The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-07-08

Valuable Old Letters Say He Invited Lafayette
TO Come TO America and Then Wrote Prl-
vate Letters TO His Minister TO
Keep the Marquis at Home.

and through his eight years adninistra-
ton of the government, the-ttfthef oA
His Country never hesitated TO sueortI-
nate his personal wishes to what ne con-
sidered to be the public interest.
MAKE GOOD READING.
The Vans Murray manuscript letters
containing copies of that then celepfateu
diplomatic correspondence with many dts
tinguished men of his day, both in Europe
and America in which IS conveyed ms
views upon the tremendous political ana
military events agitating Europe in the
closing years of the last century, belnS
written with peculiar elcqueuce and force,
make most agreeable as well as instruc-
tive reading
II Will be remembered by the historical
student that the politics of the United
States was represented at that time by
the Federalists headed By Alexander
Hamilton and John Adams, and the Dem
ocratic Republicans headed by Thomas
jefferson and James Madison. France
and England were at war, and botn OF
them OVERRIDE American rights and inter
ests, ana trampled them under an iron
heel with most contemptuous indifference.
This country. just emerging from the
exhaustion of the war of the Revolution,
was too weak to ight one OF those nations,
much less both The FederalfStS-Ied by
their nOnarchical bias. as charged by their
adversares-were inclined TO declare war
against France and make an alliance with
England. while the Democratic Republic
cans. led by their sympathies with the
French republic. as charged by the Fed
eraltSts-were disposed to make war on
England and TO ally this country with
France in crusade for liberty and the
rights of men to the enis OF the earth
They especially sneered at ore another.
as the English" party and the French
party, and both really believed what they
and hal NJ
would in the end lose us all the splendid
results of the Revolution. And. as mat
ter OF fact in lSGn did result in war with
England, with like certainty that war
would have been fought with France and
not with England had the other party won
at said election.
WITH srHE F'EDERAIIsTs.
General Washington while doing mis- best
to hold the equilibrium between these vio-
lent parties for the sake of the infant repub-
liza bark" writes Van. Murray. which
with fear and trembling we have Just
launched on the political sea''-really
sympathized with the Federalists, or
aristocratic party, and feared and mis-
trusted the political aims of the Demo-
cratic party and its leaders. and it was
this very fear-the fear of an alliance with
France by the enthusiastic Republicans
of this country-that haunted all his latter
years, and gave birth to his farewell
address.
The FederaIists won in the election of
179s and the election of 1sNa was drawing
near and Just then the cannon-bllls of
General Bonanarte had ,orened the dun
geon Of Olmutz. Freed from prison La
fayetta found no place in Francs for
Republican with his views and turned his
eyes 70 America. He so wrote 10 Cen
eraI Washington, who at once invited him
TO come But the latter also wrote 70
Vars Murray at The Hague. then repre-
senting our country in all the nations OF
Continental Europe west of Prussia 10
furnish Lafayette wiki q passport, %
put him off by pretexts- and to do MS
utmost to prevent him from coming over
here at all.
WASHINGTON REASONS.
These letters clearly disclose The ali-eon-
trofIine. reason which led Washington to
this Discrimination He knew that next
IN himself alone Lafayette was the
.,nst generally beloved and popular man
in tha country then living. He also knew
the MARQUIS. with all his generous
imuulses and love for liberty, 70 be still
a vain and somewhat weak Frenchman.
susceptible TO fatteCy and easily Unfit
enced. Naturally should Lafayette SET
tie in America. his sympa thies would be
with the French party, and Washington
coui not expect to live much longer TO
restrain him. And he believed that the
able and astute politicians who guided
the French party would ere long obtain
a complete Influence over Lafayette. and
Absorbing him in their ranks would use
his great popularity as xice-presidentta,
candidate. for instance. or in some other
manner, to destroy the wasering, eauiit-
hrtn between the parties. and elect JEFF
Sersen to power. Erpm sWashlaxton's