The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-08-18

tory or that period. save only that of
washington. Is SO dear to them as that
- ire ealisnt young Frenchmen. who
bekore he had reached the age OF
twenty berzTue natur<EBusraT IN Toe
ARMY OF the United States of America
having rendered his services as "a
anre." Before the constitution of the
Gnated states Was adopted. Lafayette
fzA6 been BY Legislative act declared
rfffxsn OF Virginia, the highest honor
. free State can pay to any man; ana
upcn hfE death by order Of the Presi-
dent Of the United states the same
honcrs were rendered throughout the
nassen az had ben observed upon the
death OF washington His love for
our STATE was touchingty shown when
ne named a daughter Virginia.
The day after Tomorrow marks the
anniversary OF the day on which
Lafayette Joined the American Army
three weeks later. he bore upon his
body the wound OF British bullet
and had so distinguished himself IN
the battle Of Brandywine as TO re-
revive special mention tn Washington's
report serving at first without com
mand. In less t&an two months after
the battle OF Brandy wins. so gallant
had he proven himself and so strongly
had Washington become impressed
with his bravery and ability as sol
der, that he was given command OF
division IN the Continental Army.
choice OF commands, selected divi-
sion. am proud to relate IN his own
language composed entirely OF Viz
sinians
the American Cause. and carrying
himself always with distinction. duty
required his temporary return 10
thanks OF the people. presented him
with sword, and caused a most
commandatory letter to he sent to
Louis XVI Another year spent IN
the Councils of his own nation, urg-
Ing always the cause Of America. and
he returned. bringing The wonderful
news that thousands OF Freedmen
aid
Dire had become our extremity and
seen our plight when the good news
reached General Washington. None
know SO we'll Ills he that without aid,
the cause of America was hopeless.
There remained only the miracle of
his own resourcefuiness, and even his
great spirit looked forward to the
future with dispair. shortly before
LafAyette's return, Washington had
sent to the American Commissioners
at Paris this urgent appeal: III France
denies timely and powerful aid in
the critical posture OF our affairs. IL
will avail US nothing should che at
tempt IL hereafter. We are at this
Eow or never deliverance must come.
The States were In the very slough
81 desrond, and the people had reach
ed the utmost limit OF Wiling hut Inn
possible further sacrifice 1t hal
come to this Anal issue, survive or per
ish, without any apparent reserve
vitality to stay the seemingly incyi-
table end. We had reached that crit
ical point, In the words of distin-
gnished Frenchman, now present who
: enjnxs tlse esteem and good will Of att
Americans. when the question was
whether the Revolution would prove
the cradle or the grave OF American
Liberty"
Lafayette was received upon his re-
turn with joy unspeakable; ami soon
there came that splendid Army of
FreHchrnen which was to prove our
salvation. he was not to command
rode again at the head of his Dtvi-
sion OF brave Virgiuians. 1t was he
with his Continentais who drove Corn
wallis into the untenable position at
Yorktown and held him there until
the coming OF Washington and Roch-
ambeau by land, and OF de Grasse and
81 simon by sea CORVALLIS had
me bur i was due to the splendid
strategy of the boy" that the entire
= British Army en- that. glorious octo-
Der day, In 1881. was forced to march
out In humble submission between the
lines OF French ana Americans and lay
down Its arms. The power of the OPP
free,
We know that this glorious con,
summation could not have been at
tanned without the aid you gave us
We remember d'Esteing with his ship,
and his soldiers, who came close upof
the Treaty OF Alliances signed at Parts
tie that he fought OFF Newport In the
raging storm with the British under
howe we remem Der the forcing OF
the Narragansett Channel and the de-
struction of ten British ships OF war
by your brave Suffren: we remember
the arrival of the Army under Hoch-
an,beau. that great soldier and brave
splendid gentleman. dear TO the
hearts of all Americans who after.
wards became a Marshal of France
we remember the gallant de Terney
who came with him and who rests II
the little churchyard in Rhode Island
awaiting the last reveille, peace to hi!
ashes; we remember the news tina
came from the south, and the feip
on New York that covered the hurriSe
march Of Washington and Rooham
beau to Virginia; we remember tina
At that critical moment. without fund
20 move his army, Washington turnet
Id -EochaIabaatsJ- and -tAff++-tt- war-ies
coo francs of French money loaned II
him for the purpose that paved th'
way to the triumph at Yorktown; W.
remember that forced march of sever
hundred miles by the allied armies
TO form a junction with Lafayette ant
his Americans, and st. Simon and nj,
newly arrived French forces. and Il
meet de Grasse and his feet. we re-
member the decisive victory de Grass
won in the great naval battle of tbs
capes OF the Chesapeake when he dc.
feated the British under Graves. ans
eliminated the possibility Of relief fol
CORVALLIS from the sea. we remem
Der. when the lines had been drawn
close around CORVALLIS and the nna
dash was about to be made. that ths
left wing of the allied armies, com
posed OF Frenchmen. WAS commander
by Rocham beau. and that the extreme
right wing, composed OF American
WAS commanded by Lafayette. white
the thirtysix French ships OF war
which cut off the British retreat, werI
commanded by de Grasse--the whole
under the command of Washington
we remember that the battle was open
ed by the French, ard that from thef
on until the white flag OF surrender
noated above from then on until III.
white flag OF surrender fioated abov,
the British trenches. the French AMI
Americans We'd wit hone another II
the display OF bravery. We remem
ber the daring deeds throughout thu
war. fDestonches, de Barras. ~
Simon. the two viomenils. the Chew
alier dc Chastellux. de Choisy. d,
Lauxun, Duportail Gimat. and of tn
thousands OF brave officers and mel
who fought with them for our free
dom; we remember the millions n
lives France loaned us in our time q
need, and the hundreds OF millions o
lives she spent freely In our defence
we remember when Washington die
that the French Army by ordr of Ma
poleon. then first consul paid to hi
memory the same high honors tina
would have been accorded one of thei
officers OF highest rank; and abov
and beyond all things we rememoe
always that but for the aid OF France
SUCCESS could not have crowned tn
afforts OF washington In our Reve