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Doc. 196.) 543
VINDICATION OF HIS CHARACTER .
again the royal power. This organization was discovered at the
close of the Diet of 1756, and it resulted in the administration
of a severe reprimand to the King and Queen, and in the
execution of ten of the leading conspirators, among whom were
Count Erik Brahe,137 and Baron Jacob Horn.138 This order
of decapitation was carried out by the privy council, of which
Baron von Höpken was the president, and Baron Palmstjerna
one of the most influential members ; and this circumstance
is alluded to by Swedenborg when, towards the close of our
Document 196, he observes that “these three senators had
furnished positive proof of their zeal and anxiety in defending
and watching over the present form of government in Sweden .”
The second fundamental pillar of Sweden’s welfare, accord
ing to Swedenborg, namely, its alliance with France, was
defended and guarded by these three senators in their taking
the part of France against the King of Prussia in the “ Seven
Years’ War.” Without entering into particulars respecting
Sweden’s share in that war, it will be only necessary to state
that while the policy of the Privy Council in conjunction with
the Diet was in favour of France, and thus in favour of an
armed alliance with France, Austria, and Russia, against the
King of Prussia, the King and Queen of Sweden were on
account of their close relationship with the King of Prussia
antagonistic to this alliance, and opposed to Sweden’s par
ticipation in that war.
As appears from our Document 195, Baron von Höpken
was steadily opposed to Sweden’s taking an active part in
the war, although he was willing, in agreement with the terms
of the treaty existing between Sweden and France, to station
an army of 6000 men in Pomerania, which was then a Swedish
province. Barons Palmstjerna and Scheffer, on the other
hand, were in favour of an active prosecution of the war, and
their proposal to send out an army of at least 18,000 men,
which was afterwards raised to 22,000 men, finally prevailed
in the Senate.
The result of the war, as far as concerns Sweden, was
inglorious, the Swedish arms being constantly repelled by
Frederic; and as the subsidies received from France were
insufficient to defray the costs of the war, the country was
a
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