Maryland free press., 1867-01-31
A Heroine-Lafayette's Wife.

Lafayette was a daughter of the IL Is
trious house of Noailes. She was MAJ
ried at the early ago of seventeen, and
scarcely had the honeymoon glided hap
PLY away, when he: youthful husband
left her siIe to fight for. American inde-
pendence. During his absence, Madame
Lafayette ruled her household and numer
GUS estates with wisdom and prudence
far beyond her years. At length the
husband whome she loved so dearly, and
of whom she was 50 jus;ley fond, return
cd, covered with glory, to lay bis laurels
at her feet. Some few happy days were
spent together, and then the storm cloud
Of the French revolution broke over their
heads Her husband was soon driven
into exile, but it was thought that Mad
anne Lafayette, living quietly and in great
retirement on her estate in Auvergne,
run no danger But her love of liberty,
her high rank, her talents, made her an
object of suspicion. She was arrested on
the 10th of August, and soon after sent to
Paris. Her mother. grand mother, and
sister-in-law, all perished on the scaffold.
Madame de Lafayette herself was in daily
expectation of death. She made her will,
and waited calmly aud resolutefy for the
summons to the gGillotine. The revo-
luton of the 9th Tharmidor preceded, by
five days, that appointed for her execution.
AS soon as she was liberated, she sent her
only son, then in his childhood, to the
care of Gen Washington, after whom he
had been named !: and then fastened with
her two daughters to find her unfortunate
husband-then lanquishiug in an Austrian
prison. She reached Vienna by means of
an American passport, obtained an audi
euce of the Emperor, and solicited either
the release of her husband or permission
to share his captivity.
Gas to the release of General Lafayet-
te," replied the Emperor, sit is very
complicated piece of business F.; on that
point my hands are tied"
Madame Lafayette joyfully embrac ed
the other alternative that of sharing her
husbands gloomy prison. Sixteen months
close Imprisonment in France, the
loss of all her kindred, and her husband,
had combined TO affect her health, which
declined so rapidly in her damp prison of
Olmutz, that serious apprehensions were
entertained for her life. Feeling the i'm.
portance of her life to her family. and al
their earnest solicitation. she wrote to the
Emperor for his permission to spend Q
week in Vienna for change OF air, and for
the purpose of consulting a physician.
Her letter remained two months unan-
swered, and then came an imperial mau-
date, forbiddiug her ever to appear in
Vienna, but Offering her freedom, on con
dition that she would never seek to r"turr
to her husbands prison. Madame de
Lafayette's noble aud touching anJwer to
this inhuman proposition, fortunately fol
posterity, remains on record. ~
1t was as follows -,.,.,. ,..-sr
"Iowed it tom family and my friends
to mako some efforts for the preserva
ton of my life but they know me too
we'll to suppose, for an instant. that I
would accept it at such a price. l canno
forget that when we were on the point oI
perishing. my husband, by his physica
and mental suferings in Austria and I
by the tyranny of Robespierre. in France
was not allowed to receive any communi
cation from him, nor to inform i'm il
l return that his wife and children were still
in existence and I will never, ofmy owl
free will, expose myself to the agony of
separation from him again. Howeve
unsuitable this residence may .be to m
daughter, and however unfavorable to m
health, we will gladly avail ourselves o
his Imperial Majesty's goodness in allow
ing us to remain here, and will never trou
BILE him with any more petitions p
From that time Madame de Lafayett
made no further efforts, but bore. her sut
ferings firmly and patiently until the vic
tories of the French Republic, aud especa
ly those of General Bonaparte. changed
: the aspect of affairs. Gen. Lafayeti
was restored to freedom. and with his DE-
voted wife returned to his native country
y and fixed his residence at La Grange
the maternal inheritance of his wife-a
t estate situated about twelve leagues frou
e Paris.-Here Madame de Lafayette spen
+ the remainder Of her short life in th
bosom of her family, and in the practie
Of every Christian virtue. But the poisone
srrow Of grief and anxiety had drank he
life blood. and after many lingering month
of suffering, this humble christian. th
offactionake mother and heroic wife. close