Gazette Of The United States

LONDON, April 13.

KING OF SWEDEN.

The prayer prescribed by the Council of the regency of Sweden, to be read for his Swedish Majesty, in all the churches of that kingdom.

"O God, be propitious to thy people, and forsake us not when we prostrate ourselves before thee.—Our King, solemnly acknowledged by a people, whose gratitude he deserves, and has preserved; who was protected by the safety which the religion of a country grants to its Chief—this very king, for whom we have so often besought thy grace and blessing, and have been heard by thee; this gracious King has been wounded by the shot of a traitor, suffers the most excruciating pains, and is in danger to lose a life, the object of our love and thy protection. Extricated from the danger of war by thy aid, where a thousand deaths encompassed him—peace maker among a divided people, and now in the bosom of the tranquility which he himself procured to the public welfare—it is the lot of this great King to be wounded by a murderous shot, fired off to bereave him of life and happiness, in the metropolis, in his castle, under the safe guard of the laws and society.—But the King lives, and only through thee, O God, he lives. This melts our hearts in gratitude. We may entertain hopes of the recovery and health of the King, if thou, O God, hearest our prayers and solicitations in the time of need. O God, mitigate the sufferings of the King, help him, strengthen his fortitude, give him life, health and thy blessing for many years to come, to the comfort of his worthy spouse, whose separation from him could never take place without numberless tears; to finish the education and the example of a Prince, who could never ascend the Swedish Throne with a right greater than that which he may acquire by paternal love from his people; to the consolation of the Royal Family, who best foresee the consequences of an event so fatal to the Empire, and which nothing but thy grace can avert. God, be merciful to thy people, and forsake us not while we call upon thee. If it be possible, yet nothing is impossible to thee, we supplicate thee, O Lord, never to let the blood shed by an assassin come upon this country, where there is no man so base, so hard, so heathenish not to detest and abhor this deed. God be with us, as with our fathers. Forsake us not, withdraw not thy hand from us, for the sake of Jesus Christ, thy Son, our Lord, Amen."

The present disturbances in Sweden cannot be ascribed to the influence of liberty sentiments; it is the struggles of one tyranny against another. The nobles formerly exercised an unlimited oppressive power, which was overturned by the present King, who took it into his own hands; and although the finances of the country had been involved by his schemes of ambition, to which he was stimulated by the old French government, yet the people have enjoyed more privileges under him, and therefore prefer his despotism to that of the nobles.

A severe inquiry is on foot concerning the accomplices of the assassin Ankarstrom; but a degree of commotion in Stockholm renders it uncertain whether the present Government of Sweden may not yield to a return of the former influence of the Order of the Nobles and Gentry.

We cannot observe without regret and indignation, the efforts of certain restless, turbulent, and fanatical spirits, who seek for employment and distinction to themselves in confusion and turmoil to their country. And we hope that there will not be any rapid or great increase, in number or consequence, to those persons who have had several meetings, and, we understand, regularly meet together, under the name of Friends to a Constitutional reform.—There is nothing in the present situation of our neighbouring kingdom, France, that ought to encourage innovation and revolution in this country.