The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-04-27
v. s. DEBT TO FRANCE
II Was France That Gave Liberty 4
America.

. IL was ETdHSC Ildk odNc LlUCTtJ u
America.
Editor of The Banner
The Vermont Society Sons of the
American Revolution would like to
aid in some way in the war agains;
Germany Many of our members are
| too old TO fight but it has been sug-
/ gested that we might hold patriotic
meetings for the better education OF
our people on our relation 10 the
world war and for arousing q patrio-
| tic spirit. If our treasury permitted
we would like to do this, but nnfor-
| tunately we lack the means with
which TO hire halls and pay the ex-
penses of speakers and bands. In this
we can to the national cause through
this communication which We Will
ask the press OF our State to give 10
| the public. 1t relates to our debt to
Franco debt contracted in the
! Revolution-which we have never
paid.
Lafayette's place in the history OF
the American people is only partly
| understood 1t is true that he was
the first to come to our aid in the
dark days of the war. and that 1t was
through his influence largely, that
France sent the fleets and armies
whose cooperation with our forces
resulted in the defeat of the British
| army under CORVALLIS; but 1t was
| the French nation that gave us the
victory and bound us by debt OF
| gratitude which we can now dis
| charge
At the first news OF the Revolution
Lafayette was seized with enthusiasm
| for the cause of the Colonists. and,
evading the government officials, he
set sail with eleven companions,
among them Baron DeKalb, and land
ed at Charleston, S. c., in April, 17T7.
The expenses. of this expedition We're
borne. wholly by Lafayette. His ar
He was given the frank Ct Major
General and was attached to the staff
of General Washington. who regard
ed him with the greatest affection and
Iesteem He was in the Battle Of
DIVINE and with General Wash
ington at Valley Forge In 1878. He
Escaped with his command from q
vastly superior force of the British at
Barren Hill and fought brilliantly
with Lee Monmouth and command
ed with Sullivan and Greene the land
forces dispatched to cooperate with
the French fleet in the attack on New
port. On the breaking out of war be-
tween France and England Lafayette
returned to his native country and
urged the King to dispatch both
land and naval force to cid the
Americans. The next year he was
back in service and was stationed on
the Hudson. He was member of
the court martial that condemned
Major Andre to death. He was placed
in command of 1900 New England
troops to operate against Benedict
Arnold in Virginia and was continued
in command after the arrival there
of CORVALLIS with 5000 troops. THE
boy cannot escape me. said Corn
wallis as he pursued him, but the boy
did escape him He effected a juno
ton with 1000 Pennsylvania troops
under Wayne, and reinforced by the
militia from the mountains, he fought
CORVALLIS near Albemarle, after
which the English Commander re-
treated with Lafayette in pursuit with
1000 men, An indecisive action oc-
Cured at Green Springs. after which
CORVALLIS retreated to Yorktown. On
Al. or h. Af
wallis at the latter place, Lafayette
was publicly thanked by Washington
The French army and navy came,
not without grave apprehensions on
the part of the people as to the wis
dom of permitting foreign army to
land upon American soil, but not the
slightest incident of an unfavorable
nature occurred, and France, as al
concession in return, never asked for
an inch of American territory for any
purpose, nor a phrase of a capitula
tory understanding beyond the usual
subjects of convention between
States.
The presence of the French officers
and soldiers eXerted an influence be-
yond their mere number in overturn-
ing British rule in the States. During
their stay they made a pronounced
impression upon polite life in general
and gave a French trend to the tran
sition from Colonial to National ex
istence. The men in many cases rep
resented the best nobility of blood
and individual culture of country
famed for etiquette and good breed
ing. They adapted themselves al
fably to their new surroundings and
freely mingled with the people. The
correspondence of Washington evil
dences this.
The entire strength of the land and
naval forces sent by France to us
consisted of 35 battalions of grena-
diers and infantry, companies of ar
tillery, companies of lancers, COM
panies OF hussars, with tool of H.
$50 officers and men; CO ships of the
line, frigates and smaller vessels of
war, exclusive of transports, carrying
1868 guns and 32,609 officers and men,