Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-06-04

oa., l.,e ,h have written If however, we may .sc-
pnate any one who would seem to have POSSESSED style
most peculiar to himself should name Gen, Charles
Lee He writes like gay soldier, and with devi-may
care style which is often pquant than pious and il
has been with surprise that We have perused many
of lis addressed Washington, spced they
are with ocularty and profanity which the writer
have known to be alien the character Of his
respondent, around whom Laughter holding both his
sides" was accustomed wait, and by whom BIAS
phemy was never esteemed solderiy accomplishment.
The following from of Lees letters addressed
to Washington, from williamsburg then the capital of
Virginia. will furnish unpleasant unfair specimen
Of his epistolary style
my situation lin Wilamsburgl is Just as expected
am afraid that shall make shabby figure without
any real demerits Of my own | am like dog in dane
tng-school know not where to turn myself where to
fix myself The circumstances of the country nterseced
by navgable rivers; the uncertainty Of the enemys de-
signs and motions who can fly in instant to any spot
with their wings throw me- or would throw Ju-
Illus C@sas into this inevitable dilemma. may posi-
bly, be IA the North, wfen, Richard says, l should
serve my sovereign in the West / can only act from
surmise and have very good chance Of sarnisng wrong
am sorry to CRATE your ears with truth but must
at all events yea that the Provincial Congress of
New York are angels Of decision wheR compared with
countrymen the committee of safety assembled at
Williamsburg Page Lee Mercer, and Payne are indeed
exceptons but from Pendeton, Bland, the Treasurer
and Company--iitera nos, o., Domino.
AS it is impossible make abstract of a volume Of
letters to convey any thing like idea Of their gene
raj contents and subectmatters when these
rous and diverse the separate letters in which they
contained only remains for select such spec
of the correspondence before has seemed
us to possess more than-oommon interest.
1t is pleasant the in which Wash
ngton evidently held by French allies during the
revolution the letters Of Count dEstagn aud Lafayette
hraa fba
admiration We oanEot deny ourselves the pleasure of
quoting length from letter addressed to Wash
ngtcn by Lafayette from Caz, just after hearing that
peace had been concluded Greet Britain her
colonies:
ssCADH, FEBRUARY 5, 1888.
'"MY DEAR GENERAL: Were you such mar as julius
Caesar or the King of Prussia should almost be sorry
for at the end of the great tragedy where you
acting such part But with nay dear General, rejoice
at the blessings of peace where noble ends have
been secured Remember Valley Forge times and,
from recollection of past dangers and labors we shall
be still more pleased at present comfortable situation
What sense of pride and satisfaction feel when /
think of the times that have determined Ely engaging
the American cause!
"As for you, my dear General, who truly say you
have donean this what must your virtuous and good
heart feel the happy instant when the revolution you
have made is now firmly established cannot bat envy
the happiness of my grandchildren, when they will be
about ceaebratng and worshipping your To have
one OF their ancestors among your soldiers to know he
be the eternal honor in which they shall glory; and to
the eldest of them long my posterity will last
shall delegate the favor you have been pleased to confer
upon my son George.
"At the prospect of peace had prepared to go to
America. You know too well, my dear General not
to be sensible Of the pleasure anticipated in she hope
embrace you and be reunited my fellow soldiers
Never did any thing please much the delightful
prospect had before But, sudden, have been
obliged to defer my darling plan and, Ihave at last
been blessed with letter of yours know you approve
lengtheninp tical
The enclosed copy of letter Congress and my official
letter to Mr. Livingston, which request hir to
nicate to you, will fully inform you of the that
urge TO post off to Madrid From there il will be bet
ter for me to Paris and in the month of June will
embark for. America. Happy ten times happy, shall
! be in embracing dear General my father nv best
friend, whom love with affection and respect which
press it.
Now my dear General, that you are going to enjoy
some ease and quiet permit to propose plan you,
which might become greatly beneficial the black part
ef mankind Let US unite in purchasing small estate,
where may the experiment to free the negroes and
use them only tenants. Such example as yours
might render general practices and if succeed in
America will cheerfully devote part Of my time
render the method fashionable in the West Indies If il
be wild scheme, had rather be mad this way than to
be thought wise in the other task.
employed than in inducing the people Of America to
strengthen their Federal Union. 1t work which
behooves you to be concerned Depend upon it, my dear
General that European politics will be apt to create di
visions among the States Now is the time when the
powers of Congress must be fixed the boundaries
mined, and articles Of confederation revised II work
in which every well wisher Of America must desire to be
concerned Ii is the finishing stroke that is wanting
the perfection Of the temple of liberty.
. Your most devoted and afectionate friend,
LAFAYETTE"
The reader will certainly agree with that the letter
is as replete with expressions Of friendship with CALI
csms and of all the letters Lafayette contained
IN these volumes. We may say that they breathe
affected simplicity due partly to the Of the
and arising also partly from his imperfect mastery
English tongue, which, not admitting any indulgence of
elaborate refinement, compelled the writer to fall back
upon those forms Of genuine feeling which find their in
snctve utterance in the greatest poverty OF Ian
guage
Scattered through these volumes we have found numer
Que le.r relating to the employment Of slaves in the
continental army-a proposition vhrh all may not be
seriously entertained by sov y the wisest
statesmen and the first military Of the revolution
The following letter is in point on this topic
" PROVIDENCE FEBRUARY a. 177s
"SIR have been favored with your Exceency,s let
ter of the 81 instant ncosing proposal made 10 Won
by General Varnum for recruiting the two continental
| battalions raised by this State, Rhode Islandl
~ laid the letter before the General Assembly at their
session the second Monday in this month who consider
ing the pressing necessity Of filling up the contine
army, and the peculiarly difficult circumstances Of this
State which rendered in impossible to recruit
battalions any other way, adopted the measure
Liberty is given to every effective slave the SER
vice during the war and upon his passing muster he is
absolutely made Free and entitled to all the wages boun
ties, and encouragements gyen by Congress any SOL
der enstng into their service The allowed