Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-14
DAILY KENNEBEc JOURNAL SATURDAY FEBRUARY IA 1908

Senate. but encountered the opposition
in the House of Representatives of Mr..
Cannon of Illinois. New efforts were
made the following winter, and $500
was appropriated on March 8, 1901, for
the statue. This was an entering
wedge, for it committed the govern
ment to the project. About a year
later, on February IA, 1902, Congress APP
propriated $4,000 for a pedestal and
foundation, for. of course. the statue
could not stand on its own legs. Some
allowance also was made in this item
for the cost of the ceremonies. 1t was
soon found, however, that funds would
he needed to defray the expense of en-
| tertaining the distinguished visitors
who were to come here in connection
with the dedication, and so on March Is
an appropriation of $4,000 was made by
Joint resolution for that purpose. BY
April it had become apparent that THIS
was not enough, end so another $40, 600
| was appropriated in the same way,
making a. total of $42, 500 which NJ
Boeufve has succeeded in getting the
United States government to spend in
tardily doing honor to Rochambeau.
But his legislative activities did not end
here. We have protective system
which is not wholly submissive to senti-
ment, and the customs officers decided
that under the law the statue would
have to pay duty to get into this
country. or at least they had so much
doubt on the question that it was
| thought best for the Ways and Means
Committee to report a bill granting free
entry to this replica.
If one supposes it is an easy task to
| get five measures of this kind through
Congress, the records Of other en-
deavors will dispel that illusion. Dur
ing the same period that Mr.. Boeufve
has been working the Senate COM
mittee, which has such matters in
charge, has considered twenty-four
bills for the erection of statues in
Washington, and the House committee
a great many more. Only two of these
bills have become laws, of which that
appropriating $4,000 for the Mcclellan
statue is the second. The presence of
a son of General Mcclellan in Con-
gress has doubtless contributed in an
indirect way to the success of the lat
ter project. No wonder Mr.. Boeufve's
friends think that Yankees have no
monopoly in energy.
Among the Rochambeau papers
which the chancellor brought from
France on the occa sion of his last visit
is manuscript copy of a diary of
Able Robin, a chaplain who accom-
panied the expedition. Some Of this
mans comments on American sound
queer today. For example, he wrote:
1T is difficult to imagine the idea
which the Americans had of the French
before the war; they looked upon us as
living under a yoke of despotism, as
given over to prejudices, and as a peo-
pie who passed our days in adjoining
ourselves and arranging our hair: they
thought that we lived without religious
faith or respect for the most sacred
things of life. This general impression
was strengthened by the character of
most of the French who came over
here on the first noise of the Revolu
ton. They were mostly men who were
immersed in debt and of bad reputa-
ton at home; here they announced
themselves as having great titles and
gave false names. They were accorded
distinguished positions in the American
army and considerable advancement,
only to disappear when the test came
The simplicity of the Americans rem
dered these tricks quite easy" The ar
rival of the army of Rochambeau, it
appears, spread terror in Rhode Island
and when it entered Newport the SOL
diers found the town absolutely de-
serted. 1t was necessary to begin to
dissipate such prejudices, and in or
der to do so the superior officers in
stituted the strictest discipline. The
young lords of fortune and birth who
had been accustomed to luxury were
compelled to follow the example of the
offices in a life of simplicity and abso-
lutte regularity. This conduct, con-
tinued for some time, operated to effect
a total change in the opinions of the
Americans.
1.-THE arrival of the French in Phila-
delphia," he writes further along in his
diary, twas like a triumphal march.
The troops were encamped on a great
plain watered by the Schuylkill river;
the population gathered there in large
numbers. the people conducting them
selves in naive fashion. The COM
manding colonel had in his service one
man who accompanied the grand lords
and carried their missives. The silver
fringe on his garments, and his cane
with an enormous head, would make
you consider him very important per-
souage. and the terrible energy with
which he approached his master when
ever he had to receive a letter made
one believe that he was about to pre-
sent him with all these things