Year: 1868

Ex-Governor Fairfield, of Michigan, in a cam
paign speech delivered at Xenia, Ohio, relates
the following beautiful incident of Prussian his
tory:


1 remember-if you will pardon me for this
illustration | know windmill is an ordinary
thing, that there is nothing beautiful about it
but remember seeing one that seemed beauti-
full. 1t had its history. Its history you will al
low me to revert to. When Frederick the Great
was King of Prussia, he went out little way
from Berlin and built palace at San Souci. He
and the Queen were seated one Sabbath after
noon in their beautiful grounds, and the Queen
said 81 don't like that old wind mill over
there 1 wish you would buy the grounds and
tear it away, as it mars the beauty of our
grounds, being right along side, and so near
them here" "Ill do it tomorrow" said he
So on the morrow he went to the miller and told
him he wished to buy his little homestead. 90
don't wish to SELL said the miller. % But, y
said the King, g ! must have it. | wish to ex.
tend and beautify my grounds, and your wind
mill is an eye-sore to the Queen" ''But, said
the miller, "my grandfather is buried yonder
and my father is buried there, and this has been
the home of my ancestors for generations
want to live and die here, and cannot sell it.
The King getting out of patience, said be would
order his men to tear the windmill down and
take possession of the grounds. Said the miller,
- May IL pleaSe your majesty, Lnere are laws In
Prussia, and l car YOU" &C. don't care, "
said the King, and went and tore down the
mill. The miller sued him, and the courts de-
cided against his Majesty, and declared that he
should rebuild the mill, and pay to the last far
thing all the miller had lost The King bowed
his head, went and rebuilt the mill, and paid all
damages. After a while Frederick the Great
was in his grave, and the old miller was gone ;
but by and by another miller was there, and an
other King was on the throne. The miller wrote
to his reigning Majesty, that many years ago
his grandfather had refused to sell his windmill
and homestead to him, but said he, % am poor
and need the money and l will sell, and hope
the price may be such to please your Majesty !;
| must have $1,000" The King with his own
hand wrote reply. He wrote simply this ::
i" You say you are poor l am sorry for it. You
are willing to sell your Windmill for $4,000.
The windmill cannot be sold. 1t belongs to
Prussan history. Inclosed find my check for
and the great seal of the King was affixed. |
stood near that mill on a beautiful afternoon,
such as this has been, and / wandered among
the trees, or listened to the singing birds, and
caught the fragrace from ten thousand flowers
that filled the air with their perfumes thought
the most beautiful thing of all l saw was that
Windmill with its ungainly arms, and as
watched it swing around those arms the tears
came unbidden to my eyes, for it seemed to me
to swing those giant arms around as for the de-
tense of the humblest men, for the poor as well
as the mightiest. And that is the glory of gov
eminent everywhere. Certainly, then, if there is
any class of men anywhere that ought to be pro-
tected by the Government, it is the men who
hitherto have been deprived of their rights and
have been trampled in the dust.