Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-09-24
LA FAYETTE.


An Grafton pronounced at New Haven by re-
quest OF the Common Council Aug. 10, 1884, in
commemoraton of the Life and Services OF
Gen. Lafayette by JAS. A. HILLHoUsE, New
Haven, Fl. Howe & Co.
The tone manner, sentiments, and informa-
ton, displayed in this address, are worthy of an
American who deeply feels the obligations of
his country to Lafayette in her hour of need,
and who Justly considers ii part of an Amer-
cans duty to vindicate from European calumny,
a name against which in the long and turbulent
annals of successive bloody revolutions, no
crime nor inconsistency can be, with truth, re-
corded. We are grateful for such manly,
elaborate, and eloquent testimonial to the life
and services of Lafayette-and hope it may be
extensively circulated.
1t will not be forgotten that Scott, in his life of
NAPOLEON, mputes want of vigilance to Lafa-
yette on the occasion Of the assault by the Pari-
sian mob on the palace of Versailles. On that
head, Mr. Hillhouse thus speaks.-M y. Amer.
His most essential service, however, to his
fellow citizens of that day, was the preservation
of order in the capital The Assembly, finding
requisite some military counterPolse to the royal
troops chose him, with the Kings appreciation,
commander of The civic guard. He was soon
afterwards made Commander Of the Partisan
division Of the National Guard, force (some-
what like militia) regularly instituted and arm
ed throughout the kingdom pursuant to his adj
vice. The old white, joined to blue and red,
the colours of the city, were adopted as their
symbol. Addressing the Assembly on the SUBJ
ject of this new establishment, he uttered these
remarkable words: "Gentlemen, bring you
cockade which shall make the tour of the world;
and an institution, at once civic and military,
which shall change the system of European tao
tics, and reduce all absolute governments to the
alternative of being beaten if they do not adopt
it, or of being overthrown if they do"
Idolized by this national military composed
chiefly of respectable and substantial citizens
Jealous to repress RIGHTEOUSNESS, he was for two
years the absolute master of Paris. His influ-
ence alone made her streets safe at noonday,a and
secured each returning night from the perpetra-
ton of frightful tragedies. During this period of
frlghtful fermentation when all the ancient in
situations of the monarchy, crown, mtre, and
coronet rooted prejudiceS, and reverenced Gus
toms, were cast into the crucible of the Assem-
bly to undergo a transformation into forms of
theoretic beauty, Lafayette succeeded in pre-
serving the domestic sanctuary from violence
and more than once snatched his unhappy So
vereign, and the Ills starred Queen from impend.
ing butchery.
That undesirable crusade from Paris to Yer
sailles, composed of beings
Accountable, unutterable, and worse
Than fables yet have feigned."
has occasioned writer not often censurable,
to soil the candor of his own pure page by leav-
hing there surmise to the prejudice of one whose
whole lie refutes it, and whose interposition on
this critical occasion unquestionaby preserved
the Queen. Sir Walter Scott had no right to
hint at disloyaty, or even negligence, on the
part Lafayette, after the unweared exertions,
and the known facts of that day. The interior
posts Of the palace were not in his charge To