TROUBLE  OVER  THE  KING'S  BOUNTY

This  special  bounty  of  the  French  King  came  very  nearly
being  the  cause  of  a  serious  split  between  Congress  and
Washington.  •

As  the  money  brought  out  on  the  Concorde  was  designed  as  a
special  succor  to  the  army,  it  was  proposed,  after  a  part  was  paid
for  munitions  purchased  in  Europe,  the  rest  should  be  disbursed
by  General  Washington  as  he  should  consider  best  for  the
general  good.
Having  determined  upon  this  course  Doctor  Franklin  was
informed.  He  at  once  communicated  the  fact  to  Congress,
where  the  suggestion  was  received  with  considerable  alarm.
a  Rochambeau  (ttie  younger)  (Donatien  Marie  Joseph  de  Vimeur  Vicorate  de)  ki-
herited  the  warlike  instincts  and  won  the  progressive  honors  of  rank  of  his  distin
guished  parent  from  cornet  to  lieutenant-general.  He  was  born  at  the  family  chateau
at  Vendome,  and  received  his  military  education  at  Brienne,  where  he  won  all  the
prizes  for  text-book  proficiency  in  the  art  of  war.  He  accompanied  his  father  to
America  and  bore  an  honorable  part  in  all  its  military  performances.  After  the  war,
returning  to  France  he  fought  with  merit  under  the  great  Napoleon.  He  was  in  com
mand  in  Santo  Domingo,  where  he  conducted  an  heroic  defense  when  besieged  by  the
English.  Compelled  to  surrender  to  starvation  and  numbers,  in  violation  of  an  agree
ment  to  his  return  to  France,  he  was  held  a  prisoner  in  England  for  eight  years.  At
last  reaching  France  he  at  once  took  service  under  Napoleon,  and  two  years  later  (1813)
fell  at  the  battle  of  Leipsic.
