The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1870-08-04
Now and Then.


igig of time. slight review of history
as written on our own account, presents
France and Prussia in a very different
light from what they occupy to-day in
the minds Of many too ready to forget
past fayors. We submit the following
from the World as fair statement of the
account as it stands
1t is a curious telegram which comes to
Us from Paris announcing that Count En-
zenberg. the agent in that city of the Grand
Duke of Hesse- Darmstadt, has requested the
American Minister to take under his protcc-
ton the Hessian subjects whom fate or their
mere free will, or their foreknowledge abso-
lutte of the events of the war, may restrain
from rushing to the aid of the Fatherlaud
and keep residents in France.
But who in 1879 could have dreamed that
the flag of the United States would ever be
invoked as their palladium of safety by the
people of Hesse Z? 1t is no fault of that peo-
pie or their rulers that the flag Of the United
States now waves in the air at all. IF nesse
aud the Hessians could have had their way
some three generations ago, there would
have been no legation Of the United States
III Paris to-day To open its sheterng doors
TO their descendants.
1t is exactly ninety-two years ago since
the hearts OF this people were made glad by
the news which came to Washington, amid
the chill horrors Of Valley Forge, that
France-her rulers and her reople-had re-
co2nlzed as independent States these United
Colonies, and that they were willing to aid
us with men, with money and materials of
war. Lafayette had come sooner but Roch>
ambeau was now set on his way, and soon
alter the little village city of Rhode Island
where peaceful and luxurious wealth now
recreates itself, saw the lilies of France
floating from her men-of war il that beauti
lul harbor. Old warriors from Fontenov
and siiken knights like Lauzun, and plainer
soldiers like Custine, came on shore, ready
70 share hardships AID priyations with the
halt clad, ragged Americans. Lincoln Cnot
Abraham, for there are others in our story
besides the immortal rail-spitter) and Roch-
amoeau stood side by side when the British
flag was finally struck at Yorktown and
LauTens and Lafayette had stormed Corn
wallis's last redUubt. From that dav to
this, IN the land which gave US such friends
when we most needed them, there have
been sad and bloody chances and changes.
but TIL lately, 1t was clear that our ancient
sympathies had survived them all,
lu the month of November, 1886, there
appeared on the British budget an olninous
Item. 1t was e47l 900 of the sweetly sim
pie three per cents" tran fcrred to the
Landgrave of Hesse for auxiiaries killed or
wounded III America, at the rate Of about
$50 head. We forget how much went to
Nassau aid Brunswick, ard Hanover, and
Waldeck, and Anspach-for all these small
states were in this butchery 1rade-but it
was IN each case 10 trifle. 1t is notice
abe," says our friend, Mr.. Bancroft, whose
cue was not just then anti Catholic, THAT
they all came from Protestant countries. Z"
But come they did 1t was Won Ueister's
yaSers who led the onset at Gowanus. and
Eve love to quote Bancroft: ''pursued The
thlckets, and mere and there found amuse
ment III pinning with their bayonets a rife
man to tree" 1t was Bleyman and Daun
that did their best to make Molly Stark
widow at Bennington. 1t was the drunken
Rahl at Trenton. 1t was Riedesel at Sara
toga-and when We saw the enthusiasm of
our Newark friends the other day over Ger
many and America. we recalled that daIk
day OF December, 1776, when Washington
ielt The village at one end and CornwalIis
entered 1t at the other, with his Germans in
the advance, Spreading havoc and terror
and wanton carnage through New Jersey
TIL their march was checked forever by
American vaIor in the moat at Red Bank.
1t Is OF these HeSSians that another Radical
New England historian, Mr.. Palfrey, pleas
antly writes: Hired stabbers as long as
they were in arms, horse thieves as soon as
they We're beaten, they had nothing to claim
at the hands Of meekness itself" Such. un-
fortunately, is the German record of our
revolution and, if in the first crash of arms
wars tercest ravages should fall on that
little circle of principalities, long since alb
sorbed or presently doomed, of which Hesse
Cassel Is the centre, there will be semethirg
not unlike poetic justice in the event. 1t
was down the Weser that the Hessfan mer
cenarles fioated on their way to America.
1t Is true that old Fritz of Prussia protested
against this pitiful trade in men, but he did
nothing to prevent it. He was bound hand
aud foot by subsidies frcm Great Britain.
and either cared not or dared not contrayene
her purposes. While Franklin was an Idol
IN Paris, Arthur Lee had drearv time in
Berlln-his papers stolen from him with
lmpunity, had the cid king sulleDly refusing
to have anything to do with him. bismarck
Is much more polite to Bancroft.