The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-01-26

fell with 1t. Then the neace or Paris. in l736, dismembered Louisiana, transferring almost all east of the Mississippi to Great Britain and all west. with New Orleans. to Spain-never again to be united under one flag until Wilkinson took possession of Mobile in 1913.
 l On such an occasion the temptation Is strong to pursue the subject further: We could study the interesting local story, or we could transfer the develop ment of this part of the country under elsewhere in the Union. To no section does this yield in romantic and historic interest. But such thoughts would dis tract our attention from the one thing which chiefly concerns us today,
 The Foundation on This Spot
 two hundred years ago of Fort Louis de la Louisiane. True, the exact place of almost everything has been obliter- ated. the outlines and street names of | the settlement preserved by no plan. l may perhaps claim to have recovered within the past five years the site of the | fort a discovery confirmed few days \ ago by the finding of French bricks | from the powder magazine over the blun | And at first blush it seems strange that | people speaking the English tongue should | gather here 10 celebrate what was done so long ago by Frenchmen. who would | not recognize their very names as we | And vet therein lieS~the significance | of the event. They builded better than | they knew. What they intended as de-
 Dendcncv. of France has become part,
 Is becoming the chief part of independ- | ent Amertca-that strange modern com
 plex. the resultaqt of British colonisa- l tion from the East. French and Spanish from the Southwest. and immigration from all the world besides; We must not think that we are celebrating an
 event in foreign history because we French. The English rule of this gulf country as such lasted but a few years. and in turn gave way to Spanish. and l Atlantic America became an Independent ative help of the Spanish. who swayed | the gulf and by the effective military | cooperation of the French from Europe. Lafayette stands next to Washington in | the affection of us all. and Washington | deemed Galvez a true friend of the American cause Even the expansion of | these English colonies over the moun- | tains to embrace our section was modi- | fled by the interacting Latin influences. | So that while America is now one. with one worldwide future opening before us ! all. its roots are various and the plant ing of Latin civilization in the Missis- | sippi Valley Is as much a part of Amer l ican history as Jamestown and Plymouth Rock. What these mean to the Atlantic | seaboard. the foundation of Fort Louis means to the great Mississippi Valley, realize Ibsrvilles vision of dominat- l ing country instead of a hinterland to l the Atlantic settlements.
 Therefore do we in the name of the 1 NJ Jniie lnev founded dedicate this piece of granite to the memory of the illus trious brothers LeMoyne. And we may, like Jacob of old, name this stone Bethel;
 for we can see the great spirits which | have imm ortalized the spot and can mark the hand of Providence In our country s
 history. since their day. "Hither by
 Gods Help We've Come" Let us leave
 this scene in full appreciation of the
 event we celebrate. and with the cove
 nant that we will do our duty in Amer ica's present as we'll as the LeMoynes
 and th-ir compatriots did theirs in Amer
 ica's past. We place thee. lone monu- l ment. on a spot still almost as desolate
 as when Bienville left 1t for the lasting
 site at the river mouth: but spot made
 and death of great men. Stand thou
 there until homes and civilization gird
 thee close around Inspire not only u:
 and travellers that pass. but generations
 and the worl1 that we honored our found
 CTS. yea. stand there forever. thou sacred | pillar. another Mizpah. to watch between
 the historic past and the busy but fleet
 ing present.
 MT. Hamilton was frequently applaud | ed throughout his address. and at its
 conclusion. and when he descended from | During MT. Damilton's address tht | cutter Winona dropped down the riveI | to a point just abreast Of the blum or | which the proceedings were taking place
 and during the closing sentences of the
 address. Rev. A. C. Harte. secretary oi l the Young Mems Christian Association of this city. unveiled tho stone and si
 multaneouslv the gun on board the cutter | belched forth a salute of twenty -one | guns. which made the woods reverberat te | as never before. It was fitting climax
 to scene calculated to inspire the pa | triotism of any one.
 After an air bv Drev's band, which
 was in attendance. MT. Butt then in- l troduced Prof. Paul J.. Robert of this
 city, to make an address in French.
 Professor Robert was frequently ap | plauded by those of the audience whC
 understood French. and therefore had the
 pleasure of being able to follow him. His
 enunciation was clear and his delivery
 pression. not alone upon those who could | not as well. At the conclusion of his ad- | dress he was warmly congratulated. l Drev's band played another air, and
 MT. Butt introduced to the assemblage
 the Very Rev. Father c. T. O'Callaghan | Vicar General of the Diocese of Mobile
 who pronounced the benediction.
 l The band then played "Auld Lang
 Syne," "America." "Dixie," and Van.
 kee Doodle" among great deal of en-
 thusiasm, the audience singing Amer Ica." Over at the edge of the bluff on
 the site of the ancient Fort Louis Martin l Drey and Louis Rafield. on trumpet and | drum played the Marseiles in imitation | of the ancient style,