Evening journal., 1911-08-09
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A StOry Of Lafayette'S
Second Visit to
America
BY Holland.

"One OF the towns that Lafayette
visited when he was in this country in
1S24-5 was Utica, N. Y. I was in my
fifth year at that time, and l can just
remember the visit. But ! know that
while he was in Utica Lafayette did
one thing that caused no end of com
ment for years there. / presums that
It was utterly unlike any other in
cident Of Lafayettes triumphal tour
Of the country fifty years after the
signing Of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence. My father told me about it, and
he knew whereof he spoke from per-
sonal knowledge; for as prominent
citizen of Utica, and one who was
deeply interested financially in Erie
canal shipping, then just beginning, he
was one of those who welcomed La
fayetts to Utica"
SO said to me the late Commodore
Alfred Van Santvoord. of New York
city, who. at the time Of his death in
1901. was the owner of the largest feet
Of river steamers in America and
worth ten million dollars
Lafayette arrived in Utica over the
newly opened Erie canal" continued
the Commodore; 'his was one of the
first trips made on that canal The citi-
zens of the town had arranged a great
feast in honor of the distinguished
guest, and to it Lafayette was con-
Quoted as soon as the formal welcom-
ing was over Lafayette was in high
spirits: from his place at the table he
greeted the goodly number of surviY-
Ors of the Revolutionary War who
were present-among them was the
Rev. Daniel Walso, who was one OF the
last. If not the last survivor OF that
war-and promised to shake hands
with them all after the feast was over.
Suddenly, in the midst of the feast,
Lafayette felt in a pocket, pulled out a
memorandum. and then, turning to one
of the hosts, who sat next to him, ask
ed if Alexander 3. Johnson was pres
ent. He was told that Mr.. Johnson was
not i'm the banquet hall and then he
asked where Mr.. Johnson lived Hav-
ing received that information, Lafay-
cite turned to the presiding officer and
said that il would be necessary for him
10 retire for a time from the feast
Then he abruptly left the table. Some
thought he was i'll; all were astonished
at the action. It was expected he would
return in few moments, but he did
not, and the feast was ended without
his presence
"Of course. there was searching for
him, and it was recalled that he had
asked where Alexander B. Johnson
lived. A few gentlemen thereupon
20 M Trbprorto bCtrca Tbpro
they found Lafayette I'm earnest con-
versation with Mrs. Johnson. Seeing
his late hosts, he seemed suddenly to
recall the fact that he had abruptly
left the feast. and he said to them:
I met John Adams when / was
here for the war In 1873, when | went
back to France for a short period, I
met his son John Quincy Adams, who
had accompanied his father on his
diplomatic mission to France. Re
Gently, when | was in Washington as
the guest OF President John Quincy
Adams. told him that I was going to
visit Utica. He asked me. if | mad g
that visit, not to fail to call upon his
cousin. who, he said, was the wife of
Alexander B. Johnson. He explained
the relationship 70 me by saying that
Mrs. Johnson was the daughter Of his
uncle. Charles Adams. and was there
fore his own cousin. She had married
Mr.. Johnson and gone TO Utica to live
He told me that I would have a most
entertaining hour or two IL I called
upon her, for she had many interest
ing "reminiscences, which. he was sure
she would delight in recounting to M
II I would pay my respects TO her"
AT the dinner this afternoon
suddenly recalled that / had prom
ised President Adams to visit his
cousin; left the table simply to pay
my respects to her. But I have, as the
President told me 7 would, been so en-.
| tertained, and have with her revived
so many pleasant recollections, that
| forgot the lapse of time. VIII you take
this statement as an apology to ml
friends for what may seem to them ;
discourtesy?'
"Of course continued Commodor
Van Santvoord. the banquet was end
I'd and the evening had come; it wa
not possible TO make explanation 10 al
who had been present. And years pass
ed before the incident was forgotten.
Copyright. 1911. by e. J. Edwards. al
rights rsseryed.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards viii tell q
"The Fate OF the First Civil Wa
Novel.
~