various officers under government were also
paid; and they so far appeared satisfied *
with the present arrangements that none of
* This satisfaction, to judge from the remarks of
Count Tramp and the Etatsroed, existed only in appearance,
since the former says, “ Thus, a new order
of things, presenting to view all the miseries that can
spring from boundless despotism, was forced upon an
innocent people, loyal and faithful to their king. The
Danes that had been in public employments, who were
now deprived of their places, and laboring under a
suspicion otherwise honorable to themselves, of detesting
the introduced changes, and meditating schemes
for the fall of the usurper, and who were on that account
exposed to the same persecutions and ill treatment
of which so many instances had been seen,
resolved to depart from a country where, with their
best wishes, for want of means and assistance they
found no possibility of being useful. Many natives
in public functions followed their example in resigning,
whose offices were filled with the most unqualified persons,
by notorious drunkards and flatterers, who were
indebted only to their officiousness as spies and calumniators
for the favor and protection of the new ruler.”
—The latter, after mentioning some of the most severe
articles in the proclamation, proceeds to affirm that
“ they did expand a general horror all over the country j
and that only the rascality of a few people did approve
them, for the gain of money and for the sake of getting
some share in the disturbed government or rather in the
the principal ones resigned their situations,
though some few * in private expressed their
dissatisfaction at the republican form of
government about to be established; it seeming
to them absurd that an island, to which
nature had denied all internal resources,
should be proclaimed in a state of independence
which it necessarily wanted the
means of supporting. The bishop, however,
and many of the clergy, at a yearly meeting^
of the synod, signed a document, in
which they expressed their satisfaction at
high anarchy here. Very indebted officers, being misled
by fair promises of more salaries, did submit or approve
the altered form, to their lasting shame for having
dispensed with that homage and duty they owed to'
their native soil. Many good officers resigned their
situations, the most did not give in the least declaration.
We (Magnus and Stephen Stephensen), the Etatsroed
and Amptman of the western part of the island,
declared eur wish to administer our offices only for the
present year and according to the laws of our country.”
* These persons, however, it must be confessed, were
equally averse to their former government.
f Count Tramp asserts that this meeting was attended
only by a few of the clergymen of the neighborhood,
“ who were surprised into a declaration in favor of
VOL. II. D