-[4]_Quand le coeur est plein il deborde, et
ce soir mon coeur est plein de la France, mais_--Oh, there I go, again
wandering with Coudert away from the mother-tongue. [Laughter.]

I have no doubt all the gentlemen here to-night of an American turn of
mind wish that the mantle of Elijah of old had fallen upon the shoulders
of Mr. Coudert, for then he might have stood some chance of being
translated. [Laughter.] A few years ago distinguished military men from
abroad came here to participate in the celebration of the 100th
anniversary of the surrender of Yorktown by Lord Cornwallis. They were
invited here by the Government, the descendants of all distinguished
foreigners, to participate in that historical event, except the
descendants of Lord Cornwallis. [Laughter.] And if our French guests had
been here then, and had gone down and seen Yorktown, they would not have
wondered that Cornwallis gave up that place; their only astonishment
would have been that he consented to remain there as long as he did.
[Laughter.]

But, Mr. President, upon a subject fraught with so much interest to us
all, and with so much dignity, let me, before I close, speak a few words
in all seriousness. If we would properly appreciate the depth and the
lasting nature of that traditional friendship between the two nations,
which is the child of the French Alliance, we must consider the
conditions of history at the time that alliance was formed. For years a
desperate war had been waged between the most powerful of nations and
the weakest of peoples, struggling to become a nation. The American
coffers had been drained, the spirit of the people was waning, hope was
fading, and patriot hearts who had never despaired before were now
bowed in the dust. The trials of the Continental army had never been
matched since the trade of war began. Their sufferings had never been
equalled since the days of the early Christian martyrs. While courage
still animated the hearts of the people, and their leaders never took
counsel of their fears, yet a general gloom had settled down upon the
land. Then we saw a light breaking in upon our eastern horizon, a light
which grew in brilliancy until it became to us a true bow of promise.
That light came from the brave land of France. [Enthusiastic cheering.]

Then hope raised our standards; then joy brightened our crest; then it
was, that when we saw Gates and Lincoln and Greene and Washington, we
saw standing shoulder to shoul