Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-10-13
Conversations Of La Fayette, No. Ky
OI.MUTZ.

OLMUTZ.
sT was upon the frontiers, defending them
from the enemy, when the events OF the 10th
of August overthrow at once the government,
and every thing like order in France, and the
reign ofteror ensued. From the disaHeoted
and mutinous state Of my army-6nding tim
noss;b)e to render further service to my coun-
try, prescribed and pursued blythe factious,
which had usurpedthe power, and prostrated
every thing like propriety or rational govern
ment-I determined to seek ansssylum in
some more favored land, and await the course
,ofevents, which might MISUNDERSTANDING to
unhappy France, and enable Inc to prove my
duty to, and affection for her, by every SER
vice and every sacrifice in my powerto rem
der or to make.
"Retiring from camp, accompanied by a
few friends, but without inducing single SOL
der to share our fortunes, We were soon ar
rested by the enemy's patroles. At first sup
posing us to be traitors. we were treated with
shew of courtesy, but upon finding that our
hearts were still with our country, though
stern necessity Obliged US to leave her service,
they threw off the mask, and we were treated
with every indignity, which hatred to our
principles, disappointment in their hopes
of our treachery, could possibly devise.
eve were transferred to a great variety OF
prisons, and separated; my companions were
ignorant of my fate, and Of theirs. At Mag
dcburr, the Governor must have considered
me second Baron Trenck: not only was
the doors of my prison massy, and secured by
FIVE or six enormous bolts, but these again Sc
cured by mammoth patllocks. The term
dungeon has been generally applied to the
places of confinement in these Bastiles, or
fortified prisons-The rooms are not properly
speaking under ground. but rather on level
with the surface; but they are in all respects
sufficiently damp, dismal and unwLolesome,
for all the purposes for which tyranny intend
ed thcm-and whose miserable victims are
generally soon relieved thercfrom, by an early
grave. Glatz Neisse, and finally Olmutz, were
among the number of my prisons. AtOlmutz,
the room in which was confined SO long, was
directly over TIE common sewer, not only OF
the garrison, but of,he hospital; and so often
sive was the atmosphere which brsathed,
that the guards, on coming their rouRds of in
spection, actually held their noses, and left
the presidential effiuvia with which was sur
rounded, as soon as their duty would per
nit.
"The Governor of the fortress sometimes
came to sit with me, but his visits were gene
rally short, nor is he TO be blamed, for surely
no one who could inhale the pure air of Hea-
ven, would remain from choice, moment in
place so offensive, as was my wretched pri-
son.
sgt would be naturally asked, why was to
be sonra aoar only stats and treated ted
Fougnt against Austria as the enemy and inva-
III VI Hof~-SuC SdiuC dS LCSdTUeu
Prussia. Was not at least entitled to the
courtesy and privileges always shown by civi.
lied nations to prisoners of war; Was a de-
serter from the armies of France' If so, why
was not delivered up to her authorities, and
tried by 1 military commission The fact is,
Twas the friend of rational liberty-faithful to
my country, her constitution and her laws, so
long as she had ,ither Mypersecutors wish
ed to shut out the light of political freedom,
which had just began to dawn upon regene-
rating France, and return her to the feudal
darkness, in which she had been involved for
ages. It was known that I had served in the
revolution Of America, and enjoyed the pater-
nal esteem of her matchless chief The name
of Washington, so awful to tyrants, became
a warranty for those principles, which ever
have, and ever will belong to him, whom he
honored as his adopted son-The principles
of rational liberty, the unalienable rights of
man.
"Again nay oppressors well knew, that so
soon as any thing like order was restored to
my distracted country, if they should loosen
their bolts, would fly to her army, mingle my
sorrows with her misfortunes, and for her safe
ty, her glory and her happiness, give the best
energies of my nature, and the last drop of
my blood
"rhese were the reasons Of state, which
caused my prosecutors to change so often their
prisons, and to multiply miseries on my head:
these were the cords with which the Austrian
Emperor's hands ,cere tied That 1 was in
earliest life the friend of liberal principles,
will relate to you, my dear sir. an anecdote:-
was hunting when quite youth, in forest,
of which my father-in-law, the Duke de No
allies, was lord warden, or ranger; shot SUI
perb stag. One of the keepers coming up,
with tears in his eyes, cried out, sMy dear
young lord what have you donep Done, re.
,,GaI ,,b,, 4 haze t,llaJ an roLJ~ .x.. 81