Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-05-28
Unpublished Letters of Madame de
Ht Lafayette TO Washington.

From the Edinburgh Review, New Number.l
Before we take leave of this interesting
woman, we are tempted to lay before our
readers two unpublished letters addressed
by Madame de Lafayette to Washington,
during the captivity of her husband, and
before she had Joined him at Olmutz
These letters have been printed in French
in the Miscellany of the Philobiblen
Society" but they are otherwise unknown
both in France and England. Their
authenticity is uudoubted, for they are
taken from the family papers of Mr..
Dyson, formerly of Diss in Norfolk, who
resided for some time in M de Lafayette
family, and who was employed, as
Madame de Lafayette herself states, to
transcribe them, as she was afraid to send
them in her own handwriting. Mr..
Dyson keSt copy of the letters, which
is still in the possession of his nephew,
Thomas Lombe Taylor, Esq OF Starston
Hall, Ncrfolk. ta ,lafa Efa4
"CHAvAsIAo. October s. 1872.
"SIR: Without doubt. you have learnt
our misfortunes; you know that your
disciple, your friend, has never ceased to
be worthy of you and of liberty; you
know that the attachment to the Consti-
tuition which he had sworn has gained
him the hatred of the powerful faction
which wishes to destroy it; that pro-
scribed by this criminal faction, accused
at the head Of his army, and wishing to
spare his fellow citizens the commission
of a fresh crime, he has avoided the
sanguinary fury that pursues the true
friends of liberty, and was already on
the way to neutral territory; from thence
be was prepared to go to your country,
there to offer up prayers that his
own ungrateful land might find de-
tenders who would serve it with as
much disinterested zeal and love
of freedom as he had done. His
wish was that and all eur family should
join him in England, to 90 and establish
ourselves in America, enjoying there the
consoling spectacle of virtues worthy of
liberty; but before reaching this much
desired end-before even he had reached
neutral ground-he had TO traverse a
small part Of our enemies country there
he encountered them, and was taken
prisoner. Since the second Of August
he has been in their hands. BE was first
conducted to Namur, then to NiveIle,
thence TO Luxembourg; at last l learn
land that only from the newspapers) that
on the sixth of September he was taken
to Wesel in Westphalis, town in the
dominious Of the King of Prussia, and
that there he is to be separated from the
three members Of the Assembly who had
hitherto shared his fate, and is to be
taken alone TO the citadel of Spaudau,
between Berlin and Potsdsm. The mo-
tive and the design Of such strange and
cruel conduct on the part of the allies
are alike unknswn to me. BE is not per
mitted TO write q single line. II was BY
the troops OF the Emperor that he was
arrested, now it is the King of Prussia
who keeps him prisoner in his domin-
ions; and while he is experiencing this
inconceivable persecution from our ex-
ternal enemies, the faction which now
rules us at home detains me as a hostage
here at one hundred and twenty
leagues from the capital. Judge how
far removed from him
ain this abyss Of misfortunes, the idea
of owing to the United States and to
Washington the life and liberty of NJ.
Lafayette cones to revive hope within
my heart. l hope everything from the
goodness of the people, from whom he
learnt all those virtues and that love Of
liberty Of which be Is now the victim;
and / venture TO say all that | hope, /
venture TO ask Of them, through your
mouth, that vessel may be sent to de-
mand him wherever be may be, IN the
name Of the Rspublie of the United
States; also an envoy who, in the name
Of the Republic, may take all the engage
menss that may be thought Necessary for
OBTAINING him in America, even as q cap
tive. lfhis wife and children may be in
cluded In the terms Of this happy mis-
sinn h 4 easy 70 Judge What Q blessing it