The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-13
NlsHINer0N, ~ 4 rnENcHMAN.
Ana. intellectually. the story Of new france
Hsfnhiinhed American Indepeedence

And. Intellectually, the story or mow France
HEfnbiished Amevican Indepesdence.
PARIS, March A.-Fronch history is SO re-
plete with illustrious names that II is not often
hat a Frcnchman finds time or inclination TO
consider the great men Of othor countries;
when he docs, Of course, no Is for that reason
ali the more worthy Of attention. The Petit
Pdrisie,, n newspaper of very large circulation,
has stepped aside in these whirling times for
Franco TO mako a few remarks, critically appre-
~ciatiSc. on George Washington. Tho Petit
Pdrisien has always prided itself on It's for.
eiGn intelligence and on the historical accuracy
Of its editorial remarks; and II is some proof of
the careful touch 1t keeps on foreign affairs that
It remembered it's duty for Feb. %. Tho open.
ing paragraph Of its washingto on editorial was
as follows:
ut Is a great annivorsary-Gcorgos Washing
ton having died on Feb. 22-that the United
states will celebrate today and that the ATeri.
a memory more worthy. The American people,
in picturing him, sec themselves; as he was, so
are they. In him. as in them, megalomania got
In its work. But the Yankees, In their ever
gErGiwinE grSatnS !, haze BECOME come a vrfln or .sit to
continent bathed by Tho Atlantic and the
After some further rcruarks on American pre-
tensions Of the customary French character,
Ing editorial wont on:
Washington was certainly not q great man.
! an often nstonished to see him compared with
mon OF, genius. With whom. indeed. has he not
him with ,CTsar, some with C%harlemagne, some
eyer, even with NAPOLEON. lie none Of
tenscendent genius such as they. To" VI
s..When he came into the world there was
nothing IN the circupstancGs to %foretell tho
He received hardly an ordinary education
merely the rpdimentary reading. writing and
spoke but one language. his own. Later. at
the instance OF Lord Fairfax, he learned land
surveying; Such was the Intellectual equip
ment OF the man who founded the great repub-
But he had a bravo heart and strong COM
that nothing could swcrve. One perceived
these sterling qualities, quickly, enough in the
cal British domination in the young Colonies"
The article then went on to trace Washing
toms career through, the Revolutionary war,
can historians as peculiar. He did not fight
the English; he only worried them, He was
thorsh 'h he had a nT good ID m nH t ssnSe bearing diae' snd e *:
,ited Lafayette's admiration by the way he rode
a horse. Then came this recital OF history:
Washington finally found himself with a bare
1000. and was Obliged to take refuge beyond
back matters indeed looked dark; they were all
destined TO perish II some unexpected aid failed
to come from the outside. The new States were
NophA NAhihi othhohH . hiO oIAli VI uAo
cord overwhelmed them. All seemed hopeless;
disaster was not only imminent, but sure.
AT this moment Franco heard the cry OF q
people fighting for their liberty. She promptly
Bent to their aid some Of. her best soldiers, COM
handed by ftochambeau, and two fleets Of war
ships. In consequence CORVALLIS. besieged at
Yorktown, was forced to surrender"
A little further on the article put forth the
lretensions Of France more clearly:
Presently a cloud menaced the newborn
,epublic. France. which had established it by
the force Of her arms, now turned against her
AVN rftaOftOn- In this nnaNnncfnd nnril the
american people besought Washington to save
them. But death spared him the sad necessity
Of antagoniZing the generous nation which had
emancipated his country. A chill carried hin
off at the very beginning Of hostilities, and
Bonaparte, First Consul. was the first to glorify
his memory"
AS the Petit Parisien is concerning itself
kreatly with American affairs. it is not un-
likely that it Will have on July 1 another article
telling more fully the story of how France con.
Quered Americas independence and set the
young States up in business after they had
come to the conclusion that there was nothing
loft for them to do but to knuckle to Great
Britain.