In Sweden Again--Reception at My Old Home--Visit to Northern
Sweden--Field Maneuvers in Sweden--The Opening of Parliament--In
Norway--Visit in Stockholm--Royal Palaces--The Goeta Canal--A Trip to
Finland and Russia--King Oscar II.--A Trip to Dalarne in the Winter.
On June 21, 1871, I landed a second time in my native country at Malmoe.
As already stated, I was this time accompanied by my wife and children,
and intended to remain in Europe several years, which we also did.
At Hessleholm we were met by relatives and friends who conducted us to
the old city of Christianstad, where we were to make our home. The early
part of the beautiful northern summer we spent in visiting friends and
kinsmen. Entertainments, excursions and festivities of all kinds
alternated continually. The kindness and hospitality of the people knew
no bounds, and no matter how defective some of the old institutions of
Sweden may be they are in my opinion more than counterbalanced by the
many beautiful and noble traits of character of the people, which we
observed everywhere, and which are faithfully stored up in our hearts
and minds, so that we always find a great delight in looking back to
those days.
Having spent a large portion of the summer in this manner, I started in
the month of August on a tour to the northern part of the country,
visiting Stockholm, Upsala, Gefle, Hudiksvall, and several other places.
This was my first opportunity to see the beautiful scenery of northern
Sweden, the fine, quiet bays, the magnificent lakes, the pleasant
valleys, the green hills, the mountains dark with pine forests, all of
which contribute to make the scenery of Norrland so varied and
attractive.
In the fall I returned to southern Sweden, and had an opportunity to
witness the field maneuvers of the largest portion of the Swedish army,
and also to meet the popular king Charles XV. The maneuvers were very
fine, but, in my opinion, the troops could not have endured a long
campaign, with its exhaustive marches and hardships. The soldiers
complained loudly of fatigue, and quite a number of them were taken sick
after the march of only fourteen to eighteen miles, although the weather
was fine, cool, and bracing. Compared with our American army during the
late war, when marches of twice that distance were quite frequent, the
Swedish army was inferior; but these weak points would probably soon be
remedied by practice in actual warfare.
After having seen King Charles I was no longer astonished at his great
popularity among the people. There was something about him which seemed
to electrify and charm everyone who came within the circle of his
personal influence. I saw him again the following winter at the opening
of parliament in Stockholm. With all due respect for old Swedish customs
and manners, I cannot but compare this pageant to a great American
circus--minus the menagerie, of course. I would like to describe this
serio-comical demonstration for the benefit of my American readers; but
I am sorry to say that I can no longer remember the titles of the
different officers, heralds, guards, lackeys, pages, etc.,--all of them
dressed in the most gorgeous costumes, some of them preceding, others
following the king and the royal princes, who were adorned with all the
mediaeval clap-trap insignia of royalty, and wrapped in huge mantles of
gay colors, and with long trains borne by courtiers or pages. We can
comprehend the importance of a display of this kind a couple of
centuries ago, but it seems to me that the common sense of our times
demands its abolishment, and unless I am very much mistaken King Charles
himself, who was a practical and sensible man, was of the same opinion.
The same winter I made a visit to Norway, which was repeated the
following summer. The social and political conditions of the country
reminded me somewhat of America, Norway being ahead of Sweden in that
respect, and I am not surprised that the Norwegians are proud of their
beautiful country.
One of my most pleasant journeys in Europe was a trip which I took in
company with wife and children in the early part of the summer of 1872.
On this trip we went through the lovely province of Soedermanland, and
thence by rail to Stockholm, where we met many old friends and
acquaintances. Midsummerday was celebrated in the circle of a number of
happy friends at Hasselbakken, and on the following days we made
repeated visits to the enchanting surroundings of the capital. On one of
these outings to Drotningholm, a summer palace, we met other American
tourists, and I remember distinctly how we all agreed that this was just
the locality for some charitable institution, where the unfortunate poor
and suffering members of society could be taken care of, as, for
instance, a home for old widows, or orphans, or old men who have served
their country faithfully in peace or war, but have been reduced to
poverty in their old age. As a contrast to Drotningholm we pictured in
our minds the Soldiers' Home near Washington, where Abraham Lincoln had
a few rooms, and found rest and recreation among trees and flowers, and
it seemed to us that some of the country palaces of Sweden might just as
well be used for a similar purpose.
Having remained in Stockholm for some time, we directed our course
southward, by way of the Goeta canal, past Motala, Trollhaettan, and
Gothenburg. How great, how delightful, how glorious! Dull and coarse
must that man or woman be who can make this trip without being proud of
the sons of Sweden and their peaceful avocations. In school I had read
the history of Sweden, but it treated chiefly of warfare and of the
exploits of the kings, only incidentally touching the achievements of
peaceful work and the development of social and moral culture, which, in
my opinion, are of supreme importance, and deserve the greatest honor.
But then, it must be remembered that Swedish history was at that time
written with the assumption that royalty and a few warriors are the sun
and the stars around which the whole people and the country revolve, and
from which they received their light and value. A better time has now
dawned on Sweden, and even common people are acknowledged to have a
certain inherent worth. Still I am afraid it will take some time before
old prejudices can be dispelled.
In the fall of the same year I took a trip through Finland and Russia,
having secured a passport issued by Gen. C. C. Andrews, who was then
United States minister in Stockholm. I went with the steamer Aura from
Stockholm to Abo, Helsingfors, and Cronstadt. The pine-clad islands and
shores of the Bay of Finland afforded a beautiful panorama from the
steamer. The sight of Sveaborg made me feel that I was still a Swede in
soul and heart, for I was overpowered by a deep sadness when I thought
of the heinous treason by which this impregnable fortress was forced to
surrender.
I spent several days in St. Petersburg, during which I took in the chief
sights of this grand city, such as St. Isaac's church, the monument to
Peter the Great, the winter palaces, etc. It happened to be the
anniversary of the coronation of the Czar, and I had the pleasure of
seeing the magnificent military parade arrayed for the occasion. My
American passport opened all doors to me wherever I tried to enter, and
I was treated with the greatest politeness by military as well as civil
authorities. To an uninitiated eye my personal liberty and independence
seemed just as great here as in Washington; but that was not the case,
for I knew that my every step was being closely watched.
One day my guide conducted me to a place in one of the suburbs, where
some hundred prisoners were starting on their long journey to Siberia.
He also conducted me to the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul, where the
Russian Czars are crowned and buried; and through the fortress and
prison, in whose moist, murky dungeons the political prisoners hear the
great bell in the steeple striking the hour, and the watchman crying his
monotonous, "God save the Czar," while from year to year the victims of
despotism suffer and languish, often on a mere suspicion, and without a
fair trial, until death finally puts an end to their sufferings. What is
the reason that politically Russia has always been on the most friendly
terms with the United States? How can liberty and the rankest tyranny
have anything to do with each other? This has always been a riddle to
me. I despise the friendship of a despotism like that of Russia, where
the government orders innocent men and women to be seized in the silence
of the night, torn away from their homes and families, incarcerated in
dungeons, and subjected to bodily torture and social disgrace simply
because they are suspected of having expressed or cherished liberal
ideas.
Returning to Sweden by way of Finland I remained a few days at
Helsingfors. Having presented my passport to the authorities of the
city, the commander of the garrison sent an officer inviting me to visit
the barracks and other places of interest. I accepted the invitation and
spent two days under the guidance of my cicerone. This was of course a
rare treat, and it brought me in contact with many prominent citizens
and officers. We also took a ride out in the country to see the
condition of the peasants. In common with all other Swedes I have always
sympathized with unfortunate Finland, in the belief that its people must
be very unhappy and yearn for a reunion with Sweden. This proved to be a
great misconception. What a peculiar contradiction! The Russian despots
treat the Fins with generosity and justice, and as far as I could
understand, the people were highly pleased with Russian supremacy, and
would not become subjects of Sweden again, even if they could.[4]
[Footnote 4: Since the above was written the Russian government has shown a
disposition to treat Finland in a way that will soon change the friendly
feelings of the Finnish people.]
The following winter I had the honor of meeting King Oscar, of Sweden,
at the funeral solemnities arranged by the grand lodge of Free Masons on
the occasion of the death of King Charles XV. I have attended quite a
number of official gatherings of different kinds in different countries,
and seen persons vested with the highest authority conducting the same,
but as to true dignity and lofty majesty, King Oscar excelled them all.
When I compare him with the czar of all the Russias, or compare the
condition of the Swedes with that of their Russian neighbors, I thank
God for my old native land and its noble king.
Of my numerous trips in Sweden I must mention one in particular,--a
journey by sleigh,--in company with my old friend Karl Moellersvaerd,
from Upsala to Gefle, and from Falun south, through Dalarne, past
Smedjebacken, and the lakes below this to Vesteras. The beauty of the
country of a northern clime does not show itself in its entire splendor
until dressed in the garb of winter. The branches of the mighty pines
loaded down by the dazzling snow; millions of snow crystals, more
beautiful than diamonds, glittering from every twig as the sun sends
its first morning rays through the forests; the picturesque costumes of
the peasantry; the comfortable inns with their fine dishes of northern
game; the neat sleighs drawn by small, swift, sure-footed horses; here
and there a smelting furnace or a country church,--all these things
combined left on my mind a picture of rural life more quiet, happy and
beautiful than I had ever seen before.