who have sent help to our victims of the war, those youths who have succored our wounded or who have actually enlisted as the French had done in '76, and for those bold heroes whom one of the successors of George Washington has called The Lafayettes of the Air.'

"President Finley wrote one of the books in which we French take most pride, about our former explorers of the valley of the Mississippi; he gave it a title with two meanings, so one may choose: The French in the Heart of America.'

"After this war and when what has been done by so many American citizens shall be better known, a book will be written in France which will be called, America in the Heart of the French.""

Judge Parker then said:

"The Ambassador from the United States to France, being in this country on a much needed vacation, has come all the way from his home, 600 miles, to greet his friend, the Ambassador from France, and to join with us in celebrating the birthday of Lafayette. He has no place on the program. Indeed I did not know that he would be here until we were about to assemble. Under the circumstances we can hardly ask him to make an address, but I do hope that he will join us in greeting our distinguished guests."

Address by Hon. William Graves Sharp

Mr. Sharp spoke as follows:

"I have a feeling of gratitude towards our Honorable Chairman to-day for letting me down so easily; for if you had expected much of a speech from me at this eleventh hour, he has certainly found a way of providing a most excellent excuse, in better form than I could have done. It is a little difficult to make an address before such a distinguished audience as is here to-day with out some preparation. It is more difficult and trying when what you thought you would say about France of to-day has been ruthlessly taken from under you, as it was taken away by the distinguished gentleman, Dr. Finley, who has just preceded me. For I did want to say something, not so much about Lafayette, of more than a century ago thought that is an inspiring subject to an American audience always but I did want to say a few words about this noble country and its noble people of today.

"It is true that my coming was in a way unheralded. When I received the invitation, rather delayed in coming to me, I at first

thought that I might not have the time to spend on account of the shortness of my vacation; but when I revolved over in my mind the many courtesies and many acts of kindness that the Government of France has uniformly shown me and I am glad to say on every occasion manifested likewise to the Government of the United States and to the people of the United States and actuated by the additional motive of again seeing the distinguished Ambassador from France to America, who typifies in so many ways the nobility of the French people, I decided to be present here today.

"The gentleman who preceded me just hit upon one theme that I was going to take a few minutes to speak of and that is when he pointed out that the French sentiment, and French inspiration, if I may call it such, that is demonstrated today—I may not use his exact language, but the thought is the same was not born today, nor yesterday, but is inmate and inherent in that noble race.

"No one could live among the French people without testifying to that fact and observing it everywhere.

"As you walk in the parks and upon the boulevards and upon the streets, you are impressed more than ever with the truth of the old saying that the child is verily father to the man; because no race of people can show the solicitude for the proper training of the heart and mind of a child as France does without producing a great and perpetually strong nation. You see it manifested everywhere, and what I say today in praise of the French people, their courage, their patriotism, their sense of justice, their politeness that we sometimes misconstrue on this side of the Atlantic and confuse with a superficial veneering when it reaches to the heart and from the heart outward, all those words of praise, every neutral government on the face of the earth and even those who are fighting against France today, are willing to accord to that great country.

"As I sat here today and learned that this is a comparatively new event, I believed inaugurated last year for the first time, I was glad that there is a promise for its perpetuity. It calls to my mind a scene across the Atlantic in the outskirts of Paris, in one of those numerous cemeteries, inconspicuous in size as well as locality, where all that is mortal of Lafayette is buried, a simple tomb, as indeed the tomb is simple of his great compatriot, George Washington, at Mount Vernon. At the side of that tomb it has been the custom for many years past for the representatives of the American colony in Paris to gather on the 4th day of July and deposit a beautiful wreath of flowers and commemorate the

services of that great patriot. I am glad that you are about to inaugurate the same custom here, and I hope that it will grow and continue in popular favor. I hope it will do much to cement in fraternal ties of affection the two great peoples of the two great republics."

Closing Remarks by Judge Parker

Judge Parker said:

"Mr. Ambassador: We are grateful for your presence and thank you for your address. The great conflict beyond the seas which saddens all hearts in America and which we hope will soon cease, does not prevent us from allowing our affection to stray where it will. Our country is neutral but that neutrality does not compel us to forget - aye, we could not forget if we would — the fact that France first recognized our government. We could not forget if we would that it was closely followed by two treaties, one of them of alliance and of vital importance to the United States, and certainly we never will forget while the life of the United States lasts your fleet in our harbor and your soldiers at Yorktown.

"May I in closing the exercises read a few sentences from the order of President Jackson, issued to the Army and Navy upon receiving news of the death of Lafayette:

"Lafayette was a citizen of France but he was a distinguished friend of the United States. In his early life he embarked in that contest which secured freedom and independence to our country. His services and sacrifices constitute part of our Revolutionary history, and his memory will be second only to that of Washington in the hearts of the American people. In his own country and in ours he was a zealous and uniform friend and advocate of rational liberty. Consistent in his principles and conduct, he never, during a long life, committed an act which exposed him to just accusation or which will expose his memory to reproach. Engaged in many of the important events which fixed the attention of the world and invited to guide the destinies of France at two of the most momentous eras of her history, his political integrity and personal disinterestedness have not been called into question. He came in his youth to defend our country. He came in the maturity of his age to witness her growth, in all the elements of prosperity, and while witnessing these he received those testimonials of national gratitude which proved how strong was his hold upon the affections of the American people. In ordering this homage to be paid to the memory of one so honorable in the field, so wise in council, so endeared in private life and so well and favorably known to both hemispheres, the President feels assured that he is anticipating the sentiments not of the Army and Navy alone, but of the whole American people.'"

The meeting then adjourned.

III

OTHER AMENITIES

Message to the President of the French Republic

After the exercises, the following message was cabled to President Poincare of France:

"On the fourteenth of July fifteen private citizens of seven different states of the Union and constituting the Lafayette Day National Committee issued a request to the American people suitably to observe the anniversary of Lafayette's birth September sixth. The form of the request was similar to the one issued last year by the same group with the addition of the following: 'Issuing this call on July 14th when France commemorates her struggles for liberty we are not unmindful that by honoring Lafayette upon his anniversary, a date made doubly memorable by the Battle of the Marne, we will be giving expression to the sentiment of fraternal regard for our sister republic which exists among all elements of our people.' This request has met with general sympathetic recognition and Lafayette Day bids fair to become a recognized American anniversary. A large number of patriotic socities have evidenced deep interest therein and in a number of cities, New Orleans, San Francisco, Boston and elsewhere commemorative ceremonies were held. In this city many buildings were decorated with the colors of both countries, as were the statutes of Washington and of Lafayette and the municipal authorities gave their official aid and recognition, tendering for the purpose the City Hall in which Lafayette was welcomed on his last visit to America. An official escort conducted the Ambassador of France and Madame Jusserand, the Consul General of France and their respective staffs to the City Hall where they were received by the Acting Mayor. The meeting was presided over by Alton B. Parker, former chief judge of the Court of Appeals and after a formal welcome by the City authorities, addresses were delivered by Mr. Bacon, sometime Ambassador to France, Mr. Sharp, the present ambassador to France and President Finley, the head of the State Department of Education. The Ambassador of France, who received throughout the day a continuous ovation such as has seldom if ever been accorded here to the envoy of any nation, closed the occasion by responding on behalf of the French Republic. We take gratification in convey ing information of these matters to you, testifying as they do to

the sincere friendship of the American people for France. Detailed report of all the various ceremonies which occurred will be forwarded later through the French Ambassador.

(Signed):

"ALTON B. PARKER, Chairman of the meeting;

JOSEPH H. CHOATE, honorary president;

CHARLES STEWART DAVISON, honorary secretary;
HENRY WINTHROP HARDON, treasurer;

FRANK A. VANDERLIP;

MAURICE LÉON;

WILLIAM D. GUTHRIE;

GEORGE W. BURLEIGH;

WILLIAM A. COFFIN.

Heads of Committees for Lafayette Day."

The following reply thereto was received by Judge Parker from the French Ambassador:

My dear Mr. Chairman: My Government informs me that the Lafayette Committee were so good as to cable to the President of the French Republic an account of the manifestations of sympathy towards France which have taken place in New York and in other cities on the occasion of the birthday of the celebrated French patriot and friend of America.

"In accordance with the instructions I have just received, I have the honor to tender to you and to all those who united their efforts to yours, the sincere thanks of President Poincare who desires also that his congratulations be conveyed to you for the admirable way in which you thus help to bring nearer together the French and the American peoples.

"Allow me to add in my personal name the expression of my gratitude and compliments for the commemoration which it was my privilege to witness in the historical City Hall. The speeches by Ambassador Sharp, by ex-ambassador Bacon and by Dr. Finley ought, with yours, to be preserved; all that took place was worthy of the occasion; no one was worthier than our Chairman who presided the meeting with so much eloquence and dignity. "I have the honor to be, with best regards, etc.

JUSSERAND."

In the evening a Lafayette Day banquet was held at the Waldorf-Astoria under the auspices of the France-American Society which was attended by some 350 representative citizens, and at which addresses were delivered under the chairmanship of