The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-02-24
DR.. RIVERS ADDRESS.
He Speaks on Washington and Lafayette
Before R. |. Press Club.

At the meeting Of the Rhode Island
Press club at East Greenwich on Monday.
DIR. Charles River editor of the Provi-
dence Visitor, made very interesting ad-
dress on Washington and Lafayette"
He said in part that II was the United
States good fortune 10 have two men
Washington and Lncoln-both of incom-
parable. intellectual and moral grandeur.
whose birthdays are and shall ever re-
main truly national commemorations. No
other country has anything OF the kind.
In fact both Washington and Lincoln be-
long as much 10 the world as they do TO
America. The civilized people all take
pride In statesmen who were so emf
nently representative OF what Is best IN
human nature.
The deep and tender friendship which
united Washington and Lafayette has en-
deared the latter 10 the American people
quite as much as his military services.
These services were great, indeed. all the
greater since the ruler OF France, by
plunging headlong into the American war
evidently sacrificed his own interests, and
was vsibly smitten with blindness. Yet
/ IL Lafayettes memory is entitled 10 Hive
| forever. II Is owing only to the part which
| he played in that memorable struggle for
| the independence OF q mighty and noble
tics was incomparaby less glorious and
on one occa0ion ever not creitable AZ all
| The speaker was interesting 10 the ut
| most, when he compared lafayettes ana
! Bonaparte's attitude in the French revo-
| luton; both returning TO France from
far distant and hardly known countries
| Of Egypt or America-both crowned with
a halo of glory which could not but appeal
| strongly 20 the imagination OF an impul-
sive race and entitle the two heroes TO
an enthusiastic welcome, as we'll as TO the
highest honors.
Yet whereas Bonaparte was shrewd
| enough not 10 commit himself before the
contending factions were played out.
| Lafayette anxious TO play "A role, did not
foresee that he could not, in the long run,
| be true, at the same time TO the nation
and TO an obdurate court and king. II
his troops had not foresaken him In 1872
he would not have recoied from betray-
ing his country and from setting the de-
testable example OF sucn coups detat
as are always the grave OF liberty; but
had Lafayette been able 10 remain II
America and 10 await there his oppor
tunity. he might have been a match fol
Bonaparte returning from Egypt, and
by resisting the CosTcan's felonious as
sault on liberty. have changed the entire
course of France in history Of the 1871
century. The meeting was also deeply
interested in Dr. RIVERS attempt 10 por
tray what would very probably have hap
pened ireland and In England In cas'
General Bonaparte. instead OF Genera
! Humbert had invaded Ireland in 1898.
Ii is more than likely that Lord Corn
; wallis would have been forced 10 sur
} render there as he had done In yorktown
! II years before.
When the news OF Washingtons s deatl
arrived In Paris Bonaparte made the mos
OF II 10 advertise his would-be republican
sentiments and then impose upon the pun
lie He bestowed an eloquent panegyri
on the great American statesman. TN
did not hinder him from displaying at IN
same time a strong tendency toward Cae
sarism.
Said DR. Rivier, To wind up his speech
IL has been, It is still the pleasure O
many young Americans TO indulge In
certain parallelsm a la Plutarque betwee
Napoleon and Washington That is a
idle task And besides by comparin
a man who had no principles no morality
not even the most common humanity n
true patriotism. to one or the nooles
men and patriots that ever lived, yo
. innict an unwarrantaole, burning II
suit on the father OF your country.