The mountain Democrat., 1863-07-04
L.r.y.tts's First visit to America.

teen, Lafayette was married to the daugh-
ter of the Duke D'Ayen, son Of the Duk G
, dc NYaillcS, and grandson to the great and
good Chancellor d'AgueSseau and thus
his condition in life seemed to be assured
to him among the most splendid and pow
erfu! in the empire.
! His fortune, which had been accumuIa-
ting during long min .ritv, was vast; his
rank was with the first in Europe his
connections brought him the support of
the chief persons in France aud his in
dIvidual Characteristic warm, open, and
sincere manners. which have distinguish
ed him ever Since, and giveu him such
singular control over the minds Of men,
made him powerful in the confidence Of
society wherever hewent. 1t seemed, in
deed. as if life had nothing further to offer
him, than he could surely obtain by walk
ing in the path that was so bright before
him.
1t was at this period. however. that his
thoughts and feelings were first turned
towards these thirteen colonies, then in
the da'k kr>t and most doubtful passage Of
their struggle for independence. He made
himself acquainted with our agents AT
Paris, and learned from them the state oi
onr affairs. Nothing could he less tempt
ing to him. whether he sought military
reputation. or military instruction for
our army, at that moment rctrcatihg thpu'
New Jersey, aud leaving it's traces of
blood from the naked aud torn feet of the
soldicry, as it hastencd onward, was in
state too humble to otfcr ci her. Our
credit, too, in E4rope was entirely gone,
So that the commissioners, (as tnev were
called. wilnout having any commission
to " HON Lafavctte stil nersi>t d in offer
ing his services, were obliged, al last, to
nowllyy.dlgge that tn, V could not even give
him decent means for his conveyance. -
Then" said he, shall purchase and
fit out vessel for myself" lie did So
The vessel was prepared at Bordeaux and
sent round to one Of the nearest ports in
Spain, that it might be beyond the reach
of the French gov rnmeHt. In order more
elfrctuay to conceal his purposes, he
made, Just before his tmbarkation, a visit
OF ieW weeks in England, (the only time
he was ever there and was much sought
in English society. On his return tn
France, he did not stop at all in the Capi
tai, even to see his own family, but has
tened, with all speed and secrecy, to make
good his escape from the country, 1t was
not until he was thus on his wav to en-
bark, that his romantic undertaking be-
gan 10 be known.
The effect produced in the capital and
at court by its publication was greater
than we should now, perhaps, imagine.
Lord Stornont, the English ambassador,
required the French miuiStrr to dcSl atch
all order for his arrest, not only to Bor-
dcnux, hut to the French commanders on
the West India station, rcqui>ijon with
which the ministry readily complied. for
they w,rc at that Time anxious to preserve
i good understanding with England, and
were seriously angry with II Young man
VITO had thus put in jeopardy the rcla-
lions Of the two counties. In fact, at
Passage, on the very borders of France
and Spain. (fttle de cachet overlook him,
ani he was arrested and carried back to
Bordeaux. Thcra. OF course, his enter
pi>e was near being finally stopped; but
watching his opportunity, and assisted by
one or two iricniS, he disguised himself as
Il courier, with his face black ed and false
hair, and rode on, ordering post horses for
! L carriage, which he had caused to follow
him at a suitable distance for this very
purpose. and thus fairly passed the from
tiers Of the two kingdoms only three or
ur hours before his purSucrs reached
them. lie soon arrived at the port where
!, ,,.....,,l c,r III.
ly, however, still followed him with solci-
tations To tetuin, which he never received;
and the r,ety Of the court and capital,
according 10 Madame du Dcifani's account
OF it, was in 10 common state of excite
mcnt on the oc ca>i0n. Something Of the
same sort la penrd in London.
/ 1--WE talk chifly," SAYS Gibbon, in a
Litter dated April -, l77777, ""f the Mar
qui> he LAFAYETTE, vino was here a few
wle>> az He is about twenty, with a
hundred aud thirty thousand hvreS wear;
the nephew of NoaiiIcS, who is ambasSa-
dor here. lie has bought the Duke Of
King>ton'S yacht, and is gone to join the
Americans. The court appear to be angry
with him"
Immediately on arriving the second
time at Passage, the wind hciug fair, he
embarked. The usual course for French
vessels attempting to trade with the COLO
nic> at that period was to sail ior the W est
Indies, and then, coming up along our
coast. enter where they cou.h. But this
course would have exposed Lafayette to
tue naval commanders OF his own nation,
and he had almost a. much reason to fear
them as to fear British cruisers. When,
therefore, they were outside of the Canary
Islands, Lafayette required his captain to
. ley their course directly for the United
States.
The captain refused, alleging that, if
they should be taken by British force,
and carried into Halifax, the French gov
ernmeHt would never reclaim them, and
they could hope for nothing but slow
dtath III dungeon or prison ship. This
was true, but Lafayette knew it before he
made the reqni>ition. lie therefore in
SISTED, until the captain refused in the
most positive manner.
Lafayette then told him that the ship
was his cwn private property, that he had
made his own arrangements concerning
1t, aud that II ne, the captain, would not
sail directly for the United States, he
should be put in irons, and his command
given to the next officer.
The captain of course submitted, and
Lafayette gave him bond for forty thou
sand francs, in case Of anv accident. They
therefore now made sail directly for the
Southern portion of the United S ates,
I II o,,,unI ,,nV,,nlark.l 4 INhorin.Nn,1
South Carolina, on the 25th of April,
/ l777.
The sensation produced by his appear
ance in this country was, Of course, much
crpatrr than that nrOduceG in Enrnne by