Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-02-07
IN THE SENATE.
MONDAY, JANUARY %, 1894.
THE MARQUIS DE L9F9YETTE

THE MARQUIS DE LaF.4YETTE.
Mr.. HAYNE. of S. e. from the Select Com
tnittse to whom was referred the resolution
IN relation Ia an intended visit of the Mar
quis " LAFAYETTE TO the United States, re-
ported the following amended resolutions:
The Marquis De LAFAyErrE having expressed
| his intenioD 10 revisit this country
Resoi,vd BY the Senate and House Of Representatives.
q The u States of .3nierca Congress assembled,
ihat the President he requested cosiniuuic ate
HIM the assurances of grateful and af-ciionate Mt
tachmen' sill cherished for him by the Government
aud People Of the u. States.
HID be IL further resoi,ed, That, whenever the
President shall he infoTRe, of the lime when the
narqu's may he ready 10 embark, that National
Ship (wiih Suitable accommodation he enployrd 10
bring him To the u States.
The resolutions having been read
Mr., HAYNE said that the committee, o
whom these resolutions were referred, had d.
rected him tn report them in a shape which, il
is believed, will meet the wishes, and accord
with the views, of every gentleman IN this
House. may, said Mr.. II. be permitted, IN
diridudliy, To indulge this hope, not only from
the character of the proposition, but alsu
from the mnanimiiy which prevailed in the
committee, composed, as il was, with the sin
gle exception of him who now addresses you,
Of statesmen and soldiers If the Revolution !;
men who have fought and bled, or suffered in
",
are entitled to the highest respect.
| have seldom, said AIR. Hayne, had more
delightful duty to perform, than that of re-
porting these resolutions in honor of the Mar
quis De NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. intended TO
give expression TO the feelings of veneraron
and attachment which the people of the Unit.
ed States have always cherished for that gal
liant soldier and devoted patriot. After an
absence from this country of nearly half "a
century, his services ARE still Z" freshly remem-
bered," while his virtues are enshrined in eve
ry American heart. There are men still left
among us, who we're his companions insarms,
or who, from their high stations IN the pub
lie service, witnessed his exertiOns in the field
! behold some of them now around me, &C.
copying seats in this Hall, and honoring BY
their presence, the councils Of the country ;
men, whose heads have indeed been bleached
by the revolution of many winters, but whose
hearts time has had no power to chill. Their
blossoms still swell with patriotic emotions, and
the warm current of unbroken affection rush.
es strongly towards the friends Of their Youth,
and tier old companions in arms. Perhaps
there exists no stronger tie than that which
binds the patriot and the soldier to those with
whom he has shared common dangers, and
achieved common victories. Such men, said
Mr.. Hayne, will excuse me, the members of
this honorable body will indulge me, while
| dwell, for few moments, on the charae-
ter and services the gallant Lafayette. We
are, II IS true, no strangers to his history, yet
we may REGAL some of the incidents of his
life with perfect satisfaction as few men have
ever exhibited so much purity in motive, and
so much virtue in conduct
| The era of the American Revolution found
the Marquis Lafayette young man, (only 10
years Of age,) in attendance at the court OF his
L H..
| by birth, of a distinguished family, and the
heir to large fortune, he might he said, in
the language of Lord Byron, io have been
g bred AN arlstocrat." That the earliest reflrc-
lions of such man should have taught him
the value of liberty that the earliest efforts
OF his ambition should have made him aspire
TO the character of bentfactOr Of mankind ;
that his very first step should have placed
him by the side Of patriots and heroes who
were fighting the battles offreedOm establish
es beyond all question, that he WAS a man
cast in no common mould" While other
noblemen Of his age and standing were
swelling the pomp and pageantry of power.
he resisted the Establishments ofthe Cour, ;
closed his breast against the Influence of plea
sure tore himself from his kindred aud his
native land,to vindicate, in A nerica, The rights
Of man Ii is recorded by The historians of
the day, that the American Commissioners at
Paris, in consequence of an Unfa yOrable turn
IN the tide of our affairs, strongly dissuaded
the youthful soldier from taking that decisive
step, and il is positively asserted, that the
French Monarch, 80 far from encouraging the
enterprise, actually issued orders for his ar
rest. They wrrr una,ang; for what obsta-
Giles are iDsuptrable to the noble in souI-the
firm IN heart--fhe stpadfast in purpose ? La
fayette fitted oui an expedition at his own pri-
| vQtk- l..
fortunes in the cause Of freedom. He arrived
at Charleston early in l777, and, not withstand
ing his extreme youth, WAS Immediately ap-
pointed by Congress Major General in the
American Army. From that period to the
termination of the contest. he reformed, With
extraordinary zeal and fidelity, all the duties
incident 10 his exaIted station; and proved
himself on all occasions, IA high-mndpd and
accomplished gentleman, a gallant soldier, and
cOnsummate Captain. AT the battle of
Brandywine, he freely shed his blood in our
service, and, in the campaign Of 1881, he was
entrusted by Washington with the command
of a separate army for the deGrnce of Virginia.
He fulfilled that high duty to the perfect sa
tlsiactiOn of the Commander in Chief, and 10
|, the admiration of the whole country. II is
sufficient praise to say that, on that 0crason
hr, with very inferior force, bdTied the skill
and frustrated the plans of tie " all accom-
plished CORVALLIS"
; All who knew Lafayette during the Revo-
luton, bear united testimony to- his uncom-
mon merit. The histories Of that day are
filed with instances Of his galIantry and good
conduct. But why muIiiply proofs ? Hi:
besI eulosy was embraced in single SEN
tence Washington ,oas his(riend! Witnes:
The letter written by his own hand, while
b President Of the u. States, To the Empercr ri
! Germany, tsoliciiing the release Of the Mar
quis from the prison into which he had been