lOO JUSSERAND: REPLY 



Everything in such a present powerfully appeals to a 

 French mind. It represents a man ever venerated and 

 admired in my country — the scientist, the philosopher, 

 the inventor, the leader of men, the one who gave to 

 France her first notion of what true Americans really 

 were. " When you were in France," the Marquis de 

 Chastellux wrote later to Franklin, " there was no need 

 to praise the Americans. We had only to say: Look; 

 here is their representative." 



The gift is offered in this town of Philadelphia where 

 there exists a hall the very name of which is especially 

 dear to every American and every French heart — the 

 Hall of Independence — and at a gathering of a society 

 founded " for promoting useful knowledge," which has 

 remained true to its principle, worthy of its founder, 

 and which numbers many whose fame is equally great 

 on both sides of the ocean. 



I receive it at the hands of one of the best servants of 

 the State which this great country ever produced, no less 

 admired at the head of her diplomacy now than he was 

 lately at the head of her Army, one of those rare men 

 who prove the right man, whatever be the place. You 

 have listened to his words, and you will agree with me 

 when I say that I shall have two golden gifts to forward 

 to my Government: the medal and Secretary Root's 

 speech. 



