The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-07-05
STATUE UNVEILED.
FRANCE AND AMERICA DID HONOR
TO LAFAYETTE.
AMERICAN CHILDREWS GIFT.
RECEIVED WITH GREAT CERE-
MONY IN PARIS.

Ireland and Others.
Paris, July Am the presence of the
President of the republic, M. Loubet, the
United States Ambassador, Gen. Horace
Porter and n brilliant aseemblage of rep
resentative Frenchmen. and the most i'm
portant members of the American colony.
the statue in honor OF General. the Mar
quis de Lafayette. the gift of American
school children to France. was presented
TO the nation by Ferdinand w. Peck. pres
dent of the Lafayette Memorial Commits
sion, and was accepted by President Lou
bet In behalf of France.
This latter fact constitutes eloquent
testimony of the importance. the French
government attached to the occasion and
| its desire to enhance the significance of
the presentation by having the President
of France assume the leading role in tho
exercises. for which the Minister of For
eign Affairs. NJ. Delcasse. was originally
designated. At the last moment the mat
ter was reconsidered and 1t was decided
| that on the occasion of this great Franco
American demonstration the chief magis-
trate was the only fitting representative
of the French republic.
President Loubet who was attired in q
frock Goa. with the insignia OF the high
rank of the Legion Of Honor at his but
tonhole stood bareheaded, surrounded by
the French and American dignitaries.
Gen. Porter Spoke.
Gen. Porter IN welccm ming the guests,
spoke In part a follows:
Gen. Porter said. in part: In the name
of the school children of the Unised
States whose generous contributions made
possible the erection Of the imposing
statue which Is about TO be unveiled, and
| In the name of our government which
! added go liberal a donation to the fund.
| | extend to all here present a cordial
welcome. Upon this day, the anniversary
| of our country's birth. within sight of
FOUNDER memorable concourse of the ma
tions. in the presence of this vast as
semblage OF the representatives and citb
zens Of the Old World and the New, and
IN memory of a struggle in which French
4 and American blood moistened the same
soiIs in battles fought for common
cause, 1t is a fitting occasion upon whbch
to soIemnly dedicate a monument in honor
1 OF hero OF two continents. the immortaT
Lafayette. This statue is a gift from the
| land of his adoption to the land OF his
birth Its purpose is to recall the record
| of his imperishable deeds; to testify that
| his name is not a dead memory but a
! living reality to quicken our sense of APP
probation and emphasize the fidelity OF
our affection. A recital of his deeds in
spires us with the grandeur of events and
the majesty of achievement. He needs
no euloglst. His services attest his worth..
| He; honored the age in which he lived,
and future generations will be illumined
by the brightness of his fame"
Commissioner Peck.
Commissioner Peck followed He said:
THAT love for freedom, that friendship.
that sacrifice, that patience, that heroism
which brought Gen Lafayette to the
shores of the new continent to stand side
by side with our Washington when ma
ton was in the throes of its birth, when
our forefathers saw no light through an
almost hopeless gloom. will give an undy-
ing incentive to patriotism and live in
grateful memory so long as our institutions
shall endure. He came that we might
live; he prayed for the perpetulty of the
nation for which he fought These are his
words: May this immense temple of free
dom ever stand lesson to ioppressors, an
example TO the oppressed and sanctuary
for the rights Of mankind! And may these
happy United States attain that complete
splendor and prosperity which shall illus
trate the blessings of our government, and
for ages to come rejoice the departed soul
of It's founders. That prayer by the
grace of God, has proven a prophetic in
vocation.
"In thus eulogizing thy son, we do not
forget. o France, thy generous gift in
our hour of need. We do not forget that
out of thy treasury came timely. support
to our impoverished young oountry when
our struggle of the revolution was done.
We do not forget these words you uttered:
IRA -.
a gift of friendship, and when with
the years there comes prosperity you
can pay the rest without interest" For
this our country to-day pays thee homage
with tears Of gratitude. We also thakk
thee for the hallowed ground where
nations children lovingly place this offer
ing; for the beautiful site in thy historic
garden OF the Tuileries. made sacred by
a thousand memories of the past.
And now. in behalf Of our great re-
public, the representatives OF which in I.
congress assembled supplemented the gift
OF our youth in placing here this tribute
to the memory of a nations defender:
and in behalf of the Lafayette Memorial
Commission organized to execute the
thought Of our children, 1t is our duty
and our great privilege to present to thee.
France, this monument to the memory OF
our Knight, whose noble deeds a nation
will never forget His ashes lie in tomb
which needs no fragrant floral offerings,
for
THE actions OF the Just
Smell sweet TO Heaven and blossom In
the dust"
A signal was then given and two boys,
representing the children of America and
France. dressed in white flannel suits and
sailor hats and wearing tri-coior sashes.
pulled the strings releasing the American
flag enveloping the statue. AS the flag
drop opped and the heroic statue OF Lafay-
ette Offering his sword to the American
cause was unfoded 10 view. scene of
great enthusiasm ensued The whole as
sembly arose, cheered and waved hats.
handkerchisfs and American flags. while
soasas band played a new and specially
composed march. Hail to the Spirit OF
Liberty" When he ringing applause had
subsidcd, President Loubet stepped to the
front OF TIE platform, and again cheers
broke forth, Americans and Frenchmen
unl'icg in hearty shouts Of "Viye Lou
be'i' "Vive la Francev'
The President spoke but briefly allud-
ing to the traditional friendship OF the
|