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Doc. 181.] REVIEW OF NORDENCRANTZ’S BOOK . 519
happened under two of our unlimited monarchs, viz. King
Charles XI and King Charles XII. The former was cor
rupted by his own passion for carrying out the policy of se
questration (reduction ), with a cruel mode of liquidation, and
of issuing many decrees for carrying out the same, under
which they who chose could expropriate and confiscate all ma
norial and freehold estates, which were in the possession of
the nobility throughout the whole country. The latter was
corrupted at the hands of Baron Görtz78 by his passion for
putting himself in possession of the whole Bank; of calling in
all silver coin in the whole country, no matter by whom it
was held; of allowing everyone to advance money upon
the property of others, and, in case they could not redeem
it, to take possession of it ; of forcibly taking all who
could bear arms , and exposing them to the enemy. Ву
these and many other similar measures Baron Görtz78 suc
ceeded in corrupting Charles XII, by pandering to his passion
for war. From this it may be seen that one absolute
or arbitrary monarch is able to do more mischief in one year,
than a clique or combination of many at a session of the Diet
could accomplish in a hundred years ; inasmuch as in the
various Houses of the Diet their influence is counterbalanced
generally and individually ; while in an absolute monarchy
there is no such counter-weight. 3. Inasmuch as the author
makes such an ado about the power exercised by many, [i. e.
by cliques ,] being more insufferable than that exercised
in an arbitrary monarchy, I desire him to reflect upon this
case, and to subscribe and rubricate it, viz. that one
nominates out of three Houses forty -eight members to form a
committee, of which he himself is the speaker, and that he
binds these members by an oath not to divulge what is trans
acted and discussed in that committee.
VI. Against promotions to higher posts of honour, and on
rank and titles : against the former an objection is brought
only in one place in the book, where a reply is made, that
such promotions are encouragement for virtue and
merit.
VII. Against the establishment of mines and iron -works
in Sweden objections are made in two places, where a state
man
no
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