Revelations of the Diplomatic History of the 18th Century

“The Swedes, highly sensible of, and very much mortified at, the dependent situation they have been in for many years,^[26] are extremely jealous of every power that intermeddles in their affairs, and particularly so of their neighbours the Russians. This is the reason assigned to me for this

Court’s desiring that we and they should act upon separate bottoms, still preserving between our respective ministers a confidence without reserve. That our first care should be, not to establish a faction under the name of a Russian or of an English faction; but, as even the wisest

men are imposed upon by a mere name, to endeavour to have our friends distinguished as the friends of liberty and independence; at present we have a superiority, and the generality of the nation is persuaded how very ruinous their French connections have been, and, if continued, how very

destructive they will he of their true interests. M. Panin does by no means desire that the smallest change should be made in the constitution of Sweden. [The oligarchic constitution set up by the Senate after the death of Charles XII] He wishes that the royal authority might be

preserved without being augmented, and that the privileges of the people should be continued without violation. He was not, however, without his fears of the ambitious and intriguing spirit of the Queen, but the great ministerial vigilances of Count Ostermann have now entirely quieted his apprehensions on that head.