The Arkansas advocate., 1834-08-01


 pertaining to our own country. When La fayette returned 10 France, he saw at once fhat the seeds of fev05atioR were widely scattered through his own land; he heard with feeling .hc complaints of the people against the tyranny of their sovereign, against the usurpations of titled nobility, and against the entire independence of their legislators above the common people, for whom they enacted laws. They found in him friend and Q leader. True to his principles, he adopted the cause of the op- pressed against the oPPressors; and. SIT, he marked with equal disapprobation, the 'aaeh- nations of designing men, who sought more to excite and profit by the fury of the mob, in the overthrow of the established laws of the country, than they labored to remedy their defects. It was in these try ing times, when the streets of Paris had become the theatre of deeds of blood and riot, that Lafayette, in common with the friends of a representative monarchy, set themselves to work. and formed constltu- ton based on just and satisfactory prlnci- ples. To this constitution, amid the as- sembled authorities of France, and ln the presence of the French nation, and in their behalf, he took a solemn oath 10 support. We would now believe, under the new or der of things, as peace and quiet had been in some degree restored to the country, that he might be permitted to enjoy the pleas ures of social life, free from the turmoil of revolutionary strife and the painful incidents of war-but, sir, It seemed that Heaven had marked this man to be distinguished actor in all the great events of the remark able age in which he lived. France had declared war against Austria, and he was one of the three Generals that was appoint ed to take command of her armies. La fayette commenced bis task with his usual ability and zeal, but he soon found obsta- cles of no minor importance in his path.- The Jacobin club had grown up into q powerful and we'll organized party-and to the many honors that are due him, let this be added, he always was a firm and decided opponent to all its lawless measures, and that too, sir, when mans opposition was too apt to cost him his head. This faction determined 10 prostrate him, for the decided stand he had taken against them In his let ter of 16th June, '92, to the National As- semblY, in the course of which he had dar-
 ed to say, " Let the Royal authority remain untouched, for t is guaranteed by the con- stitution; let 1t be independent, for It's lnde-
 pendence is one of the springs of our lib- erty, let the King be respected, for m him
 is invested the majesty of the nation; let
 him choose q ministry that will wear the
 chains of no faction, aud If traitors exist, let them perish only by the sword ot the 1 law.n
 There was not another man in France,
 who would have dared to have taken such a
 step at such time; but, sir, it Is a virtue
 and one which belongs to great men, and te
 great men alone, when their country is en- l ldangered, 10 throw themselves into the
 breach and peril the cqnsAa.s---s,'',, 'fi'iioy' counting the cost. When Lafayette arrived
 at Paris, from the borders ot the bo" :. Countries, from the command of hs army
 to defend his principles before the bar oi th'
 Assembly, and sustain the sinking author
 ty of the Grown, he had the modification t
 learn that the constitution had been over thrown, and the powers of the goyennaen
 was placed in the hands of a few bloo' thirsty and talented leaders. He stood wit an ar of calm command, as he surveye the ruins that were scattered around hn r and still he proudly defended the lnyiolabll
 ity of the constitution which the nation ha Q sworn to support, and the rights and pferog n atiyes of the Crown, surrounded as he va f by the very men who had assisted in i :, overthrow. The affairs of the natio f blackened daily; and 1t was beyond the II ;. tervention of any human power, to stay th e fury of the reyolutionsts; the Capital w5 given up on the ever memorable 10th e August, to the prostration of the law, to II = terrors of rapiae, riof, and bl0odshcd.- n When Lafayette saw he could be of no fu ther use in Paris, he returned to his arm s and learned with pain, that they were lnte ,f ted with the principles of the predomina e party: he immediately took the most deci
 i've steps to check 1t, but 1t was Tn valn.- m The Jacobin party had found means to l ,d stil polson into their minds, which cou If tesbalanced all the respect they may ha l. entertained for the authority of their Gen a ral, or the allegiance due to their king a- He was thus left to choose between [ h. painful alternative of being carried to Pa ur in chains, and there adiudged by his en he mics and sentenced to the guiIlotine, or ns flee his country. He chose the latter to ternatiye.
 O. O. l do not conside, it necessary, Mr. P on sident, to enter into detail of hls captu ,ut by the Austrians, or his subsequent impr
 onment in the citadel at Olmutz, in yiolati re; of any code of laws or maxim of lustic ,ur known to the usage of nations. The he cidents the trials, the sufferings of this go or man, under this great reverse of fortul nly are known from the grey headed sire of 1
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