American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-12-17

my eloquent strain, adorned ny those graccs OF ora
tory for ahich he is distinguished:
.GENERAL: The House of Representatives of
the United States, mpelled alike by its own feel
| ings and by those of the whole American People,
could not have assigned TO me more gratifying
duty than that Of being its organ to present to you
cordial congratulations upon the occasion OF your
recent arrival in the United States, In compliance
with the wishes of Congress, and to assure you Of
the very high satisfaction which your presence
affords on this early theatre OF your glory and re-
nown. Although but few of the members who
compose this body shared with you IN the War OF
our Revolution all have knowledge, from Impair
tial history or from faithful tradition, OF the per
lis, the sufferings, and the sacrifices which you
voluntarily encountered, and the signal services, in
America and in Europe, which you performed tor
an infant, distant, and an alien people; and all
feel and own the very great extent OF the obligations
under which you have placed country But
the relations in which you have ever stood 10 the
United Staes interesting and important as they
have been, do not constitute the only motive OF the
respect and admiration which this House entertans
for YOU Your consistency of character, your Uni
form devotion to regulated liberty, in all the yciss-
tudes of long and arduous life, also commands Its
highest admiration During all the recent convui
sons of Europe, amidst, alter the dispersion oil,
every political storm, the people CT the United States
have ever beheld you true TO your old principles,
firm and erect, cheering and anlmatlng, with your
well-known voice, the votaries of Liberty, Its tath-
full and fearless champion, ready 10 shed the last
drop Of that blood which, here you SO freely and
nobly split in the same holy cause.
g. The vain wish has been sometimes ndulged
that Providence would allow the Patriot, after death
TO return to his country, and to contemplate the
intermediate changes which had taken place-to
view the forests feed, the cities built, the noun
lans leveIed, the canals cur, the highways con
Of thaa he rnP N
ofearnng, aud the increase of population. General
your present visit the United States is the reai
cation of the consong object OF that wish You
are in the midst of pose'y Every where you
must have been struck with the great changes
4 physical and moral which have occurred since you
left us. Even this very city, bearing yenerated
n pame alike endeared to you and to us, has since
emerged from the forest which then covered its
site In one respect you behold US unalered' and
that is in the sentiment of continued devotion to
liberty, and OF ardent af ction and profound graft
t1de to your departed friend heIaher OF his coun-
try and to your illustrous associates 10 the hed
\ and in the Cabinet for the multiplied blessings
N which surround US, and for the very privilege o'
N addressing you, which | now exercise. This sen
II tneni, now fondy cherished by more than ten
4 millions OF people, will be transmitted, with unabat
ed yigor, down the tide of time through the count
\ less millions who destined TO lnha5it this Cont
rent, TO their latest posteri'y."
To which address, General LA FAYETTE replied
in tone in which energy oil character and sensi-
Il bily Of feeling most interestingly blended
4 to the following effect:
"Mr. Speaker, and
n Gentlemen of the House of Representatives:
II "Whi!e the People of the United States and
\ their honorable Representatives in Congress have
l deigned to make choice Of me, one OF the Amer
can veterans, to signify in his person their esteem
i ioin and their attachment to the
principles Tor which have had the honor to light
N and bleed, am proud and happy to share those
extraordinary Iavors with my dear Revolutionary
\ companions-yet, it would be, ON my part, uncan
I did and ungrateful not to acknowledge my persona
share in those testimonies OF kindness, as they ex
cite in my breast emotions which no adequate words
could express.
4 nNy obligations to the United States sir, fa
exceed any merit might claim. They date iron
the time when have had the happiness to be adop
ted young soldier, favored son OF America
They have been continued to me during almos
half century of constant affection and confidence
and now sir thanks TO your most gratifying INVITA-
4 ton, find myself greeted by series OF welcomes
n one hour OF which would more than compensat
Tor the public exertions and suHerings OF who'll
life
i "The appreciation of the American people ant
4 their Representatives, for my conduct, during tn
4 yicissitndes Of the European Revolution, IS IN
highest reward could receive. Well may stan
Is arm and erect when, in their names, and b.
YOU MIR. Speaker, l am declared to have, IN ever
Instance been faithful to those American principle
OF liberty, equality and true social order the oevo
finn to which, it has been from my earliest youth
e. !, sbal continue 10 be to my latest breath
"You have been pleased, MIR. Speaker, to aiud
10 the peculiar felicity of my situation, when' ate
SO long an ABSENCE am called to witness inc iii
rnsnsr ;mnroyements, the admirable communities
tions, the prodiglous creations OF which we Ind
example in this City, whose name itself is vene