New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-05-19

and had contributed greatly TO their ultimate
success II was not debt concerning the equity
Of which there existed any ground lor u"""''
Alexander Hamilton examined the whole case
thoroughly, and reported that the indeo'euieS'
of the United States u Bcaumarchais amounUu "
2,2sO000 francs The French boVethn'en'''
Presidents Madison and Monroe, several COMETS
sional committees series Of French MINE
from versenues 10 Talleyrand, voached TOT INC
Justice of the claim. In spite OF every oo"S'U'
ton which should have moved honoraoe ~
sentatives Of q great and set.respec'i"s H"" 80
this lust debt was refused payment uiiVii 800
and then Gbe claimant was given tnt '"o'O
between s00,0 900 francs and nothing IL i,oH
individual had acted thus toward creui'ot
., whom he WINS under far greater obligations
than any mere money payment co"" ."n,.',
there can be no doubt as TO the judgment that
would have been passed upon him. Burke said
,bot q ,vas impossible TO draw ah indict.
,nent AGAINST n whole nation, but in case Ike
this Of Beaumarchais, il might almost be said
cha, q whole nation had actually drawn an in
dictment against itself. The refusal 10 pay the
clo,rn for nearly half century WIS discrcditanie
enough: the adjustment by forcing acceptance OF
a fraction of the amount Justly due was deliberate
md upmitirated fraud, alike shameful and con-
temrtiblc
The correspondence Of Gerard de Rayneval and
Luzerne throws some new light upon the stat" OF
Congress and Of public opinion from | 77s to 1880
The former, having spoken OF the credit accorded
Congress by the people, and the confidence re-
posed in that body, De Rayneval says: " 1t Is
now time that you should know it as well on It's
feeble side so "a TO appreciate il as whole. Most
OF the members who sit in Congress owe their
plsoes to their zeal for the American canse as ~
is commonly called But little attention, how
ever has been paid 10 the talents that arc requisite
for the enormous labor which every branch OF the
Administration demands and which Congress man
ages exclusively. In some departments there j.
not member who Is familiar with their de'alS'
II one member happens TO be more conspicuous
than another on account Of his intelligence private
jealousy and the principle Of anticipating personal
ascendsney throw him in the background A com.
petent merchant on the Committee on Commerce
Is transferred TO that ON Foreign Affairs and ag'in
displaced because he is suspected Of making money
out of secret information There are many colonies
and generals in Congress, but none ore employed
on the war committees. The result IS Mon
sefgneur, the Administration IS extremely back
ward az all points wherever fixed system and reg
ularity in details are essential The arrangements
for the organization, recruiting and regular scr
vice OF the Continental troops remain In snSpens'
as we'll as a number Of other matters. Inc
finances. especially, suffer q great deal
The same correspondent writes: l ON sorry
10 be Obliged TO add, Monsegneur, that personal
disnterevtedness and pecuniary integrity have
shed no lustre on The birth OF the American Ne
public All its agents have derived exmbitant
profit from manufactures. selfish and calcumt-
ing spirit is widespread In this land. and although
can we'll see that limits arc put 10 its extension
there is no condemnation OF the sentiment. Mcr.
camille cupidity forms, perhaps, one Of the dis
tinctve traits Of the American, especially OF the
Northern, people. and IL will undoubtedly exer.
else an important influence ON the future destiny
Of the Republic The ChevalieT dc Ia Lu@erne,
writing IN January, $50, shows Incidentally uat
this eupidity was not universal Speaking OF
the hardshps then being endured by the American
army, he says: Z" The soldier, suffering from the
severest cold known since the beginning OF the
century, was obliged 10 live on hAlt.rntions for a
fortnight and then 10 resort to piinging ana
marauding, and as this produced great disorder.
General Washington was forced 10 put stop
20 IL, which caused q complete famine in tho
camp IL was finally necessary 20 order regular
foraging and maraudins expeditions, which went
from house 10 house and took everything that
was not absolutely essential to their inhabitants
into Monmouth and other counties near New.l ork
which swarmed with Tories. During this crisis,
and a very remarkable circumstance. the soldier
was no less submissive and attentive 10 his duties
while the inhabitants who were annoyed by tht
pillaginR made no resistance In country where
liberty and property are watchwofds, both arr
violated without exciting any popular connection.
This, however Is testimony 20 The patriotism
Of the rural population.
Dun foretaihers IN 1870 had a passion for duel
ling De Raynevsl writes:
The race for dueIl'nc herr has reached an incredible
and scandalous point No repression OF such
those oombats nothing but the printing = burnt
out Of eight or nile duels which have occurred In th
last few weeks, only shot took effect In the cos
Of General Ice. who fought Colonel lagryni. son Q
cenerars statements IN relation TO his Condemnation
K Senator, made 10 descend from his seat, whcro b
aed a1d forISd to rIh h,s e ~ S0GDoTi %I . SURF 81
| mitted that It 10 not for those who hOh office.
One OF the most interesting Of Luzernc's letter
| (of April, 1901 related 20 the opposition in Con
gress 70 the appointment OF committee OF thre
TO reform army abuses 1t puts in strong high
the desperation TO which Washington's enemit
were reduced in formulating charges agains, him
II n Hf3eult TO form Just conception Of N
dopredatons whsch havo been committed in The mar
ttnts, quarters, and transpGGsfIon. About min
thousand mon, employed IN the service, receive
! enormous salaries and dcvOurcd the subsistence q
the army While was tortured with hunger an
the extremes OF won't. Congress determined 10 sppl
Of ptsre nyotd WITH The s%rss SU powers cvor CoS
ser7ed on q depuatiOn Of this kind This rcsulutIo
brought ON long and warm discussion, In which
large marty, jealous OF seeing thrre individuals "a
doWed with such unlimited power, strnye 20 reStiiC
as.ociating the Commander IN Chief With II, who's
influence, u stated, Was alrcSiy too great. III
! virtues were spoken Of as an additional cause
alarm: II WAS rem arked that tho onthusaSm Of "a
amy toincd 10 a sort OF dtctaturr conferred hin
placed Congress and the thirteen states az Us mercy
fhst N was not well 10 expose the virtuOu
mar TO the subtle temptations Of ambition and Il wa
accordingly proposeh to have the committee c0n'i'
sented
These men were tired Of hearing Aristid"s Gale
" the JUST and wouH have banished him fror