The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1922-02-28
French Delegates See Yorktown.


French Delegates See Yorktown
Before the members Of the French
delegation to the International CONFER
ence left Washington several OF the
chief officials, accompanied by many
of their subordinates,7 took q trip
down into Virginia to visit Yorktown,
where '140 years ago the French under
kocfambeau,, with, their 1compatrtot
Lafayette's aid, helped Washington 70
defeat the British and bring virtual
close to the Revolutionary war. IL 4%,'>
The French recently had something
Of Il controversy with the Germans
if the great war can be spoken % IN
50 light vein. The French once had
a controversy with the Germans over
the celebration at Yorktown. In the
wear 1881 the American government
made provision for the celebration OF
the ne-hundredth anniversary OF the
surrender Of CORVALLIS to Washlng-
ton, and invited representatives or
the French nation to be present. Ihey
accepted with alacrity.
Just at this time Horatio Seymour
of New York suggested that German
representatives be invited to the ceie-
bration because Won Steuben, Prus-
sian, had helped the Americans Ill the
Revolutionary war. Uncle Sam asker
the Germans to be represented. ana
they were. An unpleasant controversy
arose between the German VISITORS
and the French visitors, and It TOOK
a lot of tact to settle 1t, but since
then. the big war has happened and
probably the recollection or the httie
affair of 1881 has been wiped out.
Should Be Preserved.
Yorktown has been spoken OF as
totterine village. 1t is more than hit
decrepit with age, but it's years nave
been honorable and i'll this lie the
hone and belief that the American
Dcople will exert themselves to save
the historic places in the village from
the decay that more than threatens.
Here and there in Yorktown are
substantial old dwellings OF the colo
NAL period. They will outlast the build
ings Of a litter day, for they We're
| founded on the rock Of honest con-
| struction.
One old place has towering Chin"
news that, with the rest of the house.
! have a time.weary look, but dissom,
ton is not in sight because the build-
ers builded well. This Is the Thomas
Nelson house, and for time Corn
wallis made it his headquarters, Il
fact which came to the knowledge OF
the owner, who was with Washington
I'm the ranks of the beselgers.
Colonel Nelson went to the com
mander-in-cll and told him that the
British general was in ms house. and
that If guns could be brought to bear
with the residence us mark Corn
wallis might be crushed under the
falling walks If there was n good
heavy gun marksman in the American
army. They tell you today in York
, town that Colonel Nelson told his
| chief that he would sacrifice fifty
h0mestcads If he owned them to put
| CORVALLIS on the hospital list.
The American gunners fired away
ut the walls Of the Nelson home and
hit them three or four times. Corn
wallis was there, but It did not take
him long to learn the drift OF the
| shooting and he too: refuge In a cave
under parapet Of brickwork and
sand, and there he luy safely. Knowl'
edge of the change Of headquarters
came to Washington and the mouths
of the old s1nooth-bore cannon were
! turned away from the Nelson resi-
, dence, which today bears the marks
of the firing.
Monument Marks Historic Spot.
The monument which the United
! States government erected ut. York
town to mark the site Of the British
defeat that gave liberty to the col
onies rises 70 the height Of 100 feet
and it's summit IS surmounted by M
heroic figure OF the Goddess Of Lib
erty looking eastward to the sea. The
base Of the monument bears the in.
| scription: "Onc' Country, One Con
-