The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-08-16
THE REAL WASHINGTON.
A Man OF Warm Affections and a steadfsst Friend
Some Touching Correspondence with Lafayette.

Some Touching Correspondence with Lafayette.
New York Times.l
Professor McMaster, In the second volume OF his
very Interesting history has described George wash
ington as "the cold aud forbiddng character with
whom no fcllow-man ever ventured TO live on close
and familiar terms" This Ia estimate OF the per-
sonal qualities OF the greatest American which Ia
sInpularly erroneous, and which II is surprising that
historian so paInstaking and industrious rs Profess
McMaster should have formed. II Is contrary TO
much that is known to even the ordinary reader OF
American history In records easily and constantly
accessible, such as the twelve volumes OF washing
tons letters edited by Sparks and the four volumes
Of letters to washington, which, under the title OF
correspondence OF the American Revolution" ac-
company these. II Is opposed to the very general
and conspicuous fact OF the faithful zeal inspired by
Washington In many OF the most prominent OF his
contemporaries, and which could not have been.
maintained In the face of uniformly "cold and for
bidding " manner ana conduct But II is especially
coniradlcted by the evidence which ought to be IA
milar TO any historian OF the United States In the
memoirs and correspondence OF the Marquis de La
faye,te, between whom aud Washington there ex-
listed friendship, not only close and familiar" but
warm, so firm, so sympathetic, pure, and tender,
that 1t may well be ranked among the memorable
friendships OF history.
Lafayette was not yet twenty years Of age when he
presented to Washington at Philadelphia, in i7I7,
and captlvated him by his petition to he allowed to
serve as volunteer In the cause OF American inde-
pendence. He was Immediately attached to WASH
ngtons military family and acted aide In the dis
astrous defense Of Philadelphia, during which he
was wounded. Lafayette, In a document left by him
at his death and intended as portion Of his auto
biography states that Gen. Washington on this occa-
sion directed that he should be put in charge Of the
surgeon attached TO the Generals own person, to
whom Washington said, scare for him as you would
for my son; 1love him as SUCH" This certainly was
not "cold and forbiddlng " beginning to the inter.
course OF the commander and his boy friend. The
Intimacy grew from the first. As early as November
the Marquis wrote to his wife Of his "tender union
with the most worthy and admirable Of men, Gen.
Washington, sustained by mutual confidence" In
December Of the same year he wrote to his father.
n-aw, the Due dAyen, OF Washington:
1 see him more closely than any one else, and zee
him worthy OF the alteration Of his country. His
tender friendship and entire confidence toward me
as @ 70 al objects military and political, large and
has TO do, to reconcile, and to overcome.
Early in January, lis, he again wrote to Nine. dc
Lafayette from the camp at Valley Forge:
His confidence In me ls greater than dare avow
on account OF my age. In his station he Is exposed
to latterers or secret enemies about him; he finds
IN me a sure friend, In whose bosom he can pour on,
his heart and who will always tell him the truth
There Is not day that he does not have long talks
S,
suits me on the most Interesting points.
These evidences Of the "close and familiar terms,
on which at least one "fellow-man venured to live
with" Washington are repeated and strengthened
throughout the published correspondence OF La
| fayette and In his memoirs, extending over many
years, and particularly over the succeeding foul
years. In the summer of IT'S Lafayette was sent tc
Newport to aid In the efforts for combined move
ment between the American forces and the French
lint Ita 1ntNa Ny,,tt
long, and confidential. In one of them he communi
Gated to the General his observations regarding ar
incipient ill-feelng that threatened to spread be-
tween the French and American officers
"Forgive me for It," he wrltes "it Is not to the
commanderin chlef 1t is to my most dearest frient
that am speaking" In another letter (Septembe,
1, 171s Lafayette breaks out:
Give rue Joy, my dear General. intend to have
your picture, and MT. HANCOCK has promised me
Count d. Estaing, and never saw man so glad Al
possessing his sweetheart's picture as the Admiral
was to receive yours.
SO 1t woud seem that the veteran sailor had not
found Washington's character peculiarly "cold and
forbddIng."
When, the next year, Lafayette returned to France
on mission of much importance, he wrote from on
board the Alliance, of Boston, most affectlonate
letter to Washington, which he rcopencd three
times, as the vessel did not weigh anchor, to add
lingering protestations of affection his dear and
forever-loved friend" The voyage was long and
dangerous. AT Its conclusion the Marquis wrote
from "near Rochefort," the 18th OF June ITO a
long letter full Of plans and projects for the future
touching but lightly on the perls he had escaped,
and concluding 1--WE retranslate from the French:)
There never was a friend, my dear General 40
much and SO dearly loved and respected as you are
by me- Happy In our union, in the pleasure of liy-
ing near you tn the sweet satisfaction of sharing the
sentiments of yOur heart, all the events of your llfe
had formed such habit OF being inseparable from
you that cannot accilstom myself to YOUR absence.
am more and more affected by this enormous
distance that separates me from my dearest friend
For the love OF Heaven write me long letters and
your own interests.
Such expressions as these could be multiplied
almost indefinitely. We pass 10 letter written
from Cadz, February s, 1888, In which Lafayette
refers to the final triumph OF the American cause:
NY DEAR GENERAL: Were you but such man
as julius Cesor or the King OF Prussia, should
almost be sorry for you at the end OF the great
tragedy in which you are acting such a part, hui
with my dear General rejoice at the blessings OF a
peace where our noble ends have been secured
say you have done all this, what must your vIr-
tuous and good heart feel on the happy instant when
lished! ! cannot but envy the happiness OF my
grandchlidren when they Will be about celebrating
anG w,osshplng your name To have one Of their
good fortune to be the friend Of your heart win be
the eternal honor In which they shall glory and to
shall delegate the favor You have been pleased to
confer upon my son George. y .
my gaepy aeaf as sssp sest sna be in
an affection and respect which, too well fee, not
to know 1t is Impossible to me TO express It,"
Here s another letter written on the eve of his de-
parture for France from visit TO America the last
he made during the lfe-ime OF Washington:
OR BOARD THE NYMPu,
NEW YORK HARBoR, I'd December, 1854.
by any means a last Interview. My whole soul re-
volts at the idea, and could harb0r for an Instant
indeed, my dear General, 1t would make me miser-
able. well see you viii never go to France. The
inexpressible pleasure of embracing you In my own
house, OF welcoming You In family where your
name Is adored, do not much expectto experience,
but to You shall retnrn and within the walls OF
Mount Vernon We shall yet often speak OF old times
this side OF the Atlantic ana the most beloved OF ali
friends ever had or shall have anywhere Ia too
strong an inducemenI for me TO return to him not
so pleasing yisiis 10 Mqqht Vernon. '.' '''" NY
Adieg, adieu, my dear General. 1t is with mex:
from you by the Atlantic. Everything that admra-
fon, respect, gratitude friendship, anc aual love
can inspire is comhined IN my aGectlonats art In
express.
And finally we give one more CT -..un, which.
written after nine years of intimate friendship gives
Lafayette rs own remembrance OF the terms ON which
he had been member OF Washlngtons family.
The letter Is dated Paris, October 20, 1855:
My DEAR GENERAL: To one who SO tenderly
loves you, who NO happily enjoyed the times we
nave passed together, aud who never any part Of
the globe, even In his own house, could feel himself
40 perfectly at home az In your family 1t must be
confessed that an Irregular, lengthy correspondence
10 quite insufficient. beseech you, In the name Of
our friendship OF that paiernaI concern Of yours for
my happiness, not to miss any opportunity to let me
hear from my dear general.
To this we add only few words from Washing
ton to Lafayette, written December 8, 17sY after
what proved to be their last parting:
In the moment OF our separation, upon the road
40 Travelled, and every hour since, have felt all
that love, respect, anu attachment for you, with
merits have inspired me. II is unnecessary,
persuade myself, to repeat to you, my dear Mar
quis, the sincerity OF my regards and friendship;
nor nave words which could express my affection
for you were 10 attempt H.
We might add to these extracts others from the
letters OF Washington TO Lafayette, showing the
feeling on his part, but we have given enough to
show that the relations existing between tho two
men were absolutely inconsistent with Professor
McMaster's estimate OF Washington. 1t is probable
that the historian has been misled by the style OF
Washington's own letters as published, as well as
by the reports OF some OF those who have left ac-
counts OF BIN. But he ought 10 know that much
OF the coldness and formaty the" forbiddlng tone
OF Washington's letters, is due to the editing o,