1865: Monsieur de Tocqueville’s Fourth of July Speech in Paris

Monsieur de Tocqueville’s Fourth of July Speech in Paris

Source: The Friend. Honolulu: July, 1865, page 56.

A number of years ago, says a writer in the Democratic Age, happening to be in Paris on the 4^th of July, with many other Americans, we agreed to celebrate “the day” by a dinner at the Hotel Meurice. There were seventy-two of us in all. We had but one guest. This was M. de Tocqueville, who had then rendered himself famous by his great work upon Democracy in America. During the festivities in the evening, after the cloth had been removed, and speechifying had commenced, some gentleman alluded en passant to the fact that he was born in Connecticut. 

“Connect-de-coot,” exclaimed Monsieur de Tocqueville, as he suddenly rose with the enthusiasm of a Frenchman. "Vy messieurs, I vill tell you, vid the permission of de Presidante of this festival, yon very leetal story, and then I vill give you yon grand sentiment, to dat little State you call Con-nect-de-coot. Yon day yen I was in de gallery of the House of Representatif, I held one map of the Confederation in my hand. Dere was yon leetle yellow spot dat dey call Connect-de-coot. 1 found by the Constitution, he was entitled to six of his boys to represent him on dat floor. But ven I make de acquaintance persone/fe with dc member, I find dat more than tirty of the Representation dat floor was born in Connect-de-coot. And then yen I was in the gallery of the House of the Senat, I find de Constitution permit Connect-de-coot to send two of his boys to represent him in dat Legislature. But once more ven I make de acquaintance personelle of the Senator, I find nine of de Senator was born in Connect-de-coot. So den, gentlemen, I have made my leetle speech; now I vill give you my grand sentiment:

"Connect-de-coot, the leetle yellow spot dat make dc clock-peddler, de school-master, and de senator. De first give you time ; the second tell you what you do with him ; and dc sird make your law and your civilization, — and then as he was resuming his seat amidst roars of laughter, he rose again, and with that peculiar gesticulation which characterizes all Frenchmen in moments of excitement, he shook his finger tremulously over the assembled confreres, and exclaimed to the top of his voice,' Ah! gentlemen, dat leetle yellow State you call Connect-de-coot is one very great miracle to me."