The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1826-08-22

between us, he taking us for Enelishmen.
and we suppOsing, from his complexion.
that he was Portuguese or Spaniard.
lie turned out to be a Lieutenant in the
United States Army, who was going to
La Grange on the same errand with our
selves.
we reached the'viIlage of Rose at five
O'Clock IN the evening: and that no unne.
Cessary claims might be made on the hos
pitality OF General LAFAYETTE. or his farni-
~ subjected to any Inconvenience. we al.
neu at the hotel, before taking carriage
and setting out for La Grange. On arri.
wing at the Chateau,the general gave us
warm reception, and presented us to his
numerous and interesting family, consisting
OF son, two daughters, and twelve grand
children, with beautiful and accomplish
ed daughter Of Count Segur, together with
two or three other inmates, making in all
acircle of something more than twenty.
Simplicity, politeness, and affability of man
ncrs, genuine kindness Of heart. and unaf.
fected hospitality, characterize the whole
group, from the patriarch himself down "a
the youngest of his descendants. They
need only the American nanie--a claim te,
nativity in the, land Of Washington and
Franklin-to call forth all the warmth and
generosity of their feelings making the
stranger at once at home, and treating him
with the cordially of a friend or brother.
The only uneasiness which the visitant ex-
periences, arises from a fear that the pro-
verbal politenesS of the French, accom-.
panied with all the enthusiasm of feeling.
will subject the family to Inconvenience
on his account. and lead them to do much \
for his happiness.
The evening glided away delightfully."-
and almost imperceptibly, in the midst Of
conversation on variety of topics, chiefly
relating to our country for the whole FAM /.
lily talk, and seem to think, Of nothing else
than the United States, where their feel
ings, their hopes, and wishes, all centre.
The General considers himself emphati-
cally citizen Of the American Republic.
and Familiarity speaks of it precisely in the
same way as if he had been there born and
educated. He receives great number Of
American newspapers, reviews, and other
publications, and regularly corresponds
with many OF his friends in every part of
the Unions These various sources of in
formation, perused with the utmost atteil-
ton, added to the astonishing accuracy of 4
his observations and recollections of Cir
cumstances connected with his tour. rem
der him better acquainted withsthe condi-
ton of our country, than almost any one
Of its actual residents he has visited eve
ry State IN the Confederacy under favora-
BILE circumstances, having been introduced
to the most prominent individuals, and seen
large proportion of the whole population
in each. A package of letters and papers
had just reached him, and he gave US de-
tailed accountsof events, which were new
to us. and Of an interesting character.
In the course Of the evening, he often
reverted to the scenes he had visited, and
TO the friends with whom he had met and
parted, with no expectation Of ever seeing
them again. Many anecdotes were rela-.
ted which had escaped attention, even iii
the voiuminous reports of our papers. He
stated that during the thirteen months oc-
cupied in his tour, he travelled between
sirfeen and seveateen thousand miles and
that his health had been greatly improved,
instead of impaired, by the necessary ia
tigues OF such a constant scene of hustle
and activity. Before he left home, he had
been troubled with chronic affection.
which had entirely disappeared; and his
health is as perfect as his happiness at tho
result Of his visit. could not but feel a
degree Of pride and pleasure, that our
country had in any degree been instrumen-
tai in contributing to the domestic felicity
of such man and such family, who mer-
it all, and, if possible, more, than all the
gratitude and esteem they have received
at our hands, la @n
Before retiring to our chambers to dream
only of La Grange, we examined some of,
the principal rooms Of the Chateau, our
hospitable friends kindly acting as expose
tors. The furniture is perfectly neat, and
even elegant, butbears no marks Of extrava-'
gance or luxury-nothing which is incom-
patible with refined taste, and republic
can simplicity of Misunderstanding which
does not conduce moro to conveniance and
comfort than to show; and which could
be compared in point of richness and splen-
dor, as the General himself remarked, with
what he had gratnitously been made mas
ter Of in his tour through the United States.
The ornaments are nearly all American.
In the hall at the head Of the stair way,
and forming the entrance 70 the drawing
room II "A nortrait of GNrAral Washinr.