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Doc. 172.] 489
ON WAR AGAINST RUSSIA.
9. With respect to alliances, the Secret Committee will
perhaps examine how far we can afford to send auxiliary troops,
or how far, if Sweden considers herself bound to do this , it
may be done without involving ourselves in the general war ;
moreover, they will exercise care, so that no alliances and no
treaties with the countries concerned be violated. To nothing
like this can I give my consent in this matter; for I think the
whole of it ought to be further inquired into by those who
are acquainted with all the circumstances, or, by some em
phatic proposals made to the Russian court, we ought to
settle both matters together.
10. That the present conjuncture of affairs is such as to
hold out a fair promse, I on my part, for the reasons stated
above, cannot see. There are, indeed, some apparent ad
vantages by which we might be induced to take part in the
proposed movement; but if any reverses should happen, such
a conjuncture would arise as would render Sweden more unfor
tunate than she has ever been.
And as all depends upon the providence of the Highest,
in a few years some better conjuncture may be discovered,
so that Russia may be attacked on some other side, or be
disturbed interiorly, which would result in a much greater
advantage ; for instance, if we should only now make such
proposals to the Russian court, that Sweden, by receiving an
adverse answer and a refusal, would thereby be justified, on
such a conjuncture arising, in beginning an affair in which Sweden
would be the offended party, for which contingency even now
preparations might be made.
11. The argument, that Sweden is thought by other nations
to be so exhausted and in such a condition, that for that
reason and from being afraid, she does not venture to take
part in the movement, is no reason in itself for commencing
a war, which might possibly reduce the country to such a
condition, that what is now a mere assertion, might prove to
be a fact; but as even then this would be an assertion without a
sufficient foundation, there would still be many, at least fully
one half of those in Europe, who hold the opposite view, who
do not like Sweden to engage herself in saving her honour by
a mere process of reasoning, supported by such a fact, when
a
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