The state chronicle., 1893-05-17
Visit of Gen. Lafayette to North Caro-.

Communicated.
In 1925 Gen. Lafayette visited
North Carolina for the last time.
Gov. Hutchings and G. Burton or
dered cavalry companies from Neck
lenburg and Cabarrus, commanded
by Col. Thos. G. Polk, to proceed to
Raleigh and thence with the Chief
Justice in carriage to Jackson,
Northampton county, receive the
distinguished visitor and escort him
to Raleigh. The General was ac-
companled by his son, George Wash
ington Lafayette and his secretary.
At Northampton, the grand old
patriot was welcomed by CEisf JUS
tice John Louis Taylor in a speech
of great beauty, which may be
found in the Raleigh Register Of
March 8, 1925.
They proceeded to Halifax where
they arrived February 27, 1925.
At Halifax, he was welcomed in
short address by Major Allen J.
Davie, a son of General William R.
Davie who had died five years be-
fore. In response Gen. L. said:
cit has long been my desire to visit
the citizens of Halifax. where the
1 onstitution of the State was
framed and the principles of liberty
declared. The regard and the re-
spect evinced towards me By toe
citizens are highly gratifying to my
feelings, and they are rendered
more SO by being rendered to me
by the son of my old and esteemed
friend"
He arrived on Sunday evening
and left on Monday morning, but
found tims while there to call on
Mrs. Jones the relict Of Willie
Jones then advanced in age and in
feeble health. Students of North
Carolina history will recall this
grand old lady as the daughter of
Col Joseph Montfort who was dep
utized by the Grand Master of
| England to organize Masonic Lod-
| ges in America, and whose commits
sion hangs on the walls of the Ma
sonic Grand Lodge in Raleigh.
Mrs. j. is represented as woman
"of much personal beauty, great
brilliancy Of wit and suavity of
manners"
When there the British Colonel
Tarlton in her presence spoke of
Col. William Washington as an illit-
crate, ignorant fellow, hardly
able to write his name," Mrs. j., re-.
ferring to the fact that Col. Tarlton
had been wounded at Cowpens by a
sabre cut from Col. W., sarcastically
said "Ah Colonel, you ought to
know better, for you bear on your
person proof that he knows very
we'll how to make his mark"
Col. Tarlton said in her presence
that he would like to see Col. Wash
ington, Mrs. Ashe, a. sister of Mrs.
Jones replied: "If you had looked
behind you at the battle of Cow
pens, you might have enjoyed that
| pleasure
1t is reported by the Halifax Free
Press that the meeting of Gen. L.
and Mrs. Jones was truly afectin e;
there was not a dry eye in the
| room.
The party left Halifax on Monday
morning by way of the "Falls Of
Tar River now known as Rocky
Mount, where they were entertained
by Henry Donaldson, Esq and where
a large number of persons joined
IN the pleasures of the dance. On
Tuesday night they rested at the
country residence of Col. Allen
Rogers ian uncle of the venerable
Mrs. F. j. Haywood,) of Raleigh,
and about II o'clock on Wednesday
arrived in this city. A large com
pany including cavalry and infan-
try met the General at pigeon
House Branch" on the Louisburg
road, and escorted him to the Gov
ernors Mansion (where the Centen-
nial Graded School now stands)
where refreshments were served.
Col. VIM. Polk, (of revolutionary
fame, and father of Bishop Polk, the
distinguished Confederate Lieu
tenant GeneraD rode in an open
barouche with Gen. Lafayette, and
they were received with federal sa-
lutte from cannon on Capitol square as
they passed in front of where Christ
church now stands. Every door
window and piszza on the street
was crowded with ladies who mani
tested their qualification by waving
their handkerchiefs, &c.
Governor Burton welcomed the
General to our Capital, and the lat
ter replied.
"On the first moment of nv re-
turn to the blessed shores of Amer
lea, anticipated the pleasure tc
revisit this State, and here to wit
ness the prosperous result of that
independence and self-government
the cry for which had been heard
from North Carolina long before it
Was re- echoed ii a Continental Con-
gress," etc.
The General was then escorted to
the east front Of the old Capitol,
opposite Conova's statue of Wash
ington, where he was addressed bv
Col, VIM. Polk, in the course of
which he said: