South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1835-02-07
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY z. 1885.

| vision IN the COntlnentat army.
He received accordingly such an ap-
pointment /; and plan was organized
in Congress for second invasion of
} Canada, at the head Of which he was
placed. This expedition, originally
projected without consultation with the
Commander.in-chief might be con-
nected with the temporary dissatisfac.
ton, in the community and in Con-
gress, at the i'll success Of his endeavors
to defend Philadelphia, hich rival and
unfriendly partisans we're too ready to
compare with the splendid termination,
by the capture Of Burgoyne and his
army, OF the Northern campaign, I'M
4 der the command of Eensrol Cdtes.-
To foreclose all suspicion Of partcipa.
ton in these views, Lafayette proceed
ed to the Seat of Congress, and, ac-
cepting the important charge which it
was proposed to assign to him, obtain
ed at his particular request that he
should be considered as an officer de-
tached from the army Of Washington,
and to remain Under his orders. He
then repaired in person to Albany, to
take command ofthe troops who were
TO assemble at that place, in order to
cross the Lakes en- the ice, and attack
Montreal; but, on arriving at Albany,
he found none Of the promised prepa-
ra'ions ia readiness-they we're never
effected. Congress some time after re-
linquished the design, and the Marquis
was ordered TO rejoin the army of W ash
ington.
| In the succeeding month OF May, his
military talent was displayed by the
mastery retreat effected in the presence
Of an overwhelming superiority Of the
enemy's force from the position at Bar
rem Hill.
He was soon after distinguished at
the battle Of Monmouth and in Sep
TENDER, ITS, resolution Of Congress
declared their high sense Of bis servi-
ces, not only 10 the field, but in his
exertions to concilate and heal dissen-
sions between the officers ofthe French
fleet under the command of Count d..
Estaing and some Of the native officers
Of our army. These discussions had
arisen in the first moments of co-ope.
ration In the service, and had threaten
ed pernieious consequences.
; In the month of April, 1776, the
combined wisdom of the Count de
Vergennes and ofM. Turgot, the Prime
Minister, and the Financier of Louis
the Sixteenth, had brought him to The
conclusion that the event the most de.
sirable to France, with regard TO the
controversy between Great Britain and
her American Colonies, was that the
instruction should be suppressed
This judgment, evincng only the total
absence OF all moral considerations, in
the estimate, by these eminent states
men, of what was desirable to France,
had undergone great change by the
close of the year l777. The Decla-
ration of Independence had changed
the question between the parties. The
popular feeling Of France was all on
the side of the Americans. The dar~
ing and romantic movement of Lafay.
elite, in defiance of the Government
itself, then highly favored by public
opinion, was followed by universal ad.
miration. The spontaneous spirit OF
+ the people gradually spread itself even
over the rank corruption Of the Court ;
suspicious and deceptive neutrality
E succeeded to an ostensible exclusion oil
the Insurgents from the ports OF
France, till the capituation of Burgoy-
ne satisfied the casuists of international
law at Versailles that the suppression
of the instruction was no longer the
most desirable of events but that the
, United States were, de facto, sovereign
. and independent !; ard that France
, might conclude Treaty of Commerce
|. with them, without giving just cause OF
offence to the step-mother country. On
the 9th of February, 1778, a Treaty
of Commerce between France and the
United States was concluded, and with
it, on the same day, Treaty of even
tual Defensive Alliance, to take effect
only in the event of Great Britain's re-
senling, by war against France, the
consummation Of the Commercial trea
~. The war Immediately ensued, and
in the summer Of 1778 French fleet
under the command of Count d'Estaing
was sent to cooperate with the forces
Of the U. S. for the maintenance oftheir
Independence.
By these events the position of the
. Marquis de Lafayette was essentially
} changed. 1t became necessary for him
to reinstate himself in the good graces
, of his Sovereign, offended at his alb.