;
the great customs should be taken out of the hands
of the farmers, and such arrentations generally be
abolished, the sooner the better *. Instead of the
copper coinage, which his late majesty had deter-
mined to let fall of itself, as it had already mostly
disappeared, a good and sterling coinage, yet some-
what under the standard, should be issued ^. In the
copper trade no improvement could be expected,
so long as it was carried on in the name and on
behalf of the crown ;
it was best that the crown
should seek its advantage in a reasonable duty, and
commit the trade itito the hands of its
subjects*.
tavus Adolphus, bears this title,
"
According to h!s majesty’s
gracious command, this is my poor opinion touching the
copper trade and copper coinage." On the coinage he thus
speaks :
" so long as copper was at a good value, and the
coinage was small in amount, so that it only supplied the
wants of the commonalty and answered to their requirements,
and was so proportioned that he who wished to have silver
could obtain it, so long the one coinage was as good as the
other. But after the value of copper had receded, it drew
down the coinage with it, and even diminished its amount ;
so that we may indeed suffer and be silent on account of the
prince’s edict, but that does not alter the opinion and com-
mon sense of men." "
Upon these and other inconveniences
I would rather hear another opinion than give my own. But
since your majesty commands it, I do it only out of submis-
sion to your high pleasure. Because the present course of
things and many other causes have disturbed and defeated
the design, I remark, after my small understanding, that all
traffic which is conducted either in the name of the public
or in the interior of the realm by companies, is more hurtful
than profitable ;
I will therefore submissively press that the
copper-mines should be thrown open to enterprize, the freer
the better. That traffic by the government, for the use of
the king and the realm, is seldom profitable, I judge not only
from experience, but especially from this, that all trade re-
quires exact and accurate credit, and its observance, accord-
ing to reasons not of state but of commerce ; since in matters
of public concern it often happens that we must take where
any thing is to be got, and let alone where is nothing ; but
in trade, if we would not make a bankruptcy, we must keep
promise and submit to common laws. Companies, indeed, 1
formerly held to be useful, and do still deem that those for
foreign commerce are of great benefit (at the congress of
Heilbronn the chancellor invited the Germans to take shares
in the South Sea Company privileged by Gustavus Adolphus,
and in Sweden, conjointly with the duke of Holstein, a Per-
sian company was even founded); but inland companies are
nothing else than monopolies, obstructing and contracting
commerce, and the prosperity of towns and country. I can
find no other way good than that your majesty should direct
by duties the copper-mines, trades, manufactures, and their
revenues, no otherwise than as a steersman steers his ship."
March 9, 1633, the council writes,
" We have observed that
the chancellor seems inclined to release the copper trade for
toll and teiiid. This the council finds wholly unadvisable,
as leading to the certain ruin of the factories and manufac-
tures, deeming that it would be better again to set up the
Copper Company." Reg. The copper trade was opened in
1634, but private industry was still too weak to carry on
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