The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-04-26
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
"REMINISCENCES OF LAFAYETTE.

|, "REMINISCENCES OF LAFAYETTE.
We were surprised to learn from {
fIienI who had been recently fl
Charleston, South Carolins, tha
Francis Huger, who, in connection
: with DIR. Bollman Of Philadelphia
was concern d In the bold and daring
effort 10 release the Marquis De La
fayette from the imperial Austrian
, dungeon in Olmutz, as far back Ger
, tainly as 'lII5, is yet living and still
seen upon the streets Of the Palmetto
city. That was an event seventy-si,
years ago-almost as far back as til,
settlements of Ohio at Marietta ant
Cincinnati. Mr.. Hugar, of course
must then have arrived at mans
estate, and yet he exists now upor
The backs and slopes of time. There
is nothing in the anuals of romano,
that exceeds this exploit Of Messrs
Bollman and Huger, and there i:
certainly nothing that was ever more
sincere and disinterested
Lafayette, on account of his re
markable devotion to the United
States in the earlier years OF the
Revolution, when they really needed
friends, and when gentleman Of
fortune snd worth, he came to oul
shores to offer Us his sword, was
justly an object Of familiar regard in
in this country. He was second only
to Washington in esteem and venera-
tion. Taught the principles OF liber-
ty on the west side of the Atlantic, 1t
was to be expected that Lafayette
would continue to support them on
the other. He did so, and, was one
Of the early champions of that most
wonderful uprising known as the
Frst French Revolution, in 1889. 1t
soon progressed beyond mis- desires
or expectations into unbridled license
and universal bloodshed. He was
not only unable to control it, but he
fOundthat it sought his life because he
was not able to keep pace with it. A
French General, in command of an
important upon the frontier, he was
obliged, for safety from the guillo-
tine behind, to run the rick of the
army in front. He fell into the hands
| first Of the Prussions and then OF the
allied Austrians TO whom he was de
livered. In any event, he was but a
prisoner of war, but they Immediately
proceeded to confine him as GRIM
inal malefactor They threw him
into the depths of their worst dun
geons in Lower Austria. This was
on account of his political principles.
His life was in danger IN Paris be
cause he stopped short OF the murder
Of the king and queen; and he was
little better off In Vienna, because he
haa gone SO far in republicanism.
Thus be fell between two fires.
Thus was he placed between Scylla
Chsry bdis. His misfortunes created,
of course, the greatest feeling and
sympathy in the United States, which
was under such obligations OF nation
al gratitude. General Washington,
then President, wrote dignified and
touching letter to the Emperor of
Germany begging that as a political
prisoner he would be released and
permitted to come to the United
States. To this, we believe, no
answer was ever deigned by the
Emperor. In the British Parliament
officers who had fought against him,
like CORVALLIS and Tarleton, made
efforts in his behalf, but they were
useless: At this time Messrs. Boil
man and Huger, two brave, generous
and adventurous young men, con-
ceived the idea of private rescue.
They visited Olmutz, so. the coHf
dence Of the jailor, and devised q
plan wich came near being success
full. Lafayette was brought out with
fair chances of escape, bu. by an un
lucky occurrence he was retsken, and
with him his Two American friends,
who were Immediately thrust into
dungeon, their lives being threatened
for their high-handed work OF res
cue. In those times it was fortunate
indeed that they escaped after an
investigation OF some months. La
fayette lsnguished there until Ma
poleon, victor over Austria, cOmpell-
ed his Liberation in 1897. These are
facts that we read in our youth that
our fathers read before us that our
grandfathers perused when they we're
young; and yet one Of the actors in
I, after the lapse of nearly century,
is survivor among five generations.
There are few who remember Latay
ette, when he visited Cincinnati in
1925, but here is a gentleman who
endeavored to forcibly rescue him
from prison thirty years before. Up
to 1861 he was Postmaster at CHARLES
ton.
Toe above brings to mind an in
cident that transpired during the last
visit of General Lafayette to this
country in 1925, and which was re
lated 10 us by q gentleman Of this
city, formerly of Pittsburgh.
During his celebrated tour throug
the Union, when he was greeted by
a grateful nation as no foreigner was
ever before received by people, the
General visited Pittsburgh. In that
city resided an estimable young lady,
who, owing to her living in humble
style, was ignored socially by the
coal and iron aristocracy OF that dirty
sud smoky town. The citizens-Or
rather the ''elite' of Pittsburgh-got
up grand ball at the principal hotel
in honor of the great Frenchman.
Many fair woman expended extra
dollars and time on her elaborate
toilet, hoping to be the favored one
TO dance with the General, just IS the
ladies of Cleveland hoped to dance
with the Grand Duke at the reception
given him there. The ball room was
thronged with the gaily dressed
crowd, most of whom imsgined them
selves 10 be manufactured out of a
finer article of clay than other people
were. The door Of the anti-room
opened and General La Fayette prom
enaded into the room with the young
lady before attended to, leaning on
his arm, dressed modestly in white
The young lady was the daughter OF
DR. Bollman who undertook the re-
lease of La Fsyette as described in
the foregoing extract. She had the
honor of being the first to dance with
the general and to monopolize his
special attention, much to the sur
prise and chsgrin of the purse-proud
danes and their daughters who had
been 10 the habit of snubbing their
more humble sister.
CHINESE TREATMENT OF ANIMALS
They never punish; hence a mule
that, in the hands of foreigner
would be not only useless, but dan
: gerous to every one about it, be
r comes, in the poss ession OF China
s man, as quiet as a lamb and as at
D tractable as q dog. We never be
4 held a runaway, jibbing or
9 vicious mule or pony in Chinamsn'
: employment; but found the sam
t rattling, cheerful pace maintained
H.,