The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-07-20
Tone Of the German Press.

houG VI the UtEhaSH sN
The Ner Torker Journal of Saturday
says
The declaration of war by France
has after all, found no better pretex'
than the alleged insult inflicted upon
the French ambassador by the King
of Prussia. The truth is, that not the
Ambassador but the King was insulted
since the former had the insolence to
annoy the King AT the springs IN Ems
with his diplomatic demands and there
upon his Majesty refused TO receive the
impudent fellow. 1t is plain that on
the French side a provocation was III
tended, and the pretence is 30 bold that
one need waste no words about ii. The
sympathies of Germans in the United
States are with the exception of few,
who entertain other opinions through
religious reasons, on the side OF Prussia
a German Power, and they nnani-
mously condemn the reckless conduct
of France in kindling a European war
on so insignificant pretext. We do
not for an instant doubt that there are
a hundred thousand Germans in the
United States who are ready 10 hasten
in arms to the aid Of the land Of their
birth were the way- and means IN 10
so open to them.
In another article, under the head.
ing "Who will be victorious? !? the Jo"r-
nal saws -
Frederick the Great, soon after the
close of the Seven Years War, wrote
q history Of it in French; but the work
was never popular and was soon ont OF
mind. 1t deserved no better fate, for
Frederick had not the stuff in him for a
historian. Wearisome dry, without
systematic arrangement and through
modesty, never referring To the personal
services of the king, the hook has at
best only strategic value. But what
has remained fixed in our memory Is
the voluminous appendix. There Fred
erick was once more in his element;
there he ceased to he a historian and
became delightful philosopher. He
philosophises concerning war and peace,
his good and i'll fortune, depicts the
fearful condition of his country after
the war was over, stiglnatizes war as
the greatest misfortune that can beiaII
humanity and comes to the conclusion
that while, indeed, bad general seldom
has success, vet no general should ever
boast of having triumphed by his talent
or the superior gallantry Of his troops.
There is God of war" exclaims Fred
erick; "the issue of battles is written in
the stars. have won battles that |
had already given up for lost, and have
been beaten where victory was already
nearly in my grasp.
Then, the great King, among many
other examples, tells how he won at
Leuthen, because q Lieutenant General
Won Prittwitz, with four guns, reached a
small eminence q few minutes earlier
than an Austrian battery that was hur-
rying up for the possession OF the same
hight, while at Kunersdorf he was de-
feated owing to the carelessness Of a
subaltern officer who allowed his com
pany to he broken through or hsnked.
Y
Who will be victorious? Let III hope
that the right will win. 1t is crafty
ing symptom that in this country also
the condemnation oil French arrogance
and the convictioI.that Germany is in
the right, forced into the contest a. she
has been, is constantly gaining ground.
Even the moral support Of the nations
has value which must not be under
estimated, since it usually rises by
degrees, at last, 10 be OF material
value 1t is by no means a settled mat
ter vet that Germany will stand alone in
her struggle.