The Virginia Gazette

The Prussian Alexander, the Legislator of Germany, the Scourge of his Neighbours, the Master of Politics of Europe, has at last resolved to discover his Scheme, by sending a large Body of Troops into the Duchy of Holstein, namely into that Part belonging to the Grand Duke. Our Merchants have Commissions from the Agents for the Prussian Army to provide Magazines of every Kind necessary for a large Body of Troops in their March, through this Duchy. These Magazines are to be stationed upon different Roads in the Way to Holstein; but as we see the Alliance between Prussia and Russia concerning the Affairs of Poland, we rather believe that the neighbouring Provinces, as Danish Holstein, Sleswick, Gottorp, and Jutland, would have more Reason to prepare for warlike Resistance, as these Provinces are in the Hands of the King of Denmark, from the Beginning to the present Moment, by an illegal Possession. For after the Death of Frederick I. in the Year 1533, he left three Princes, when it was supposed that the hereditary Prince would be King of Denmark, and his two Brothers, one Duke of Sleswick, and the other Duke of Holstein; but the Hereditary Prince, under the Pretence that the Kingdom of Denmark appertained to him as his own Right, first availed himself of Denmark, and then of a third Part of the Duchies of Holstein and Sleswick, and accordingly it was divided by the Hand of Force till the Year 1675, when Prince Charles Frederick of Gottorp, dying in his Minority, the King of Denmark took Possession of the whole Duchy of Sleswick by Force, and at the Conclusion of the northern Peace, in the Year 1720, all these good Provinces were incorporated into the Danish Empire under the Guarantee of Great Britain, notwithstanding the lawful Claims of the House of Gottorp. Therefore the Prussian Hero thinks now is the best Time and Opportunity to make Use of that political Law, to oppose Force against Force, and Usurpation against Usurpation.

The enterprising Spirit of his Prussian Majesty has alarmed the various Courts of the Continent to such a Degree, that Nothing but Meetings of their several Cabinets, in the most serious Stile of Deliberation, has taken Place for several Weeks. But the ultima ratio regum, which the deep-designing Frederick constantly keeps on Foot in a standing Army, renders him quite composed: and he is certain, if the least agreeable Side of the Alternative, a War, should occur, that he may depend upon his evident Superiority, not only in Discipline but in Numbers.

If the King of Prussia's Plan of Operations are not impeded by any superior Power, who may look upon him with a jealous Eye, he will, in all Probability, be the most powerful Prince in Europe. The Kingdom of Poland will soon be in his Hands: and it is said he has laid a Scheme that will insure him the Assistance of Denmark, and have them devoted to him at any Time. When this Period is arrived, his other Neighbours must look sharp about them to maintain the smallest Share of Consequence.

The celebrated Fenelon pathetically exclaims in his Telemachus, "Alas for that Nation whose Prince is a Hero!" This Exclamation was never more applicable than to the Subjects of his Prussian Majesty; their Prince is a Hero, but they are constantly the worse for his Heroism, and find that their Happiness is a trifling Circumstance indeed when balanced in the Scale of Glory against his Schemes of accumulating Greatness.