The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-06-27

thief of the American armies and how, when
Washington did arrive, Lafayette of the
very first to lead storming party; how Admiral
lie Grasses fleet did all and more than could be
expected of it, 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 Washngton's
army, 5000 under Rochainbeau and 1900 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 afteward when
the question was asked of Charles Carroll OF
Carrollton then the only alive who had
signed the Declaration Of Independence. that
venerable Christian and statesman replied:
at was Gods will"
1t 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 2OOOOOO.OOO lvres Much information
will be found in his "Histoire Financiere de IA
France depuis 1715." Fiske In his Critical
PERIOD puts the expenditure of France at 1,4O0
100000 francs. Trevelyan states the following
In note to his american Revolutions = 1T was
calculated that between the years 177S and 1881
the war with England cost the French treasury
48OOOOOO 1t was the main cause of those hnAii'
cia difficulties which led Immediately up to the
Revolution of 1899" This would be equivalent
to 1 2OO0OOOO0 livres (francs), or $24o,oo0ooo NJ
a time when the purchasing power OF money was
nearly three times what 1t Is in our day
When victory Lafayette went home
70 France He came back for short time in
1854 Then came the French revolution. Lafny-
cite from first to last consistently advocated "a
limited constitutional monarchy for France. His
tnoI dino fVQ
an Austrian prison, from which he was released
by Napoleon In 1897
In 1924 when Lafayette slxty-seven, he was
invited by President Monroe to visit the United
States He came as the guest of the nation III
pursuance of an unanimous resolution passed by
congress The occasion the dedication Of
Bunker Hill monument He made triumphnl
tour Of the twenty-four states Of the unoI..
Every possible honor showered upon him.
Probably the most moving event in the whole tour
was his visit to the tomb Of Washington. The
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 render"
upon this occasion at the different military aho
naval stations as were observed upon the deceas'
of Washington, the Father Of His Country, anu
his contemporary In arms.
LAFAYETTE has been dead 85 years His clay Is
dust But his soul still lives. 1t has breathes
courage into the breasts Of war-worn French sol
diers II has wept the deported, ensiaVe'
and outraged women of his native land-over thu
slaughter Of the nnocents And who mag doub
that his soul called across the ocean:
Help us, America Help US as helped you =
At first we did not hear. or if hearing, did no
answer But at last heard and needed nnt
went. The fighting men of France. staggering
with wounds, dizzy with fatigue and the wome'
of France white with horror over an impending
fate worse than death, the Star Spangle'
Banner afar and cried in thankfulness:
"The Americans are coming!
We nrrived-young husky smiling larkin
fighting men. The French loved us for our look
md our ways But could fight? Then cam
June and Chateau-Thierry. when we stopped tn
flower of the German shock troops In their tracks
attacked In turn, put the Hun on the run an
kent him running No wonder all France Wen
delirious with JOY.
That was what we promised through "Blac
lack" Pershng, when he saluted at the tomb
the little cemetery of Picpus In Paris and said
Lafayette. we are here
And we made the promise good He ard h
Young husky smiling lnrking fighting men strue
tho finishing blow which guaranteed that Frencl
men rnav pursue their honest toll In peace al
that French women. with babe at breast, ma
s,eep at night without fear of the Beast.
Such was Lafayette-a great soul, gaal
sou, the living embodiment of the noblest ide
for which men can generously live and glorious
die.
1.-THE liberty we hold secure
The soil on which tread,
That air Of freedom that we breathe
The flag that floats o'erhead;
That nation whose history
The sun shall never set
All that we have and hold we