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706 NOTES TO VOLUME I.
interest of several commercial enterprizes; and in 1741 appeared on
the theatre of politics. About that time Sweden declared war against
Russia, which, however, resulted disastrously for her, and compelled
her to accept Duke Adolphus Frederic of Holstein, a near relative
of the Empress of Russia, as heir -apparent to the Swedish throne.
Plomgren, a wealthy merchant of Stockholm , was then the leader of
the House of Burghers, and opposed the election of Adolphus Frederic
in the interest of Denmark. This he did in opposition to the wishes
of his electors . Springer was the spokesman of the burghers of
.
Stockholm , who insisted that their representative in the Diet ought
to consult the wishes of his constituents, and not to act in opposition
to them . Springer also charged Plomgren with abetting the incursion
of the Dalecarlians in 1743, after the defeat in Russia ; and with the
distribution of Danish money. Springer’s theory, that a representative
is responsible to the majority of his constituents savoured too much
of republicanism to be acceptable to the powers in office, and as he
could not bring sufficient proof to substantiate his charges, Plomgren
succeeded in 1747 in having him declared guilty of treason. C. F. Nor
densköld reports in his "Considérations générales," &c. p. 324, that
false witnesses deposed that Springer had used reprehensible language
respecting the King of Sweden, and that on that a ccount sentence was
pronounced against him .
From 1743 to 1747, Springer seemed to have taken a prominent
part in Swedish politics; and either in 1746 or 1747, the following
occurrence took place, which is related by Dr. Spence (see Section X
in these words : "Mr. Springer told me before Mr. F. Nordensköld,20
Mr. B. Chastanier, and others that, differing about politics, Count
Ekeblad had provoked him to draw his sword upon him , but that
they had made it up, and promised not to mention it to any one
while in life; that afterwards the Count had attempted to bribe him
with a purse of 10,000 rix-dollars, which sum and the circumstances
attending the affair Mr. Swedenborg particularly mentioned to him
as having from conversing with the Count just then deceased. [Count
Ekeblad died in October 1771). Every time Mr. Springer told
the story, for he repeated it more than once, he threw down his
handkerchief on the floor, while relating that part of it by my fireside,
to shew with what abhorrence he refused the purse.” As Count
Ekeblad had returned to Sweden from a foreign mission in 1746,
this occurrence must have taken place either in that or in the follow
ing year; for at the end of 1747, Springer fell a victim to the
machinations of his enemies, as related above. On hearing of the
order for his arrest, he took refuge at the house of the English
ambassador, Mr. Guydiken; but he was betrayed by one of the
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