But now comes Protestantism and creates its political structure, which it erects on precisely this broad principle of free thought and free research.  This principle has since that epoch been the foundation upon which our entire political life has rested.  A protestant State has no other claim to existence than precisely this—­cannot possibly exist on other ground.  When has there, since that time, been talk of a penal prosecution in Prussia on account of a scientific doctrine?

Christian Wolf, at Halle, popularized the Leibnizian philosophy, and it was then brought to the notice of the soldier-king, Frederick William I., that, according to Wolf’s teaching of preestablished harmony, deserting soldiers did not desert by their own free will but by force of this peculiar divine arrangement of a preestablished harmony;[50] wherefore this doctrine, being spread abroad among the military, could not but be very detrimental to the maintenance of military discipline.  It is true, this soldier-king, whose regiments were his State, was incensed at all this in the highest degree, and that he forthwith, in November, 1723, issued an order-in-council against Wolf, ordering him on penalty of the halter, to leave Prussian ground within twice twenty-four hours—­and Wolf was obliged to flee.  But, inasmuch as the king’s lettres de cachet in that time permitted no appeal, they are also passed over in history as being devoid of interest or historic significance.  It may be added that the soldier-king had simply perpetrated a gratuitous outrage, and had not set the claims of law and right aside.  He threatened to hang Wolf, and this threat he could have carried out with the help of his soldiers.  Even brute force is not devoid of dignity when it acts openly and above-board.  He did not insult his courts by asking them to condemn scientific teaching.  It did not occur to him to disguise his act of violence under the forms of law.

Moreover, no sooner had Frederick the Great ascended the throne, 31st of May, 1740, than he, six days later, 6th of June, 1740, sent a note to the Councillor of the Consistory, Reinbeck, directing the recall of Wolf.  Even Frederick William I. had repented of his violence against Wolf and had in vain, in the most honorable terms, addressed letters of recall to him.  But Frederick the Great, while he too had use for soldiers, was no soldier-king, but a statesman.  The note to Reinbeck runs:  “You are requested to use your best endeavor with respect to this Wolf, who is a person that seeks and loves the truth, who is to be held in high honor among all men, and I believe you will have achieved a veritable conquest in the realm of truth if you persuade Wolf to return to us.”

So it appears, then, that also this conflict serves only to add force to the ancient principle that scientific research and the presentation of scientific truth is not to be bound by any limitations or by any considerations of expediency, and must find its sole and all sufficient justification in itself alone.  This principle hereby achieved a new lustre and gained the full authentication of the crown.