Evening star., 1909-04-28
city Is sufficient need Of praise for Len
FAINT
Hnnnr Relafed Rnf Sincere


Fitting it is that the mortal remains
of the frame which supported the mind
which evolved this plan for US should find
resting place in sacred ground and ap-
propriately marked. rejoice that in this
beautiful springtime. with nature smiling,
with our people at peace with all the
world with prosperity blessing us, we,
for the moment, set aside the cares OF
y. Oil. .inG l.lvate LIE to do belated honor
to the life which ended nearly century
ago
IF to L'Enfant was not granted at once
and genius the American people can
pieaa Ina titiie satv"e %3uiu sS'i.oASti = te
the magnificent accuracy Of his beautiful
design, for
HE gazed into the future far as human
eye could see,
And saw the beauty of the spot and all
the grandeur that would be.
And now that the real valte Of his
labors has been shown, we. representing
the people of the United States, gladly
make such reparation as lies in our power
and to his memory we pay deep homage.
These Matter Not, Now.
today Is not the controversies as to who
deserved the credit for the selection of
the plan Of the Capitol; not whether
GALdht was pIopCAiy Compensated LII
his unquestioned service; not whether
the plan which he drew was abstracted
from him without permission; not whether
he was justified in the assumption of a
feeling of resentment, which on occa-
| sions, perhaps, he manifested, but rather
the thought that L'Enfant's service. like
the service of other Frenchmen, empha-
sizes the friendly feeling which the re-
public across the sea has ever felt for
the, republic Of the United States. And.
fr,rp IN Anha n
who honor your republic by your service
here; to you, whose splendid attributes Of
mind and heart have endeared you to all
Americans favored by your acquaintance.
between our nations, which has existed
for more than a century, will be but in
tensified as time passes, and that we will
in the future join hands In advancing
every good cause which an all-wise Provi-
dence intrusts o our care"
At the conclusion of his address, Vice
President Sherman turned to the ambas-
sador of France and grasped him cor
daily by the hand. while the large au-
dience smiled its approval and the banner
Of the Society Of the Cincinnati was
waved as a silent tribute to the "handa
across the seas incident.
Commissioner Macfarland, in presenting
NJ. Jusserand to the men and women who
had gathered to honor his distinguished
| countryman, paid tributes to both the
French ambassador and the French peo-
| pie. He said in the hour when the strug-
Cling Continentals sorely needed friends
millions of money to the American cause
He expressed the hope that the bond of
friendship between the sister republics
will be welded stronger and stronger as
| the years pass by.
Many persons in the audience arose as
NJ. Jusserand began his address.
French Ambassadors Address.
| Mr. Jusserand said:
| Little more than a century ago the
hill on which we stand and the ground
| around it were covered with woods and
underbrush; a few scattered farms had
been built here and there, wooden
structures whose low roofs scarcely
emerged from their leafy surroundings.
Not very long before Indians had used
to gather on this eminence and to hold
| there their council fires.
| "As' far now as the eye can reach
/ the picturesque outlines of one of the
finest cities in the world are discovered;
steeples and pinnacles rise above the
| verdure of the trees lining the ave-
nues. within the unchanged frame sup
piled by the blue hills OF Virginia and
Maryland.
The will of Congress. the choice
made by the great man whose name
the city was to bear. the talents of a
French officer. the one whose memory
we are commemoratfng today, nave
caused the change.
After many debates and competi-
! tions. SO keen that, incredible as It
may seem to us. Jefferson could speak,
| in one of his letters, of the necessity
1 of a compromise to save the Union
/ Congress decided that the Federal city
would be neither Philadelphia. Boston.
Yorktown, nor any other. but be a new
one built on a spot to be selected by
President Washington, on the river Po-
| tomac.
washington quickly made up his
| mind; a great rider all his life NJ
wood no hill. no vale. that had not been
| long familiar to him in the region; In
January, 1871, 1t had become certain
| that the Federal city would rise one
day where 1t now rises.
Selected by Washington.
] But what sort Of city would it be: