Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-23
With Cordial Spirit and Hearty Grasp All
the Guests Are Welcomed.
OCCASION DEVOID OF FoRaALIN
President Gives State Dinner in Evening in
Their Honor.
ALL STATE DEPARTMENTS REPRESENTED
After visit at Capital City the Dele
cation Pays Its Respects to Mouat
Vernon I'm Honor of Its
Sacred Dead.

WASHINGTON, May 22-surrounded by
the members of his cabinet and by ooicials
high In all the branches OF the government.
President Roosevelt today received as the
guests OF the nation the distinguished
Frenchmen sent by President Loubet 10 take
part in the Rochambeau exercises. The
arrival In the city of the brilliantly uni
formed French army and navy officers AMI
their escort through Pennsylvania avenue
by a troop of United States cavaIrymen
gave picturesque interest to the occasion
and to this was added the international
significance of an extremely cordial ex-
ohange OF greetings between the representa-
tives OF the two nations.
After the presidents reception at the
White House the French visitors exchanged
calls with members OF the cabinet and Lieu.
tenant General Miles and Admiral Dewey.
This afternoon they journeyed TO MI.
Vernon, where General Brugere of the
French army placed laurel wreath on the
tomb Of Washington and Count de Rocham-
beau planted tree taken from the battle
ground of Yorktown. Tonight President
Roosevelt had the French party as his
guests at dinner at the White House.
Reach Washington Early.
The party arrived here over the Pennsyl-
vania railroad at 10 o'clock this morning
from Annapolis, which point they reached
yesterday. Only small crowd was at the
depot to greet the distinguished visitors.
Beside the civil escort Troop G Of the Sec
ond cavalry, from Fort Meyer. was drawn
up In front of the station and saIuted on
the appearance Of the visitors. Assistant
Secretary Pierce OF the State department
entered the first Of the open carriages in
waiting with the ranking members OF the
party and several members Of the French
embassy also acted as escort. All OF the
party, including the embassy attaches,
wore the uniform of their rank The car-
riages, about dozen in number, wheeied
into pennsylvania avenue and proceeded 10
the White House, where Count Rocharh-
beau and his party, Ambassador and Mue.
Cambon and others waited to greet them
and where at 1920 O'Clock President
Roosevelt officially received the party IN
the east room. The carriages were ssrss
ceded by an escort Of mounted and bicycle
policemen and the cavalry troop. AS the
party neared the White House salute was
fired by detachment of artillery on tho
grounds south of the White House.
Cambon in the Lead.
Shortly before 10 o'clock the French am
bassador, NJ Cambon, accompanied by
Nine. Cambon and M. De Margarie and his
wife, drove up to the White House portico.
The ambassador was In the uniform Of his
high diplomatic rank. Following the am.
bassador came the members of his staff
accompanied by the women Of the embassy
The ambassador and his party. were en-
corted to the red room to await the arrival
Of the other French guests. Soon there
after a second party OF the French Wis
itors. including Count and Countess Roch-
ambeau and Count de Lafayette, Joined the
ambassador in the red room.
Meantime the highest officials of the gov
ernment were assembling to do honor 10
the visitors. In the American party were
representatives of the various branches of
the government. including the members Of
the presidents cabinet, Lieutenant General
Miles, Admiral Dewey, Adjutant General
Corbin and a group OF senators and repre-
sentatives from the legislative branch
BY this time the main party. the highest
officers of the French army, designated by
President Loubet as his personal repre-
sentatives, were entering the White House
grounds. A great crowd had assembled
outside and a hearty cheer went up as the
Frenchmen drove through the gates.
Received by Roosevelt.
After brief exchanges the entire party
proceeded to the East ROOM where the re-
| ceptiOn by President Roosevelt was held
The president was accompanied by Miss
Alice Roosevelt and Mrs. Carew, q sister
OF Mrs. Roosevelt. Grouped about the pres
ident were members OF his cabinet and
other distinguished offcIal6, many accom-
panied by women. AS the French ambaSsa-
dor presented each Of the ofhcial guests the
president gave him a warm grasp OF the
hand and spoke a few words of felicitoul
welcome. On both sides there we're many
expressions of international good will and
! OF the lasting friendship between the two
| republics. The affair was devoid Of for
mslity, however, and no formal addresses
| were delivered.
| The reception lasted about half an hour
| when the French officials withdrew to make
a round of calls on members OF the cabinet
| the general OF the army and the admiral
OF the navy, and on the ambassadors Of
foreign countries.
This afternoon the United States nava,
yacht. sylph. took the party to Mount
Vernon. where two interesting ceremonies
occurred-the planting OF tree broughi
! from the battlefield OF Yorktown where
Rochambeau and Lafayette shared the for.
tunes OF war with Washington. and the lay.
| Ing OF Dbdulllui WicaNu Oh tue AOu1p y
| Washington.
Later the party visited the old mansion
and saw the many relics with which the
name OF Washington. Lafayette and Ro-
chambeau are Identified.
state Dinner at White House.
A state dinner was given at the Whit,
House tonight by President and Mrs
Roosevelt in honor OF the distinsuishe'
visitors from France who are in this coun
try in connection with the Rochambeal
statue ceremonies. The company invites
to meet the visitors was q thoroughly rep
resontative one. including members OF tn
cabinet senators and representatives Il
congress and high ofieials OF the army an
the navy
The president, who sat at the head o
the table, had at his right Nine. cambon
the wife OF the French ambassador. Will
at his left was Countess Rochambeau. VIII
had at her left the ambassador OF France
Count de ROchambeau escorted Mrs. Carer
l a.. a.kf a. "a.