Show Beruadottes Accession to the Swedish Throne I After the loes of Finland and the i consequent deposition of Gustavus Adolphus IV the old Prince Oarl I under the title of Oarl XIII became regent but his weak administration the war with Russia and the untimely un-timely death of the beloved Prince Carl August heirapparent to the Vasa line combined to divide the Swedes in their opinions as to the next proper recipient of the Swedish crown Some supported secretly it ia said by Napoleon himself favored I the Hicg of Denmark others desired II I Prince Frederck Christian Agusten 1 I berg brother of the deceased heir f I apparrnt in which choice both King and State Council concurred and Coco Co-co rier was sent to inform Napoleon This courier Lieutenant Earon Von I Morner wanted liKe many other I l young Swedes a French general tot I take the throne and reenergize Swel I den Turning his back therefore alike on old King Carl his State Council and his own mission to Bonaparte Bon-aparte young Von Morner waited with all dispatch on Marshal Berna dotte a soldier and gentleman of shining shin-ing qualities and coolly tendered him he Swedish crown Finding Berna potte willing Von Morner harried back to Sweden to work in his cause Offended at Von Morncrs action the Swedish government continued to press the claims of the Prince of Au gustenberg but when the Riksdag for election convened at Orebro in the summer of 1810 Baron Von Mor ner proposed Bernadotte for the throne with such eloquence in a plea of such consummate ability that his proposition was instantly and warmly applauded by the representatives representa-tives of the army and as the rumor i though false bad been spread that Napoleon approved this choice the majority 1 inf or oLBernadotte was so great the government yielded and Bernadotte tear unanimously elected August fl 1815 In the autumn of the tame yeer he arrived in Sweden and became at once the real leader of its destinies As heir apparent he took the name Carl Johan In the full endowment of manhood his powerful figure the wellmoulded aristocratic head the eagle nose and sharp commanding eye the fire and grace of his movements move-ments procliamed him born to rule In February 1818 the old King Carl XIII died and Bernadotte ai Oar Johan XIV was crowned without opposition His accession introduced a new etiquette The cloak and sword and the chapeau bqs vanished as also the whie gala plumes from hate of high civil and military officials The funeral black court dress was replaced re-placed by a handsome satin costume and both little and great court uniforms uni-forms were fashioned in easier and more suitable styles Official dinners and the banquets of the marshals cavaliers and ladies were dispensed with Pages were no more and even the chamberfilins duty as carver at the royal board was abrogated but plenty of good meats and plenty of guests remained Musicans and artists were especially honored and forwarded in their careers Bernadottes administration was conducted with great ability and energy en-ergy and the firmest patriotism but he was exceedingly sensitive to the least comment upon it while his total to-tal ignorance of the Swedish tongue led to many and sometimes serious misapprehensions His reforms were mostly interior but he sturdily maintained main-tained Swedend independence against the great powers as for example when they meddled in the dispute over Norways part in Denmarks state debt and sent from their Congress Con-gress at Aachen in 1818 a summons to Bernadotte to satisfy Denmarks claims the King decisively refused and effected instead H compromise with English mediation Harpers Magazine |