Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-11-08
THE GRAVE OF LAFAYETTE.

The Paris correspondent of the New York Times says
An interesting ceremony took place the other day at
the Cathedral of Notre Dame the Archbishop of Paris
surrounded by his aids performed for the soul Of
the late General Marquis De Pimodan whose body it
seems is definitely inferred at one of the churches
Rome The Fsubourg st. German rallied in large num-
bers and the that present exactly those
which most often encounters in reading the history
Of France. The Marquis De Pimodan bad claim the
sympathy oil the aristocrac auboug till stronger than
that derived from his chvarc character and his honor
able death in defence Of the Pope and the rights OF the
Churcha cause however, in which the aristocracy
deeply interested. This sympathy is Of than half
centurys standing and dates from the period Of the
great Revolution After Robesperre had moved the gull.
otine to the Barriere du Trone, large number Of the
nobility were there beheaded and buried in a common
grave about two hundred rods to the south of the Bar
riere Among those executed was the ancestor Of the
Marquis De Pinodan
Before the Revolution of7s9 the entire arisocracy Of
France stood upon the level OF equality since the
Revolution the families of the behead-d locked up
to as having received additional baptism Of nobility
in the blood and the suerings of that terrible epoch
Between these families there is bond OF sympathy and
of romance which constitutes them, in fact one family
Tney are exclusive In their social relations, aud even in
death their bodies occupy exclusive cemetery. Thus
under the first Empire, General Lafayette who had rela
tves gulotned at the Barrere du Trone, demanded o.
Nspoean the privilege of buying the Convent of the Au
cuisines and the grounds attached lin which inter-
red the nobemen executed at the oarrere and OF es
tablishng thereon private cemetery. The privilege
was granted and the property was bought In the name
of the Marquis de Laay and his heirs and successors
forever The convent converted into school, gov
erned exclusively by the Sisters OF the Sacred Heart and
remains to this day devoted TO the same purpose
Besides an extensive cluster of buildings occupied by
the Sisters and their pupils which there is only one
entrance at No 35 Rue de Picpus there is handsome
chapel TO which the public admitted on Sundays and
very extensive garden for the use OF the pupils and
for the cultivation Of the vegetables required Tor the Ia
BILE Of the establishment Behind this garden and just
within the fertilization WALL (which was here deviated
expressly by the order of King Louis Pnppe is found
the small cemetery referred to- At its further extremity
is the spot where the guiotned nobemen we're hurredy
buried in common hole. The rest OF the small lot OF
ground occupied by the vaults Of the families OF those
beheaded and here the names OF Lafayette Mont
morency STRAIGHTFORWARD, Noailles Grammont, Kergo-
hy. Montaign Rosambo, Lasteyre, Polgnac, Lu1em-
bourg, Beaumont Lamoignonon, herode Pimodan,
Lamoricere etc., in all fifty or sixty names, among
the bes. known nobliary titles in France. son
OF the present General Lamorcere is here buried close
I, Laiayette-the General himself is grandson oil
Lafayette by marriage. Nothing could be more cheer
less or colby arsocrac than this little hidden outo
the.way cemetery From the street the place has the
genuine shut-up exclusive look of all monastc estab
| ishments in France One must knock loudly at big
heavy door, which only opens after long interval. Ar
unceAu cerberus receives you politely enough at the
| door OF MS W eS'
the tomb Of Lafayette ventures blandy TO surmse tina
YOU are Americans and volunteers to inform you tina
no strangers but Americans pay them visit Oh
the right aud left Of you the collection Of detached
and mystsriouslookng buildings which constituted tn
ancient monasc establishment, the windows OF the oil
coisters still boarded up in such way as 10 admit light
but not the gaze of curious eyes, from within or without
The Sisters Of the establishment are gliding about
dressed in pure white from head ootand throw but on
furve glance on the strangers and then disappear benin
shaded walls or through unlookedfor trap-doorG 70