Sweden
From His Swedish Majesty, to the nations of Europe.
The words of the King of Sardinia-Piedmont are good; but words are cheap. His actions speak louder, with the thunder of cannon and the screams of the dying. Whatever his intentions, however much it pains him to make war on his fellow Italians, the fact remains that he has killed thousands for his own aggrandisement. The war with Tunis, by contrast, was short and victorious; and not a single rebel against our rule has arisen since. Can Sardinia-Piedmont claim as much?
We would like to ask whether the good King disapproved quite as much of our conquests before we refused to subsidise his Italian ambitions. And we would very much like to know how much French gold has paid for the Italian blood being shed in the Po valley. What was the price of Sardinian subservience to French aggression in Africa? How much was paid for this smoke-screen of accusations, which diverts the attention of the mighty from the new French Empire?
Although we had hoped to stand aside from the dispute, this constant harping on our alleged aggression leaves us no choice but to oppose the formation of a united Italy. Sweden will stand alongside Prussia and Austria in the Italian Question.
To the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire : Sweden desires only the friendliest of relations with your great nation. Nevertheless, with the current Egyptian situation, we fear you are not in a position to safeguard the people of Tunis from French or Italian expansionism. We suggest you put your own house in order before you seek to hinder the building of ours.
In any case, is it not better that Sweden, which can in no case cast covetuous eyes towards Egypt, obtain these few provinces, than that France, which has already proved its African ambitions, do so? We suggest that in times to come you may be glad of a buffer between your state and the veteran French armies.
