New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-10-20
GRAFTON AT YORKTOWN.
DELIVERED BY ROBERT c. WINTHROP


sPoNsIBIIITIEs OF The HOUR.
The following is. IN part, the Grafton delivered at
Yorktown, Va, yesterday by the Hon. Robert Z.
Winthrop, of Massachusetts,
Our earliest and our latest ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS are que
this day France for the nestmable services whch
gave us the browning victory OF the ION OF OCTOBER
1881 II matters not for US 20 speculate now whether
American independence might not have been ultimately
achieved without her aid not for us TO calcu-
late or conjecture how soon, or when' or
under what circumstances, that grand result
might have been accomplished. We oil know
that. God willing, such oonsnmmauoh was rs
certain in end tomorrows sunrise and that no
earthly pOtentates or powers single OF cohlolu1,
have carried back into a permanent conuIloh Oh
colonial dependence and subiugation Nor need We DC
too cunOns TO inquire, to-day into any special lhulcg
mcnts which France NAV have he'd TO intervene thus
nobiv behalf into any special influences undet
which her King. and court aud people, resolved al st
TO undertake the intervention We may not forget, IN,
deed, that own franklin the gre Bostonan; nau
long been the American Commissioners in Pars,
and that fame Of his genius, the skill ana adrohes
OF his negotiations, and the magnetism Of his pers9na
character and presence secondary or shbor-
dnate elements the results which were accomplished
But signal IA his services were, Franklin cannot ne
named as standing frat in this connection Nearly Two
years before his treaties we're negotiated aud slEuS
led directly and indirectly. 10 all that followed Inc
young Lafayette, then but nineteen wears on age.
captain of the French Dragons stationed at heI, NJ
dinner given by the commandaut of the garrison to the
Duke OF Gloucester. brother Of George III, happeheu
10 hear the tidngs our Declaration OF Independence
which had reached the Duke that very morning
from London II formed the subject of animated
Young soldier took part And before he had left The Ia
BILE, an inextinguishabe spark had been struck ana
kndcd in his breast and his whole heart was on hre IN
the cause of American liberty Regardless of the remon
srapces Of his friends, of the Ministry and OF the hhg
himsef in spite every encouragement and obstacle,
he tears himself away from young ana oyg sa
wife. leans on board vessel when ne han proce" 10, iU
himself. braves the ptrns OF "a wiz ,,,,as
Atlantic. then swlTnlng WIN crGserSs; aed,ne7
and so wins 1T once the regard and confidence Of the
Continental Congress- by this ayowed desire 10 risk bis
allowance Of any sort that On the is Of July l777 lie.
fore he yet quite twenty of age he was commits
II is hardly much that from that dinner ut
Metz and that 3lst day Of July in Philadelphia may be
ated four years afterwarl, the surrender of Corn
wallis to the allied forces of America and France
THE SURRENDER or CoRNw ILLS.
The speaker then gave graphic account of the events
which led to the surrender Of CORVALLIS and described
the scene at the surrender as follows:
And now fellOwcitizens, there follows scene than
which nothing unique and picturesque has ever
been witnessed this continent anywhere else be-
meath the sun Standing here the very spot. to-day,
with the records Of history in hands, require no
aid Of art OF Imagination, to call back in all It's
varied ard most impressive details scene which a we
dip brush to paint it now at the end Of hundred
years almost like tale OF fary ANA we see the
grand French army dra"h mp '9,, upNtt,u , ;"
n mile in bntue array, zen 1uu l'siI,trnlH,
intending legion OF cavalry with CORPS 81 L"yli
Eugincers-B ourhounas aud SOssonais, Royal DrlX-
Points. Samtonge ana Dillon, who haye come ron New
FORTHWITH he The Tourare the AuKonpe, the Ageuais,
and the Gatua' s0ou to win hack M name oi the iyhI
Auvcrgne. who had Just landed frcn tue heet They
are all in their uuSGIlei uniforms OF snowy whiie,
with their distinguishing collars and iappes OF yellow
Feurs dc Lis proudly emhazoue1 ON their white six
regimenal standards with gittcrne stars aud badges
on their officers breasts, and with dazzling gold aud
silver laced verics their private scryant7ibc tim
brel with its associaUns and tones of triumph then
delightful novelty, lending unaccustOmed OIllahc! 10
the music Of their baudsl
Opposite, face 10 face, 10 that splendid line, we
see our American Army the regulars,
| IL had anything which could he called regulars, IN
front clad in the dear oil Continental uniform, sim w
| passDle condition." New-l0fk brigade; MarNlahh
brigade; the ennsylyania line; the light companies
made up from Ncwliampshire. Connecticut ana Massa-
chnsetts Rhode Island and New jersey battalion with
panes from Delaware the Canadian Noinnteersi
a park Of artillery with sappers ana mlner@ anh WIN
large mass OF patriotic VIrgnan militia, collected and
| commanded by the admirable Governor Nelson. Not
quite al the colonies" perhaps, were represented IN force
as they been Germantown, but hardly any Of them
without some representation, individual not col
lecive-nlany of them in simple. hpmespun, everyday
wear many dresses bearing witness 10 the long
the toe and in cases no coats no shoes, AZ
! all But the Stars ard stripes, which had been raised
first Saratoga aoated proudly ABOVE their heads and
no blindness that day mistook their tnts msin
terIreted their teachings, or failed 10 recognize the
Union they bet0kencd aud the glory they orcShdoWei
Bet ween these nes Of the allied forces, 20 srik
ngy strangely contrasted the British Army In their
rich scarlet coats, freshly hlstr9u1eh irYn snpPiGs
which otherwise have been delivered up ~ spells
to the yictors aud with their hnspnch and Hesssn ana
Won Bose auIilhries IN blne. are ROW seen hnhE-
their nuskets at shoulder their eo,ors casrd and
tbeir drums beating British OF German march,
ing on to the field assigned them Tor giving up thelr
standards and grounding their arms, and
|
We arc here to revive anim0siies resulting from
the of the Revolution, FROM any other war,
deeper than pumnet sounded For all that = grand
aud glorious in the career ard example Of Great Britain
certainly we entertain nothing but respect and ad
mirdtion while hazard little ~ saving that for the
continued life and welfare of her ilnsttous sovereign
| whom neither Aune Elizabeth will outshne IN his
tory the American heart beats "a warmly tins day as II
no Yorktown had ever occurred aud Independence
had separated us from her imperial dominion Aud
are ready say. and do say, God saw" the uecn,
sincerely and earnestly as she herself and her Minis
turs and her people have said God the President"
| III those recent hours of his agony
WASHINGTON AND LAFAYETTE.
The orator paid the tribute, Of honorable mention
the prominent commanders OF the various forces or
| Washington and Lafayette he spoke at length, as
| follows:
There was another representative Of the OLD Dominion
here eatcr than anyone who could be named present
or absent, living dead do not forget that. while
America gave Washington to the world Virginia gave
him TO America and that IT IL her unshared privilege TO
reco sIze and Claim. her son. him whom the whole
country acknowledges and revcres its fathcr Behold
MIN here the heal of the American line, presiding
did scene the surrender He In his hitieh
| year. and has gone through anxietes and trials
Of three and ten. That winter at Valley Forge
those canals of Conway, that mutny in Pennsylvania
and the detection OF Charles Lee the
OF Benedict Arnoid-with all the distressing responsible
lies in which it involved him-the insuicency of his
supplies of men, money food and clothing must have
left deep traces his countenance as well in his
heart. BIZ be is the same Incompatible man when
at only twenty one, he sent Commissioner from
Governor DiDwiddie To demand OF the French forces
their authority for invading the Kings domuions
whcp at twenty three he the only mounted officer
who escaped the French bullets at BraddocKs defeat
| And here he stands foremost among their Dukes
Maruuses sad Counts and Baons, receiving the
der Of the standards under which he bad then fought
| against France, "a British colonial officer.
From siege OF Boston, wnere he obtained his first
triumph, to his browning siege OF GOrktOwnmOre than
six long ycars-ho has been and the bearing
beyond all Others the burden and heat Of struggle
| for independence; advising directing, command ling
| enduring deprivat0ns ana even iniustccs without
murmur and witnessing the successes OF others without
| jeaiOusy-whe such signal victory had yet been
youchsafed TO his own immediate forces as could have
satisfied a heart ambitious only for himself. But bis
ambition only for his country and he stands here ut
last with representatives, OF all the States around HIM.
representatives OF almost all the Nations
| OF world Witnesses TO receive, on the soil Of
1 a md haIn Vtrfstu Tho