h diplomatic
representatives in America, and members of the families descended from
our foreign sympathizers and helpers, General Lafayette, Count de
Rochambeau, Count de Grasse, Baron von Steuben, and others, who were
present at the Centennial celebration of the victory at Yorktown. The
chairman, James M. Brown, Vice-President of the Chamber of Commerce,
proposed the following toast: "The French Alliance; the amicable
relations between our two countries founded in 1778, by the Treaty of
Amity and Commerce, between the nation of France and the American
people, cemented in blood in 1781, renewed by this visit of our
distinguished guests, will, we trust, be perpetuated through all
time."]

MR. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN OF THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:--It is
with great pride, as well as with great pleasure, that I respond to the
call in behalf of the merchants of the United States, as represented by
the merchants of the great city of the United States, through this
ancient guild of the Chamber of Commerce, in paying their tribute of
honor and applause to the French nation, that was present as a nation in
the contest of our Revolution, and is present here as a nation by its
representatives to-day [applause]; and to the great Frenchmen that were
present with their personal heroism in the struggles of the Revolution,
and are present here in their personal descendants, to see the fruits of
that Revolution, and to receive our respectful greeting [applause]; and
to the Germans who were present, where they could not have been spared
in the great trials of our feeble nation in its struggles against the
greatest power in the world, and who are here, by the descendants of
those heroic Germans, to join in this feast of freedom and of glory.
[Applause.]

But I felt a little doubt, Mr. Chairman, whether the etiquette of this
occasion required me to speak in my own tongue, or in the German or the
French, for I speak French and German equally well [laughter], but I
thought it would be a poor compliment, after all, to talk to these
Frenchmen, or these Germans, in their native tongues. They surely hear
enough of that at home. [Laughter.]

Well, Mr. President, the French Alliance was one of the noblest
transactions in history. The sixth day of February, 1778, witnessed the
Treaty of Alliance and the accompanying Treaty of Amity and Commerce
which filled out our Declaration of Independence, and made that an
assured trium