Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-02
The United States and France.
To the Editor of The Evening Star:


The notable audience which listened to
M. Mabilleau's recent lecture at the Co.
lumbar University on what the United
States owed to Lafayette, and what Lafay
cite owed to the United States, applauded
with enthusiasm the tactful Introduction
which preceded his remarks, especially the
sentiment that the debt Of the United States
was one which could never be Cancelled. NJ.
Mablleau's conclusions were also received
with friendly fervor, save in one instance,
that in which the credit for our ideals of
free government was given to the school of
French philosophers This point of view is
cherished by the French, but even our graf
itude for their generous and timely aid
cannot blind us to the fact that our reyolu-
tion was not against the British conStitu-
ton. but only against novel and arbitrary
treatment Of the colonists, which deprived
them Of the right enjoyed by other British
subjects. favor1te argument Of Macau-
lays was that the violence of a revolution
VIII be in proportion to the abuses causing
that revolution.
The comparative mildness of the English
and American revolutions to the French
reign Of terror is explained by a study of
the ccmpa raItive misgOyernment of the
English and French morarchies All Eng
lish historians applaud the spirit of &c as
warmly as did Chatham, Burke and Fox
and in our day Gladstone recognizing 1t as
the self-same spirit which brought forth
the Magma Charta. But more convincing
Is the testimony to be gathered in Gallo
fields. James Parton in his geographic
sketch of Lafayette says: I'm the year 173O
there appeared in Paris little volume en-
titled 'Philosophic Letters which proved to
be one OF the most influential books pro-
duced in modern times.
1t was written by VoHaire, who was
then thirty six years of age. and contained
the results Of his observations upon the
English nation. in which he had resided for
two years. Paris was then as far from
London. for all practicable purposes as New
York now is from Calcutta: SO that when
that prevailed In England--of the tolerance
given to religious sects-of the honors paid
to untitled merit-of Newton, buried In
Westminster Abbey with almost regal pomp
of Addison. secretary Of state. and Swift,
familiar with prime minsters-and of the
general liberty. happiness and abundance
of the kingdOm-France listened in wonder
as to a general revelation.
1.-The work was Of course, Immediately
ment and the author exiled. which only
gave 1T increased currency and deeper in
f1uence. This was the beginning of the
movement which, at length, produced the
French revolution of 17S7. 1t began in the
higher classes Of the people, for at that
day not more than one-third Of the French
could read at all. and a much smaller frac-
ton could read such work as the 'Phjlo-
sophie Letters and the books 1t called
forth. Republicanism was fashionable In
the drawing rooms of Paris for many years
before the mass of the people knew what
the word meant. Among the young noble
men who were early smitten in the midst
Of a despotism with the love of liberty was
the Marquis de Lafayette" NJ. L.