The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-05-03
GEN. GEO. H. FORD ELECTED
PRESIDENT OF GEN. DAVID HUM-
 PHREY BRANCH, s. 4. R.
Meeting Held Last Night in the Foot Guard Room at the eArmOry--lntercst- ing Paper on Lafayette Read by Gen. FOrd-An Enthusiastic Meeting.

Guard Room at the ArmOry-Intercst
 ing Paper on Lafayette Read hy Gen
 Ford-An Enthusiastic Meeting.
 The annual meeting of the Genera < David Humphrey branch of the Connec
 ticut society of the Sons of the Ameri
 can Revolution was held last night il
 the room of the Second company, Gov
 ernor's Foot Guard, in the armory. I'm
 meeting was well attended, about fort,
 being present, some of whom were Gen
 eral George H. Ford Franklin H
 Hart, Wilson H. Lee, Major Albee, Joh1
 H. Leeds, Frank c. Bushnell Judge
 Pickett, E. S. Pickett, Professor w. E
 Chandler, George Burton, Algernon B Corbin, c. H. Fowler, N., G. Hayes, Dr
 D. A. Johnson, Nathan Esterbrook, jr. G, F. Burgess, L. w. Beecher anc
 Judge Hollister.
 The meeting was called to order by President Hart at S:30 and after having heard reports of different committees, a most interesting paper on Lafayette
 was read by General Ford. The paper in full is printed below.
 A vote of thanks was extended to General Ford for the interesting paper.
 Officers for the ensuing year were elected as follows. President, George H. Ford; vice president, F. c. Bush nell; secretary, w. F.. Chandler; treas urer, John c. Hollister; chaplain, Rev. E. s. Lines; historian, Howard C. Vib- bert; member of executive committee for three years Wilson H. Lee. Presi- dent Ford will appoint the standing committees of the branch shortly.
 Following is the address of General Ford:
 PAPER BY GENERAL GEORGE H,
 FORD.
 The unveiling in Paris on July 4, 1900, of the memorial statue to General La- fayette, the gift of the American people to the French nation, naturally revives an interest in the character of Lafay- cite, especially among the members of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, who are honored by tab let 70 be placed upon the memorial The contribution for this object from tile Connecticut society exceeds that of any other state society," and emphasizes the important work that our Connecticut organization is doing, not only in onr own state, but elsewhere, in maintaining loyalty, preserving historical interest and exerting a moulding influence in communities and throughout the, world for the principles on which the Ameri- can nation was founded
 The characters of public men, espe- cially in the time of Washington and Lafayette, are being brought forward and portrayed as examples of what men of high honor and ability may accom- plish.
 Those men who stand forth in their time as burning and shining lights fre- quently do so because they were some what in advance of their age. Poster- ity, looking down from loftier vantage ground may lament their weaknesses or extol their virtues. Their characters belong to the public, and, by singular decree, only after period of hum dred years or more are they assigned by History to the real place in which they belong. The lessons derived from their characters are valuable heritage which one generation of men leaves to it's successors.
 General Lafayette, son of the Marquis
  the army of Louis XIV. as Colonel of Grenadiers fell at Minden, Germany, in l757 three months before the birth of his son, who, according to custom in distinguished families of Europe, was in the name of Marle-Paul- Joseph Roche Yves Gilbert de Mottier, Marquis de Lafayette-a name which contains all the letters of the French al- phabet except four.
 The early days of the orphan gave small promise of the long, glorious and aventful life that was to follow. At thirteen his mother died, leaving him master of his own foods and destiny. Enrolled in the Kings regiment, he re- ,eived commission as colonel at the lge of fifteen-an honor reserved exclu- Iively for the sons of distinguished men who had sacrificed their lives in the na- ional service. He was married one year later to the daughter of the Duke l'Ayen, thus uniting himself with one if the most ancient and important fam lies of France.
 Independence of thought and action vas a prominent characteristic of his ,outh and we'll known to all the mem ,ers of the French court. It is said hat upon the occasion of French masked ball, recognizing some of his uperiors, but under the cover of the apparent disguise of both, he engaged ne of the most influential in conversa- ion, and offered views and opinions hat he knew would not be acceptable, nd with a boldness that, if he had been nmasked, would have been considered | After his identity was iscovered he was advised by his supe- for that his remarks would be remem- cred to which Lafayette replied that | was the wit of fools."
 The early struggles of the American | olonies at first excited but little inter st in France In 1776, he then being ighteen years of age, Lafayette's at ention was drawn to the conflict, and though an officer in the army station q at Metz, he became intensely inter- sted and determined to offer himself to he people who were struggling for free om, and returned to Paris to prepare ] imself for the enterprise. His rela- yes and friends attempted to discour- ge him, but without success. He se- ured an introduction to the Baron de alb, whose labors and death are inter oven in the story of American inde- and they became fast friends. lot yet familiar with the English Ian uage, he began it's study, and adopted le motto on his arms, Cur nOu?' Why not?)
 News of the disasters of Brooklyn,