Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-08-05

innocent offender by the collar and cane
him until he cried for mercy. The in
habitants of Berlin and Potsdam ran
from him as they would from rabid
cur, but his luckless children, Frederic
and his sister Wilhelmina, afterward
Margrayene of Bareuth, could not escape
his clutches by. flight, and were forced to
endure the torments of the damned at
the hands of their affectionate parent.
At table he was wont TO amuse himself
by finging dishes at their heads, or
prodding them with the forks. The son
was fond of flute playing, the father
hated it, and whenever he caught the
heir apparent spending his time and
breath in this way, the flute was sure to
be broke over his head, and on one oc-
casion he was only prevented from fling
ing him out of the second story window
by the interposition Of the Queen.
Pounded with cudgels, dieted on bread
and water, insulted and outraged in
every conceivable manner, Frederic at
last attempted to run away. But he was
caught and being an officer in the army,
was tried and convicted of desertion. A
friend and companion Of his fight was
actually hung, and it required the inter-
ference of the kings of Poland and Swe-
den and the Emperor of Austria TO pre-
vent Frederic from sharing the same
fate and closing his career at the end OF
a rope. After months of weary and
anxious confinement he was finally re-
leased, and having attained his majority
retired from the kings reach, and sought
refuge in lonely chateau near the from
tiers. Here he employed his time in
laying out garden walls, building Chi
nese pagodas and oriental temples, at
tending to flowers, and playing villain.
Gus solos on the flute. But he had a
strong leaning toward literature, espe-
cially French literature, and this leaning
developed itself in hard study and soft
poetry. He wrote reams of verses OF
that peculiar style which gods and men
abhor, and samples of these he sent off
to yoltaire, with whom he had opened a
sentimental correspondence. The phi
losopher appreciated the compliment,
and reciprocated in kind, and thus laid
the foundation Of an intimacy which he
had bitter cause to regret afterward.
From this, easy, voluptuous life Frederic
was aroused by the death OF his father,
in l840. Those who thought the Young
king of twenty-eight would dedicate his
reign TO the service of music and letters,
and spend his days in luxurious leisure,
were terribly mistaken He seemed to
undergo a moral and intellectual trans
formation at once, denounced his previous
pursuits as fooleriesJ bis old companions
as fools, and proceeded 10 show that, in
some respects, at least be had inherited
the traits of his progenitor. He vas
economical, energetic, thoroughly prac,-
teal in all things, and with will which
neither persuasion nor misfortune could
break. Added to these qualities he had
an executive ability of the highest order,
and an ambition at once daring and Ut
terly unscrupulous. An opportunity
soon offered which displayed the stuff
that was in the man. Charles VI OF
Austria died and left no male heir TO the
imperial throne of Germany, but previ-
ous to his deeease, by the law of success
sion, known as the Pragmatic Sane
tion,"' he bequeathed the crown to his
daughter, the Archduehess Maria
Theresa, wife of Francis Of Lorraine.
This arrangement was solemniy indorsed
by all the principal European powers,
Prussia included; but yet before the ink
of his signature to the contract was
hardly dry, Frederic prepared to violate
the agreement and plumber the youthful
queen of an important portion of her do
minions. He wanted Silesia, and made
ready quietly to fight for and take it.
He stopped to no disguise in the matter,
and his memoirs says: Ambition, IN
terest, the desire of making people talk
about me, carried the day and decided
for war" Maria Theresa trusted i'm
plicity to the honor and honesty Of her
ally, and would believe nothing to his
disparagement. Frederic took advant-
age of her unsuspecting confidence, and,
without warning Of any kind, launched
his army across the borders into Silesia,
and overrun the country almost mop
posed Finally the Austrian troops
were concentrated and battle ensued
at Molintz. 1t was Frederics first
smell Of hostile gunpowder, and did not
agree with him; in fact. he ran off as
fast as his horses legs could carry
him, and took refuge in an old mill
many miles in the rear. Here the news
of victory was brought him, for Field
Marshal Schwerin was veteran soldier,
and while his King turned coward and
fled, he fought on and won the the day.
Molwitz called Europe to arms, France
and Bavaria espoused the cause OF Fred
eric, and Austria was beaten at all
points. But after the battle Of Chotusitz,
in which Frederic did not run, he deter
mined to secure his plunder without divi-
sion, and so deserted his new allies,
made peace with Maria Theresa, and ac-
quired Silesia. France and Bavaria thus
abandoned, were successfully yanquished
by the Austrian armies. In this extrem-
ity, Voltaire was sent by the court Of Yer
sailles to Berlin 10 beg the assistance Of
Frederic, but the willy King yas too
shrewd to commit himself until the rapid
trigmphs of Maria Theresa Threatened
to rob hin of Silesia. Ambition and
selfsbness effected What friendship and
good faith could not, and in liza he
again commenced hostilities. At the
outset of tho campaign he committed
many bluudeFs, and was forced to make
disastrous retreat, but 10 il45 he
proved himself great soldier IN his
skillful dispositions at tine battle of
nohenfriedberg, where he gained sub
stantial victory, followed speedily BY
another at Sorr. There he made peace
again, sad this time itlasted eight years;
The interval Frederic wisely improved
in consolidating his power, ,snd
putting Prussia in proper shape
10 meet coming emergencies. He
was almost as great worker as Napo-
leon, though these was only talent and
no genius In bis work. His isyerlfe resi-
dence at Pottsdam was nothing more