The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-25
M. JULES BOEUFE'S WORK
ROCHAMBEAU's STATUE DUE TO A
FRENCHMAN's ENERGY.
How the Chancellor of the Embassy
at Washington Secured RecOgni-
ton for Friend of America.
special to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special 20 the Indtanapol Journal.
WASHINGTON. May 24.-There is some
peculiar inside history in connection with
the Rochambeau statue which was unveiled
with considerable ceremony here to-day.
Who is responsible for the existence of this
memorial in Lafayette Park, opposite the
White House? the visitors of the future will
ask. Is it a gift Of the French government,
or a spontaneous tribute of the United
States to a French soldier? If the truth
must be known the statue is a monument
to the industry and zeal of NJ. Jules
Boeufve, chancellor of the French embassy.
and an example of the power of personal
popularity in the legislative affairs of the
country He has lived here twenty years,
and knowing Washington in all its ways,
has been able 10 get five separate bills
through Congress in connection with the
Rochambeau statue and at a time when
projects Of this sort are extremely plentiful.
NJ Boeufve has been greatly impressed
during his residence in America by the
honors that are paid TO Lafayette, who
came 10 this country in a wholly personal
way, in comparison with the indifference,
ii not ignorance. of the American Republic
regarding Rochambeau. who typified the
French nation in its efforts in aid of Amer
lean independence. There are eight statues
of Lafayette in American cities, while this
is the first statue of Rochambeau TO be
erected on American soil. There is no Ro-
chambeau in the Postal Guide, while there
is Lafayette in each of the States of Ala
bama, California, Georgia Illinois Indiana
Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky. louisiana Michi-
gan, Missouri, New Jersey New York Ohio
Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island Ten
nesSee, Texas and Virginia, with a Lafay-
cite Hill, Lafayette Springs and Lafayette
Vile in other States. This is but typical OF
the use which the American people have
made of the names of these two French
men; one is popular hero, while the other
remains unknown. To correct this error as
NJ. Boeufve regarded it, he set about TO get
the United States 10 do it's duty by the
oommander-in-chief of the French forces
during the war of independence.
LEGISLATIVE ACTS.
In May, 1900, through the efforts Of Sen
ator Allison, who has been a warm friend
of this project, bill passed the Senate but
encountered the opposition in the House of
Representatives of Mr.. Cannon, of Illinois.
New efforts were made the following win
ter, and $500 was appropriated on March
3, 1901, for the statue. This was an entering
wedge appropriation. but it committed the
government to the project. A year later,
Feb IA, 1902. Congress appropriated $1,000
for a pedestal and foundation, for of course
the statue could not stand on its own legs.
Some allowance was also made in this item
for the cost of ceremonies. 1t
found, however, that some funds would be
needed to defray the expenses of entertain
ing the distinguished visitors who were TO
come here in connection with the dedca-
ton, and so, March Is, appropriation
of $4,000 was made by Joint resolution for
that purpose. BY April it became appar-
ent that this was not enough, and so an
other $4,000 was appropriated in the same
way, making total of $i2,5O0 which NJ.
BOeufve has succeeded in getting the
United doing
honor TO RochambeaU. But his legislative
activities did not end here. We have a pro-
tective system which is not wholly submits
sive to sentiment and the customs officers
decided that under the law the statue would
have to pay duty 10 get into this country,
or at least they had so much doubt the
question that it was thought best for the
ways and means committee TO report,
through its chairman. Mr. Payne, bill
granting free entry TO this replica.
If one supposes il is an easy task TO get
five measures of this kind through Con-
gress the records of other endeavors will
dispel the illusion. During the same period
that NJ. Boeufve has been working the Sen
ate committee, which has such matters in
charge, has considered twenty-tour bills for
the erection of statues in Washington, and
the House committee a great many more.
Only two OF these bills have become laws,
of which the Mcclellan statue is the other.
For that the sum of $4,000 has been appro-
priated. The presence of a son of General
Mcclellan in Congress has doubtless con-
tributed in an indirect way to the success
of that project. No wonder NJ. Boeufve's
friends think Yankees have no monopoly
in energy.
A ROCHAMBEAU PAPER.
Among the Rochambeau papers which
Chancellor Boeufve brought from France
on the occasion of his last visit is a manu-
script copy Of a diary of Able Robin a
chaplain in the army. who accompanied the
expedition. Some of this mans comments
on America sound queer to-day. For ex
ample, he wrote: ut is difficult to imagine
the idea which the Americans had Of the
French before the war; they looked upon
us as living under a yoke of despotsm, as
given over to prejudices and as a people
who passed our days in adjoining ourselves
and arranging our hair; they thought we
lived without religious faith or respect for
the most sacred things of life. This general
impression was strengthened by the char
acter of most of the French who came over
here on the first noise of the revolution:
They were mostly men who were immersed
in debt and of a bad reputation at home;
here they announced themselves as having
great titles and gave false names. They
were accorded distinguished positions in the
American army and considerable advance
ment, only TO disappear when the test
came. The simplicity Of the Americans
rendered these tricks quite easy. The ar
rival of the army OF Rochambeau spread
terror in Rhode Island, and when It en-
tered Newport the soldiers found the town
TO begin TO dissipate these prejudices. and
in order to do so the superior officers insti-
tuted the strictest discipline The young
lords of fortune and birth who had been
accustomed 10 luxury were compelled 10
follow the example Of the officers in a life
of simplicity and absolute regularity. This
conduct continued for some time operated
to effect a total change in the opinions OF
the Americans.
The arrival of the French in Philadel
phia' he writes further along in his diary.
was like a triumphal march The troops
were encamped on a great plain watered
by the Schuylkill river; the population
gathered there in great numbers, the peo-
pie conducting themselves in a naive fash
ion The commanding colonel had in his
service one man who accompanied the
grand lords and carried their missives. The
silver fringe on his garments. and his cane
with an enormous head. would make you
consider him a very important parsonage,
and the terrible energy with which he ap
preached his master whenever he had to
receive a letter made one believe that he
was about TO present him with all these