Evening star., 1902-05-22
HONORED RDCHAMBEAU
MONUMENT UNVEILED IN
FRANCE TWO YEARS AGO.
Gen. Horace Porter Delivered an Ad-
dress-Many Pertinent Allu-
sions to America.
Written for The Evening Star.

Written for The Evening Star.
While We are preparing to do honor to
the memory of the brave Rochambeau by
the erection of a statue in our national
capital and to receive the representatives
of the French government. invited by the
President to be present at the coming cere-
monies, 1t may be of interest to recall some
what similar scenes that took place in Ven
dome, France in 1900 when a statue was
erected to the marshal in his old home.
About the year 1897 a committee was
formed in Vendome, consisting principally
of members Of the lyceum, to take into
consideration the erection of a monument
to Rochambeau. and in very short time
the sum of 25.O00 francs raised, sew
eral subscriptions coming from America
Philadelphia alone sending 81 900.
1t was decided that the monument should
be statue, and the design of Messrs. Ha-
| mar and Boue were accepted by the COM
mittee. and Whit Monday. the 4th of June,
1900, was selected for the inauguration
In response to a courteous invitation from
the Rochambeau committee, our minister
to France. Gen. Horace Porter. reached
Vendome Sunday afternoon, the eve of the
celebration. A large crowd of the citizens
| met the ambassador at the railroad station.
The members of the municipality Of Ven
come were in attendance to receive the
city's honored guest. Two little children
of the secretary of the committee, Monsieur
Royau, little Marie Louise, wearing a scarf
in the American colors. and her brother,
Alexis, the tricolor Of France, approached
Gen. Porter, presented him with a basket
of superb flowers and with their pretty
chidlike voices bade him welcome, as fol-
lows
ALLOW two little French children to Of
fer you. Monsieur fAmbassadeur, some of
our native flowers as emblems Of our re-
Spectful homage.
Permit also to tell your eXcellency
how much the Vendomese appreciate this
visit of the representative of our sister re-
public. Vive la France. Vivent les Etats
Unis.''
Gen. Porter was visibly touched by the
address of the little ones and embraced
them gracefully.
The ambassador was then presented to
the reception committee, and by them
driven through the thronged streets to the
residence of his hostess, the Marchioness
de Rochambeau.
Chamber Assigned to Gen. Porter.
The historic chamber of the marshal was
assigned to Gen. Porter. 1t has remained
unchanged since 1907 when it was newly
furnished and hung with draperies en-
broidered by the marechalle herself-during
the absence of her husband in America.
1t is situated on the second floor and is
lighted by several long windows that COM
mand magnificent view of the valley OF
the Loir
A high bedstead standing in the middle of
the floor is of light wood, and has the
heavy baldequin of the time of Louis XVI.
all the other furniture being of the same
character In this room is the well-known
portrait of Washington presented by the
original to his brother in arms. The Cha
teau Rochambeau dates from the thirteenth
century. 1t is situated a short distance
outside the city of Vendome and is reached
by picturesque road along the banks of
the Loir.
The day of the Rochambeau statue inau-
guration opened under cloudless skies. and
the morning trains brought crowds in holi-
day costume to render honor to their fel-
low citizen-honors which had been rather
tardily paid, owing, in part, to the many
changes of politics and government In
France. This was well put by Monsieur LIE
Myre de Viliers in a speech at the Ven
dome ceremony. He said:
"Gentlemen: In revolutionary times men
OF conservative and deep feeling are
very apt to be misunderstood. Such was
the case of our great hero. The mon-
archistS accused him of too much liber-
alty. The convention cited him before the
tribune of the revolution. which condemned
him to death. and his life was saved by an
accident characteristic of his retiring ma
ture. When his turn to mount the fatal
charette to take the condemned to the
gullotine through politeness lie stepned
back to make room for Malherbes The
vehlcle was already full and the unsvmpa-
thetic guard roughly called out Stand
PACK. old marshal, your turn will GOMEZ
His turn did not come for before tho NV,
slaughter day the ninth thermidor mt an
end OF the reign of terror
Under the restoration his grandson (his
son son nad perished before Leipzic) inherited
the misunderstanding from which he suf
iered and retired from public life Under
these conditions the name of Rochambaau
often had to suffer from popular prejudice"
Address Of United States Ambassador
Inc address of the United States ambas-
sador in the best of French was received
with the greatest applause Indeed all
through the ceremonies one might think
1t was an International occa sion. tbere u,oro
so many pertinent allusions to Amer;c,
made by the various speakers To ouote
once more:
VI all the generals who have shone in
our history, Rochambeau was. without
doubt the one whose greatness was most
Iich IN permanent results. Others NAV
have made more brilliant records and their
conquests may have resounded over cop-
tinents. but the effect has passed. Rocbam-
beau in forcing the capitulation of Corn
wallis helped to lay the foundation stone
of the world io''
After the public ceremonies the Marouise
de Rochambeau gave a beautifully appoint
ed luncheon to the committee and their in
open to them.
The marquise had gathered a museum of
Rochambeau relics. 1t was of intense in
terest to the Americans, of course to ex-
anime the battle flags of the stars and
stripes brought home by the international
hero Also the little culverines presented
by Louis XVIII to the widow of the brave
soldier to replace the English cannons sent
him by America, but which had been taken
from the castle during the revolution
There is also glass case inclosing the
baton of the conqueror of Yorktown cover
cd yyffh yalI Iaf and
the sword used by Rochambeau in his
American expedition. There are numerous