Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-08-31

He uoie ner 10 her native France
10 ner own patrlnonial woods of La GRANGE
Revived not rescued, she lived to behold the 20
turn OF her son, the reunion of her e,r,;I, ~,
then sunk into the tomb
| on The return OF Napoleon from Eliza. he do.
puted his brother Joseph to solicit General r.,
Fiyette's acceptance of the peerage. s.ShonId
1 ever again appear on the scene of pubIic GGt,,
replied La Fayette to the ex-king of Spain sit
can only he as representative of the neople ),
lie was accordingly elected, by his own depar,-
thent meinbero Of the Corps Legislatif. and nc
he had himself expressed il, in the chamla. q,
deputies ''a veteran in the cause of iiberty: ;,
stranger TO faction" he exhibited in 1916 10 his
country, bright untarnisled model OF the true
| pure, mcorruptablc consiitutionalists of 1889.
w nose views Tor the liberty and happiness OF
their coutry had been successfully and cgect,,.
ally frustrated, by The sord seliislness of anti.
quated privilege, by the. factious intrip,,es OF
saugnnary democracy, and by the aspiring
views of bold, boundlcss & aespoiic ambition. -
vt tue expiration Of 80 years u "A Favette appears
before bis country, with the same immutabiIi-
ty OF principle, the same energy OF spirit and
'orce oi eioquence, as was possessed by him, to
whom America raises statues, ere manhood had
shed its down upon his check. To whom the
military spirit of France devoted a sword of
victory, formed out of the dungeon- bars of the
Bastille, which he had broken!
III was among the generous feelings of Bona
parte to hold the virtues of La Fayette in vepe
ration. Acknowledgements was brought to him.
10 the bourbon Elysee, pending the discussions
oil the dictatorship that La Fayette was in tle
| tribune, haranguing the assembly; he reiterated
the disastrous inteiligencc:-ssLa Favctte IN the
trlDnne!" While spoon, with which he was
tri;iing, fell from his Hand; and his countcDancc
proclaimed his conviction that ssall was oycr.n
The conduct of La Fayette during this most
eventful period, when he invoked the represen-
taiVcs OF The people Ito rally around the ma
tionai standard of 789" when he asserted flat
''it belonged to them to defend the honor and
Independence off'rancc against the pretensions
OF the enemy" is fresh in every recollection
But IT may not be uninterestng to those, who
have admired him only i'm public life TO follow
this brave warrior and real patriot, from the
scene OF unequal contention, TO that retreat of
peace where the Hnlder eXcellencies of the man
are called into full existence, and even now ap-
peaTed fresh and unauthorized by the time and
suffering In all the unpretcnding simplicity of
| genuine, intrinsic virtue.
The residence of General La Fayette. is
the Chateau of La Grange Bessnau lies in the
! fertile district Of La Bic; so remote from any
| high road, So lonely, so wood c mbossed, that =
| spot more scquestered more apparently distant
| from the busting world, and all lis scenes of
coniiict and activity, can scarcely be imagined.
In the midst ofthis fertile and luXuriant wilder.
ness, rising above prolific orchards and ANTIGUA
ted woods appears the hnc towers of La Grange
Blessnan, unged with the golden rays of the set
ting sun. The deep moat, the draw bridge the
ivicd tower, and arched portals, opening into
the square court, has feudal and picturesce
character; and combined with the reserved tints
and fine repose of the evening, associated with
\ that eXaitstiuH CT feeling winch belonged TO the
: moment preceding first interview with those
within whom the mind has long dwelt with adj
miration or interest.
We there find Gen. La Fayette surrounded
by his patrarcha famiy;--his excellent son and
daughter-in-iaw, his two daughters, and their
husbands: eleven grand children, and a veneer
able grand uncle, the cX-grand prior of Malta,
with his hair as white as snow, and his cross
and his order worn proudly as when he had
! issued forth at the head of his pious troops A.
gaVlst the ''pay MIN foe' or Christian enemy.
We naturally expect to find strong traces OF
| time IN the form of those, with whose name and
! deeds we have been long acquainted; of those
who have obtained the sutfTages of the world.
almost before we had entered il. But on the
! person of La Fayette time has left TO impress
| sion; scarce wrinkle burrows the ample brow;
and his unbent and noble figure is still as up
right, bold and vigorous, as the mind that in
forms il: Grace, strength and dignity still dis
tingushes the fine person Of this extraordinary
man, who, though more than forty years before
| the world, engaged iii scenes of strange and
dreadful conflict, does not yet appear to have
reached his clinacteric. Busting and active
on his farm, graceful and elegant in his saloon il
Is difficult 10 trace in one OF the most successful
agrcuturalists, and one of the most perfect fine
gentlemen that France has produced, warrior
and legislator, the patriot, how ever, is always
discernable.
| In full possession of every faculty and talent
he ever possessed, the memory of La Fayette,
has'all the tenacity of unworn youthful rccollec-
ton, and besides these, his high views ofalI tit
IS most elevated in the minds conceptions: His
conversation is brilliantly enriched with anec
dote5 of all that is celebrated in character and
vent, for the last fifty years. He still talk, with
unwcard delight of his visit to England TO his
| friend Mr.. Fox, and dwelt on the witchery of
the late Dutchcss of Deyonslrre, with almost
bOyish enthusiasm. He speaks and writes Eng
! lisb with the same elegance he does his native
tongue. lie has made himseIfmastcr of all that
is best worth knowing, ill literature and phio
sophy. His library contains many of the most
eminent authors upon all subjects. His elegant
and well chosen collection of books occupies one
of the highest apartments in one of the towers Of
the Chateau; and like the study of Montagne
hangs over the farm yard Of the philosophical ag-
ricuIturalist. ''It frequently lappens'' said La
Fayette, t'that my nerinoes, and ms nay carts
dispute my attention with Hume or Volare.n
The chateau of La Grange does not, however,
want other points Of interest--Founded by Lou
is de eros, and occupied by the Prince of Lor-
raine, the mark of a cannon ball is still visible in
one Of tue towers which penetrated the mason
nv, when attacked by Marcchal Turenue; Here
in the Main but spacious eating room, the pea
santry of the ueigbbourhood, aud the domestcs