The Irish standard., 1898-11-12
in NMEMORY OF THE FRENCHmAN
A Historical Grafton Which Makes
Interesting Reading.
REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE
Career of the Noble Foreigner
Eloquently Told.

The publication Of the following mag
nificent Lafayette memorial address, de-
Joscph's Academy. st. Paul, by Hon.
d. w. Lawlcr, of that city. has been
delayed to make room for biographiuI
sketches of Democratic candidates for
office. The address makes interesting
reading at any time, and we now take
much pleasure in placing ii before our
readers In full. 1t is as follows:
Early in the spring of Hi the presi-
dent OF the continental congress, then
sitting at Philadelphia, received a note
signed by young French officer, tend
cring his services as Il soldier in the
American army. The conditions mpos-
cd by the writer were two, that he
should serve without pay, and should act
as volunteer. Inquiry being made. it
WAS asccrtaincd that the offer came from
the Marquis de Lafayette, recently ar
rived from France Scarcely 90 years
of age. the bearer of an ancient and hon
orablc name. born to ease. wealth and
fortune, happy in the love of wife and
friends, he had heard across the swelling
waters of the Atlantic The cry of duty
that called him to- the assistance of the
cause of liberty. Friends and relatives
demonstrated. but in vain. Purchasing
Il ship with his own funds and escaping
from custody after arrest he avoided
two British cruisers which were detail
cd to capture him. and landed safely on
American soil. The modesty of the re-
quest made by him to the president the
sincerity and zeal of his patriotism. the
story OF his sacrifices and hi, youth and
rank recommended him to- the conf
dencc of the revolutionary government
and on July 81. l777. congress passed a
resolution accepting his services and
comforting upon him the appointment 0f
major general In tho continental army.
We are told that on the following day
he WAS introduced to George Washing
ton. commander in-chicf, and by him in
vited to share his quarters and Join his
military family. We have no details of
this first meeting, but We would fain
linEcr lovingly in imagination about the
scene. Washington was d., Years Of age.
IN the very prime and strength of a
magnificent physical and mental man
hood, tall. muscular digniiicd, with u
dignity which neither camps nor courts
could give or increase. the very inlnr-
SOnation of hard. common sense and
sober Judgment. the cnlbodimcnt and
representation of the new era which
America WAS to open for he SONS OF
men. Lafayette WAS -. slender in
physique dclirate in appearance. i'm
pctnnns and imaginative, the gildcd
Ilow"r Of an old civilization and !; tot
tclng rulc. Washington symbolizcd
the new. Lafayette. til" old Each was
tho peculiar product Of his own land and
environment. Different i'm external
characteristics. they We're animated by
the sam" lofty spirit OF patriotism and
love of liberty, and the acquaintance
which began on that July dan ripcncl
into an affcctionair friendship which
lasted unchanged by IA single cloud, un-
Ill the eyes of the great president closed
forever on the scenes of earth. Re-
meath the trees of Mont Vernon,
sleeps the father of his country. no
his tomb with rcvcrcd heart, as TO u
sacred shrine. are wont TO travel an who
honor the mightieSt and the unrest
1,. h
grlms drop their laurcIs on his grave
they breathe a prayer OF love and graft
tudc to the memory of Lafayette.
In order to fully appreciate the char
actcr OF Lafayette, it Is necessary to
east q backward glance Ill the events of
the decade which preceded The date Of
his commission. He was q mere child
when Lord North secured the passage
of the stamp act in violation of the
cardinal principle of the British con-
stitution that there shall be no taxa
ton without representation. We can
easily imagine how the heart Of the I'M
pctuous French boy went out TO the
colonists struggling, not as yet for IN
dependence, but for The birth-right
guaranteed them by English law. flo
was told, perhaps, that in that distant
land OF America were men who prefer
red to die for an idea rather than sur
render to oppression. Doubtless were
repeated to him the burning words OK
Fox and Burke and Chatham, who is
their high places in parliament, pleaded
the justice OF the American cause. He
drank in the sublime elo1ueEce of Pat
rick Horny, Of Virginia, and Otis, Adams
! and Hancock, of the colony of Massa-
r,,,1-nits His henrt. had beaten high