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Show Ileilriirllon of legend. Mr. Moncuro I). Conway, In the Athenaeum, Athe-naeum, writes on a historical toplo of bo minor Importance. In n recent letter let-ter to the London Times, where an Interview In-terview with lllsmarck Is prluted, this la what the chancellor la reported to have said: "Frederick the (treat waa the first European sovereign who reo-ognlied reo-ognlied the Independence of the United Unit-ed Hlstcs" Mr Moncuro 1), Conway declares this to be all amaslng atate-ment. atate-ment. He writes "While Iuls XV. not only recognised American Independence, Inde-pendence, but allied himself with It, and aent over the officers, money and hips without which that Independence I might have remained a paper declar-t declar-t atlon, Frederick the (Ireal never ut- lered a word of aympathy with Waah-Ington Waah-Ington or with hla cause, but Hessian troops were sent over with Frederick' tacit consent to crush Independence. Vain efforts were made by d'Alembert to elicit from Frederick some opinion about the American revolution." Uld lllsmarck, asks Mr Conway, believe In that legend that Frederick sent a word to Washington with Ibe message mes-sage "From the oldest genersl In the world to the greatest." Tbe conclusion conclu-sion of the note Is striking "There was no such sword or mesisg. I once asked Carlyle If he knew ot anything any-thing said or written by Frederick out ot which ths legend might hsve growu. He replied- 'Nothing whstevsr. There Is not the slightest foundation for It.'" |