Edwardsville spectator. [volume] (Edwardsville, Ill.) 1819-1826, 1825-10-08
LA FAYErrE's DEPARTURE.

From the National Journal, September 9.
On Wednesday, long before noon, the
hustle of military preparations was beard
IN our streets, In which the stores were,
Tor the most part, closed, aad all the
usual business was suspended, 10 enable
our citizens to join in the farewell cere-
monies to General La FAYETTE About
IL O'Clock the Corporations OF the Dis
trict proceeded 10 the Presidents House
and soon afterw ards, The President, at
tended by the Secretaries Of State, the
Treasury and the Navy, (the Secretary
OF War being absent from the Cry,) the
Postmaster General and the principal OIL
ficers of the government, accompanied
General La Fayelte toto the large en-
trance hall, where number of citizens
were in waiting to take leave OF the ve-
nerable Guest of the Nation. Ia the
midst of the circle the General took his
stand, when the President addressed him
In the following terms;
ADDRESS
OF the President ofthe United States 10
Gen. La Faystte, on taking leaue Of
him at his departure on The TN SET
TENDER.
GENERAL La FAYErrE: II has been
the good fortune OF many OF my fellow
citizens, during the course OF the year
now elapsed, upon your arrival at their
respective places of abode, to greet you
with the welcome of the Nation. The
less pleasing task now devolyes upon me,
OF bidding you, in the name oil the Ma
ton, Adieu.
II were M longer ssasonable and
would be superhuous, to recapltulate
the marked incidents OF your early life
incidents which associated your name,
fortune and reputation, in inperisha5ic
connexion with the independence aud
history ofthe North American Union.
The part which you performed at that
important Juncture was marked with
characters SO peculiar, that, realizing the
fairest fable Of antiquity, It's parallel cou ID
scarcely be found in the authentic records
OF human history.
You deliberately and perscveringly
preferred toil, danger, the endurance Of
every hardship, and the prlvation OF eve
ry comfort, in defence of holy cause,
TO in.,iorious ease, and the alursments
OF rank, alfiaence, and unrestrained youth,
at the mos, splendid and fascinating
Court of Europe.
Fiat this choice was not less wise
than naghanimous, the sanction OF halt
century, and the graduation of unnum-
bered voices, all unable to express the
gratitude OF the heart with which your
visit to this hemisphere has been well
coined, afford ample demonstration.
When the contest Of freedom, to which
you bad repaired as voluntary cham
pion, had closed, by the complete tri-
umph of her cause in this country OF
your adoption, you returned ,ofuihi the
duties of the philanthropist aud patriot
in the land of your nativity. Ihere,in a
consistent and undertaking career OF for
ty years, you have maintained, through
every period of alternate success and dis
appointment, the same glorious cause, to
which the first years Of your active life
had been devoted, the improvement OF
the moral and political condition Of man.
Throughous that long succession OF
lime, the people OF the United States,
for whom, and with whom you have
fought the battles Of liberty, have been
living 10 the full possession Of its fruits !;
one OF the happies, among the family OF
nations. Spreading in population; en-.
larglng in territory; acting and suffering
according to the condition other nature
and laying the foundations Of the great
est, and, we hnmbly hope the most bene-
Ecent power, that ever regulated the
concerns OF man upon earth.
In that lapse of forty years, the gene
ration OF men with whom you co-operat-
cd in the conflict of arms has nearly pass
Cd away. OF the General Officers of
the American army in that war, you
alone survive. OF the Sages who guild
cd our councils; OF the warriors who
met the foe in the field or upon the wave,
with the exception Of a few to whom IN
usual length of days has been decreed
by Heaven, all now sleep with their ia
theirs. A succeeding, and even third
generation, have arisen to take their
places; and their children's children,
vhile rising up 10 call them blessed,