The Franklin bicentenary was brilliantly celebrated in Paris yesterday week
at the unveiling of a statue presented by Mr. Harjes, of Philadelphia. After speeches by the American Ambassador in Paris and by the Minister for Public Works, an eloquent address was given by Mr. Albert Smyth, the editor of Franklin's works, who attended as official American delegate. Mr. Smyth reminded his hearers of the fact that, before he was driven into separatism, Franklin had been an ardent Imperialist whose ideal was a confederated union of free and autonomous States, and recalled his fanciful desire to be preserved in a cask of Madeira with a few friends and restored to life a hundred years later to note the progress of America. Were that desire granted, said Mr. Smyth, Franklin "would find two great and proud nations justifying his unchanging faith in popular instincts and institutions, celebrating in comradeship the words he spoke and the deeds he did, and holding in grateful and perpetual memory his lifelong labours and sacrifices. And he who so often repeated that there never was a good War or a bad peace would have rejoiced to note the complete reconciliation of old-time foes,
and have learned with joy that the three countries for whose welfare he had toiled and suffered were now in blessed friend- ship, communicating through paths of peace the bounty and the benison of civilisation to the world."
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