The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-08

people TO Lafayette when he revisited these
shores in 18242 When were the words of
our greatest orator ever so burdened with
feeling, or so truly pathetic, as in that pas
sage Of the Bunker Hill Grafton addressed to
Lafayette, who was present on that occasion2
There are few Americans who, in reading
those words, have not been choked with emo
ton like that which filled vast audience
with sobs when Webster ended his direct ad-
dress to Lafayette by alluding to the presence
of the revolutionary soldiers who had fought
with him on the same fields: :-''Those who
survived that day, and whose lives have been
prolonged to the present hour, are now
around you. Some of them you have known
ia the trying scenes of war. Behold they
now stretch forth their feeble arms to en-
brace you Behold they raise their trem-
bling voices to invoke the blessing of God on
you and yours forever!"
There has never been a time since our
glorious Revolution when France suffered or
rejoiced that the american people did not
suffer or rejoice with her. The first French
revolution kindled all America into flame.
Our people were wild with generous enthu-
siasm. Chief-Justice Marshall, in his life
of Washington, forgot the habitual coldness
of his style in alluding to that passionate ex-
citement. ga great majority of the Ameri-
can people, " he said, ''deemed it criminal to
remain unconcerned spectators of a conflict
between their ancient enemy and republican
France. The feeling upon this occasion was
almost universal. Men of all parties partook
of it. - Civic festivals, and
other public assemblsges of the people, at
which the ensigns of France were displayed
in union with those of America; at which the
red cap, as a symbol of French liberty and
fraternity, triumphantly passed from head to
head; at which toasts were given expressive
of desire to identify the people of America
with those of France, we're among the many
demonstrations of fervent attachment to
France.
In 1848 the outpouripg was not 80 exube-
rant, but it was very emphatic. Mr. Rush,
our Minister at Paris, made haste to recog-
nize the republic; President Polk sent a
special message to Congress; the warmest
congratulations were expressed both by the
Senate and House; and our whole press and
people joined their plaudits and acclamations
A remarkable illustration of American par
tiality for France was afforded during our late
civil war. Louis Napoleon, against the wishes
of his people, undertook his Mexican expedi-
ton, and we patiently bore it; which we
would not have done from any other nation.
He was perpetually urging and spurring Eng
! land to unite with him and recognize the in
dependence of the South; and while our dplo-
matte correspondence resounded with cries
of grievance against England, it had only
| words OF courtesy for France. 80 powerful
was the influence of national gratitude and
ancient historical predictions!
During the recent stupendous war, intelli-
gent Germans who knew our history and
appreciated the force of education, were as
indulgent to American sympathies as we were
| to theirs. No word of recrimination would
have been uttered had it not been for dema-
gogues who remembered that the many Ger
mans among us are voters, and that the few
Frenchmen do not get naturalized. Hence
an unseemly attempt was made to traffic in
the most sacred feelings of the human heart,
by making party capital out of the honest
preference of our Germans for their native
land. They saw through the ignoble appeal
and despised it. The fall elections showed
that this discreditable demagogism bore no
harvest. Germans had too much candor and
| good sense to expect Americans to feel as if
they had been born in Germany, and as il
the whole current of their patriotic sentiments
had not been colored by admiration and graft
tude for France. AS soon as the elections
were over, unperverted feelings resum ed theil
ascendancy, and at this hour the hearts OF
native Americans, and of all classes among
us except the Germans, go out in unfeigned
commiseration for stricken, bleeding, pros
trate France. This may not be reason, but i
is nature; and generous natural prompting
are alway respectable.