The San Francisco call., 1897-07-15

the revolutionary cause, which was the cause
OF mankind. He was an unselfish soldier for
the right. He volunteered his services at q
critical time; and when even forbidden by his
Government, which at that time was des-
potic, to engage in the American con-
f1ct, which he quick 10 see was a
struggle for human rights everywhere,
he evaded arrest, thrust aside consid-
erations OF family and fortune, fitted out
transport and sailed away to take part in the
momentous struggle. Washington received
him as a personal friend. He was made a
major-general in the Continental army, and
led our troops on many hard-fought field
And when the fortunes of war were wavering
in the balance he went back to France for aid |,
and without that aid which he secured We can
only gather from the words of Washing ton
what might have been the outcome of the
Revolutionary War, upon which so much de-
pended. Washington wrote at this time 10 the
American representatives in Paris: I'VE are
at the end of our tether, and now or never de-
liverance must come" 1t came with Rocham-
beau and De Grasse. France, moved by the
ardor OF Lafayette saved the cause of the COL
on1es and stirred Thomas Jefferson to exclaim
in the transport of his joy, that henceiorth
every American has two countries-his own
and France.
The Mayors eloquent address, which
was frequently interrupted by enthusiastic
applause, was followed by THE Star
Spangled Banner" sung by quartet of
I soprano voices.
Jules Godart, orator OF the day, was
then introduced. and spoke in part as fol-
| lows:
=Frenchmen and friends OF France, "salut ct
fraternite'' to you present here, in the name
of our native land, to celebrate an anniversary
of the revolution
And let US express our feelings of gratitude
to the men who gave that country freedom.
Let us express also our thankfulness to the
United States for her noble and generous hos
pitality, which allows us to celebrate here to-
day the glory of our native country. For
fourteen hundred years the lot of the paople
was to suffer and obey. The judgments of
their kings were without appeal, and in the
prisons the great defenders OF humanity were
dying.
But it is vain to try to arrest the march of
progress, and on the 14th OF July, 1889, the
whole people of Paris were in full revolt.
After a very hard fight the people destroyed
that dark blot called La Bastile in q sin gle
day.
The people separated forever the dreadful
past from future filled with hope. On the
18th Of July France sh owed her new banner
and wrote upon it her beautiful motto, Lib
erty, egualite ct fraternite.'
In France public men forgot their quarrels,
putting above them their patriotism, their
love OF liberty The cry. "The country is in
dangerp' was heard by the people and Carnot
enrolled armies
With these armies kellerman. Hoche, ,Kleber
and Marceau won tame on the battle-ields.
At the same time Danton, Ro obespierre, Ca
mile Desmoulins and St. Just gave humane
and just laws which kept the integrity of the
republican motto.
Very often men had to pay with their lives
for the devotion to their country, but even on
the scaffold their last thought was for the hap
piness oil the people, promised by their doc
trines.
Since the first revolution the march of prog
ress has never been stayed. After the. 18Th
Brumaire the republic, badly defended, feu
into the hands of Bonaparte, who soon estab-
lished the empire. Then after Waterloo the
Bourbons took the throne again. But under
the folds of the tri-colored flag the peop.e re-
gained their liberty.
In 1852 again the republic showed the King
the way to exile, but man who wanted to
repeat the 18th 3rumaire on the I'd of
Decem Der and to de prfve the people of their
patriots by sending them to Cayenne and Lam
bressa arose, and after an eighteen years