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274 A History of Sweden
well. The majority of the members chosen to this Riks-
dag belonged to the Cap party. They compelled all the
zealous Hat members of the council to withdraw and
replaced them with men of their own party.
D. ADMINISTRATION OF THE YOUNGER CAP PARTY
The Foreign Policy of the Caps. The Cap party,
which came to power in 1765, differed greatly from
the old Cap party under the lead of Arvid Horn. It is
true that both advocated economy in national expendi-
tures and opposed extravagance and waste. But while
Horn and his followers had placed Sweden’s inde-
pendence as their goal, the present Cap party had
during the political strife, in blind party rage, sought
support from Russia, the sworn enemy of the Hats.
It even came to light that the Russian ambassador in
Stockholm had received from friends in the Cap party
traitorous writings, which suggested that if the Rus-
sian government failed by peaceful means to crush the
Hats, it should resort to threats and mobilize forces
along the borders of Finland. These men called them-
selves "patriots." It was Swedish leaders who backed
up the insolent behavior of the Russian minister after
the election of the heir to the Swedish throne in 1743.
The object of this affiliation with Russia on the part
of the Caps was to enable them afterwards to adopt
measures for the country’s welfare. The hereditary
enemy so powerfully rebuked by the Hats now with
the success of the Caps secured a foothold in Sweden.
The party leaders could not now adopt any important
measures without first consulting the Russian minister.
Gold was freely used by him to strengthen his cause.
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