Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-06-18

Total 95,126,6 ,62G
This per centage of the population is not
strictly accurate, as many of the soldiers We're
Kidnapped strangers. SO far was this carried
in Hesse Cassel, that the inhabitants of the city
OF Cassel were exempt from military service, in
order to suppress all sympathy with the poor
victims of despotism imprisoned in their midst.
Most of the s9ltliers were forcibly enlisted, and
of course desertion was frequent. Of the An
halt Regiment, 140 men deserted at once, and
the next day even On officer with 80 men were
among the missing. For these reasons every
traveller, be he student or merchant mechanic or
artist was obliged to be constantly on his guard.
On this point we have the testimony of very
popular German writer, Selum, who, as stu
dent on his way on foot from LEIPZIG to Paris,
was kidnapped by Hessian recruiting officers,
and enrolled in regiment then on its way to
America 4 ,e a ctsl
Mr.. Kapp then read the interesting narrative
of this author, and alluded to the noble opposi.
ton of Frederick the Great to this selling of
men, and to the fact that he forbade the march
of troops through his dominons. This great
king, both during and and after the revolution,
had been favorably disposed to the Americans
and was one Of the first continental princes to
make treaty with the United Staets. Mira
beau had also produced one Of his best works ON
this subject, the "Counsel to the Hessiars and
other People of Germany sold by their Sove-
reigns to England" from which Mr.. K. read ex-
tracts, in which Mirabeau advocated the rights
of the Americans, and advised the Hessans to
spurn the base rulers they were cursed with
The pamphlet produced q great sensation, and
was answered by order Of the Landgrave, to
which answer Mirabeau again replied.
Mr. Kapp cited the notorious letter from the
Hessian monarch TO his officer in this country,
which has been extensively published, desiring
him to let as many of his men as possible be
slaughtered so that he might receive more
funds. He declared this letter an imposition, as
there had never been such an offer as ne to
whom it whom it was addressed. To show the
German feeling on the subject, he quoted a
thrilling scene from Schiller's Ra6ale and Liebe
C'Cabal and Love-" the original of 'Louisa Mil
Ter, " in which kind-hearted English lady, the
''fayorite" of the Landgrave, is made aware of
the manner in which the sparkling Jewels which
the latter has just given her are obtained, and
in her Indignation spurns them from her.
In conclusion, Mr.. K. Stated that the vast
riches of the Rosthchilds were founded on this
trade in flesh. The Landgrave, when obliged to
leave Hessia in 1905, entrusted his millions to
Mayor Anselm Rothschild, small money bro
ker of Frankfort. When he returned in 1873
pleased at thesecurity with which Rothschild had
invested the money, he granted him the large
sums of interest which had accumulated. and at
the Congress of Vienna recommended him to
the other European sovereigns from which
time the great reputation of the family commen-
ces. After alluding to the large numbers of
Germans, who deserting their ranks, had re-
mained IN this country, and bv their industry
had done much for its advancement, Mr.. Kapp
CLOSED his very interesting paper, of which this
is mere abstract, amid great applause.