The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24
CHAPTER XXXVIII.

was ugly. She was sore over the loss OF
her colonies. She was aching to revenge
herself upon America and upon France
She refused to give up the forts on the
northwest frontier. AS Jefferson demon
strated in a mastery state paper, her eX'
cuses We're tlimsy. untenable. She could
not answer his argument. and did not try
She simply held on to the forts. From
these forts Indians went forth. fired with
hatred and whisky. to make war upon
American settlements.
But the federalists justified Great
Britain. Jay declared the fault to be ours
She claimed and exercised the right to
halt our ships upon the seas. to search
them, and to drag from our decks such
sailors as her navy might need. Her pre-
tense was the retaking of her own sea
men; her practice was to take whom she
pleased.
But the federaIists curbed their indigna-
ton successfully and from them no loud
protest was heard. And when France
sent over her minister Genet ana the
time came when our government had TO
show It's hand. it suddenly appeared more
friendly to our late foe than TO our late
ally.
Without exception. our historians have
treated the Genet episode from the stand
point of the old federalist party. There
fore, the average American gets an M
preston So misleading as TO be wholly
false. The democracy of France, like the
democracy in America, had made war
upon n king and had established re
public. In our struggle, French money
and French blood had been poured ont in
our behalf It was not the money Of the
king OF France: It was not the blood OF
ha lit I.
the money of tho people of France. The
powerful undertow of sympathy with
America which had dragged the French
minister off his feet. and made the French
alliance imperative. came. not from the
torpid king but from the people Every
time the royal pen was laid to paper in
! americas behalf It was done under pro-
test.
These people who had rushed TO Ameri-
cas- aid in the darkest hour Of the reVo-
luton had now accomplished revolution
OF their own. Americas example had en-
couraged them. inspired them. shown
them the way. Now that the French
monarchy was down and democracy tri-
umphant Great Britain had chosen to in
terfere. had made the kings cause her
own. and had consccrated herself to the
unholly purpose Of restoring in Europe the
tyranny of aristocracv and king- Great
Britain had blockaded France and dis
CSee fun account lu the authors THE Story
of France aud Napoleon')
missed from London the French minister
War was begun before the French re-
public ever published her declaration.
What more natural than that the
French people. Al this crisis. should look
TO the American people for sympathy and
help There were the two republics: their
common enemy was monarchical England
Without French aid. the American re-
public could not have been established
America still owed France a huge debt
partly of gratitude partly of prosaic cash.
And France. in sending Genet to Ameri-
ca virtually said to what Beauregards
messenger said 10 Johnston on the eve OF
Manassas "Tf you want TO help me. now
is the time
Genet came. He was young; he was
untutored in stateCraft and the ways OF
diplomacy; he was fresh from scenes OF
democratic excitement: the gospel Of
brotherly love was burning hotly within
him. Never for one moment did he doubt
that the heart Of the American people
beat warmly for the Young French re-
public He expected to be received with
open arms. with the eladdest smile of
greeting, with the closest hug of fra
ternrty
Had not Young Lafayette broken ont Of
conventional restraints in France and
hastened to the arms Of Washington?
lad not Young Roehanbeau led The lines
at the final assault at Yorktown?
Oh. were We not all brothers in the holy
cause Of democracy? Genet assumed that
We were. implicitly believed that We We're.
unbesitatugly acted upon the conviction
tina, we We're
For at Charleston where he landed
first there was nothing to correct his i'm
pressions. Everybody was glad 10 see
him Shouts Of welcome rose around him.
Open arms were thrown about him In the
brotherly embrace. Ovations filed his
young heart with patriotic rapture
Commissions to send out privateers
against the British? why VI course Gov
ernor Moultrie was The same old hero who
had won that first victory over the COM
mon enemy; Governor Moultrie would
sign commissions TO fit ont the priyateers.
Cheerfully
And 50 he did. the treaty with France
appearing TO bind The Americans to do
that very thing.
Privateers put to sea, and British COM
rnerce began to suffer. Genet set ont for
Philadelphia by land. His journey was
like royal progress. The hearts of the
people were with him Where else could
they be- Could America SO soon forget?
Did she have no gratitude? Was she in
capable of generous enthusiasm for
France in the French efforts TO establish
n republic? Had America no responsive
chord which might be touched by the
struggles of other people for political
freedom?
The historians are cold. They sheer at
Genet They mock his references to lib,
erty equality. fraternity. They heap rid
Sentiment" it would seem. IL. historical
ly. a felony
French enthusiasm for our struggles
might have been natural. even commend
able: but the idea was preposterous that
Americans should have enthusiasm for
the struggle in France This historical
tone grows out of the necessity Of the
case. The British faction dominated
Washington's cabinet; the British fac
tion set its face like Clint against Genet:
the British faction ives able to convince
Washington that he ought TO ignore what
France had done for us. and to virtually
say to Great Britain and the French.
Flight it out between yourselves"
Treaty or no treaty. America will "hands
off"
So that when Genet reached Phiiadel-
phia- ard had Tapped himself In the lux
ury Of unbounded enthusiasm there and
then went into thu presidential presence.
expecting his official welcome to be OF
the very warmest kind. he suddenly en-