The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-09
FACTS ABOUT AMERICAN INDEPEN
DENCE.
To the Editor of the Eagle.

| To the Editor OF the Eagle.
| Recently a correspondent writing I'M
! der the name ''Aldrenie" took issue with
| the general American idea of the ease
with which we could do our English
parent up in war. He was answered
by some one from the American side I'M
| der an assumed name which brought up
the question of the facts of the history
of the war of 1776. With this phase of
the controversy wish to deal. In the fifth
volume of Guizot's history of France;
under the word Beaumarchais in STAN
dard encyclopedia and several biogra-
phies of the man, NAV be found a sketch
of P. A. c. Beaumarchais, born French
1882, died 1893. This man was born
poor; reared a matchmaker, became
second to Mullene as a dramatic writer.
became a politician and courtier
under great difficulties. He was
great merchant and banker and the
friend of the common people. He re-
jOiced in and was the founder of the
French revolutionary title of ..citizen."
The train of events calculated to insure
American independence had been deeply
laid in the previous seven years war if
not long before at CreSSy and Agincourt
England and her allies had hurnbled
France and robbed her of the East and
West Indies, Canada and many of the
previous conquests of the Fourteenth
Lewis. Every good Frenchman wanted
revenge. But the mobiles wanted 10 con-
quer America, while the philosophers
and their disciples wished America to
become free This division of opinion
was hindering French interference in
Americas behalf, when the able and
practical Beaumarchais took up a cOllec-
ton, advanced large sums of his
own and gave American agitators
their first help. He organized
a great forwarding house under the firm
name of Rodeigo, Hortalez & Co. From
this house millions in money, arms,
munitions and equipage came to succor
the rebel coloniSts. Silas Dean wrote TO
congress saying BeaumarchaiS was the
greatest friend to America in Europe.
But Washington and others, being
Protestant participants against France
In the colonial wars, were afraid of her
intrigues. They looked with suspicion
upon the Catholic people who were en-
their Protestant countrymen.
1t took a good deal of diplomacy to get
the Protestant Americans to take help
from their Catholic friends, especially to |
admit a French army on their soil. |
Finally all objections and much preiu- |
dice was overcome; the French declared |
war, landed their army and mingled on
friendly and social terms with |
the colonists. The first French /
was dancing one
with the Yankee girls.
In the end the leading Catholic coun- |
tries which had suffered most from the |
English Protestant alliance of years be- |
fore brought such political pressure to |
bear upon all Europe that they severally |
the independence of the |
thirteen colonies. The Americans fought |
well in great part during the long war. |
But there are few well informed men |
who believe that they ever could have /
secured independence against the mother |
country in a single handed war. Europe |
had many scores to settle with Great |
Britain. And it was the keener fore |
sight of Burke, Chatham, Conway and |
Fox that foreSaw this rather than any |
love they had for that liberty which the !
believed in, that caused them |
to oppose war and befriend America.
Thus the United States became the climax
Of years of European diplomacy, or
rather the finger of God had made
period.
1t is remarkable that when England
reached her proud period of conquest in
the seven years war, that a series of
events took place which incidentally
greater empire upon her most
English colonists-the United States
than that which she conquered altogether
The Revolution gave Us the territories of
.he thirteen Colonists: and her persistent
war upon France and Napolean gave Us
he empire of the then Louisiana; LOuisi-
ana supplementedEnglish colonial slavery
which in turn gave us Florida, Texas,
California and New Mexico, and even
,lamored for ''fifty-four forty or fight"
But we never honored Beaumarchais:
Tor does any American history that
know of mention him. Few Americans
possibly ever heard of him. Indeed we
IS a nation, have been ungratefuI to
France in many respects. Yet, out of
Ter jealousy and in part her love, we
we're born great nation.
w. f. HUTCHINSON.