Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-14

The respective ideas of political liberty of
France AMI hmeric, arc illustrated BY the
national fcte dav-. On the 9Th Of July the
Americans celebrate the day on which the Con-
tineutal Congress declared in solemn sitting that
the thirteen colonies "arc and % right ought
10 he free and independent states" The thing
was done 1aictiy. Loweyes noisy the eelcbra-
tIOns since Of the event. On the 18th Of July
The French celebrate the stormiug OF the state
prison known "a the Bastilie At that time and
for two years afterward France had moderate
Ling and Vas soon 20 have a constitution. The
former retained little power and the latter was
10 be inst what the hest minds of France made
IL AZ the time Of the American declaration
the people had been in open revolt against the
English government for nearly fifteen months.
and IN constitutional resistance for a much
longer period. The colonies were not only
divided between wings AMI tories. but the
patriot or the WhIg party we're split up into
those who favored and those who opposed in
dependence. Nevertheless. the delegates of
the colonies after dehberation osolyed to
declare and dill declare their right 20 n separate
national existence. This coarse of the Ameri-
can patriots in 1915 was not adopted in spirit by
the French patriots in l7s9. The popuiace.
impatient ard bloodthirsty. waited not TO effect
ia purposes through iii, regular channels, the
organized government Of the Three Estates Of
the Kingdom. under the leadership Of the pure
Ii favette AMI tie giftld Nirabe-u. but. taxi
In, things into their own hands. they seized the
stat prison. which some OF the historians say
they coall not have done If the mild hammered
chevali.r Of France who commanded Its garri-
sOn hal not beCa disposed 10 please the mas ses
by welding Il up. Upon Withdrawing his forces
he vas KILLED by a butcher and his head placed
on pikCstaf and carried in triumph through
The streets Of Paris. Begun with the useless
shedding Of blood. the great revolution which
has changed the current Of modern history in
Europe drenched the continent before its
close. The stormins If the Bastlie on the 18th
Of July reused passions that have not since
slept. The act Of John Hancock and his COM
peers has. for the greater part. given peace to
hemiaphcre along with such prosperity as has
been seen in TO age Of the world. The names
Of the f;ty-six signCrs Of the Declaration of
Independence are immortal The names of
the men who took part in the attack on the
Ba>tille mostly unknown. The heroes and
statesmen vi our way sor independence are the
foremost in history. The best acts OF the best
men OF the French revolution after its first
period require an apology. What is Condilac.
the Partisan. g. Franklin. :hc AmC sican philoso-
pher-stItosuSn. CarHOt. the organizer of VIC
tory. to either samuel Adams. the Father of
the Revolution in the United States. or Robert
Morris. its great fnancierz II Arnold betrayed
his coaRtryInen he did not she'd their blood
hike water. as did the terrible three" Murat.
Hanton and Robespierre. and the sanguinary
fend. ~. just In all the Wild waste of human
energy from the 10th Of August. 1872 TO the
fall OF the Directory and rise of Bonaparte. not
one magnarimous soul shaped the affairs Of
France or tried with hope Of success to lead
France in the path Of safety. A few brave |
generals there were. like Hoche and Moreau. and
here and there a mind capable of directing the |
civil administration II left alone by the bowling
JacObins. after that horde Of sentimental
pnilOsphers-all the rest were craZed by the
Possession Of power to which they were unused
But that bloody dlspensStion hIs taught France
much. she does well to celebrate today the
taking Of the Bastille. but she does better to
shiver as she celebrates. Liberty regulated by
Law. religion divinely revealed and not set
up BY fantastic minds. philosophy as it meets
the wants of hfe they arise and does not an-
tcipate them-in other words. that men should
think and net dream. that men should act and
notpose. that men should be human beings and
not brutes or demons-such j. the lesson france
has learned in a hundred years of travail