San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-07-19

III lut uuudo w heieJshsei eHs ''
March following he sent it TO Thomas
Paine, then in London, TO be for
warded AZ a present TO Washington,
together with q neat drawing, in
pencil, representing the destruction
Of the prison. A copy Of that sketch
is given on page 221. With these
Lafayette enclosed letter TO Wash
ington, dated the 17th OF March,
in which no gave him a general pic.
ture OF affairs in France, and added:
"After / have confessed oil this, l
will soy with the same candor, that We
have made IN admirable and almost
incredible destruction Of oil abuses
and prejudices; that everything not
directly useful TO or coming from the
people has been leveled; that in the
typographical, moral and political
situation OF France, we have made
more changes in ten months than the
most sanguine patriots could have
imagined; that our internal troubles
and anarchy are much exaggerated;
and that upon the whole, this revo-
luton. in which nothing will be
wanting but energy of government,
as it was in America, will implant
liberty and make it flourish through.
out the world; while we must wait
for convention in a few years, to
mend some defects, which are not
now perceived by men just escaped
from aristocracy and dospotism.'
He then added:
"Givo me leave, my dear general,
to present you with picture OF the
Bastile, Just rs it looked few days
after l ordered it's demolition, with
the main key to the fortress OF des-
potism. 1t is tribute which l owe
as son to my adoped father-as an
aid camp 10 my generals a mis-
sionary of liberty to Its patriarch
After considerable delay, Paine
forwarded the key and drawing to
Washington, with letter in which
he said:
81 feel myself happy in being the
person through whom the Marquis
has conveyed this early trophy of the
spoils of despotism, and the first ripe
fruits of American principles trans
planted into Europe, to his great
master and patron. When he men.
toned to me the present he intended
for you, my heart leaped with joy. 1t
is something 80 truly in character,
that no remarks can illustrate it, and
is more happily expressive of his re-
membrance of his American friends
than any letters can convey. That
the principles of America opened the
Bastile is not to be doubted, and
therefore the key comes to the right
place.
II should rejoice to be the direct
bearer of the marquis's present to
your excellency, but 1 doubt l shall
not be able to see my much loved
America till next spring. l shall
therefore send it by some American
vessel to New York. I have per-
mitted no drawing to be taken here,
though it hts been often requested.
as think there is q propriety that
it should first be presented. But
Mr.. West wishes Mr.. Trumbull to
make u painting of the presentation
of the key to you.
On the 18th of August Washington
wrote to lafayette:
81 have received your affectionate
letter OF the 18th of March by one
conveyance, and the token of the vic
tory gained by liberty over despotlsm
by another. for both of which testi-
monials of your friendship and regard
1 pray you to accept my sincerest
thanks. In this great subject of tri-
umph for the New World, and for
humanity in general, it will meyer be
forgotten how conspicuous a part
you bore, and how much lustre yon
reflected on q country in which you
made the first displays of your char
acter.'
The key of the Bastile, and the
drawing representing the demolition
of the fortress, are at Mount Vernon.
The former is preserved in glass
case, and the latter hangs near it, in
the same relative position in which
they were originally placed by Wash
ington, in the great passage way OF
the mansion.
In the course of a pilgrimage to
Baltimore, Washington and Mount
Vernon in 1860, it was our privilege
to look upon these most interesting
relics; and in view of the associations,
historical and personal, we found
nothing in all the rare and venerable
surroundings more grandly sugges-
tive
The student of history knows that
the good Lafayette was grievously
disappointed in his bright anticipa-
tons of the sudden redemption of
his native land. But he also knows
that after nearly hundred years
have passed, these hopes are more
nearly realized than ever before.
Throughout a century France has
remained true to her ideal of repub-
lie, still returning to it after every
reverse of fortune; and so far, it will
have to be conceded, she stands far
ahead of every other nation of Eu-
rope. Her example, IN conjunction
.....L Al II Ihn Irn;inl SAntnc u rnf