Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-05-23
ANf4f- -lnuaruce Nl tie Boston Transcript.
Recollecti0nS Of Visit from ten. Lafayette
and his son George 20 the State of YER
mont In 1925.

When / was a lad fifteen years Of age, the
distinguished French General whose name
stands at the head Of this article visited
Royalton. the town Of my nativity
Il was in the month of June
when roses white and rci unite"
and rccollect that the gardens and door
yards were stripped of the queen flower by
the Young ladies of the village. 10 make hou-
queis with which to welcome the distin-
guished stranger.
In the forenoon the general visited the
town of Woodstock, and had a public re-
ception. lie was saluted bya company con
siSting of Revolutionary patriots, and rec
ognized one of their number George Samp
Spn) whom he had known personally during
the war Of the revolution. The greeting
was most cordial.
The cavalcade in open carriages, consist
ing Of Governor Van Ness and staff 1.-THE
only surviving member Of the staff is Hon.
Daniel Kellogg Of Brattleboro. who was
Senator TO the Governor and counciD.
General Lafayette and his son, George
Washington Lafayette, passed the ridge of
highlands that divided the Otta Quechee
from the valley of White River. and arrived
at Royalton in the afternoon. They were
received by the late Gel Billings as marshal.
at the head Of about twenty Revolutionary
patriots, who fired salute in honor Of
their old commander. The carriage con-
tanning Gen. Lafayette and son halted in
front Of the piazza of the public house at
Royalton village, and the late Jacob Col
lamer. who was then a resident of Royal
ton, and the rising man of Windsor county,
delivered the following address
General Lafayette have been re-
quested by the people Of Royalton and
vicinity to express to YOU their extreme
JOY at beh0lding You among Us. We bid
You welcome 10 the green hills and happy
valleys of Vermont.
We know of no way Of rendering this
welcome more acceptable to our nation
guest, than by assuring You that every little
town and hamlet, however remote and OBJ
scure among the mountains that environ it.
is happy in the care and protection of our
government. In the full enjoyment in COM
mon with our splendid cities, of all the
blessings that flow from our liberal govern
ment and republican institutions, and sur
rounded by the light and intelligence which
proceed from those institutions. we cannot
be insensible from whence these blessings
spring, nor the debt Of gratitude they im
ply These, sir, are the results Of your
early labOrs, and of your cOmpatriots.
llNlAt tlhA AtiA III VI INN NiAtAAt- hA NNui
condeScending visit, ybrateS with such
electric rapidity and sympathetic orison to
the most remote recesses and extremities of
our country. Humbly then, sir, bat with
sincere hearts, We would wish to add 10 the
gratulations of our cities, our rustic Saluta-
tions of welcome, and thus evince a na-
tion : gratitude to their early beneiactor.
We bless the day on which we are per-
mitted to behold you, for your name and
services we have long been accustomed to
associate and identify with those of the
Father of his country
General Lafayette answered by n short
and appropriate speech, and after partaking
of some refreshments the cavalcade started
for Montpelier.
The young lawyer who addressed the
general rose rapidly in public estimation
and became States attorney, representative
to both state and national legislatures, was
one of the Judges of the Supreme Court Of
Vermont, Senator in Congress, postmaster
general of the United States, and at a repub
liean national convention 7 . received a few
votes when named as a candidate for Presi-
dent Of the American Union My recollec-
tion of Gen. Lafayette are that he had a re-
markably intelligent, benevolent, and pleas
ant expression of countcnance, Indicative
of "a fine understanding and great goodness
of heart