The Irish standard., 1900-07-07
l could pronounce his name with the


reverence with which my countrymen
across the sea wish me to pronounce it
before the people OF France. In Amer
lea two names are the idols of our ma
tional worship, the burden of freside
tale, the inspiration of the poets song.
the theme of the orators discourse: The
name of him who was the father of
his country-George Washington; and
the name of him who was the true and
trusted friend of Washington, Gilbert
Motier, Marquis de Lafayette.
Wealth and rank, the favor of court
and king, high distinction in the service
of his own country, the endearments
of wife and child-all that ambition
could covet or opportunity promise, the
youth of nineteen summers put resolute-
ly aside to cast his lot with far-off
people battling against fearful odds
and that at moment when their for
tunes were at their lowest ebb and hope
had we'll nigh abandoned their stand
ards. When the agent of America in
France sadly confessed that he was even
unable to furnish ship to carry him
and other volunteers, Lafayette said:
II will buy ship and take your men
with me-"
Given command in the army Of in
dependence, Lafayette was at all times
the "preux chevalier, sans peur ct sans
reproche." The highest traditions of
French chivalry were revived; Roland,
Bayard, a Dugesclin lived again in the
camps and on the battlefelds of Amer
lea.
By his magnanimity of soul, and by
his grace of manner, not less than by
his military proves, he won all hearts
and became the idol of the American
army. He proved himself, to the in
most fiber of his soul, an American, as
proud of America as the proudest of
her patriots, the champion before all
contestants of her honor and her fair
name. More cheerfully even than his
American companions in arms, he bore
the terrible hardships OF the war; again
and again he pledged his personal for
tune to buy food and clothing for his
men, who knew him by the familiar ap-
pellation OF ''the marquis" ''the soldiers
friend" In camp and in battle his in
fluence was boundless; word of cheer
from his lips reused the dropping spir-
its OF his soldiers, word of command
sent them headlong against the enemy
A visitor to the American camp, the
Marquis de Chastellux, could not help
remarking that Lafayette was never
spoken OF without manifest tokens of
attachment and affection.
Like all true soldiers, he loved glory;
yet at the mere hint that the general
good suggested other plans, he quickly
relinquished the opportunity to gain it.
More than once when brilliant achieve
ments were within reach he yielded for
the sake of harmony his recognized
right to precedence of command And
no episode of the whole war is so radi-
ant with grandeur of soul, so redolent
of sweetness of heart as that OF La
fayette before Yorktown, awaiting the
coming of Washington that the honor
of victory might belong to his beloved
commandments.
But much as Lafayette deserved and
received Our love and honor in return
for his personal services in the cause of
America, his chief title to the gratitude
Of our people is that his heroic figure
ever looms up before their cntranced
fancy as the symbol of the nagnanimity
which France as nation displayed to-
ward our country in her 1aborious strug-
gle for life and liberty The value OF
the aid given by France in our war for
independence is incstimable; the joy
which the memory OF it awakens in our
souls is that which comes to us through
the consciousness of our national life
ITSELF
France sent across the sea to shed
their blood for us her brave soldiers and
seamen, commanded by the very flower
Of her nobility. 1t was Frances ships
Of war that protected Our coasts and
kept Our ports open to commerce, re-
ducing the British naval occupation of
American waters to the harbor of New
York. 1t was the cooperation Of
Frances army and navy that gave lis
the great victory of Yorktown. The
victory Of Yorktown was final and
decisive; it won the independence of
America. 1T is all over" said Lord
North, when the news of it was received
in London. America forgetting York
town and the men who there fought for
her upon land and sea, and the banners
that beckoned them to triumph, she for
gets her very existence. And at York
town, vast thou, banner of beloved
France, entwining in affection and hope
thy folds with those of the banner of
America. There were you, De Grasse
and De Barras, guarding with your
superb ships of war the waters OF the
Chesapeake against the foeman's sail.
There were you, bearers OF most illus
trious names in Frances history, Of
ficers of her army-noblest OF the noble,
chivalrous Rochambeau, De Chastel-
lux, De Lauzun, De Rouorie, De Dill
Ion, De Viomenil, De Choisy, De Deux-