The Arkansas advocate., 1833-08-14

1JG UsTIa. I83.sA
 
 ! ln red iii5Toeco5- which he said a pioas fe- nale friend was so kind IS to give him, when he last visited the United States pon the blank leaf of 1t is written; aBe 4AneIiea his resting place and Heaven his nome.2 lie then showed us the contents oi al the other drawers, the umbrella Wllich Washington was accustomed to use. iiis silver spectaeles, tie cane of ffaasliig. 3, sword blade, made of the bolts ol the Bastiie, large collection of canes. and a { char cushion, worked by Mrs. Washipoton at the age of seventy years. The naost beautiful cane the General possesses, and "ilieh He always carries, Is one cut from an aPpie=tree, beneath which he hrealGasted wit, s'el1er;sl v ssllligion, on the morninr ot 9 memorable battle The head is of sgol is1ses7is,sA vslth ,his name, assa baneati. Ut shaded him and his friend Washing ton.'
 'A striking proof of the inherent and de- ite poiiteness, which displays itself in all the members of this charming family, is the interest that they manifested n looking over these gifts, and expressing the great- est admiration of their beauty, as if seeino them for the first time, though, in fact, they must have exhibited them to hundreds of their different visitors, always, I doubt moi. with equal cheerfalness and alacrity.
 Among other curiosities, the General showed us small, fnll-lengtfl portrait of himself, taken at the age of nineteen, and dressed in the uniform worn by the officers of the American revolution. The counte- nance Is remarkably sweet and expressiye; but although an exact representation of what he then was, 1t bears no resemblance to his present appearance. In the evening we amused ourselves in looking over beau tlful collection of engraved portraits of all the prominent actors in the French revolu- Ion, handsomely bound in large folio book. The General entertained us highly oy his interesting remarks, and the anec- dotes which he related in eonnexion with the different portraits. Among the finest of the engrayings were two of Napoleon, more beautiful than any thing of tie kind ever saw.
 "At length the hour for separating for the nght arrived, and as We were te leave La Grange early on the following morning, we were obliged to take reluctant farewell of ths most interesting family circle, in whose delightful society two days had flown away upon the wings of the wind.
 VI had, heard and read much of La Grange, but the reality far exceeded my expectations. Never did I imagine scene ot more unaffected harmony and domestic love more unbounded kid tallty, than tfiis noble mansion presents.- And faultless as had ever appeared to us tt!!io oiiet tsiotei oi our venerable and Ilustri- oas host, 1t was ill the privacy of domestic life, in the bosom of his family, that we were to learn all its perfection. l say per lection, for l believe if there exists per feet or happy man on earth, 1t is General Lafayette. In every vicissitude of fortune, through praise and eensure, through pros- perity and adyersity, he has alike been true to himself, to his conscience, to his country. cruelty or Wanton bloodshed, can mar the tranquility of his declining years. His name is still the rallying point to the lovers of liberty in his own country, and is hailed with the warmest gratitude and affection by millions of the fee~Boln citizens of a trans atlantic world. His children, to the third generation, rise up and call him bessed while his servants and numerous depend- ents look up to him as their protector and friend, and ever find iii him all affcctionate and considerate master. To the rich he is d delightful companion, to the poor a ge- nerous benefactor. No man can iusfly breathe word of eensure against his name, and l believe his own breast to be the seat of kindest feeling and good will, even to those whom he IS compelled to call his en- emies.
 "To the American peculiarly, the home of Lafayette IS one of the most interesting spots on earth. He not only meets, at ey- cry step, memorials of his beloved native land, from which he Is now far separated but he hears his country's praise from the Hips of its generous defender, and warmly repeated by his grateful and numerous fa- nlily. There can be no mistake in their expressions relative to America they arc not mere words of course, to please the American ear; they evidently spring from a sincere, hearty love for the country, and admiration of its free institutions.
 "such is the family, and such the charm ing residence, to which l bade adieu on the following morning with the utmost regret mingled, however, with feeling of satis- faction, that had been so highly favored sss to have psissed even SD shori time with