West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-03-12
LArAYerTe IN AMERICA.
iIls Last Visit to the Country tor witch
lie Did 80 Much.

TITS Last Visit to the Country tor witch
lie Did - Much.
Congress, learning that General La
iaycttc u0d expressed an anxious de-
sire to visit this country, the indcpcud-
eu ,r or which his valor blood and
treasure wyrc so instrumental i'm nchicy-
mg. requested the President of the
United States to ascertain the time
when IL would hc most agreeable for
him TO perform this visit. and that he
pilcr To the general conveyance to
.his country i'm one Of our national!
ships
General Lafayette declined this ollcr
II a public ship. llr sailed from Havrc
IN the packrt-Ship Cadmu~. accompa-
nicd by his son, George Washington
Lafayette, and arrived at New York ON
.he 10th of August, 1921 His reccp-
zion I'm the city was all that his heart
could dcsWc. He soon proceeded ON
tour through the United States Every
whore he was received and hunorcd rs
"thr National guest For moro than
u year hi, journey was a complete ova-
uon. As he passed through the couu-
try, every city, village and hamlet
poured out its inhabunts en- massc To
meet him. He visited all the States then
composing the Union
When the time of his departure drew
near, new frigatc. the Brandywinc,
named i'm honor of the gallant exploits
of General Lafayette mt the battle of
Brandywinc, was provided by Congress
To convey him to France. 1t was
deemed Appropriated that he should take
final leave of the Nation at the seat of
Government i'm Washington President
Adams invited him topnss Il few weeks
i'm the Presidential mansion During.
his soioum at the capital hc visited cN-
Presidents Jcilcrsot,, Madison and Mon
roe at their several places of resi-
dcncc
Having paid his respects to- the vcuc-
rated sogcs, the "Natiou's guest pre-
pared To take his final departure from
| the midst of grateful people The
y dh OF September, 1928, was the day
appointed for taking leave. At twelve
o'clock the officers of the general Gov
rrnm"nt, civil, military and naval, to-
%cthcr with the authorities of Washing
ton, Georgetown and Alexandria. with
multltudes of citizens and strangers,
assembled i'm the Presidents house.
Mr. Adams then addressed him i'm an
appropriate speech copy a single
paragraph:
You have traycrscd the twenty -four
states of the great Confcdcracy YOU
have been received with rapturcs hv
| the survivors Of your earliest com
| panions in arms; YOU have been hailed
| as long-abscnt parent, by their chill
drcn the men and women of the
present age; and "A rising generation,
| the hope of future time, i'm numbers
surprising the whole population Of that
| day when you fought at the head and
| 10y the side of their forcfathcrs. have
| wed with the scanty remnants Of that
| hour of trial i'm acclamatious OF ioy at
| bchOlding the face of him whom they
| feel 10 be the common bcncfactOr of all.
| You have heard the mingled voices of
| the past, the present and the future
| age joining In the universal chorus of
! delight at your approach; and the
/ shouts Of unbiddcn thousands, which
! greeted your landing ON the soil Of
! freedom, have followed every step of
| Your way, and still rcsound like the
! rushing Of man waters from every
! corner Of our land. 80
General Lafaycttc's happy reply
! closed with these words:
God bless you, sir. and all who SUR
| round us. God bless the American
! people, each Of their States and tho
| Federal Government Accept this
| patriotic farewell Of an Overlooking
! heart Such will bc its last thrOb when
! it ceases 90 beat
! The moment Of departure at length
| arrived, and having once more pressed
! the hand of Mr. Adams. hc entered the
] .fHf.l.. 4