The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-05-25

the great lake of New England, where
rival nations were one day TO fight for
dominion. French missionaries died for
their faith among the red men OF New
York. Pere Marquette explored the West
and the gallant La Sale bore the lilies of
France from the source TO the mouth of
the Mississippi. The French names mark
the passing Of the French discoveries from
Montreal 10 St Louis and from St. Louis
to New Orleans. And while the 'Roi
Soliei was raising his frowning fortress
on the banks Of the St. Lawrence, dis
patching Auvergnats and NOrmans and
BritOns TO settle Canada and urging his
explorers across the continent, some others
o. his best subjects, driven forth into the
world by revoked edicts and certain things
called dragonnades, were bringing their
wit and quick intelligence TO strengthen
and upbuild the English colonies, which
were growing UP not a. all in the orderly
way dear TO the heart Of grand monarch,
but in a rude. vigorous, scrambling, indie
pendent fashion after the manner of races
who found nations and establish States"
Reviewing briefly the conditions preced-
ing the revolution and the early years of
that struggle, Mr. Lodge continued:
Again France appears upon the conti-
nent where for many years she has
played such a great part and had fought
ion. The opportunity had come TO wreak
an ample vengeance on the power which
had driven her from Canada. The French
government aided us with money and with
men, by land and by sea- but the decisive
force was that which landed at Newport
in the long July days of 17SO. To that brave,
well-Officered, highly disciplined army we
raise a monument to-day by placing here
in the Nations capital the statue of its
commander. For their service and for his
own we owe him a debt of gratitude for
which we Should here make lasting &C
acknowledgement, one which will stand I'M
changed beneath the sunshine and the rain
long after the words we speak shall have
been forgotten"
He sketched Count De Rochambeau's
career in Europe as that of gallant gen.
tleman; gave a short account of the cam
paign preliminary TO Yorktown, and pro-
ceeded:
Thine forbids me to tell the brilliant
story of that campaign; of the manner in
which De Barras was induced to bring his
squadron from the north; of the adroitness
with which Clinton was deceived in New
York; of the skill and rapidity with which
the French and American armies were hur-
ried from New York to the Chesa peake
and thence to Yorktown. The great, the
golden moment so longed for by Washing
ton when he could unite both land and sea
power had at last arrived. De Grasse was
master of the bay. The English feet was
scattered and divided. Clinton slumbered
in New York and CORVALLIS. with some
5000 men. was in Yorktown, with the united
French and American armies drawn close
about him. Fast followed the siege, nearer
came the nCloslng nneSi LauZun dashed
back Tarlton's cavalry at the very begin
ming, and every British sortie from that
moment was repulsed. Day by day the
ii
Washington declared the advanced British
redOubts practical for assault. The French,
under Viomenil, the Grenadiers of Gatinois,
the regiment of Auvergne and Deux-Points
stOrmed one, and here the most famous of
the French regiments recovered from their
King the proud motto of 'Auvergne sans
tache.' The other redOubt was assigned to
the Americans under Lafayette led by
Alexander Hamilton and John Laurens.
Both assaults, brilliantly delivered. were
successful, and the American lines included
he
won. desperate sortie under Colonel
Graham completely repulSed a vain attempt
TO escape by water, and then all was over.
On the 18th of October CORVALLIS surren-
dered, and on the following day the British
filed out and laid down their arms, passing |
between the ordered lines of the French
drawn up under the lilies and the ranks of
the Americans standing beneath the thir-
teen stars fixed on that day in the firma
ment of nations. The American revolution
had been fought out and the new people
had won.'
After outlining the later career of
Rochambeau with a short tribute to the
work and character of Lafayette, Senator
Lodge concluded:
''The army of Rochambeau flushed with
victory, bore back the message with them
and 1T fell upon listening ears. France had
helped to liberty and independence, and
we had shown her how both were won.
The force which we had summoned they
too, evoked, and banded Europe, blind
the deeper meanings of the American war,
went TO pieces in dull surprise before the
onset or a people armed, the makers of a
revolution in which thrones tottered, privi-
lege and feudalism went down to ruin and
the ancient boundaries of kings faded from
the map. The lilies which had floated
triumphantly in the Virginian air gave way
to the American colors, which French
armies carried in triumph from Paris to
Moscow and from the Baltic to the Nile
wipng out forever the petty tyrannies
which sold men to fight in quarrels not
their own and clearing the ground for the
larger liberty and the united nations of
to-day. The United States with independ-
ence achieved passed out Of the network of
European politics, in which for a century
and a half the American colonies had been
entangled, but the influence and example
of the American revolution were felt
throughout the civilization of the west
1--WE unveil this statue in honor of a
brave soldier who fought by the side of
Washington. We place 1t here to keep his
fresh in remembrance and as a
monument of our gratitude to France. But
let us not forget that we also commemorate |
here the men who first led in arms the !
democratic movement which during a |
century Of conflict has advanced the cause |
of freedom and popular government |
throughout the world of western civiliza-
ton"