the Father of his Country, for, without him, who shall dare to say that his country, as we know it, would have been? His calm and patient republican greatness justified, to the ardent LAFAYETTE, his faith and his hope. LAFAYETTE saw that American independence, as represented by WASHINGTON, was not a miracle, a subversion, a violent interruption of historic sequence, but a continuous development of British freedom on another continent, and under other conditions. The American Republic was unfolded from principle and precedent and tradition, as a full-blown rose opens from the bud. In WASHINGTON, LAFAYETTE saw America as we see yonder statue in the bay-calm, regnant, self-possessed-a mighty figure of Liberty, standing on the western shore, lifting to the stars a light as glorious as their own, because heralding the peaceful federation of the world; and he went home to teach revolutionary France to light her torch at the inextinguishable fires of constitutional liberty. [Great applause.] This, at last, his native land has done; and republican France to-day is the political child of WASHINGTON, and the dream of LAFAYETTE fulfilled. And as the glory of republican liberty more and more enlightens the world, it is a glory in which the name of LAFAYETTE will be inseparable from that of WASHINGTON. [Long continued applause and cheering.]

THE PRESIDENT.-Gentlemen, I beg now to introduce to you General PÉLISSIER. [Loud applause greeted General PÉLISSIER.] He spoke as follows:

SPEECH OF GENERAL PÉLissier.

MESSIEURS: Le sénat français nous a fait l'honneur, à mon cher collègue et ami le vice-amiral JAURÈS et à moi, de nous déléguer pour le représenter à l'inauguration de la statue de la Liberté éclairant le monde. C'est en effet, un très grand honneur de venir à travers l'Océan et devant vous raviver la vieille et constante amitié qui unit nos deux peuples.

Votre histoire est d'hier. Mais nulle nation n'en possède une plus glorieuse. A peine votre immense territoire comptait-il trois millions d'Européens, tous fils d'hommes qui avaient quitté leur patrie pour trouver dans les forêts et les solitudes du NouveauMonde l'abri de leur liberté, qu'opprimés par les tyrans de la métropole, ils ont secoué le joug et su conquérir leur indépendance.

Grâce à un homme de génie, digne de l'admiration des siècles, le généralissime WASHINGTON, qui unissait tant de bravoure à la prudence, tant de grandeur d'âme à la simplicité, et qui fut le fondateur et le Solon de votre République ; grâce à l'héroïsme invincible de vos pères secondés par LAFAYETTE, ROCHAMBEAU et la flotte de GRASSE, Votre peuple énergique a pu enfin obtenir le mémorable traité de Versailles du 3 Septembre 1783, et jeter les solides assises d'une puisssante nation devenue rapidement prospère.

Ce sont les Etats-Unis qui, les premiers dans l'univers, ont donné pour fondement à la liberté les droits imprescriptibles de l'humanité.

La grande révolution française n'a fait que les imiter. L'Ancien Monde a été instruit par le Nouveau. Veuillez agréer à cet égard les plus cordiales fèlicitations du sénat de la République française, par l'organe de l'un de ses questeurs.

Toutes les nations rivalisent d'efforts pour conquérir une suprématie enviable, sans se préoccuper des sacrifices que cela leur coûte, pour se nuire plus souvent que pour s'enrichir.

Par vous, l'Angleterre en a fait l'épreuve, et c'est à Boston qu'a commencé la résistance à ses malheureuses fiscalités, résistance couronnée par la victoire à laquelle vous devez votre indépendance.

Là est la preuve qu'il n'y a qu' une suprématie véritablement honorable et sûre, celle qui peut rapprocher tous les peuples dans un réciproque sentiment d'estime et de respect du droit primordial de l'homme.

Sous ce rapport, la République des Etats-Unis et la France, qui ont fraternisé sur les champs de bataille Américains aux grands jours de votre émancipation, peuvent se dire sœurs et réellement libérales.

Salut profond et respectueux, à toi colossale statue de la Liberté ! Tu brilles dans ta splendeur comme un phare lumineux sur les bords de l'Atlantique.

Oui, gigantesque bronze symbolisant la LIBERTÉ, tu traverseras les âges en éclairant les peuples par tes rayons éblouissants! Tu rappelleras aux générations futures ce que furent les Etats-Unis pour la France et ce que la France fut pour eux. Tu leur démontreras que la LIBERTÉ, qui fit la rapide et splendide fortune du nouveau monde, est appelée à renouveler le vieux monde et à le transformer.

Oui, par toi, ô LIBERTÉ, deux grands et généreux peuples auront été les véritables initiateurs de la civilisation moderne, les pionniers, les défenseurs invincibles de la saine démocratie pour le triomphe de laquelle ils ont combattu ensemble en se couvrant de gloire.

Veuillez permettre à un soldat qui ne vise pas à l'éloquence d'être bref et d'émettre devant vous un vœu cher à sou cœur patriotique. Il existe entre les Etats-Unis et la France des liens indissolubles. Nous applaudissons, nous Français, à tout ce qui accroit la gloire de votre nation.

Que les liens l'amitié qui nous unissent depuis plus d'un siècle se resserrent davantage encore !

Que nos sympathies mutuelles soient de plus en plus vives!

Qu'aux jours graves, nous ne cessions jamais d'être unis comme aux jours où ROCHAMBEAU a si utilement aidé le plus grand homme d'Amérique, WASHINGTON, à terminer, à sa gloire et à la vôtre, la plus héroïque des luttes pour l'indépendance et la liberté !

Vive la République des Etats-Unis, grande et glorieuse! Vive la véritable liberté qui ne cessera plus d'éclairer le monde, par vous, avec vous et la France, ma noble et généreuse patrie!

Messieurs, Si nous somme fiers de la mission qui nous a été confiée, plus encore nos cœurs sont-ils émus, touchés de la chaleureuse et grande manifestation dont nous avons été témoins, en cette mémorable journée.

Nous avons vu votre armée, vu vos milices et vos marins. Leur aspect, leur attitude alerte et martiale sous les armes, justifient la haute opinion que la France a de vos forces nationales.

Nous avons constamment suivi avec le plus grand intérêt, la plus vive sympathie, vos faits militaires, et nous sommes-nous associés de tous nos sentiments les plus chauds dans le passé, et nous associerions-nous, s'il y avait lieu dans l'avenir, au succès de vos armes.

Aussi, en souvenir de WASHINGTON et de LAFAYETTE, ces deux héros de l'indépendance Américaine et de la liberté, au nom de l'armée française, j'élève cette coupe aux forces de terre de la banniére étoilée.

The President said he had just received a note from Governor HILL, stating that an unexpected engagement prevented his presence at the Banquet; and also a note from Mayor GRACE, regretting that sudden illness rendered it impossible for him to attend. The President read the following letters from the Hon. JOHN G. CARLISLE, Speaker of the House of Representatives of the United States, and from Governor LEON ABBETT, of New-Jersey:

CORNELIUS N. BLISS, Esq.,

COVINGTON, Ky., October 18, 1886.

New-York:

DEAR SIR: Absence from home, and a pressure of engagements since my return, have prevented an earlier response to your kind invitation to attend the Banquet to be given by the Chamber of Commerce to the Representatives of the French Republic on the 28th of the present month. I assure you that nothing less than the most imperative engagements elsewhere could prevent me from availing myself of the opportunity to be present upon an occasion so full of interest to the governments and people of the two great Republics, and I regret exceedingly that it will not be in my power to attend. The inauguration of the colossal Statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World," a gift from the people of France to the people of the United States, marks a happy era in the history of that friendly intercourse between the two nations which began more than a century ago, and has continued without serious interruption through all the vicissitudes of European and American political and commercial complications. No more appropriate memorial of this long continued friendship could have been designed, and no more appropriate time for its formal and official inauguration could have been selected. Both nations now have Republican forms of government and both are now at peace, not only within their own borders, but with all the world. After the stormy scenes through which they have passed, and the wonderful triumphs they have achieved, it is most appropriate that the two old friends should meet to exchange tokens of their fidelity to each other and to the principles of liberty which constitute the oldest and strongest tie between them. Both have been sorely

tried by the perils of war; both have won renown on land and sea; and both have demonstrated, after the struggle was over, that the achievements of an industrious and enterprising people, in time of peace, and in a free country, eclipse all the glories of their armies and navies. The Statue of Liberty will commemorate these peaceful victories as well as the mutual friendship and common sentiments and ambitions of the people who have worn them. It will stand like a giant sentinel at the gates of our greatest city to light the paths of commerce, to welcome the victims of oppression who may seek our shores, and to warn the people who keep the citadel of our liberties against every approaching danger. May it stand forever, and may the people of France and America meet everywhere in friendship as long as its light shall shine!

Yours truly,
(Signed,)

J. G. CARLISLE.

STATE OF NEW-JERSEY, EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,

Mr. CORNELIUS N. BLISS,

TRENTON, October 21, 1886.

Chamber of Commerce, New York City:

DEAR SIR: I am in receipt of the kind invitation of the Chamber of Commerce to attend the Banquet, to be given in honor of the Representatives of the French Republic and their guests, on the 28th of October.

It would afford me great pleasure to be present at the Banquet connected with the Inauguration of the Statue of "Liberty Enlightening the World," but I am prevented by engagements heretofore made, and shall be deprived of that pleasure.

I send you my warmest greetings and congratulations upon the successful inauguration of the magnificent Statue of Liberty, whose light for coming ages will shine over our beautiful harbor, and will always remind us of the friendship that binds the two great republics of the world in bonds of amity and union.

THE PRESIDENT.-The next toast is "BARTHOLDI! Jupiter ayant une forte migraine, Vulcain lui ouvrit la tête d'un coup de hache; Minerve en sortit tout armée."-(Ancienne Mythologie.)

"BARTHOLDI: Jupiter one day had a severe headache; Vulcan opened his head with an axe; Minerva came forth fully armed."— (Ancient Mythology.)

Loud and prolonged cheers greeted M. BARTHOLDI, who was introduced by the President as one who no longer needed any introduction to Americans.

SPEECH OF M. BARTHOLDI.

GENTLEMEN: You will excuse me if I make any mistakes in my English. As Mr. COUDERT told you, every one has his own tongue. As for myself, I am at the mercy of my tongue. [Laughter.] I will attempt to speak to you in your own language; but while I have confidence in my power to speak French pretty well, I am not quite sure that I have the same confidence with regard to English. [Laughter.] I see in the title of this toast that Jupiter was fortunate enough to give birth to Minerva with a plain little headache. [Laughter.] I am obliged to confess that my headache has been somewhat longer. [Laughter and applause.] I have now had that headache for about fifteen years; and if I had not received the most kindly and beneficent support I believe that no axe would have opened my head enough to bring out the Statue of Liberty. [Cries of "bravo," laughter and applause.]

There was a time when I met with many difficulties. It was in 1876-when the site for my statue was not quite settled. Mr. J. SEAVER PAGE, of your City, had the kindness to support me in Philadelphia, because the Philadelphia people thought that, as Philadelphia was the city which gave birth to Liberty, the statue should be there. I, however, was quite convinced that the best place for the statue would be in the harbor of New-York, which is the gate of the grand Republic. [Loud applause.] Such was my first idea when I came to America, and I have seen no reason to change its place. Somebody called me once "the Columbus of Bedloe's Island." [Laughter. They said nobody had known of Bedloe's Island before I came here. I am obliged to confess that I did discover it. [Renewed laughter.] The first time I saw it I congratulated myself on my luck in having such an excellent

site.

I

Gentlemen, if I had to pass through many trials during those years, as I told you, a single minute of this great day which has just passed has more than repaid me. [Cries of "Bravo!" and applause.] I cannot tell you how much I feel moved by the sympathy which has been extended to me, by the "shake-hands received from all the people I met on my trip. Indeed, I have been so deeply moved that I find it quite beyond my power to express to you the gratitude I feel. I can only give you my most cordial thanks for the honors which you have conferred upon me. [Applause.] I accept them as meant not for me alone, and take all these kindly demonstrations as an evidence of your good will toward the sculptor of the statue unveiled to-day, but at the same time I accept them as your tribute to my country. [Cheers.] And it is my greatest joy that in thus bringing this statue to America I have brought you a present from my country, from France—yes, from Alsace herself. [Loud and enthusiastic applause.]

THE PRESIDENT.-Gentlemen, the next regular toast is "À LA FRANCE! Notre Créancière. Celui qui croit pouvoir ne pas s'ac