New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-04-28
wAsHINGTON's FRIEND.
Ia.E LIFE OF An UNsELFIsH PATRIOT.


the effect that most OF the extant works OF the
kind arc so BIASED in way or another as to
leave in doubt the real character Of the man and
tho importance Of his achievements. This Life
is avowediy written TO correct misapprehenslons
resulting from previous excess, both in adulauon
ond detraction Free use has been made OF the
ample materials existing, and while MT tucker
man may be thought by some readers 70 nave
discounted too literally the supposed acquiihV
ance of the public with the details OF Lafayettcs
earccr-omitting presumably on TINS account many
Of those little touches, those illustrative ahecuo'cS
and small indications of character ana tempcra-
-, which are so useful in building up ana
yivifying historical pcrsonages-it must DC S"'u
l.. hos written throughout with the utmost
;r,a,,,alitv Nor docs a soberly critical analysis
NJ Iafsyette's character and course tenn 10 pei'V
,, b;r, His weakness was always on the sur
face. and il was Of a kind TO provoke inc i"o'i'
mocl,crv Of cvncs like Mirabcau, who ID NICK
NAMING him Grandison-Cromwell' at once h'c
49, rons, conspcuous foible Of his nature ana
hbelcd him cruelty ,.uo
rai,I.favc,te in his first period was charge
able with vanity, surely u was vi III
,.ira O.+cntation. the coarse and vulgar greco
~ unmcrted applause was never ohc VI i'9
lie posscssed in common with his nauoh '''' f'
sion for glory, but what he sought was VI, s
a., onr,cciotion Of men whom he had hcIpcu 10
~. ,',..., ,hicb he REGARDED all his life as the
eret ri earthly blessings. His coming TO America
"'' 49,, ro.rro of n great remuneration. lie
.rnod bis hack upon all the luxury, case pi'"sui'
..h;oh bioh birth and position, w'aith
,ou,l and the possession of devo'eo wiz an"
YUM - I'll. oorld hestow All this he LETT.
n.o,,ro the displcasurc Of his sovereign anu INV
~
~ aa,oers of the Continental army 20 s'"r''
-,s t,,o,e at Valley Forge with Wash'ngrS.tT
49, nor,ected troops 10 participate w1thg4<%@n
e,roorod IN the world generally mad ana
,,e,o,s s,rurrlc against overwhelming oa's
rn; coo Jafavrttr did wholly at his own o's'
4. ,ho ou+set he renowned ali claim for remnh ra
49,, and undertook 10 bear his own charges al"
Ia -os much better than his word IN the sequel
Cor .coin and again he disburscd large amounts
from his private fortune to equip ana leeu 'iio
troops under his command
Tho sterling virtues Of the young enthusiasV
onickly mgratiatcd him with Washington anu
fr;ondsbip between them was established WIFI"
continued 10 the end Lafayette moreover pos
.csscd qualities which endcared him TO all ciasSeS
of nconlc In the first place he sought morning
for himself. and the knowledge OF tha' must n"''
saved him from many jealousies ana much '''ei
cstcd opposition. In the next place he was "'o"'
est and as modcsty was not the most Conspicuous
virtue among the French officers VINO onereu '"o'.
swords 10 the Revolutionary cause the cohoucV u
the Young Marquis appeared the more co'hn''nu-
able He also possessed in a high degree 'h,'
,,,,,rooo social solvent called tact. All through
bic c.reer this endowment stood him III good
stead lie always could say the right thing al
the riobt time and he could rise to the occasion.
lie made friends wherever he went. and he kept
,hen. which is more significant. No DOUBT ne
owed much at first TO his name rank, and the H.
finance his appearance was likely to exercise upon
pgslc oGiniaas in Europe bu' ne coma mo' n"
dations, and the endurance of his popularity was
due TO his possession Of real military ana admin
istrative talent His campaign against Corhwails
proved this II, then acted with maturity OF
Judgment o mingled caution and boldneSs, "mch
wonld not have dscrcditcd veteran soldier and
Washington on giving his final orders for the
Lacquer Of Yorktown, found that his young lieu
tenant had anticipated all Of them, and had closed
every avenue of escape against the entrappfd
British General
Lafayette did not have many opportunities OF
distinguishing himself but he missed none that
came TO him and he received tie full cOn1iicncc
of his comm nlcr- in chief The lnicAlble lntc@-
rity of his nature was illustrated in the persistence
with which he avoided ENHANCEMENT III any OF the
poltical and military ntrlIues which were porn oi
the Revolutionary vics>itudcs. lie was sounded
more than once scheme of rivalry TO WashihS-
ton, bu, he could not be moved from his loyany
The relation between Washington and Lafayette
was almost that OF father and son. and there Is
evidence that the reticcnt patriot chief conhded
more to his young aidede-camp at critical PERIODS
than TO most of his countrymcn. Not mill
tary plans perhaps. hut those douh's ana PrpeN-
Ties which could hardly be conferred upon WIN
men who might cherish ambitions not to be appre-
hended III the candid and single-mlhded Marquis
The latter served the American cause III many
ways besides that Of actual fighting But Tor MS
mediatorial ability the alliance with France might
hay, aborted dismally at an early stage In the
Newport affair he certainly prevented what threat
ened to be a disastrous rupture of intcrnatlohaI
friendship. and the cooperation of Rochamheau
and De Grassc with Washington at Yorktown was
facilitated bv his genial and ludicous services
There was no method open to him which he
did not take to demonstrate his devotion to me
cause of liberty and yet il is undoubtedly true
that he had no real knowledge or understanding
of the condition he so admired. On his return
10 France when the Revolution was RAPIDLY
breeding, he soon made 1T apparent 10 Shrewd
and experienced observers like Gouvcrneur Morris
that he had no conception Of the prerequisites OF
self-govcrnmcnt. Not that in this he WAS behind
his contemporaries Of France Even to this day
Frenchmen have failed to realize tn, iuthty Of
constitutions written above the heads OF the
ueople sought To be governed under them La
fayctto merely took his political doctrines from
the current philosophy. Ii was an epoch OF
abstract ideas in Europe and especially in France.
LAFAYETTE believed that the intelligence of the
people was sutt Client TO maintain law ana order
even il the existing authority should he destroyed
lie WAS not alone in cherishing that dclusion,
INIT because he WAS one Of the most conspicuous
and influential men Of his day his example
proved infinitely mischievouS. Nr. Tuckcrman.