No. 256.
Mr. Morton
to Mr. Blaine.
Paris, October 28, 1881. (Received November 10.)
Sir: I have the honor to inform you that I accepted the invitation of the Franco-American committee to take part, on Monday the 24th instant, in a ceremony connected with the provisional erection of the Bartholdi statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World,” which is, when completed, to be erected in the harbor of New York, on a site to be set apart by the United States Government.
The following is a report of the proceedings, as published in Galignani’s Messenger, of the 25th instant, including the remarks made by Senator Laboulaye and myself.
[Page 433]M. Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty.
Yesterday the Hon. L. P. Morton, United States minister in Paris, visited the establishment of MM. Gaget, Gauthier et Cie, Rue de Chazelles, to fix the first rivet destined to unite to its basement M. Bartholdi’s statue of “Liberty Enlightening the World.” The premises were decorated with the French and American flags. His excellency was received on his arrival by M. Laboulaye, senator, president of the committee of the Franco-American Union, MM. Henri Martin and Bozerian, senators, the mayor of the seventeenth arrondissement, and others. The platform was suitably adorned for the occasion.
M. Laboulaye addressed the American minister in the following terms:
“One hundred years ago our brothers fought together to secure the independence of America. At that time was formed a friendship which during a century has undergone no change. In the trials which you have passed through the wishes of France have always been for the maintenance of the Union and prosperity of the Great Republic. It is in order to give a visible type of this venerable friendship that M. Bartholdi and his friends have proposed to the Americans to erect, at public cost, in the bay of New York, this magnificent statue of ‘Liberty Enlightening the World.’ May the next centenary awaken the same echoes in the hearts of our last descendants; may the compatriots of Washington, the compatriots of Lafayette, celebrate, as we do to-day, this fraternal union, which time will only have strengthened, for the perpetual friendship of France and America.” [Applause.]
Mr. Morton replied as follows:
“Mr. President and Gentlemen: I accepted with great pleasure the invitation with which your committee honored me, to take part in the ceremonies connected with the provisional inauguration of the colossal statue of Liberty, to commemorate the sympathy and friendship so long existing between France and the United States. When the Congress of the United States was informed by the President that citizens of France proposed to erect a colossal bronze statue of ‘Liberty Enlightening the World,’ upon one of the islands of New York Harbor, by a unanimous vote it authorized and directed the President to accept your gift, and to set apart a suitable site for its erection. He was directed also to cause it to be inaugurated, when completed, with such ceremonies as would serve to testify the gratitude of the people of the United States for a monument so felicitously expressive of the sympathy of her sister republic. [Applause.] The resolution of Congress also ordered suitable provision to be made for the future maintenance of the statue as a beacon, and for its permanent care and preservation as a monument of art and of the continued good-will of the great nation which aided us in our struggle for freedom.
“The names of Lafayette, Rochambeau, de Noailles, and others, associated with this new evidence of your friendship, have been household words in the Republic of the New World since their ancestors and their associates gave so freely of their blood and treasure to secure its independence. I should add to this roll of honor, if I might be allowed to do so in his presence, the name of your distinguished chairman, the gifted interpreter to the French people of our political institutions and national constitution. And now to this roll will be added the name of August Bartholdi, the distinguished sculptor and author of the grand statue which we inaugurate to-day.
“France and the United States have, during the last few days, joined in a celebration on the historic field of Yorktown, of the crowning victory secured by their allied armies one hundred years ago, and to-day we raise a monument to the liberty for which they fought. May this grand monument stand at the entrance of the great harbor of the New World as an illuminated emblem of friendship between the two leading republics of the world which shall last for all time to come.” [Loud applause.]
Amongst others present, we also noticed Senator Gibson, General Reed, Mr. Sands, Mr. Henry Vignaud, Mr. Pomeroy, chief secretary to the legation; Mr. Walker, consul-general; Count Serurier, M. L. Simonin, and M. Dietz Monin.
I have, &c.,