The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-05

! Prose, ut,n- Attorney
I OF Marion County.
o: civil aud political liberty That they bt
! all friends Il liberty, OF all friends OF hui
| manity. The better to insure the possession
OF liberty they have taken 10 themselves
| the highest form OF demUcracy-they have
made themselves Republics
Here upon this historic place In France
own capital city, where meet the nations o.
earth. there VIII stand, with Frances gra-
cious permission. an abiding Interpreter oi
} Americas gratitude TO France for her par
| uclpatloE Ia Americas war, ana of the prin-
| cirles OF civil and political liberty which
We're the life and soul OF that monentous
struggle our Interpreter, who shall It be:
Nho could II be-, If truth has rights ard
merit has reward. but Gilbert Motlsr. Mar
gus de Lafayette: Then, genius OF art, We
pray thee give us back the form OF our
loved Lafayette! BID him live again in his
own France to speak in Americas name to
France and 10 the world. Who more fit
sinsly than Lafayette could be hidden to
speak 10 France the gratitude OF Amer
fayeite couia stand forth before the
world as the representative Of the prin-
cipies or civil ard political liberty for
which he and Washington fought? The en-
ei!.'es OF liberty he hated-absolutism IN its
arbitrary authority and anarchy ia its cha
Otto rioiing. When the struggle IN France
for liberty degereraied into mad riot ne
cast ASIDE the leadership which ne had taken
IN the name OF liberty, anu which he could
have retained II he bore it in the name Of
lswlessacss. and he sought the exile which
ended for him In the prison OF Oimntz
Absolutism and anarchy alike hate Lafay-
cite as they alike hate liberty. the friends
OF liberty love Lafayette as they hate alb
soiutism and anarchy"
Children of America.
Speech oi Robert J. Thompson, author OF
the Lafayette monument work:
1t Is my great privilege and honor TO
speak here few words for the millions OF
builders Of this monument-for the children
OF America. who. assembled la their various
study-roomS. gave in 4 single CAV he funds
necessary to Insure the success OF this me-
mortal, long deferred, hut inevitable from
the very logic Of history.
On lA;il day a tribute unparalleled in the
records Of civilization was paid 10 Lafay-
cite.
From the great universities and colleges
Of the cities TO the remote schools OF he
forests ana plalns-in every dweIIinr Of ed
ucation in our broad land songs OF graft
tude and praises were offered up. a tribute
OF glory TO the youthful and generous
friend o; our fathers. A memorial dnding
iodsment, We doubt not, Ideals in the
minds or those who. in tie future years,
must shape the destiny Of their country.
There were schools for the blind ana for
the deaf. SCHOOLS for the Indians of Okla
homa and Alaska, schools for the negroes
OF the sunny South. little children OF the
city lSindergartens and millions from the
regular common schools-all sent UP their
mics that one who had in fact offered up
his life. his fortune and his sacred honor
that the Declaration of Independence might
become thing OF reality and lie should
lie singled out more than Il century later IS
the ideal patriot. whose country was the
world and whose religion was human free
dom.
This monument. to be finally cas-. with
alloys OF precious metals. and by process
used only by the great masters of old. IL the
work Of artists aiiame with the signif-
canoe of the subject.
We believe It will be masterpiece OF
art. We know that. officially. IL Will be a
testimonial to France of the graf
itude OF a nation the pages of whose history
can neither be dimmed by age nor made in
glorious by new friends.
But If lis summit reached the heavens
and its substance were OF pure gold II
Of that greater monument raised in the
hearts OF the twenty millions of children OF |
America on the nneteeHth day OF October. |
isgS
TO the children. then. of our country. J
herself the daughter OF Europe, let the I
honor and the credit be o; rearing this |
structure.
.'Out OF our hearts We give it TO France |
and the Horld-a monument to liberty and |
the rights of man for all time and In all 1
placcs-a monument 10 the ideals OF our |
country and challenge to the world Of the /
success aud fruition ot the principles of the !
founders OF that government born on TINS
day. July -
GeneraI Porter's Speech.
General Horace Porter. United states Am i
DassaGoT who presided at the ceremony (
Jf the Unyeiling of the statue OF Lafayette,
IN Paris. said:
In the name of the school children of
The United states, whose generous con-
ributions made possible the erection OF
The imposing statue which ia about to bo
unveiled, ana In the name of our Govern
nent, which added so liberal a donation TO
he fund, | extend to al! here present
cordial welcome. pom this day, the an
liveTsary of our country's birth, within
sight Of yonder memorable concourse OF
he nations. in the presence of this vast
ssamblage of the representatives and citi-
.f |
memory of struggle in which Frea n and
american blood moistencd the same sou
5 Il fitting occasion upon which 10 sol
mnly dedicate monument In honor of a
zero to two continents, the immortal La
q yette- This statue Ii git from Tue
and vi his adoption TO the land uf his |
,irth. Its purpose Is to recall the record
Il his imperisnable deeds: 20 testify that
is name is not dead memory. hut 4 living
eality; TO quicken our sense Of apprecit-
ion and emphasize the fidelity OF our al
ection. A recital of mis- deeds inspires
Is with the grandeur Of events and the
IA jesty of achievement. lie needs no Gu
,gist. His services attest his worth. lie
onored the age in which he lived. and ru-
1ra generations viii he illumiacd D. the
rightness of his fame
Monument Presented.
In presenting the Lafayette monument
0 the Republic OF France in Behalf OF the
outh Of the United States and the l-tfay-
tie Memorial Commission. Ferdinand ".
eek said:
France, great nation across the sea !
alutes thee to-day. Her children. bowed |
4 gratitude. pay thee homage for the
eroic deeds OF Thy countryman who came
18th sword and treasure to succJT strug- |
lirg people. On this the Independence !
'ay of the United States CT America our |
outh plant a tribute upon thy soil - the
lemory of our knight or liberty. our cham
ION OF Observation-Disclosures. our Lafayette.
he spirit OF liberty moved him TO leave |
ONE ties comforts. fortune; moved him 10 ,
ross boisterous seas during weeks of penn u
order 20 battle beside our ancestry for
nat freedom which underlies the develop
rent of the great Western empire. an en-
en in thought, in achievement 10 advance |
le civilization OF the world during the CEN
Try now about to close.
And now. in behalf OF our great Repub-
9 the representatives of which. in Con-
ress assembled, supplemented the gift OF
Ir youth in placing here this tribute 10
he memory OF a nations defender. and IN
ehalf of the Lafayette Memorial Commits
o., organized TO execute the thought or {
III children, Ii IS our duty and our great {
riyilege to present to thee France this &
oEument TO the memory of our knight,
hose Noble deeds a nation will never for |
et. His ashes lie in a tomb which needs
o fragrant floral offerings for
The actions of the just
r.en sweet 10 heaven and blossom in the aust.
In this hour We gather around the shrine
the richest, purest sentiment. IL stirs | {
he soul and moistens the eve TO think OF
he thousands of little hearts from whose | q
npuise came the sacred fund that has u