The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1871-02-09
History of Prussia.

habited Ly the Borussi, who denomina-
ted it Borussia, which has been corrupted
to Prussia. Thepresen: Brandenburgh
dynasty is very ancient, and is descended
in direct line Of the family or house
of llohenzollern, mentioned 10 history
from the year 800. The more distin.
guished predecessors of the reigning
Emperor, William, were Frederick vii.
liam, suruamed the Great EIector, and
Frederick William, l. the father of
Frederick the Great, who ascended the
throne in l7I0, aud who was styled
Frederick H., Frederick William III.
nephew Of the former, Frederick vii.
linn Ill. the predecessor oft present
King, who commenced his reign in
1897. 1t is related of Frederick vii
liam |. the father of Frederick the
Great, that he would have been consid
cred an extraordinary man, had he not
been cclipsed by his greater sou. lie
was economical, in the extreme, and
expended nothing except on the sol.
diery. 10 his dress and diet he was
remarkably simple aud plain. lie even
denied himself the common comforts of
life, being wont to say that prince
ous ht to spare, not only the blood. but
the property OF his subjects. Voltairc
describes him thus: "lIe used to walk
from his palace clothed in an old blue
coat, with copper buttons, half way
down his thighs; and when he bought
new one, these buttons were made to
serve again. 1t was in this dless that
his majesty armed with huge sergeaut's
cane, walked forth every day to review
his regiment of giants These giants
were his greatest delight, and for them
he went to the greatest expense. The
men who stood in the first rank of this
regiment were none of them less than
seven feet high, aud he sent to purchase
them from the farthest part of Europe"
lie was man Of vulgar habits and
coarse manners, aud often treated his
children with rudeness aud asperty
that would have disgraceda savage. Ac
cordlng to an account given by his
daughter, Willielmina, princess of Prus.
sia, it would be difficult to count the
canings and fisticuifs he administered to
his son Frederick the Great, who could
never appear before the King without
being beaten or maltreated. She her.
self had her full share of the brutality
OF her father, who often struck her.
one dag he seized her by the hand, she
tells us, gave her several blows on the
facs with his fist, one Of which knocked
her down. What aided to their mis-.
fortunes was, the severe diet to which
they were condemned, for they we're
almost literally famishing. There was
often nothing at their fathers table
but garden stuff, aud it SO badly cooked
that it disgusted them. Frequently,
indeed, il was impossible to touch it, for
after serving the other guests the king
would spit in the dish, that his children
might not break their fast.
When Frederick the Great ascended
the throne his father had left him an
efficient and we'll disciplined army of
$4,000 men. His views were bent on
conouast and on Tho o,l.ronan, orl,;,
anil ,orr;,orv anJ rar;r;sS ssso sa's =, o,"a ns'
lete claim 70 S;las;a : nor,;sa soe ae vpso-
tria, attacked and defeated the Austrians
at the battle Of Molwitz. He next in.
;na H. na;rShar;sa S,s,a D ~
Er,noo an5 sns,s;. H. " ...'I:,, L:s,
aaa;ns, Nm - IKE ,na sD.ue, s",,p,
,5o ssvon yo.r. ,.ar ,ah;a,, nnaro, .o,."l1 !.
ax,..,m,,., [ ~ w., ""'or p'ps.u W "
sora n.os,od hs ~ .,,:.. eusoe .su. man
v;.,ar;ors s rt ~. ~ -" ",h I ..DuSn o'.eu
emnress ahan, III. ~ ,;,'a ', .sasiaS se s','au h:
] esspa,;a, % roI;ae vi IT., ao ano'ueu nun
osacs I'm Fsaaor;at ~ ~" JuVVes:oa s s nsaae
,sards l ;a;n.d % /. ,hs pa m"o oe.us a''er-
oh,,;nod ~ ;a,,a.,.,, 80 a.5.aa ''oops, ne
ensh,sJ 70 saapra au ~ ,.ss $500, 2 a"u ~as
viii Ill ,ha nas,;,, "o'aJe e.oe
II con;nno,;aa [ LII ." na'
ha d;sa,on'ba..s T paIsss 's'4 auu n,s.s,a ,soc
he d;aa =, ,Sa ~. avss $500 IL az ~, - low
,a,;on of fha;na e. ... -, "..n Wy 'oPue
,ba time ana ,na - ~ ~. , A.;
gn;shsa rr;noas H.. W -, s,'a
nreservs .nn rsa,aar;.I T 10.
;srela,ed of Nm ;lIns,ra,;,r ~. :as asa;s;
Of character and ssrsr;,v e 'iI d;so;rl;na si;a
,s woII u h;s ornai,, "a ssa.: A. 'a''
Intending to make. in the might. nm
important movement in his camp, which
was in sight of the enemy, he gave
orders that by eight o'clock all the