Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 March 1877 — Frederick the Great and Franklin. [ARTICLE]

Frederick the Great and Franklin.

Frederick the Great was not an admirer of the American political system, yet he was always friendly to the American patriots, and did not like the spirit manifested by England. When he discovered that England had hired Hessian soldiers to be sent over to fight against her American Colonies, he manifested his dislike of the work by levying the same toll per head on all those recruits passing through his dominions that was levied upon bought and sold cattle. Gen. Washington he admired exceedingly, and to him the King sent a sword of honor from Potsdam, with the inscription: “ From the oldest General in the world to the greatest.” But he was “every inch a King.”* He believed in the “divine right” most em ; phatically. In an old magazine, published in Philadelphia in 1788, to which Franklin was a regular contributor while he lived, I find an account of an interview of our philosopher with Frederick while negotiating a treaty with Prussia and the ■Unital States. “ Pray, doctor,” said Frederick, “ what is the object you hope to obtain in your form of government ?” “ Liberty, Sire,” replied the philosopher, promptly; “ that liberty, that freedom, which is the birthright of man.” After a little reflection the King answered: “ I was born a Prince ; I am become a King, and I will not use the power I possess to the ruin of my own trade. I was born to command—the people were born to obey.” Yet the treaty which he freely signed with Franklin embodied the most elevated principles of international rights. -Jf. Y. Graphic. •- - ■ It is well enough to sav that one would rather be right than be President, but the Presidency does not exhaust the political resources of the country. There are men who would rather be Sheriff of Brooklyn ♦han be right. That useful functionary derives an income of SBO,OOO per annum from Ms office. —Young Joshua Sears, of Boston, was charged $50,000 by his lawyers for their service in obtaining an interpretation of hu father’s will. The bill was compromised by the payment of $25,000.