The Washington times., 1902-05-25


ed ladies'. whose bright appearance
matched the gay glitter of the brilliant
garb of the army and navy officers OF
the French mission.
Drenched With Rain.
The stand was beautifully decorated
with flags. So were the stands on two
other sides of the statue. which were.
however. uncovered. aad where the rain
later pelted unobstructod on the heads
of the spectators. The seats in these
stands were eagerly sought. Prominent
among the thousand people seated there
were 200 members Of the American Irish
Historical Society of New York and New
England. who came to Washington on a
special train to witness the ceremony.
Al the base CT the pedestal on which
the statue stood lay three immense
wreaths. One was from the Colonial
DANES. who last week held their bien-
NAL meeting in this city. and many of
me members of which remained to see
the ceremonies yesterday. Another was
IRON the Daughters Of the American
Revolution. while the third bore a red.
a white. and blue ribbon. lettered re-
spectively. Fraternity. Liberty" and
Equality"
Two immense flags-thc trirolo- and
the Stars and Strfpes-formed the COW
ering which veiled all but the outlines
of the heroic bronze figure. From the
fastening at the top ran line to the
front of the amphitheater, where the
President sat. This was for the Coua-
tess Rochambcau to pull, when the time
came for the unwilling. Other ropes
to be pulled at the same time. were held
by bluejackets at the other sides of the
statue. Two French sailors. armed with
baycpeted rifles. and as many scrgeanis
Of United States Artillery stood on the
base stone c. the statue
To the north was stationed the French
Marine Band. and beyond the fence
around the Enclosure Of the statue were
drawn up the battalion Of engineers
from Washington Barracks, and the
sailors from the Gaulois. with their
immense rifles carrying bayonets twice
as long as those or The Krag carried
by the American troops.
II was sultry and intensely uncomfor-
table, even for those who wore the
Iightest Of garments. The people in the
stands used their hats, and the dainty
monoEramed program for fans, as did
those who sat on the porches and in the
windows OF the houses across the street.
Invocation by Dr.. Stafford.
In clear, full tones DR.. d. J. Stafford.
pastor OF st. Patrict's Church. offered
the invocation. just at the hour OF H.
Dr. stafford's prayer follows:
Lord God Father of all the Nations,
we lift our hearts in gratitude to Thee
We thank Thee for our great progress
for our national glory. for cur TN
bounded resources. and. above all. for
our equal liberty. Look down upon us
and bless us. We pray for the President
OF the United States. that he may be
shielded and protected in the love of all
the people. and that Thou mayst ill his
soul with happiness and Thy praise
beyond all understanding. We thank
Thee. oh. Gcd. that in the hour OF our
need Thou did raise M for us a friend
and helper and comforter. We were then
as a child. b.; the child has now be-
como giant. and i.berty-loying. chival-
rors. gloriors france is still cur friend.
Bless the President OF the French Re
public and shower down Thy blessings
upon the French people. Let the two
republics stand in the truest sense for
the spirit Of liberty. fraternity. and
equality. the one in the old. the other in
the new world: for Thou art Father and
God. in whom we trust. and We pray to
Thee
The Presidents Address.
The Lords Prayer followed, many OF
the spectators joining in its repetition.
At it's conclusion. the President raised
his head, and stepped forward TO the
front of the stands. He requested that
quiet be maintained throughout his al
dress. and secured attention without diff
fculty. The President said
mir. Ambassador. and you, the rep
resentatives OF the mighty Republic OF
France ] extend to you on behalf Of
the people of the United States the
wa-mest and most cordial greeting. We
appreciate TO the full all that is implied
in this embassy. composed OF such men
ns those who have been sent over here /,
BY President Loubet to commemorate
the unwilling of the statue of the great
marshal who. with the soldiers and
sailors of France. struck the decisive /
blow in the war which started this coun- 1
try on the path OF independence among /
the nations OF the earth.
Speaks for American People
81 am sure ! give utterance to the /
sentiments OF every citizen of the /
United States. OF every American TO
whom the honor and the glory OF our
republic in the past as in the present |
are dear. when ! say that we prize this /
fresh proof of the friendship OF the
French people, not only because it is 1
necessarily pleasing to us to have the .
friendship OF a nation so mighty in war.
% mighty in peace as France has ever
shown herself to be. but because it is .
peculiarly pleasant TO feel that after a I
century and a quarter Of independent .
experience as nation we are glad that .
the French republic should feel that in I
that century and quarter we have JUS
sihed the sacrifice France made on our
behalf, and am sure my fellow citi-
cens. that you welcome the occasion
which brings 1t about that this en-
bassy OF the French people should come
10 our shores at the very time when we
ln our turn have done or part in start
ing In the path OF Independence a sister
republic. the Republic OF Cuba
frances Labors Appreciated.
Mr.. Ambassador, the American peo-
pie. peculiarly because they are the
American people. and because the hts
tory Of the United States has been so
interviewer with what France has done