Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-04


1T Is my honor and pleasure. he sara.
'to introduce the reader today OF that
memorable paper-our glorious Declaration
of Independence. / present to you Mr.:
Barry Bulkiey. a native of our beautiful
capital city,
The Declaration Read.
Mr. Buckley read the Declaration of INDIE
pendence with splendid effect. his strong
voice and clear enunciation making 1t POS
sible to hear his words a long distance In
the open air. He gave full expression TO
the grand sentiments of the famous fnstru-
ment resulting in the establishment OF tue
greatest of republics.
Mr.. Macfarland then introduced Mr.. JUS
serand, the French ambassador. The APP
pearance of the ambassador was the signal
for such a welcome as is seldom given
foreign visitor to the capital.
1t was some time before Mr. mcfarland
could speak.
"Our only treaty of alliance has been with
France" said Mr.. Mcfarland. ''our faith
full friend Of The revolution. without whom
1t might have failed. We are honored today
by the ambassador of France. who shows
by his participation his appreciation Of our
celebration. Jesserand is one of the hon.
ored names in the interesting list just pub
lished by France of the soldiers and sailors.
over fifty thousand in number, who. with
over five millions in money. were our ally's
magnificent contribution to our cause. The
ambassador bears that name; he worthily
wears our highest university honors. Above
all, he Is bound to our country w the most
sacred ties of personal affection. His pres
ence is most grateful to US. and we greet
him with respect and regard"
In replying Mr.. Jusserand was frequently
interrupted by applause. He spoke del1b-
erately and clearly with a French accent
that rather added to the interest of his de-
livery. speaking as he was for the French
people and especially the descendants of
those brave men who to help the young re-
public braved the perils of a campaign in
a wild and little-known country.
At the conclusion of Mr.. JuSserands adj
dress he was given an ovation, and was
cheered to the echo
Mr.. Jusserand said:
Ambassador Jusserand's Address.
One hundred and twenty-seven years ago,
on a Thursday. towards evening some
fifty men. who could not yet call them
selves Americans, were gathered in hall
in Philadelphia. which could not yet be
called Independence Hall. 1t was indeed
solemn occasion. one of those great days
when the fate of nations Is decided.
No deed. no battle. no treaty was to be,
in the whole of modern history, of greater
consequence than the act for which these
men peacefully met in the brick house with
bell tower. still to be seen in Philadel-
phia. For a long time there had been
among them doubts and anxieties, and now
they had made up their minds.
What took place? What words were ex-
changed? We should like to know them to
the minutest particulars But one thing
we know. and that Is enough: the men who
came were insurgents; the men who left
were free men.
A famous French thinker said. over two
centuries ago: by liberty the Romans. as
well as the Greeks. understood a state
where people were subject to nothing ex-
cept to law, and where law more pow
erful than men," That America would be
such a state. your ancestors decided IN
1776, and what they decided has been and
shall ever be.
Congress assumed at once the powers,
duties and responsibilities resulting from
their decision. They issued letters OF
marque, in the name Of the new state, and,
taking their place among free nations. pre-
pared to sign treaties with their peers One
of the first decisions of the first free Con-
gress of the United States of America was
that an appeal would be made to foreign
nations for an alliance and committee of
five was appointed to prepare the same.
This was very necessary move: for the
task of Washington and his heroic soldiers
was a nearly superhuman one and gloomy
days were in store. This was another mo-
mentous hour in the history Of this coun-
try.
Amid the silence of the nations one voice
was heard to say: "Adsum'-the voice OF
France Here 1 am. willing and ready to
risk with you, for better for worse, all 1
have: life and treasure, what remains OF
my colonies, and even that new-built navy
of mine, the result OF SO many efforts,
navy just reconstructed at last, after
eighty years of Indifference and decay" go
In the first lines of the act of independ-
ence 1t is said that "all men are created
equal" France considered that the same
was true of all free nations and negotiated
with the new born America of the eigh-
tenth century if she had been address,
ing the powerful America of today whose
dominions extend from one to the other
of the worlds oceans. If there was to be
a difference she thought it should be in
favor of the new nation: and so all the
officers sent over here had for instructions
to render special honors to their Ameri-
can brethren; to consider General Washing
ton as having the rank not of a general,
but Of a marshal Of France; to yield Zone
may smile. but in those days 1t was con-
sidered the acme Of courtesy to yield the
right side to American regiments on the
battlefie1ds
Reading the treaty of alliance and the
treaty Of commerce signed then. one there
was who said: THE great principle in both
treaties is perfect equality and reel
Drocity; no advantage to be demanded by
France, privileges in commerce which
the states may not grant to any and
every other nation. In short, the king has
treated with us generously and magnani-
mously. taken no advantage of our present
difficulties. to exact terms which we would
not willingly grant when established in
prosperity and power.
The one who spoke thus was not a man
to be carried away Dy 1O1e sentiments ana
vain fancies; that one was Benjamin
Franklin.
Truly great things can never be done
contrary to the will Of the people. The
most generous or glorious purpose will be
fooled IL the people misunderstood 1t, and
does not heartily second the venture.
This Indispensable element of success
was not wanting In the time OF the war
of independence; the army of America was
an army of free men and of volunteers.
AS for France. what was the part played
by her statesmen and rulers is well known:
but not so well known the part played by
the peOple
when I heard Of American independ-
ence." said Lafayette. my heart enlisted"
In this memorable word he summed up I'M
awares the feeling of all France. When
the gloomy days came and statesmen hest-
tated as to what should be done the ma
ton never did. and continued to be for the
alliance and for practical help to be sent
to those plucky men who wanted to be
free.
Permit me to quote one single fact When
Rochambeau to whose memory you paid
last wear such magnificent tribute. was
gathering in France the troops ordered for
service in America. as our nation wanted
to send her best battalions and her best
men all soldiers were submitted to compe-
tent examination. There is extant a report
explaining how difficult 1t was to have this
order properly carried out. All men were
hat fIoxy oil dac1 rod hoy