Evening star., 1898-02-18
A GIL FROM AMERICA
Proposed Monument to Lafayette in
Paris.
President Mckinley Interested in the
tfon Providing for Comnission.

Gen. Lafayette in the city or Paris, to
| be dedicated during the Paris exposition.
The protector of the movement is Mr.
| Robert Thompson who has been assur-
ed by the French government unofflcially.
through NJ. Picard, that ground for the
monument can be secured through the
municipality of Paris. in case it be deem
ed inadvisable to erect it over the grave
of Lafayette, which is now obscure and
almost unmarked. President Mckinley and
Assistant Secretary Day, Mr.. Thompson
says, have shown much interest in the
matter, which has been brought officially
to the attention of Congress, through res
olutions offered in both houses A resolu-
ton offered by Senator Thurston Of Ne
braska is as follows:
For the provision of commission to su-
pervise the collection of a fund among
all the schools of the United States; for
the purpose of erecting a monument to
General Lafayette in the city of Paris,
France. the same to be presented to the
government of France and unveiled and
dedicated on the 4th day of July, in the
year 1900
Whereas 1t is proposed to signalize the
celebration of United States day at the
Paris exposition of 1900 by the erection
and dedication, on that day. of i monu-
ment from the people of America to Cen
eral Lafayette, and
Whereas the influence of General Lafay-
cite upon the result of the war for in
dependei &C has, in the following man
ner. been recognized:
BY Congress, when, upon the occasion
of his departure from these shores in
1ISI. it extended him a national farewell
BY the states of Virginia and Maryland,
wnen, IN the same year, they passed acts
making him and lis heirs forever citizens
OF their respective commonwealth, with ell
the rights of the natural born.
BY Washington. hen nod
chief of a nation to be silent and passive
toward friendly power, he broke all pre-
cedents. and privately and personally ad-
dressed the Emperor OF Germany in be-
half of the releasement of Lafayette then
held in durance in the dungeons of Oh
muetz
BY Congress, when 1t voted him a sword
and passed unanimous resolutions COM
mending him in the highest possible te. ms
to tie King of france.
BY Washington, in striving privately and
through our ministers in Paris-Monroe
and Morris-to secure the release of Mad
anne Lafayette from the 'Robespierre
Tribunal of Justice and in assuming the
care anG custody of her son. George Wash
irgtOn Lafayette, and in exertng himself
on every opportunity and occasion to aid
and honor Lafayette.
BY the reception given Lafayette upon the
occasion of his visit to America in 1924
when the Vice President of the nation
heading an escort of six thousand citi-
zenS gave him greeting at New York
harbor, and where fete was rendered
him, said at the time to be the grandest
affair ever given under cover in the world,
and on which occasion Congress, while in
session, gave him an official reception In
the halls of the House of Representatives,
and when upon the same occasion of his
last visit to America the President and
cabinet, with both houses of Congress- gave
him a dinner of unsurpassed magnifcence,
and when, az the historian states, the peo-
pie contended with the horses for the honor
of lrd wing his FPia pp. W
Congress presented him with an appropria-
tion OF S2S,0OO, a township of land, built
and named in his honor man-of-war. the
Brandywne' and rendered the same to
him for his conveyance home.
And also by the action of the country
of France, which having through the in
fuence of Lafayette loaned us twenty-seven
millions of livres, said in regard to it's pay
ment: "Of the twenty-seven millions we
have loaned you forgive you nine mil
lions as a gift of friendship. and when
with the years there comes prosperity you
can pay the rest without interest
And whereas an occasion now presents
Itself wherein the American people may
reciprocate the courtesies extended US In
the presentation of the Lafayette monu-
ment now in Lafayette Square In the city
of Washington and the Bartholdi statue of
Liberty in the New York harbor and again
show their friendship to France, their love
and veneration for that compatriot of
Washington, General Lafayette-an oppor-
tunity which may not come for many years
"a fitting time and fitting place;
And whereas the remains of General La
fayette now lie humbly Inferred in the Picus
cemetery in Paris, marked only by an un
pretentious granite slab: and
Whereas the spot should form a most
proud and holy pilgrimage for all lovers of
liberty; and
Whereas the proposed monument should
be a spontaneous offering coming direct and
exclusively from the children of America.
and that in their bearing the expense of
this work without financial aid from the
government the effect may be of the high
est benefit to our people as donors in di-
recting as it will, the thoughts of American
youth to the most patriotic and in
spring period of our history, to broaden
their views to international points and to
arouse their interest in the great events
of the dawning century:
Therefore, Resolved by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States of America i'll Congress assembled
that in furtherance of the purposes of this
bill an honorary commission is hereby
formed, consisting of the President of the
United States as ex-officio president of
said commission and the governors of the
various states and territories ex-officio
vice presidents of said commission.
That the President be- and is hereby,
authorized to appoint acting commits
sion of five members, consisting of
president. secretary-Superintend treas
urer and two others, who shall arrange
plans and personally direct the collection
and expenditure of all moneys, the selec-
tion of site and the plans of said monu-
ment. the building of the monument the
dedication and unveiling of the same and