Evening star., 1919-08-24
j. S. TO CELEBRATE
LAFAYETTE'S BIRTH
162d Anniversary Falls on
September 6-0fered
Services to America.

The 1921 birthday anniversary OF
Lafayette will be celebrated through
out the United States September s.
under auspices of the Lafayette day
national committee. of which Charles
Stewart Dawson is honorary secre-
tary. Other members are Charles w.
Eliot. Moorfield Storey. Joseph H.
Choate. jr.; Henry Van Dyke. George
w. Wickersham, George Haven Put
nam. William d. Guthrie. Henry Wat
terson. Charles J. Bonaparte. Caspar
F. Goodrich. w. r. Hodges. Charles
p. johnson, Judson Harmon. Myron
T. Herrick and Maurice Leon. record
ing secretary.
Gilbert Du Motier. Marquis de La
fayette. was born September 6. 1887.
in Auvergne. France. He was left an
orphan at thirteen years of age and
inherited large fortune.
AS between the life of a courtier
and. soldier. he chose the latter,
subjecting himself to the severesr
training. When scarcely eighteen
years old the struggles of the thir-
teen colonies came to his notice. He
was then a captain of the dragons at
the French garrison of Metz He is
quoted as having said:
NO Ambition to Fulnll.
LAS the defender of that liberty
which 1 adore. free myself beyond all
others, coming as friend to offer my
services to this most interesting re-
public, / bring with me nothing but
my own free heart and my own good
will, no ambition to fulfill and no
selfish interest to serve: If l am strfv
ing for my own glory, / am at the
same time laboring for its welfare
The happiness of America is inti-
mately connected with the happiness
come the safe and venerable asylum
of virtue, of honesty, of tolerance. of
equality and Of peaceful liberty"
He bought and secretly equipped
vessel named the Victory, to trans
port himself and a few companions
across the Atlantic. After a seven
week voyage they landed near
Charleston, and a tedious journey c.
800 miles awaited them. Arriving in
Philadelphia, the seat of government
at that time. they presented their
credentials. At first Congress did not
believe in the disinterested motives Of
men who had endured untold hard
ships to help an unknown people, but.
determined to gain hearing. La
fayette wrote asking two favors of
Congress:
May Serve Without Pay.
"One is that / may serve without
pay, at my own expense: the other
that ! may be allowed to serve at
first as a volunteer"
This amazing offer attracted at
tention. Lafayette's services were ac-
cepted and he was given the rank OF
major general.
His twentieth birthday was cele-
brated six months after he set sail
from France, yet Gen. Washington
addressed Congress concerning the
titled volunteer:
"It is my opinion that the command
of troops cannot be in better hands
than Lafayette's. He possesses un-
common military talents. is Of quick
and sound judgment, persevering ana
enterprising. without rashness. ana
besides these. he Is of a conciliating
qualities that rarely combine in the
same person"
On this recommendation Lafayette
was appointed to command division.
In the winter of 1777-l77S he shared
hardships of Valley Forge.
He spent the winter of 1873 in
France. in persuading the French
government to send ships and troops.
Supplies for the continental army were
arranged for in French markets.
More than 5000 soldiers and a feet
of seven ships came to the aid of the
colonies, under command of the Comte
de Rochambeau. after Lafayette's en-
treaty.
When Lafayette appeared Washing
ton had a mere handful OF men the
resources of the country had given
out. The colonies had been bled al
most white. Three thousand Ameri-
cans alone remained in arms.
Marshaled Troops to Yorktown.
Under the leadership of Washing
ton, Lafayette and Rochambeau mar
shaled all troops to Yorktown. where
the siege eliminated on the 18th of
October, 1871. in the surrender OF
CORVALLIS with 5000 men, SEQ sailors.
PA guns and 20 flags. Thus the war
for independence was won.
Ambassador Van Dyke said OF La
fayette:
Thus it was that America enrolled
in the imperishable cause of liberty
a most noble, perfect knight. a man
at Brandywfne he fought with the
blood running out Of his boots; a man
so devoted that he refused the abso-
Lutte command Of an army to invade
Canada, because he detected in this
offer q cabal against his chief; a man
so unselfish that he resigned the lead
ership of the troops to another at
Monmouth, because his chief wished
it; a man SO courteous that he neither
took nor gave offense: man so stead
fast that he never relaxed his efforts
until the alliance between France and
America bore fruit in the presence OF
the French fleet and the French army
under Rochambeau at Yorktown. and
then a man so high-minded that he
would not advance to crush Corn
wallis until Washington was present
to command the final victory"
ana-ean 0lnl q lAlnl IaEn