The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1917-09-07
Our Debt to France



days of 1776, that tried mems souls.
Some think the Declaration of In
dependence established our indepcnd-
ence, forgetting the years which fol-
lowed, when our lettering cause made
even Washington despair.
Prior to the Declaration, France
had sent over a million dollars to
aid US, and in October, 1776, our three
commissioners were sent to France to
plead for US. Benjamin Franklin's ne
gotiations soon brought forth fruit and
it was agreed that France should fur
nish US two million livres a year; and
three ships laden with military stores
were dispatched to assist US.
Then, though the government of
France was not prepared to send US
troops, volunteers were not wanting,
who cast their lot in with the cause of
liberty. Lafayette, though but nine
teen years of age, bought and fitted out
a vessel, sailing in April, 1777. From
this time on, numerous individuals in
France contributed large sums of
money, among them the beautiful
Duchess of Orleans, who gave to John
Paul Jones at one time SAT 900 to fit
out the "Bon Home Richard" donating
it, she said, "to the great cause of
which he was the ablest and bravest
champion of the sea"
The arrival of Lafayette, as a mo-
ment of grave perplexity for Wash
ington, brought cheer and inspiration.
Washington welcomed almost as a
son the modest Frenchman, who said:
81 am here to learn and not to teach"
and who during the next two years
rendered such brilliant military SER
vice, returning to France in 1779 to
secure for US the help he saw that we
must have. He urged the immediate
sending of 10000 troops, and of the
necessary fleet, and in April, 1880, he
returned to America announcing the
success of his mission.
This good news came in times of
deepest gloom when even the valiant
spirit of Washington was almost van-
quighed. The army was freezing,
starving and without money or clothes.
The soldiers without shoes left bloody
footprints behind them as they
marched. The finances were in a most
deplorable condition and paper cur
rency was truly not worth "Conti-
nental". Indian corn sold in Boston
for $3.50 bushel, butter for $12 a
pound; a barrel of flour cost $1,575,
and Samuel Adams paid $4,000 for
suit of clothes; it took ten paper dol
lars to make one cent. And Wash
ington declared wagon load of mon
ey was needed to buy wagon load of
food. It was then that the glorious
tidings came, France would send men
and ships and food. There was indeed
rejoicing when in July. seven ships and
three frigates arrived in Newport
bringing 5000 men under Count Roch-
ambeau, with news of reinforcements
to come. And so the year of 1880,
which had witnessed the humiliation
of two armies, the bankruptcy of Con-
gress, the spread of treason and mu-
tiny, brought a great hope from
France. And the announcement of the
French Alliance placed US before all
Europe as an acknowledged independ-
ent nation.
Daily the debt to France increased
as the end of the conflict approached.
At Yorktown, Lafayette, with only
10000 troops, skillfully Unanswered
his inferior force until CORVALLIS,
who had come out to "crush the boy"
thought it wise to retreat to his base
of operations by the sea, where pres
emily "the boy" held him at bay. Mean
while, with keen expectancy Washing
ton awaited for news of the arrival of
the French feet commanded by de
Grasse-twenty-e ships, six frig-
ates carrying LOO guns and 10000
men. And when the glorious news
that they had come gladdened the
heart of Washington, he, with 1000
Continentals, accompanied by Rosh-
ambeau with 1000 Frenchmen, began
a march, the destination of which was
known to only these two commanders.
On August 81, the great French
squadron was on the scene having
gained decisive victory over Admit
raj Graves, and taken full possession
of the Virginia waters, with 700 men
killed or wounded in the engagement.
And now, while the French held the
sea, 5000 of their troops were sent
ashore under the Marquis Saint Sim
on, which by reinforcing Lafayette
enabled him to take his stand across
the peninsula at Williamsburg, thus
cutting off CORVALLIS from possible
retreat. So for six days the French
men held CORVALLIS until the arrival
of Washington and Rochambcau with
the additional 1000 Frenchmen. 1t
was a victory for France as well as
America, when on October 10Th, the
enemy surrendered.
1t was day of happy omen not on
ly for the United States and for
France but for Great Britain as we'll
for it meant the fall of the corrupt
and shameless government of George
III - A. A:..4l. IL Il. e.l....l