Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-11-20
FRENCH TRIBUTE TO LINCOLN
AND GRANT.

The Marquis de Chambrun, descendant
OF General Lafayette, one of the invited
guests on the great excursion trip of the
Union Pacific Railroad Company, delivered
the following eloquent tribute to the late
President Lincoln and General Grant, al
Chicago, on the Goth ult:
He had viewed with much pleasure the
tremendous development of this country,
but he would say to his hearers that natural
resources were not all that were essential to
the success OF nation. The freedom of the
people is TO be depended on for our advance
ment and permanence as a people. Free
Speech free schools, free churches, free ad-
ministration, are the doctrines on which arc
established forever the States west of the
Missouri river as the States east OF that have
been alike founded on those principles. But
beyond the institutions themselves lies the
man. The man is what gives the power OF
the nation
When read the discussions of Mr.. Lin
coin with Judge Douglass l saw the COM
ments upon the Declaration of Indepen-
dence; ] remembered this other great man,
TINS old Nirginian, the author of the Decla-
ration of Independence. What Jefferson
wrote Lincoln commented upon. These
principles of equality, of the liberty of man
Kind, were enunciated by Jefferson, but this
great philosopher was commented upon and
put in practice by your great statesman
Abraham Lincoln. 1t was indeed one OF
the greatest fortunes of my life to approach
this western statesman, to see him on the
very day of your decisive success l saw
him in the trenches of Richmond / saw
hlm expressing by his words those two no.
blest feelings of mankind, which he express
ed in the words of amnesty and Justice
Amnesty and justice were the last feelings
he had when he died AS foreigner, let
me tell you the fame of this dead Iliinoisian
cannot be confined to America. All the
world must celebrate the memory of this
pure statesman, who raised himself through
life OF freedom and put in practice these
immortal principles for the safety of men.
Not only you but all the civilized world
must be proud forever of his name and his
acts.
know well this same State of Illinois has
another man, who, as l have heard. went
one day in 1861, presented himself at the
office of Governor Yates, and said that he
was an old captain of your army, tried in
the Mexican war, and was engaged to battle
for his country to repay il for the education
which he received of it. This man was
modest. He did not speak of himself. He
dld not point back to his old successes in the
Mexican war, and Governor Yates, almost
guessing what was this man, appointed him
colonel OF the 21st regiment of this State.
You know the history of this man, because
the world and all the world knows it. He
went from your State to Fort Henry From
Fort Henry he went to Donelson. from
Donelson to Vicksburg, from Vicksburg TO
charleston, from Charleston to Richmond;
and this man, superior to his own SUCCESSES
themselves, modest in his triumphs, you
must not be content to claim. Not only in
the United States have you learned. but
throughout the world we have learned to
believe that even successful general can be
an instrument in the arm Of a free people
That may not be an oppressor over them.
IL Is Tor this that the development of your
country is secured. You have wealth enough
for the people of the world, and if you want
more energy to develop it, it will come at
your call, You will go on much farther
than you have now; you will build up an
empire which will have as its rival the Rus
sian empire.
AS Frenchman, am glad of that; YOU
know the connection which has existed be-
tween our two countries. In the days of
your nrst trials France came with you, and
fought with you, and France, some years
later, abandoned TO you the territory of
Louisiana.
You are now freed from slavery. 1t isa
time which connects us more intimately than
ever. In my country we are proud of this
teeling-that all men arc created free by
God, and they must remain free. The very
day on which you applied this sublime
maxim that very day our two nations were
connected more intimately. We are not
jealous of your greatness We will applaud
you, for it is most legitimate conquest
which was ever made by any people, the
conquest without any bloodshed, a conquest
OF this wilderness, which will give to a larger
number Of human beings the benefits of the
Creator.