Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-01-29
LA FAYETTE.

The leading article of this days pa
per-the all engrossing object Of every
hearts La Fayette. The noble We
teran did not arrive till Saturday about
two O'Clock, in the steamboat from
Baltimore, accompanied by his son
George Washington La Fayette, and
his Secretary, Mr.. LIE Vasseur.-
They were received at Rockets by a
Committee of the Executive Council
Immediately landed under peal OF ar
tillery-and were escorted to his COM
Portable lodgings, at MIR. Richardson's,
by the military companies Of the city.
The procession advanced up the main
street; the Fayette Guards, the Light
Infantry Blues, the Artillery Compa-
nv, the Rifle Rangers, and detach-
ment of the little boys company OF the
Morgan Legion, with citizens on horse
back, and a crowd on foot, attending
his carriage. He was received at the
door of his lodgings by crowd OF CT
tizens: but he did not enter them, not
withstanding the snow was falling
upon his bare head, until he had re.
ceived the salutations of, and paid his
respects to, the passing troops. At his
rooms he was Immediately waited up
on by several members of the Legisla-
ture, officers of government and citl-
zens.
The General is unchanged in every
thing, except that he looks much bet
ter: his manners, principles, tne feel
ings, remain the same.
In the evening, Mr.. Chapman john
son, of the Senate, Chairman OF the
Joint committee of both Houses, wait
ed upon him to ascertain at what time
he would receive the Committee. 1t
was arranged that they were to wait
upon him on Monday morning at IL
O'Clock.
Accordingly, at that hour, the joint
committee Of twenty members repair
ed to his quarters, where, in the pre-
sence Of several citizens, MIR. Johnson,
on behalf of the Committee, addressed
him in the most feeling and impressive
manner, in the following terms:
A Joint committee of the Senate and House
of Delegates wait on you, General in obedi-
ence to the commands of the General Assem-
bly, of Virginia, to bid you welcome to her
capital, and to tender you in the name OF the
people of this commonwealth, an expression
of their feelings and their sentiments
To welcome you, La Fayette !-towelcome
our country's benefactor as our country's guest
Ito welcome the champion of freedom, to the
Inequalities of freemen-is an office that we
perform in the Joy Of our hearts but to our
other duty we are wholly incompetent. HOW
Shall we express the ineffabie pleasure wmch
Is afforded to the people Of this land, by the
presence of him, whose name is associated
with all their most delightful, their proudest
recollections how declare their admiration
for virtues which have sweetened all private
relations given dignity to all public-which
have shed their cheering light over the
plooms of adversely, and tempered with mild
iustre the sunshine of prosperity-virtues
which have had the happiness OF mankind tor
their object, the world for their theatre, and
beayen-directed wisdom for their guide I! In
what terms shall we tender an expression OF
their deep reverence for a character exalted
above all reproach, and consecrated in their
ewes by every circumstance which can give
to human excellence claim upon the homage
of the human heart How shall We make
known their devoted attachment to the below
ed and honored companion Of their fathers, the
early and jealous friend oftheir country, who
through the long and varied course OF his E.
ventf;Il life, never ceased to remember them
with kindness and now in the evening OF his
day, indulgent to their wishes, returns to
manifest his never changing interest in them
How speak of that magnanimity and heroism,
which, reckless of all sacrifice, left fortune and
family, and friends, and country, to fight the
doubtful battles of Liberty for an infant peo-
ple in foreign land-which, fearless Of all
danger sought real honor in rescuing the inJur-
ed from oppression, and true glory in defend
ing, not conquering, mankind But, above all,
how shall we acknowledge their gratitude for
services they can never repay services,
which our own nativeVirginia so pre.eminent.
" felt, and of which we read the plain and
permanent record in all our free constitutions,
in the prosperity which flows from them, and
in the happiness we enjoy under their being.
nant influence
Your own heart we trust to supply, what
the tongue Of man does not aford-language
expressive of the feelings of this delighted,
admiring, grateful people. We ask you to
imagine for moment, what France, gallant
France, would have felt, fthe towering spirit
of some noble stranger, surrendering heredita.
~ wealth and honor, breaking the ties Of home
and of country, had enlisted under the banners
of her revolution, shared her dangers and her
sufferings-and instead of sacrificing her re-
sources, her people. her liberty, in fl,itles:
victories and ambitious conquests-had aided
you to crown the glory Of her arms. with the
blessings ofa wise and free government i'm
agine, we ask you, what enthusiasm Of deyo
ton France would have feltfor such benefac
tor, and you have representation of the sen
timents, with which the people of Virginia re
gard the chivalrous Frenchman, who, sacrifi
cling so much, suffering so much, and achiev
ing in arms so much for them, has so essential
ly aided the immortal Father of his country il
establishing the foundations Of our happy 60
vernment
Yes! La Fayette !--in sincerity and il
truth, we assure you, It is the people Of Wiz