Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-10-21
Washington Letter.

THE DESCENDANTS OF LAFAYETTE AND
sTEUBEN IN wAsHINGToN-THEIR PRE-.
sENTATION TO PRESIDENT ARTHUR.
Correspondence of the staunton Y1NDIcAroRl
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct. IS, 1881,
The French and the German descendants
of our revolutionary allies have been in
the city four days, enroute to the York
town Centennial. l saw their presenta-
ton TO the President General Sherman,
Admiral Porter. and other high civil, mil
Italy and naval officers. like to see and
study the etiquette of these stiff unrehears-
ed ceremonies, because [ think we get
glimpses of individual and national char
acteristics that are not easily attained in
any other way. The presentation took
| place in the centre of the rotunda of the
Capitol. The visitors came in at the east
door, and took position west of the
centre of the rotunda, where they formed
in semi circle, and awaited, [ thought
with some trepidation, the approach of the
| President of the United States, who was,
! in their imagination. the majestic ruler of
| so 900, 900 OF people, | am not overdIawlng
this. l have seen in Europe, how deep,
even among the best educated, and the
| French are not we'll educated, is the rev.
| erence for supreme authority. Not one
of these Germai hsd ever been, or ever
hopes to be, presented to the Kaiser. in his
| own country; to have been presented, aud
to have kissed his royal hand, which such
presentation implies. is to be greatly ele-
waited in his OWL opinion, and to be re-
garded as man of mark by his comrades.
| The French, in spite of their recently graf
ted republicanism, are quite as reveren-
tial of rank as the Germans. The wrinkles
of centuries cannot be elaborated in a
generation.
| could not help noticing the military
bearing and poses Of these gentlemen, as
they stood waiting for the President
There was more grace and ease in the
bearing of the French, but they were not
less martial in their appearance than the
Germans. The French cavalry general.
in high top boots and spurs. stood with
his feet far apart, as if he bestrode horse.
| The old German, Colonel Won Steuben,
fifty-seven YEARS of age, looked every inch
a soldier and his three sons, lieutenants OF
the line, were as ruddy, healthy, and hand
some men as one would wish to see
The President entered, from the Senate
side of the rOtunda, on the arm of MT.
Blaine, and was received by too long a
speech from the French minister, M. Out
rey, who then presented him to the French
officers, one by one. Neither party seemed
at first to know what to do, and there was
a momentary hiatus of what tue French
would call na0uUaise bo1te, but as President
Arthur extended his hand, with some hes
itation, the French General took hold of
1t and bowed low. This was cue to the
others. and the presentation to the French,
though stiff and tedious, was accomplish
ed without serious blunder. The Presl-
dent went next to the Germans, who we e
grouped to the left, and they. having seen
the presentation to their transatlantic
neighbors, learned the business, and the
German minister, making the presenta-
lions rapidly, the ceremony of introduc-
tion was finished more smoothly. Our
Generals. Admirals and Commodores, all
in full dress uniform. headed by General
Sherman, were next presented. The guests
knew at least one of these historically,
and they seemed much more at ease with
the gentlemen of their own profession than
with the grave and sombre President.