The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-08-02

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chief Of the American armies; and how, when
Washington did arrive. Lafayette was one Of the
very first to lead storming party: how Admiral
de Grasses fleet did all and more than could be
expected Of 1t. until Lord CORVALLIS and his
army had surrendered and been disarmed, are
facts that every good American knows.
In this final struggle the whole force Of the
colonies consisted of 1000 men of Washington's
army, 5000 under Rochambeau and 5000 Of De
Grasses French marines and sailors
Would 1t have been possible for US to win with
out the aid of France? Washington and Frank
lin believed not Fifty years afterward when
the question was asked of Charles Carroll OF
Carrollton, then the only man alive who had
signed the Declaration Of Independence, that
venerable Christian and statesman replied:
ut was Gods WILL"
It will always be muchvexed question how
much financial aid France rendered America. II
seems impossible to straighten out the account.
Professor Marion Of the College OF France mas
expressed the opinion that the total expenditures
were fully 2OOO,OOO.OOO livres. Much information
will be found in his "Histoire Financiere de la
France depuis 1915" Fiske in his Critical
Period" puts the expenditure of France at 1.4OO,'
100000 francs. Trevelyan states the following
in a note to his American Revolution :" 1T was
calculated that between the years 177S and 17st
the war with England cost the French treasury
f4SOOO0OO. 1t was the main cause Of those hnan'
cial difficulties which led Immediately up to the
Revolution of 1889" This would be equivalent
to 1900 100000 livres (francs) or $240OOOOOO, at
a time when the purchasing power OF money was
nearly three times what 1t Is In our day.
When victory was ours Lafayette went home
to France. He came back for q short time In
1884. Then came the French revolution. Lafay'
cite from first to last consistently advocated a
limited constitutional monarchy for France. His
experiences were many. including five years IN
an Austrian prison. from which ne was reeaseo
by Napoleon in 1897.
In 1924, when Lafayette was sixty-seven, he was
invited by President Monroe to visit the United
States. He came as the guest Of the nation In
pursuance of an unanimous resolution passed Dy
congress- The occasion was the dedication OF
Bunker Hill monument He made trumphhl
tour of the twenty-four states of the Union.
Every possible honor showered upon him.
Probably the most moving event in the whole tour
was his visit to the tomb Of Washington. Inc
climax was the ceremony at Bunker Hill.
Lafayette lived ten years longer. When Pres
ident Andrew Jackson heard the news of his death
in 1884 he ordered on behalf Of the whole Ameri-
can people "that the same honors be rendered
upon this occasion at the different military ana
naval stations were observed upon the oecease
of Washington, the Father OF His Country, and
his contemporary in arms"
LAFAYETTE has been dead So years His clay IL
dust But his soul still lives. 1t has breathed
courage into the breasts of war-worn French SOL
diers. 1t has wept over the deported ensaved
and outraged women of his native land-over the
slaughter Of the innocents And who may doubt
that his soul called across the ocean:
'Help us, America Help helped you!"
At first we did not hear, or If hearing, did not
answer But at last we heard and needed and
went The fighting men of France staggering
with wounds, dizzy with fatigue, and the women
of France white with horror over an impending
fate worse than DEATH saw the Star-Spangled
Banner afar and cried in thankfulness:
1.-THE Americans are coming!
We arrived-young husky smiling, larkinG
fighting men. The French loved us for our looks
and our ways But could we fight? Then came
June and Chateau-Thierry. when we stopped the
flower of the German shock troops In their tracks,
attacked in turn, put the Hun on the run and
kept him running! No wonder all France went
delirious with JOY.
That was what promised through "Black
lack" Pershing when he saluted at the tomb in
the little cemetery Of Picpus in Paris and said:
Lafayette, we are here"
And we made the promise good He and his
Young. husky, smiling larking fighting men struck
the finishing blow which guaranteed that French
men may pursue their honest toll in peace and
that French women, with babe at breast may
sleep at night without fear of the Beast. Il
Such was Lafayette great soul. gallant
soul. the living embodiment Of the noblestf ideal
for which men can generously live and glofiously
die.
"The liberty we hold secure, ~
The soil on which we tread,
That air Of freedom that we break "a
The flag that floats oerhead; /
That nation on whose history -