Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-12-11
FOR rug EyouaRrR,

FOX The ENQUIRER.
IA. ornament to hume na,sre"--Js|srsA
MISUNDERSTANDING OF A REPUBLIC
The Marquis de u Fayette married at the
age Of Is or n.
| He was in possession Of an estate worth 5
or millions Of francs.
His wife, lady of the house Of NOailles,
was worth in her own right half amillion,
and was entitled 10 u reversion of half million
| more.
Family, fortune, love, every thing was cal
Sulated to conAne him u his home, to France;
but the circumstances Of the times and the
generosity q his own spirit, determined it o.
ltherwise.
He was at Metz, captain in the French
service. The Duke Of Gloucester, a Prince
Royal % England met with him there. The
Duke had beea alienated from bis court by
their refusing 60 assist him to divorce. lie
was in opposition TO the ministers, and of
course Ia the American war. Csnversng
with him, reused by the principles Of the A.
iser,can revolution, which were still more
strongly explained by some EngIisI papers.
which the Duke happened TO carry with him,
La +. was fired with the love Of liberty. He
determined 10 assist US.
AT the end of l9, he visited England for the
first and the last time. He repaired thither
for the purpose of making the necessary AR
rangements to go to America. The Count de
NoaiIles, the Minister at the English court,
was his near relation. 1t Was necessary to
keep from him, from the English court, and
from The world the secret resolution which he
had formed, and was then executing. 1t was
no easy matter TO do this. He wasa relation
Of the French minister; he appeared and
danced at the court occasionally associated
with the Princes an object oil some nutorie-
~; yet he was prudent enough to elude sus-
i piclon. He was even invited 10 go to Ply
mouth, TO see the ileet and armament under
\ Sir II. Clinton, which were then going to A
merica; but he refused under the persuasion
that it would be playing too much the part Of
spy. Finding his vessel tn be nearly equip
ped in French port, he hurried TO Paris, u
soidnS the impOrtunate solicitations Of the
+ minister for his further stay in London, by a
little bndinage.
In Paris, new difficulty awaited him.
: The American affairs were then al How ebb.
Her handful Of troops were pursued through
the Jerseys. The most ardent enthusiast in
the cause began to quail. 1t was at this gloo-
my crisis, that our commissioners at Paris
with the rnest reGned generosity of soul, sci
before La Fayette the difficulties which sur
rounded their country, and the dangers he
was about to encounter. With even superior
generosity, he was determined to brave every
: extremity, and to hurry his departure.
!. His court got wind Of his designs. They
r We're afraid, as La +. had been to England
where his uncle was their minister, aud wher.
ne had made SO many preparations, that hi:
enterprise would be aacribed 10 their interyen.
: ton. They were not at that moment wiling
10 incur the resentment OF u. Britain, by an
act too, which promised no real assistance to
the Americans. For, good officers might have
been Ut real use to US but what could be
expected from so young man ?* They
determined to prevent his enbarkatIon. He
eluded their vigilance. They determined to
arrest him on the seas and dispatched two
irigates after him but they went, as WAS then
the route, TO Americas, circuitousiy by the w.
Indies. La Fayette went direct, and thus
! missed them.-On his arrival, at Georgetown
IN .. Carolina, he was fortunate enough tn
escape two British armed vessels which had
been laying of the harbour. A hurricane had
arisen, and drove them on. He slipped into
his port, and made good his Iandi0g. Al
night, landing on an unknown shore, with an
interpreter, the first house he met with was
that Of Huger the father of the gallant colo
mel, who attempted 80 long afterwards to res.
cue him from the dungeons Of OImuIz.
What he did for us, II is scarcely necessary
TO repeat. He gave his time, his purse, hi.
! blood 10 our Cause. He furnished US with
arms; uniformed some of our officers; cloth
: ed our troops, and gave them shues, while
their feet were bleeding through the winter.
SHOWS.
lie visited France; reused the people ant
the Court to our assistance and brought u.
$ fresh resources.-He was commissioned b,
e. Washington TO guard Virginia against the hes
commander in the British army But "ths
boy" foiied CORVALLIS; threw his shield uyel
irurr
by Washington, he pressed with him the seg.
ofYok, stormed the redoubt--nor ever rest
!, ed, till he had seen these u. States in fact, al
, they were in right, free, sovereign, and in
y dependent states"
i His services TO mankind do not end here
s He transferred the fame Of liberty to his ow,
IS country. But France was not America: IN
4 revolution failed, and In Fayette became
4 victim. Yet this distinguished proof of ma
a tional respect was paid TO hun even amid hi
misfortunes; that though his estate was con
: Gscsted, no one was found hardy enough 4
bid for il at auction. IL was finally dispose,
!. OF by way Of lottery. Delivered from IN
= PRISM OF Oimuiz, he returned TO see his coun
y Try under the sccptre Of Bonaparte. But, h.
was neither TO be awed 10y his power, nor So
duced by his temptations. He de6ed both
tie resisted the snri0us Establishments, an,
The most seductive oters, whichthe Empero
could employ. When the allies were ap
preaching Paris, after the battle of Waterloo
and the scepire Of Bonsparte was falling from
'e sgrssp, La +. made o6ce more an effort u,
70 establish a republican government, to compe
q the resignation Of the Emperor, to rouse tn
81 nation, and to expel the Invaders. He failed
IL from the coward'ce OF some, and the iresche
~ ry Of others.
~ The Bourbops were restored; and La I
o sill remained true to his principles. He with