The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1874-06-23
Se1erf Shrv.
Attempted Rescue Of Lafayette.
BY LAWRENCE LESLIE.

BY LAWRENCE LESLIE.
In quiet cemetery near the city of
Charleston, South Carolina, is lonely
grave covered by an unpretending stone,
upon which is cut the inscription, Fran
els K Huger, died July 81, 1855"
There is nothing about the grave or its
surroundings to excite remark or arouse,
curiosity, and hundreds daily pass it
without even turning aside to read the
brief record cut upon the neglected
stone.
Indeed, we conversed with several,
generally well-informed business men of
Charleston, who said they had heard of
Francis Huger, but confessed that they
were ignorant of the place of his burial,
date of his death, or any of the incidents
of his long life. Yet the name of the
man whose grave we sought was once
known throughout the civilized world,
and his generous friendship and noble
daring was the theme of the poets inspi
ration and the romancer's pleasing fam
cy.
1t was Francis K Huger who with an
equally brave and generous compan-
ion, formed .the desperate scheme
of the rescue of Gen. Lafayette from the
dungeons of Olmutz, three-quarters of q
century ago. Though by strange fa-
taljty the effort failed, the heroic men
risked liberty and even life in the at
tempt, received the thanks of every
lover of civil liberty throughout the
world.
The imprisonment Of Lafayette forms
a sad but interesting chapter in the his
tory Of that great man; and it is not a
little singular that he shoald be the first
individual of note at whom the Jacobins
should strike, and also the victim upon
whom the family of the unfortunate Ma
rie Antoinette should wreak their ven
geance for the misfortunes Of that mem
ber of the royal house Of Hapsburg.
After his brilliant career in America,
Lafayette returned to France covered
with the hoGors of two nations. His
military achievements in the new world
placed him in the front rank Of French
soldiers, and his thorough Identification
with popular liberty, made him the object
to whish the patriots of France turned
in their dreams of Republic, which the
glorious result of the struggle in Amer
lea had led them to hope would one day
dawn on monarchy.ridden France.
In 17S7,when the oppressed people de-
.manded of the French King constitu
ton, Lafayette espoused their cause, and
chiefly through his efforts the reluctanl
sovereign was forced to grant the desir
ed instrument. For this he was never
forgiven by that monarch, aud to that
hostility transmitted by the Queen to the
Court of Vienna is due, in great meas
ure, his subsequent misfortunes.
The great tide of French Republican.
ism was then rising, and Lafayette rode
on the topmost wave of popular favor.
Having demanded a constitution, and
finally wrung that instrument from the
despot, he was satisfied unlike his repub-
lican colleagues, and unhesitatingly took
the oath of fidelity to the king and the
constitution, and called to the command
of the army to repel the threatened inva-
sion of the Duke of Brunswick While
on the frontier, pushing forward his
measures of defense, the revolution in
Paris began The mob invaded the
kings palace on the 10th of August, and
forced the royal family to fly. Lafayette
protested against this violence, but the
revolution was rampant, and his words
were unheeded. Not only was his pro.
test unnoticed, but the revolutionary tri-
buual dispatched three commissioners to
his army, to demand of him full acqui-
escence in their stormy proceedings. Ig
norant of the extent of the frenzy in
Paris, Lafayette arrested the commission
ers as emissaries of treason. But the
tide could not be checked. All France
was mad The spirit Of insubordination
had unconsciously grown up in the army
and when they heard of the uprising
against royalty in Paris, they caught the
same spirit, and shouts of ''Down with
the King!" resounded throughout the
regiments. Finding it impossible to
control them, and discovering plot for
his arrest and delivery to the Jacobins
Lafayette, who sixty days before had
been the idol of the nation, was forced
to secretly leave his camp, and, with 6
few faithful companions, fly for safety to
foreign land.
| With.6lteen men he crossed the French
frontier on the 20th of August, l792, land
rode rapidly to Rochefort, where they
met the advance post of the Austrians
when Lafayette sent fol the officer in
command, and requested passport fol
himself an6 friends to proceed to the
coast and embark for America. Contrary
to every rule of honor, the request was
not only refused, but Lafayette and his
friends were Immediately seized and de
clared dangerous political prisoners. HI
was soon handed over to the Prussians
by whom he was treated with great Sc
verify. He was separated from his com
panions, denied all information concern
ing his family, the state of his country
or the fortunes OF the war against France
The dungeon in which he was confined
was cold, dark and damp; his health
finally failed, and his life was despaired
Of
In this desperate condition he was
waited upon by a Prussian officer and Of
fered his liberty if he would aid the Prus
sian generals in planning campaign
against France. This dishonorable prop
osition he refused in such strong terms
that the tempter retired confused ant
abashed The Prussian monarch, deeply
incensed at the refusal. cast about fol
new means of annoyance. Noisome ant
gloomy as were the dungeons in which
the unhappy captive had been previously
detained, more offensive ones were dis
covered, and thither the prisoner was
conveyed. Without warning, Lafayette
and his friends were thrown into an oper
cart, heavily ironed, strongly guarded
and driven across the country to Magde
bourg, the guard all the while refusing
to answer their earnest inquiries as te
their impending doom.
When the black, forbidding towers O
the prison came in view, and the gloomy
gate swung back to receive them, the Of
ficer in charge told Lafayette to bic
adieu to the world forever,for these dun
geons we're TO be his home and his grave