Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-09-02

morale and inspiration OF the hour
| have not shattered breastworks under
| certain conditions, but money is even
more necessary than Eunpowder in
waeing long drawn-out revolution.
1t Is pitiful to read the letters of
General Washington to his friend,
George Mason. OF bill OF rights fame.
describing the dcplorable condition OF
! his army. Men without clothes. hos
pitfalls without medicine. an army with
out food--no money wherewith to pur-
chase these absolute necessities: no
money to pay even transfers to haul
what patriots were willing to give, or,
as Washington expressed it, I'VE are ut
the end of our tcthcr." and then he dis
patched that heart-rendinE appeal to
France through Laurcns, beseeching
aid.
France was in no financial position
to open her Golfers to a nation battling
with the strongest adversary in the
world. the mistress OF the seas. old
England. Frances treasury was al
most bankrupt then. owing to having
recently lost her richest possession. the
Dominion of Canada. which but swelled
the revenues of Americas opponent
The French mob was not yet exactly
clamorinG for bread. but France was
on that verge of ruin which followed
as the natural sequence the eStrava-
Eancies OF Du-Barry-ruled court. Yet,
through Lafayctte's interesting the
ministry to champion the cause Of
America. France gave. free OF interest
the equivalent OF s5o.o00.00o. besides
1889 mon and ninety-nnc vessels Of
war and transports. Besides this
princely munifcence, France adhered
absolutely to her compact with the
United Statces. that all booty and ter
ritory which accrued from the revolu-
ton should be ours--a treaty which
the Yankee shrewdness Of Benjamin
Frankitn's diplomacy arranged.
A. j. MontaRue's speech.
1t was peculiarly appropriate that in
his memorable speech on the cmer-
gency bond issue delivered before Con-
Sress April IA. 1917, that the former
Governor and present member of Con-
gress from Virginia. a. ]. Montague,
should have referred with such force
full statistics to the obligation which
the United Suites owed France-pe-
culiarly appropriate from Montague.
descended himself from that curly HUI
guenot bishop in the old Dominion"
the venerable Robert Latane. pecu-
liarly appropriate, l repeat. for tho
Congressman from Richmond to thus
call the nations attention TO this sa-
cred debt-since Lafayette saved Rich.
mond from being captured by the
British peculiarly appropriate. since.
on Virginia territory. occurred tho
surrender OF CORVALLIS.
There were dozens OF Congressman
from Western States. who, If they had
ever heard of Lafayette. could not have
told to save their lives. who were
DEstaisn. Rochambeau. and De Grasse.
When the nation harks back to our
worthy German population in the mid
die West as good citizens, II Is VOL for
students OF history to remind the coun-
try that, but for the alliance of Franco
In the days OF Lafayette. this Teutonic
element would not now be enjoying
this Land OF the Free" but for La
fsyctte. the United States would have
most probably remained province Of
England. like Canada is to-day, for
Benjamin Franklin little eXagEcrates
when he declares: without Yorktown,
our independence would have been set
back ! 900 years" Franklin knew bet
ter than we of to-day realize, the con-
ditions. Franklin knew the inesti-
mable help That Lafayette was to him
as intermediary between us and the
French ministry. Thomas jefferson
also recognized 1t, when he cmpha-
sized the great benefit Lafayette was
to him while we were in just such
throes Of transition as Russia is to-
day. The establishment of our re-
public. even after independence was at
talned, was SO difficult and trying. that
the revolution had not been a grievous
mistake Hence Jefferson's declaration
that. In peace as we'll as war" La
fayette had been our great friend and
bencfnctor. II is Il little humilialing
To sons and Daughters Of the Amerl-
can Revolution, To have TO admit that
there were more French troops at
Yorktown than there were Americans
but such is the truth. There were
$500 Americans and 1000 French
troops OF the line. and thirty-siX ships
under De Grasse, there being over 100
infantry or marines on zach of these
vessels, which offset the $500 militia
under General Nelson. the progenitor Of
our present amha ssador to Italy. Dr.
Thomas Nelson Page.
AZ the Hand OF the Raiders.
When Washington dispatched La
fayette TO the South. il was a command
carrying with IL great responsibility,
since he W.. enjoined: by no means
to allow CORVALLIS to get away" The
| British had been most successful in
capturing Charleston and Savannah.
and not until the battles of Guilford
Courthouse and Kings Mountain. did
| luck turn for America.
| Benedict Arnold was HghtinE In Vlr-