The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-17
LAFAYETTE.

LAFAYETTE.
dren will pay tribute TO the memory OF
General Lafayette. the schoolboy' $
hero Friday afternoon. Oct H. All the
schools of the city will have exercises
commemorative of his connection with
the establishment Of Independence in the
American colonies. Patriotic rusic, adj
dresses by prominent citizens, songs and
essays by pupils of the schools will make
up the programme at these celebrations
Not only Lafayette but the other heroes
OF the revolutionary period of American
history Will be subjects of panegyric and
the glorious battle for freedom which fol-
lowed the declaration of Independence
Will breathe through every mention of the
great Frenchman who fought for Amer
lean liberty.
Song has not concerned itself par
ticularly with the deeds of the boy gen
eral.' and TO repair the omission the fol-
lowing stanZas are supplied by the
Record. They can be sung to the music
of rInteger Vitae" and are written for
use in the programmes next Friday:
Now. though the bloody sword of war is
Our ancient hero we will not forget
But honor him with song and grateful
token
Immortal Lafayettei
So long as liberty is linked with glory
And noble lives command nations
His patriotic deeds shall live in story
light of later days.
six-score and one the years since first we
Who, leaving kindred. king and native
land,
Embarked and dared the British to pur-
And joined our patriot band.
The years have filled our country's hands
Beyond our fathers furthest dreams.
and yet
Superb he stands our hero of the hour
immortal Lafayette.
The man of whom these verses speak
was the son of one of the most ancient
and powerful families in France. 1 or
centuries il had played an important part
in the political life of France, and Tor
the head of the family had
borne distinguished hOnors in the battles
of the nation. His father and his grand
father had fallen in war and he was
made an orphan at 13 by the cruelties of
warfare.
His name in full was Marie Jean Paul
Roch Yves Gilbert Motier. Marquis de
Lafayette He was born at the Chateau
de Chavagniac, in AuverSne- sept 3, lot
to follow in the footsteps OF his
fathers. he entered the army as q
guardsman. When 16 years old he mar
ried q girl younger than himself. the
daughter of the Due d'Ayen, and a
member of another of the proud old
families of France. This was love
and the relations of the two
were most affectiOnate to the end of life.
Nine. Lafayette showed her devotion by
seeking the Austrian emperor when her
husband was a political prisoner, and
finding she could not move for his re-
lease begged to be allowed to share his
dungeon. Permission was given. and she
remained in the prison % months.
Lafayette first heard of the struggle
which the American colonies were making
of the guards at Metz 10 the
duke of Gloucester, brother to the Eng
lish king. The young officer, then barely
10 years old, determined before he left
the banquet table to assist the revolution
lists But he found the performance of
his purpose more difficult than he had
Friends whom he consulted
discouraged his project. but Deane. who
gave him a commission as major general
in the American army Dec. Z, IT16.
Disaster had overtaken American arms
just at this time, and the probabilities OF
war looked dark for the handful of rebels
on the coast of the new world. but the
young Frenchman was firm in his inten-
losing ground" he said. and are dis
Outraged, there is all the more reason
for me to go to their aid" New difficult
ties arose. Lafayette's friends besought
leave France. He could find no one to
go with him.
These things, / )wever. only made him
the more determined He purchased a
vessel with his own money and began to
fit it out. To divert attention from him
self the young man visited his uncle, the
Marquis de Noailles, then ambassador TO
England, but though he was for three
weeks in London Lafayette made no at
tempt to gain Information as TO the mill
tary tactics of the British generals His
purposes were suspected by the British
and complaint was laid be-
fore the French king
Lafayette ordered his half-fitted ship to
Passages, SPAIN and met il there. but was
arrested and taken back to France. He eS-
capped. and rejoining his ship. with II com
panions, among them Baron de kalb,
sailed for America, with two British
cruisers in pursuit The voyage lasted
finally landed at Georgetown $. c. His
arrival reused the dropping spirits of the
army and the people. 1t was
an inspiration to them and showed that
friends had been found in Europe who
would come to their assistance.
From Georgetown he made his way to
He asked to be allowed to enter the army
as a volunteer and to serve without pay.
but his. offer was not accepted, and he
was given q commission as major general.
The battle of Brandywine was the first
eEga cement in which he took part. and
in that he was wounded in the leg. As the
men retreated in disorder he threw
himself on horse and riding into
the midst of the rout tried TO rally the
fleeing soldiers. He did not know he
was wounded until his attention was
called to the blood that trickled from the
bullet hole. and he refused to have the
wound dressed until order had been re-
stored TO the ranks. General Washington
his conduct to congress and
that he be given a separate
command.
Strong friendship had already sprung up
the commander in chief and the
young French volunteer, and ii lasted
through III. WaShingtOnS enemies tried
to create a breach of the bond by Dlac-
ing Lafayette in charge of an ex-
petition IL Canada but after waiting two
months fer trcoIs ard supplies Lafayette
was sent SoIth 10 guard Virginia He
lad accepted the Canadian appointment
on the advice of Washington.
lis conduct &c the campaign in Virginia.
while no. brilliant. was soldierly. ami the
etreat from Barren hill was a s9len.iid
bit Of military art. Lafayette played n
DricIr;;i T;trt IL. the capture of CORVALLIS
II ! orlttown. which terminated his ..onI
lection with the American army. One of
MS CHEF services was in smoothing the
Jew cen the French and American officers
md troops.
Visits were made to the new republic
~ I-afIVeite in 11S4 and in 1924 and on
Ich occasion his progress through the
,Orrtry was like the triumnilal mara III
1 hero. Every city tried to Guido all the
others in paying honors to tSc early
friend ~ tue country. On his last visit
congress voted $4,000 and a township Of
and to hun. The revolution in France
mad impoverished the estate of the
and left the greatest of the
name poor.
At home Lafayette took a prominent
part II tI- French revolution, standtng
'or liberty of thought and freedom from