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24 Pub. Cont. Newsl. 1 (1988-1989)

handle is hein.journals/procurlw24 and id is 1 raw text is: Section of Public Contract Law, American Bar Association Volume 24, Number 1, Fall 1988 The French Connection The font for much of our culture and social fabric- e.g., the common law, trial by jury and control of the purse strings by the legis- lature-is British. But we also are deeply indebted to the French. Our Constitu- tion and its separation of powers owe much to ear- lier writings of Charles Montesquieu. The victory at Yorktown, which estab- lished our independence, bears a French seal. Enthused over the news of the American Revolu- The U.S. Capitol tion, young Marquis de Lafayette joined George Washington's army in 1777 and was appointed a major general. Lafayette shared the lean, disheartening early years of the revolution with Washington, assisted in obtaining French sup- port and distinguished himself at Yorktown. The Comte de Rochambeau and his 6,000 French regulars joined Washington on the Hudson in July 1781, assisted in developing a plan to strike south at General Cornwallis, and then provided needed muscle in the Yorktown campaign. A French fleet under Admiral de Grasse blockaded Chesapeake Bay, preventing relief or escape for the Cornwallis forces. The latter's surrender on October 19, 1781, effectively ended the war. On November 4 and 5, 1988, as we approach the 200th anniversaries of George Washington's in- auguration in May 1789, and the decision one year later to place our nation's Capital on the banks of the Potomac, our Section's Council will meet at the Four Seasons Hotel in Washington, D.C., for the fall meeting. Knowledgeable speakers will address The Worldwide Consequences of Government Conract Suspension and Debarment in a CLE pro- gram on Friday, November 4. The following day, JaCK WOlOWIeC the Council will meet under Chairman Tom Mad- den to discuss and act on current procurement is- sues. They are not in short supply. We hope you will join us for both events. The French connection can be seen as you roam through Washington, D.C., during what usually is a lovely time of the year. Lafayette Park lies across the street from the White House. Pierre L'Enfant designed the city. He interrupted many of the ma- jor avenues with circles-such as Washington Cir- cle on Pennsylvania Avenue near the Four Seasons Hotel. L'Enfant believed that the French Revolu- tion could have been resisted better, had such cir- cles been available to government forces. However, for today's visitors to Washington, D.C., it is to a British scientist (and the U.S. tax- payer) that the deepest gratitude may be owed. In 1829, James Smithson willed his fortune to the United States for the establishment of the Smith- sonian Institution for the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men. For lovers of art, nat- ural history, space, science, technology, other cul- tures and our own great country, the Smithsonian is a rich, vast, and always changing experience. U Issue Highlights: Chairman's Column, page 2 e Choice of Forum in Federal Contract Disputes, page 3 * Section Directory, pull-out section