The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1866-11-16
A French Tribute 90 Lincoln and
Grant.

=
scendant of General Lafayette, ono OF
the invited guests on the great excur-
sion trip Of the Union Pacific Railroad
Company, delivered the following clio
qucnt tribute TO the late President
Lincoln aud General Grant, at Chica-
go, on Monday:
He had viewed with much pleasure
The tremendous development Of this
country, but he would say to his hear
ers that natural resources were not MI
that were essential to the success of a
nation. The freedom of the people is
to be depended on for our advance
ment and permanence as a people. 49,
Free speech, free schools, free church
es, free administration, are the doc
trines on which are established forev-
en- the States West Of the Missouri
River as tao States East Of THAT have
/ been 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..
Lincoln with Judge Douglas, l saw
the comments upon the Declaration of
Independence, | remembered this 9th
er great man, this old Virgininn, the
author Of the Declaration of hide
pendence. What jefferson wrote,
Lincoln commented upon. These
principles of equality, of the liberty OF
mankind, were enunciated by Jcffer-
son, 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 APP
proach this Western Statesman to
see him on the very day of your deci-
slve success. saw him IN the trench
es of Richmond
| saw him expressing by his words
those two nobl st feelings Of mankind,
which he expressed 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 Ilinoisi-
an 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 i'll practice these immortal prnci-
pies for the safety of men; and not
only You, but all the civilized world
must be proud forever of his name
and his acts.
know well this same State of Hi
nois has another man, who. as | have
heard, went one day III 1861 present
cd himself at the office Of Gov 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 pay it for the education
which he received of it. This man
was modest He did not speak of
himself. He did not point back to
his old successes III the Mexican war,
and Governor Yates, almost guessing
what was this man. appointed him
Colonel of the Twenty first regiment
of this State. You know the history
of this man because the world and all /
the world knows il. He went from
your State to Fort Henry.
From Fort Henry he went to Don
elson; from Donelson TO Vicllsburg.
from Vicksburg to Charleston; from
Charleston to Richmond; and this man
superior to his own successes tAem- !
selves, modest in bis triumphs, you
must not be content to claim Not /
only in the United States have you
learned, but throughout the world have
we learned to believe that even sue
cessful General can be an instrument
IN the arm CT a lrec people that may
not be an oppressor over them. 1t is
for this the development of your coun-
try is secured. You have wealth
enough for the people of the world,
and it you want more energy to deyel-
op it, it will come at your call. You
will go much further than you have
gone now; you will build up an en-
pre- which viii have as its rival the
Russian Empire.
AS Frenchman, / am glad of that;
you know the connection which has
existed between the two countries. In
the days Of your first trials France
came with you, and fought with you.
and France, some years later, aban
doned to YOU the territory Of Louisi
aua.
HoN are now freed from slavery 1t
Is time which connects us more init
mately than ever III my country We
are proud of this feeling that all men .
are created free by God, and they
must remain free. The very day on
which you applied this sublime max
i'm that very day our two nations
were connected more intimately. We
were not jealous of your greatness -
We will applaud You, for is Il most
legitimate conquest which was ever
made by any pople, the conquest with
out any bloodshed, a conquest of this
wilderness. which will give to larger
number Of human beings the benefits
of the Creator.