The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-11-26
a LIFE As BEAUTIFUL As IT WAS
INTER ESTTN0.
The Story Of Madame DE Lafayette, wife Of
the Friend Of Washington.
ILL
1871 100


17Qi-i7g3.
1t Is impossible in these sketches Of the
life Of Madame de Lafayette to do more than
alude to the public events which affected the
domestic and personal history NJ this lady, the
wife OF that early leader " the Revolution, who
was obliged to attempt tho salvation Of the
throne, and who lost in that attempt all power to
control the movement In whose early stages he
| had been n principal actor. The point OF time
at which we now resume the narrative l. the
month OF December 1871. when Lafayette and
| his family were all assembled at his chateau ~
Chavaniac. At this period he was mnde COM
mandcr Of one 81 three armies which mad hecn
| raised I'm anticipation Of n war with the allied
! powers. who were expected to Interfere with
the internal concerns ~ France. He left
| Cnnvaniac 70 take this command. and, az the
| same time. his wifes mother and sister Madame
d'Ayen and Madame dc Noailcs, wcrc Obliged
to return to Paris. Thus Madame dc Lafayette
was left with her children and with Madame de
| Chnvanlac her husbands aunt. Mt the chate u.
she never saw her mother and sister again, and
never saw her husband until she Joined him in
the prison OF Olmutz, nearly four years after
ward
At this time the state Of the internal condi-
ton ~ France may he described in general
terms struggle between the party which
desired to preserve the throne 10y Constitution
| OF definite character aud the Jucobins and
| other factions that were seeking the entire
| overthrow Il the monarchy. foreign war
was imminent, from various causes sprinSlng
| from the revolution In France and was, In fct,
declared In March. li0. On the 10TH u June,
| l7a2. Lafayette, from the camp OF Maubeuge.
addressed his celebrated letter To the Legisla-
tive Assembly, in which he denounced the
Jncobins. On the % of June he appeared at
tho bar OF the Assembly, and. in a vigorous
speech. presented addresses from tho army
under his comm .ad, and demanded the sup
! Erosion " tho Jacobin club. largo majority
OF the Assembly voted TO refer his letter 10
committee to report on its adoption. Deriving
some encouragement from this, he presented
| himself At Court. but was coollv received bv the
King, and the royalist party were told 10y both
ehe King and Queen that they could place no
confidence In Lafayette. lie next applied to the
National Guard, but his influence with that
body WAS gone. lie then tried by meeting at
his own house to rally force to march
against the Goblin Club and close its si,tngs.
| But this effort was fdtilp. lie returned to the
army. at Sedan, followed by the hatred OF the
revolutionists and the derision OF the Constitu-
toual y rty. VINO felt that their cause had been
| wrecked by his failure. At sedan he issued
| spirited proclamation announcing his determi-
nation to march against the rebels Of Paris. For
amOment 1t seemed as II the troops woul fol-
| low him In an effort 90 establish the constitu-
tional throne; but the ruling power at Parts.
which overawed the Assembly, found means to
counterfeit his influence with the forces under
| his command. He was not seconded 10y them.
and nothing rem lined for him, now that price
| had been set upon his head. but to ESCAPE from
France. Ills intention was to 20 TO the United
States hut near the frontier he was arrested 10y
the Ans'rians. ana was finally thrown into the