b o o k and repealing laws, and the impoiition o f taxes without con-
. V^.T' , fent of the fubjeit; neither o f which are exercifed by the
king o f Sweden.
With refpeit to the former, the legiilative authority re-
fides jointly in him and in the ilates * ; and it is exprefsly
decreed, in the 40th article, that “ the king ihall have no
“ power to make new laws, without the knowledge and af-
« fent of the ftates ; nor abrogate an old one received for-
“ merly t .”
Concerning the impofition of taxes, it is exprefsly ftipu-
lated, that the king ïtfàlï not levy any money without'the
confentof the ftates, excepting in the cafe o f aftual invafionj;
and at the concluiion o f the war he Ihall be obliged to fum-
mon them, and the new taxes ihall be aboliihed. In addition
alfo to thefe two important reftriilions, he cannot declare
war, nor alter the coin, without their concurrence ; and, if
called upon by them when convened, is obliged to account
for the expenditure o f the publick money §.
Though the king is fubjedt to thefe material limitations,
yet as his ordinary revenue is perpetual, and the meeting of
the ftates depends folely upon his pleafure ; it may be urged,
that he may govern without controul as long as he requires
no additional fubiidies. But furely this mode of ruling does
* M r . She ridan is w ro n g , in fa y in g th a t. “ impofe fome taxe s till the ftates could be
the ftates w e re t o 'd e lib e r a t e upon n o th in g “ aflembled. Bu t his majefty was to be the
b u t w h a t th e k in g th o u gh t prop er to la y “ ju d g e o f this n e c e flk y ; and we,ha ve feen
b efo re th em , th e y h a vin g a r ig h t , as w ell to “ th a t th é mee tin g o f th e ftates depended
propofe laws, as to neg a tive thofe propofed 1 “ w h o lly on his w ill and pleafure.*’ P. 307*
by-the k in g ., See A r t . 42. N ow theçe are no fiich words as prcj-
+ A r t . 48. fing iiccejjity in th e n ew a rtic le s o f govern-
+ M r . Sheridan, upon this ar tic le , -fays, men t, bu t the exerc ife o f this power is
il B y a th ird ,, though' his majefty did not ftric tly confined to the ca fe o f aéhial inva*
open ly cla im a p ow e r o f impofirig taxe s fion : th e w ords are, “ y e t th a t unhappy
“ on a ll occ a iion s , y e t fuch as already fu b - “ ca fe -ex cep ted , when th e kingdom fliould
“ lifted were to b e p e rp e tu a l, and in ca fe o f “ be atta ck ed b y an arm y .” ^
“ invafton o r f>rejjing nectjfity, the k in g m igh t § A r t ic le s 4 4 . ;
not amount to abfolute authority. For, as he cannot enact c h a p .
laws, declare war, or levy taxes, without the confent o f the c._,„— >
diet, emergencies muft occur which may render it neceffary
to convene that aflembly, when the latter may redrefs grievances,
or repair any breaches in the conftitution.
In fait, his prefent majefty, though neither prefled by foreign
war, nor by any material exigency, did, within fix
years from the time o f his obtaining an exemption from
the neceflity o f convening the ftates, conceive it expedient
to fummon th em ; and experienced that oppofition which
characterizes the reprefentatives o f a free people. In the.
houfe of nobles, for inftance, a memorial was laid upon the
table, wherein it was faid, that there-were no fixed laws;
that the form o f government eftablifhed in 17 7 2 had been
for fome time obferved; but that lately many o f the king’s
friends had appealed to that of 16 16 , as the proper model by
which the adminiftration was to regulate its proceedings :
which conftitution was to be confidered as at prefent fub-
lifting? Other propolitions very offenfive to the royal ear
were difcufled in this memorial; and it was intended to have
been formally recited at the next meeting; but, to prevent
this meafure, the king fummoned the ftates to the palace, and
diifolved them. His majefty, in his fpeech delivered on that
occafion, declared himfelf chagrined at the complaints un-
juftly levelled againft his con d u it; and added, that the form
of government eftablifhed in 17 7 2 fhould always.be regarded
by him as the true conftitution ; that he never wiilied
to deviate from it in the flighted: degree; . and that, as many
fierfons had endeavoured to create a mifunderftanding between
him and the ftates, he had on that account adopted
the refolution of diifolving them : a ftyle o f harangue that
would not have been adopted by an abfolute king.