, 1889-06-27

eitiOn were concealed an active mind a
determined character aud un enthusiastic
spirit. So deeply did tue cause of liberty
appeal to hiu tnat he Cbeeriu,ly vppturrd
his lite anu reputation. Rp. mt his energies
and money ia the Struggle, lett his Young
wife and child and all the luxuries of ur.
isiocratic existence. resisted the entreaties
OF his friends, and det-d toe penalties
threatened bv the French government.
With unselfsh motives aud without the
desire of fame. he threw hims II, heart.
boiy and purse into the cause, made him.
self AN American, fought az such. and WAS
trusted IN such. Although he accom-.
plished no great military achievement,
he failed in no duty and per-
formed with bravery md distinction
whatever commands were placed upon
him While mis- services ere earnest and
faithful, he him.ef realized that they
were not indisp.nsablr. he ul,st mae
rial advantages winch resulted from his
'HJrts were HIS SERVICES in procuring
money and troops from France. but even
these shonld not he exaggerated. At the
close ot the drst tbirtv years Of his life ho
mad experienced far more than comes
~ithin the range OF many an honorable
aud evenitul lifetime. He was possessed
OF wealth, position and an unusually
happy domestic lite, and was
looked upon by his couutryuen
AZ one whose future seemed particu.
larly hontiul and promising. Bat,
says Mr. Tue kerman. "weaRuesses had al
ready shown themselves in his cha ructer
which were tn diminish his Usefulness.
tie attached undue Importance TO outward
honors and pubic favUrs. He was inclined
to Uni take prominence for greatness, and
praise Tor fame. lie generosity and EN-
thnslasm OF bis character blinded him to
realities which even less Intelligent uian
would have yerceived. lie wastaily de-
crivtd toy shallow or inslncere lnrn who
approached hiul with the words 'liherty'
and patriotism on their lips" But In
the last forty'seven Years OF his
life h. lear ned that all men we're
not xindhearied. patriotic like him
.sf. uew oeli'f had sprung up in
France, which was that France did not be-
long to the king. but the French people.
and that 1t Should therefore be governed
10y them and in their Interests. There had
become diffused throughout the nation =
yearuiug for liberty and an intense hat red
OF tyranny. Those who had these ideas
found sn enthusiastic champion in Lafsy-
ette, who longed to see his own country
governed by the same principles which
lay at the foundation Of American free.
dom. H,s aim in taking part in the
French revolution WAS to establish u con-
sthutional monarchy In France, and his
revolutionary tendencies went no further
than the abolition of old abuses and tue es
ta6ltshment OF the new government. Hostile
writer's have maintained that his real pur-
pose WAS the acauirement of power for
himself, but all the astigatious of one
hundred years have failed TO furnish even
u scrap OF evidence IN support of this view.
tie considered his own part in the revolu-
hon 10 be the maintenance OF order until
IA constitution should place France again
upon hrm basis, and 80 he entered upon
hls career as commander OF the
National Guard full Of enthusiasm
and hope. his aims were high, but
! he lacked judgment in state affairs. He
was too much Of an enthusiast and too
little OF q statesman, and was incapable of
| realizing that his people were unfit for
liberty until they had been gradually edu-
| Gated In the principles of eelf govern
ment. In 1892 he saw that he had failed,
and thus far France had failed. TIE next
seven years of his lite were spent in prison
aud in exile. The fortitude and pooleness
ot soul which he showed in this period of
anguish and hardship. his prompt and
frank refusal to accept Office, with its &C
| compauyine advantages of wealth and iu-
hnence, under the consulate and the
empire, his uncompltiuing silence
as ne saw bis son career blasted as a re-
venge upon himself, all prove how stead
fast and sincere WAS bis attachmt nj 10 the
| cause Of liberty, and how willing he wa.
to make every sacrifice in order 20 main
tain his principles aud his character un-
tarnished. Forty.one years from the time
when Lafayette first dreamed of liberty for
ms country, his hope became realized, and
IN 1880, at the age 20 years be saw
France constitutional monarchy. and
her people with a far better understa andipS
OF the word Liberty" than they had in
l'e9. In summing up his biographer
says mat u Is not the .abilities
a statesman which claim the respect and
admiration of posterity. but rather his
character as philanthropist. II IL IN
the force. the mobility, and the unseiHsh-
ness OF his character, In the elevation, pu-
rlty and constancy OF his moral nature
that we must look for the qualities which
enabled him TO accomplish 10 much, His
faulta grew out OF his virtues; bis snthusi-
asm was too impulsive. his confidence In
others too Understanding, his bensyo-
lence too little modified by prudence and
yet had he not been enthusiastic. conf.
dent and benevolent he would never have
taken up the cause OF liberty for Frsn,e.
he was man whom neither
bribes nor threats could affect, who
accepted no favors and was guilty of
no disloyslty. Notwithstanding the fact
tnat u vast amount has been written con-
cerniog Lafayette, 1t nevertheless re.
main. true that until Mr.. Tuckermau's
recent WORK appeared no authoritative
crisiSsi estimate OF his career and services
had been preaented. His enemies and his
| admirers have teen superlatiye in Their
denunciations or their praises. and until
now no ono has attem nted eror, a, ;,...-