The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-05-27
Frederick n treat and the United
NIaIes.


states.
The German Emperor has offered us
a StatI" II I%ErpFGiCK the Great. and
President ROOSEVELT has accepted the
of r. In has letter tho Emperor as
sIm"S that americans are grateful for
'hc ~fr.rud-hip alleged to have been
%ev'n'"i Nv FRrprRICE toward the
Uut.-l states during their struggle for
a. ier-nd"nce l. the ASSUMPTION we'll
e. misi' Have Americans any reason
{, De- grateful To ~FRLpERICR the Great
That is n question which ought To be
s'ttlci. lest the erection Of a statue Of
m" lllI>'riols pulssian sovereign in our
Federal capital should be looked upon
as a mockrrv.
Friendship IL tested not nv words,
hut hv d.ads II only words are given
won deeds are needed and requested,
n gratitude = earned What France
ii | Tor u, i well known She began
~ secretly supplying Us with arms.
ammunition and money. 81" then aC-
know 'is,i our Independence; shc ON
pluyrd tler'S and rulr IN our cause:
"a" fought IN orr side for some five
our behalf. n" plunged her monarchy
in bankruptcy aud ruin II was. thcrc-
re. proc uincntly fitting tha, the tatuc
o. R~oCuNMEEAU, who p~crsnniiicd our
vt~t indebtedness to France. should he
rrlr.-i In Washington Now lrt us in
..r.... ~. g ,.,k... ,... H.. -.
~ hv FREDERICK the Great.
There j. no doubt that, So far as words
are concerned. FREDERICK the Great
expressed some sympathy for the hmeri-
can colonies because they were ~ va
riro" with the same type ~ British
sian sovereign m l7G2. As Mr. GEORGE
B'NDRuFr hd, POINTED ou'. The re-
public which arose IN America enCoun-
cred no unfayorabls prejudice IN his
mind With the France which pro-
t"ctei the United States he had a COM
mon feeling Liberal English states
men commanded his good will. but
he teteSted the policy Of Butte and Of
NORTH, 80 that for him and for America
there were IN England the Same friends
and tho same enemies The historian
COOS on 20 recall that IN November. l77I.
TplpFRICK EXPRESSED the opinion that
the British culouistS would rather be
buried unde. tho ruins of their dwellings
than submit 10 the yoke Of the mother
countrv lie was astoni>hcd NJ the
auathf and gloomy silenc" with which
tho British nation viewed the under
taking Of "A war alike absurd and fraught
With hazard Tho treatment of the
homes he wrote IN September. i7T5.
= pIea TO me to be the first step tow
ard dospotism- In October Of the same
wear h" was IN, and he has himself
recorded what he thought AZ the time
Of the proclamation Of GEORGE III
4 ,nouncing tho American insurgents
a. traitors. scems 10 me very hard
- proclaim as rebels free subjects who
only defend their country against the
Il .-pptlsm Of "A Ministry. The moro
r,H"ct on the measures II the British
Government, IN" more they appear 10
m arbitrary and deSpotiC The British
Constitution Itself seems TO authorize re-
~i,'ance That the Court has provoked
- colonies 10 withstand its measures
n body can doubt
Agun, II | had a voice in the British
Cabinet I should take advantage Of the
good disposition Of the colonies 10 recon
cilr mvseif with them" lie had no
faith. however, in the wisdom Of the
Ministry headed bv Lord NORTH: In
order 20 interest the nation in this val
tho British Court will offer conditions Of
reconciliation. but II will make them ~
burdcnsoms that the colonies will nevcr
be able 10 accept them His conclu-
sion was hat the issue 81 this contest
canno fail 10 make an epoch IN British
annals Considered ~ mere opinions,
never tn be- translated into acts. the
words quoted reflect credit upon their
authors Sag1cIty They would be still
more crcditable to him IL the views cx-
pressed had not been shared 10y almos,
all observant mon on tho Continent ~
Europe. II will scarcely be pretended
that our national gratitude is due tn any
of the Continental statesmen who strictly
confined themselves to academic ex-
prr~sions Of sympathy.
Mr.. BANCROFT, who. rs United States
Minister to the Court Of Berlin. had
cNceptional opportunities for prose-
cutting Investigations. tells - that. in a
careful search through fREDEmcK's
Cabinet papers, he WIS able to find no
letter, or part of a letter, in which the
Prussian sovereign allowed the interests
Of his kingdom to suffer from the per-
sonal dislike with which he regarded such
British Mini''1C' a bvr1 and NORTH