New-York tribune., 1910-08-19
FRANCE ACCEPTS STATUE
Bronze Replica of Houdon's
Washington Dedicated.
mi VERSAILLES PALACE
Virrinia's Gift Placed Near
Memorials to Washington's
French Companions,

Versailles France, Aug. 1S.-ln the Ma
poleon Hall of the Palace of Versailles, IN
the presence Of the French Minister OF
War. General Brun; the French AuDaS-
sador to the United States NJ Jusseransi'
and his wife; the American Ambassador,
Robert Bacon and Mrs. Bacon, and the
Marquis de Lafayette. the bronze replicsI
of Houdons celebrated statue of WASH
ington in the State House at Richmond
Va presented by the State OF Virginia TO
the French Republic, was to-day dedicated
with appropriate ceremonies.
General Brun who presided, spoke OF
the statue as the greatest Work or the
greatest French sculptor CT the eighteenth
century. Colonel James Mann. chairman
OF the Virginia commission, delivered the
speech of presentation. He said, in part
The grandest name in all the history of
America is that of George washington
and the history Of all the nations gives
US none that is grander. -
We remember always thet put lot Inc
aid .of France success could not nave
crowned the efforts of Washington III our
ReyoLutionsry Var; n IL tii1Ss Is PeoaaS and re-
rnemberinS them, love the people or France
that we have come in their name as 'he
bearers of this token OF their aIiecLioh-
The war drums of the Revolution hdu
hardly ceased TO sound before the new Wporh
state of Virginia voted statue TO " ashr
ington. Desiring to honor the creates. o.
her sons, she knew. when she enshrlned IN
the place # highest honor in her tapitoI
that splendid figure of a man, that sne was
handing down to generations then ana no"
unborn an inspiration that would redouhu
always to the good of the commonwealth
Jefferson author of our Declaration OIL
Independence and later President OF tne
Republic. then in France, selected for TINS
great work that iilustrious French sculptor,
Jean Antoine Houdon, whom he declared 70
he without rivalship the first statuary OF
the age" Houdon visited America, ana d I
Mount Vernon. where he was entertained
with that courteous hospitality which diS-
tinguished the home life Of Washington, ne
studied thoroughly his subject. took accu.
rate measurements and even made mould
of his face. Returning to France, yondef
in your beautiful Paris, working patiently
and with Consumnate Skill, houdoh Sit Iash-
toned in marble the perfect statue which
was described by Lafayette as a facslrlte
OF Washington ) person.
It is accepted as the standard and one
perfect likeness Of Washington, truer than
any portrait the best artist could produce
as a work of art it surpasses any statue IN
America: its value to my people cannot ne
cious stones. It is a beautiful bronze copy
of this statue that we have brought TO you
on behalf of the people OF Virginia
Ambassador Jusserand, in the absence OF
the French Minister of Foreign Affairs
NJ. Pichon. accepted the statue on behalf
Of the French government In schoiar'V
addres~ In which he declared that the
friendship Of General Washington and OF
the American people constituted one OF the
pIories of France. II was, therefore SIN
guIa-Iv sppropriate that this statue, tine
third erected on French soil by our an
Gent allies. should be placed III the palace
con secrated to all our glories." He pointed
out that here General Washington would
he surrounded by his French companions
in arms the Marquis de Lafayette. Count
Roc5lambeau and Admirals d'Estaing and
de Grasse. in the very building where the
treaty of peace between Great Britain and
The United states was signed in 17SS. In
conclusion he referred to the Franco
American friendship, unbFoken during the
existence of the republic. and the work OF
time which had transformed into friends
of both France and America the foes of
17SG.
Al the request Of tho State Of Virginia,
q list of the American officers and sol
diers who fought in the Revolution was
sealed in the pedestal of the statue, the
MARQUIS de SegIr,- whose ancestors fought
with the American army during the ReYo-
luton. performing the ceremony.
Ambassador and Mrs. Bacon gave din
r7er tonight in honor Of Colonel Mann and
his fellow, commissioners and their wives.
President FaIlieres will entertain the same
party al dinner at Rambouillet on August