Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-24
ambassador. spe-king in French, delivered
a brief address.
Ambassador Cambon's Remarks.

in the erection of a monument to the MEM
| ory of Marshal de Rochambeau. Thus is
fitting tribute paid to the French military
leader who fought under Washington for
Americas independence. But short dis
tanee hence the American people had al
ready consecrated the glorious memory of
| those young and enthusiastic French patri-
! OTIS who, fired with an Inspiration which but
echoed the silent wish of the entire French
nation. had from the very dawn of the
struggle brought their swords with Lafay-
| cite to the service of the thirteen colonies
| 1t was just that honor should be rendered
| also to those warriors who came hither by
order of the government of France and
who, understanding their duty, fulfilled it
without reserve and insured the final sue
cess of the patriotic enterprise. In the per-
| son of Rochambeau we glorify, jointly with
their commander. the army of France, its
regiments, its officers unknown, its obscure
soldiery.
| 1T is very great honor for me to speak
here as ambassador of the French republic
tand to express to you all today, who rep
resent here the government, the magistracy
| and the Congress of the United States, our
| appreciation of the homage which you are
now paying to the man who carried to their
| closing triumph the fleurs de lis of ancient
| France. Today the French republic sends
you a mission which is headed by the most
| eminent of general officers, Gen. Bru-
| gere. We must behold in him the French
army and navy advancing, with sort of
national piety, to celebrate the memory of
| their elders, devotees, like themselves, of
| liberty.
| "Rochambeau was a strict disciplinarian,
| a severe and courageous commander, care
| full of the liyes of his men; he was wont
| at times to remark to the young men
| around him that during the long course of
his military career 1900 men had died un-
der him, but that he could not reproach
| himself with the death of single one of
these. Thus he earned for our army the
esteem of your people, and won for him
self the affection and devotion of your
| great Washington.
As at Yorktown
| Hence it is that this monument, which
in appearance seems only destined to evoke
the recollection of warlike deeds, becomes,
by the character of the struggle which it
recalls and of the man whom it glorifies a
monument and pledge of union between two
nations. Today, just they did 40 years
ago, the soldiers and sailors of France and
of the United States stand side by side;
they surround this monument; they march
under one and the same command: they
| blend in one common chord their national
hymns, and in celebrating their common
glory, they give the world an example of
fidelity in friendship.
This friendship you have proven to us
The French Antilles have just suffered the
shock of a tragic event, of a catastrophe
the like of which the world had not wit
messed for twenty centuries. The President
of the United States, Congress and the
American people have Wed with one an
other in generosity and promptness to send
relief to our stricken countrymen. Permit
| me to avail myself of this solemn occas-
ION and to thank publicly, in the name OF
my government and country, you yourself
MI President and the entire population OF
these United States.
| You have shown by this act that some
thing new had taken birth between the ma
htions, that they might be united BY bond
of disinterested sympathy and of mutual
good will, and that those ideals of Justice
and of liberty for which our fathers fought
and bled together 120 years since. had
really borne fruit in the hearts of men.
The Progress of Peace.
"A little more humanity has won its way
into international relations, and three
years ago we beheld representatives from
all nations gathered together to devise
means of insuring the maintenance of
peace between the nations. 1t is a happy
| coincidence that even while | am speaking
| here, the youthful and generous sovereign
| who had summoned the peace conference
at The Hague, and the president of the
| French republic, are together in st. Peters
| burg. Thus we may behold everywhere,
| even in the remotest regions Of the earth.
| a manifest expression of the same senti-
ments of union by and between the highest
| and supreme representatives of nations.
| Nor are these mere barren manifesto
| tions. The world gradually gaining in self
| consciousness, begins to frown more and
| more severely on those who seek to disturb
its peace; and when we measure the work
| accomplished and the advance made since
| Washington and Rochambeau fought to-
| gether for the good of humanity, We may
| well conclude that they have not combated
| in vain.
This monument shall bear witness to
this fact, and shall endure a symbol
thereof in the eyes of the generations to
come"
Following the French ambassador, Cen
eral Horage Porter, the United States am
bassador to France, made an eloquent ad-
| dress.
Ambassador Porter's Address.
Two years ago it became my pleasant
Guty to take part in the dedication of the
statue of the distinguished French marshal
erected in his native city, Vendome. When
upon that occasion 1 saw countrys
flags everywhere displayed from the house
tops heard our national airs played
through all the streets and witnessed the
touching demonstration of the people
without regard to class, expressive of their
sympathy for America, l felt that the ef-
feet of the treaty of friendship and alliance
made a century and a quarter ago was
still potent for good.
Upon returning from the land of Ro-
chambeau it is an especial pleasure to par
ticipate in the Inauguration of his statue
in the land of Washington. Two countries
claim share in the glory which ilumined
his career His remains repose ON the