The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1882-09-10

French journalists and men Of letters are
by no means conspicuous for familiarity with
the past and present course Of events in Eng
land, but. as rule. their ignorance OF Ameri-
can history is far more complete and ludcrous.
With one exception. TO be presently noted. We
have met with no French author who has given
us reason to believe that he has so much as seen
the Constitution of the United States. while an
inquiry into the circumstances under which
that instrument was framed is manfestly
deemed n work Of pure supererogation by tho
politicians and publicists OF the French repub-
lie. Even with regard to our Revolutionary
struggle. in which their own country particl-
pnted. and rs to which abundant information
is accessible in tho French public archives and
private correspondence Of the time. they are all
at sea. and their conceptions of the foremost
figure in the contest are shaped according to the
predictions OF the writers. without the faintest
reference to the facts. For some. Washington
represents the ideal republican. whose fea-
lures express their notion Of what such per-
sonage should be ; for others he is an overrated
and really insignificant man from military
point Of view. while politically he Is pronounced
al aristocrat who desired 10 found an oligarchy
on property qualifications. and whose secret
admiration Of the British form OF government
led him to betray the country which had helped
t'e co''"ic9 III 'i'I' oA'iehi' lawns '""''
ncfetolore' oeeh lorce' 10 CHOOSE pe'"c'h "n'
meaning euloGy and equally pointess detrac-
ton We are surprised and Gratned 10 receive
at the hands ot a French author an estimate Of
the character and achievements OF Washing
ton which for breadth Of knowledge and corr
rcctncss OF Judgment. need not shrink from
comparison with the work Of any American
"iS.'r'in VIZ 'c''' W iu'"' H'0'.- .aP'
e"''t'cu """","S''" 7" ~" t,n''r' pm' f' MAJ
sEhAS NI"tis' i'hn"'H " i""''''i' nv i'"7'n
'io',''''y "9e,s"r' ~ 81, "i''c' =" " ~"
e'""' "a 'ue,i' "H.e'. Nv ''"l 'oou'l! ~
'u'h"u 10 10 "e,' "o'" III '''','' - VI" "'i'''
~ ''hIr's''hs 'h' 9Ietlo''7 an ''''"InNS u"'h"-
| Eogues VINO hlNe aiWaE' ooeh an" sun are
'"tse 10 itah's' WV" 'h' "nn'''r'c,' '"o' i.''p'
ana sop'r 'honsh s"''"'H'i'' survives W u"
"Asc"'H" pu'''''' N9 ''''''-o' w '"'', WV
''ei ~ H'''H "i'''E' ""' ''oo''"' '"' '''V'' w
! III" VIII co'i"', mon WIZ" ihNo "u, "'n ~
learn prec!so.v whht washington o1u' ana 10
understand 'he Ineu'"'n III "h''h no "prh,"
VIII search reh'h literature III 'h'h i'r inc "H-
sireu ih'orha''"h "''s'ue Oh Ih'' ''''e 'o,"i'e'
Tue ahlh"r REMARKS Justly On .'hclu"ihs
! ore' review oi inc heNoln'iohhry cohii'c'' 'hat
/ washington WAS u's'li'E"''heu l"'hc' W moral
/ "ieFa'loil 'l"h ny 'h'"e''"'i l"r''' anu ''''
A We nun 't"' ~ NUS "|' "'''t"''' NO. ~
/ ihn'h II! '"o 'oUrs" 81 t'p etids"'e az III t'e
lace 81 inc 'claP'a"oh' Whlch oescI nm a''or
/ It's termination. IL L., no thinkT' ihulspn'anlc
| mat thr par porn ~ tne coi"hl'ts III VI" ioE"-
! lutl"hary war was iarKe" rH'h't NY "'"h'rho'e
| l"itituuc anu perseverance 'n'h ny any S'tok's
/ u genius. lie can discern II the contests none
u mos" relnarkapIr cohccploh' Wh'c'' ch'lhsc
IN n II" hours the Whole ASPECT "i aHalrs' On
tho contrary. wNai"vrr su's'Ss Is won seems 10
! be the fruit oi patience ami OF time. Oh the
only two military achievements which have an
important bearing on the issue of the wharf.-the
surrender of Bur!oyne at Saratoga and the