Winchester gazette. [volume] (Winchester, Va.) 18??-1826, 1824-12-31

alone amount to something like eight J
thousand dollars. Would any gentleman
in this Hall say, that General Lafayette
was not as well entitled to his half pay
as the family of General Hamilton were
after his decease
But was this all? No, said Mr.. L., i,
is not all. tits knewn as a public histo-
rical fact, that Laiay ette, when he came
to this country, brought also important
and very necessary supplies to large
amount-an immense amount, consider
ing that it was the offering OF single in
dividual. What was the cost of those
supplies, is information which chance
alone has thrown in our way. Every one
knew that it was great; but mere for
tutous circumstance led gentleman,
lately at Paris, TO inquire into what had
been the pecuniary sacrifice of Lafayette
in the cause OF the United States during
the Revolution and he obtained docu-
ment which shows precisely what money
Lafayette did eXpend in our cause, at that
time. MIR. l.. here made a statement
corresponding with that yesterday made
in the Senate by MIR. HAYNE, establish
ing that the expenditure of Lafayette, for
the use of the United States, during the
War of the Revolution, was 100000
francs, or 100000 dollars, besides sums
medestly kept out OF the account, which
would have increased that sum. Add
this amount to that which is Justly due to
him ion half pay for life, said Mr. L., and
say whether a fair, honest, and equitable
ca Ion, IF tI1a
and the United States, would not leave us
in debt, to him, interest included, more
than double the amount which the COM
mittee had reported in his favor. Here,
then, sir, is an account OF dollars and
cents, since gentlemen desire it: here is
something to satisfy the most scrupulous.
When you offer 10 Gen. Lafayette these
two hundred thousand dollars, you do not
pay the debt-you do not pay what you
justly oace to him. am very much afraid
sir, that, in going through this detail,
may wound the delicacy of the gentleman
concerned; for L am persuaded that no
circumstances would have induced him to
bring forward, as debt, what he gaze to
us. Half of his princely estates he free
" spent in our service, without any other
recompense than the secret satisfaction of
aiding the cause of liberty, to which he
from his cradle had devoted himself.
Mr. l.. said he would not press upon
the House arguments drawn from the feel
ing of the People of the United States on
this subject. Those feelings, said he, are
well known: and from what | know of
the temp. of this House, and of the feel
ngs of th> gentlemen who compose il.
there is not one of them who will not re-
greet that any consideration OF what he be-
heves to be his duty will prevent him
from giving his assent to this bill / vet
trust, however, that the vote on the bill
will be unanimous. | hope it will be
seen that the whole House is moved bv
one consentaneouS feeling, of obedience
to the wishes of our constituents-one de-
sire OF expressing the sentiment of nation
al gratitude which we owe to the nature
of the government under which we act
one wish TO satisfy our own feelings. do
not believe there is one gentleman in this
House who will not excessively regret.
that any notion of his duty, or regard to
the disposition of the funds of the coun-
try, would prevent his giving vote for
this bill
One circumstance there was, in relation
to General Lafayette, which, though it did
not come strictly into account, as forming
demand upon this government, furnished
an argument which could not but strongly
appeal to this house in favor of that distin-
guished individual. Mr.. l.. here stated
the circumstance of the location of General
Lafayette's land in the vicinity of New Or
leans, and his giving it up to the city, &c.
substantially as stated in the Senate yes
terday by MIR. Hayne. MIR. l.. had the
advantage of personal knowledge of the
facts, and of having been the medium OF
communication with General LAFAYETTE on
that subject. General l.. declared, on
that occasion, he would enter into no liti-
CATION with any one in regard to a grant
which the United States had thought pro-
per to make to him. He Withdrew the
location he had made on a most valuable
land, now worth 100000 dollars. and
transferred it to land hardly worth a dol
lar an acre. MIR. Livingston said he knew
an idea had been held out, tia, the remain
der of thefand granted to the General bv
Congress had been sold very well. What
had been obtained for it, he did not know;
but he could say, for certainly, that, if any
body had given one dollar an acre for it,
they had made a bad bargain. That part
Of it which he was acquainted with he
would not have for a gilt. The lands
which the General yet held were Of no