Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-01-23

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 From the Albany, \. Argus.
 Changing the Name of Fort Lafaette. 1
 The following petition to Congress, for a . change of the name of Fort Lafayea, is said to be in circulation for signatuts: | Petition of sundry Inha5itonts of New 'ork, 1
 10 changs the Name ot' Fort Lofoyea, in
 Ms County of Kings. 1
 To the Honorable, the Senate and Husc of Representatives of the United State in ] Congress assembled, the petition of the n- dersigned inhabitants of the State of Nv York, respectfully showeth: 1
 That many years since, the United Stas government in order to protect and sec,e the city of New | ork, erected on the shoI of Long Island fortress, which Is know as Fort Lafayette. That this name was gi, en to said fost as a mark of honor and re, rtect of the United States government, fo, Gilbert Motier Marquis de Lafayette, N hose friendship and services to the co O. nies in their struggle for the right of self government are too well known to require repetition.
 Not only during our own revolution, but throughout the French revolution, and the subse uent changes of the government of France, the name oi Lafayette was over on the side of constitutional liberty and against tie e1n ployment of power ana authority un, restrained av law. In f794, his person was seized on neutral territory, and he was car. ried into the dungeon of Madgeburg At a >ubseQuent period he was delivered hy the Prus,ian government to the Emperor Ot Austria and confined in the Fortress or prison of Olmutz, as a prisoner of State General Washington endeavored in vain to procure his release; the answer was, he was political prisoner, not for having commit ! ted any crime, but because his opinions were i considered dangerous b arbitrary and des- potic powor. Some of the circumstances 1 connected with his detention and imprison- ment may he gathered from 3 speech in par lament, made by the right Honorable Charles James Fox. in l196, who said:
 "The unfortunate De Lafayette, who de served the praise of being man of the most uncorrupt nature, who had the merit of steering between the two extremes of the parties that agitated his country; this firm, brave, and steady friend of his sovereign the gallant and distinguished gentleman, equally the friend of his king and country, elnigIated after the 10th of August. Upon neutral ground he was seized by certain rob bers in the service of the King of Prussia he was kept by that monarch for years in prisons and dungeons. He was delivered
 rom the King of Prussia, on bis Iecogni- ton of the French to the Emperor of Aus tria, because he said he belonged to the allies generally, and by him he was kept 1T the same scandulous and inhuman bondage From this dreadful captivity he endeavor' to escape-a circumstance not very surpri sng-he is taken and sent back to his prison to experience more rigorous treatment. 4 length Madame De Lafayette after enduring series of most dreadful sufferings under the brutal Robespierre, from which she escaped by miracle, flew on the wings of duty anf affection, to Vienna. to solicit the Empero for permission to give to her husband th' consolation of her attentions in his prison The Emperor granted her request; but or her arrival at Olmutz, the officer who haC the care of M De Lafayette, told her witt openness and candor, that if she resolved to 20 down to the dungeon of her husbanc she must submit to share in all the horror of his captivity. A burst of indignation and sorrow broke from every part of tn
 House This, however, had no terrors fo her affectionate heart; she plunged int
 his dungeon, ard there they remained to
 cether. the living and yet buried victims c this inhuman power. Nay, this is not all 7 she applied for leave to have female at tendant, instead of male about her per
 son: this, she said, even the implacabl Robespierre had not denied her; but eve r this request was brutality refused.
 M. De Lafayette remained political pris , oner until released by the interposition c , Bonapartp, after his Italian victories ( 1 I79T. His subsequent life and history bor the same constant and unshaken fidelity t
 constitutional liberty and hatred to despoti h power and arbitrary Imprisonment, where 3 ever inflicted or by whenever exercised The name of Lafayette, therefore, seem I most inappropriate for fort converted to e prison, where men are confined withor
 legal process or criminSl charges. merel [, for political reasons, and instead of homo v ing patriot and recalling his vittses an
 sacrifices for this, or the defense of libert
 in his own country, the present use of tha
 fortress disgraces his memory. and is T.
 proach to us. We therefore pray that tf :. name of that fort may be changed. and commemorate the uses to whiet it is no applied. it may hereafter be called au l known as Fort Seward.
 e And your petitioners as in duty bouc
 will ever pray,