Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-03-08
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MARQUIS DE LAFAYETTE.

The school children Of the United
States would do well to read the history
of General Lafayette. Of France, for
that was his title i'm the American army
OF the Revolution. He was only twenty
years Old when he reached this country
and offered his services TO General
George Washington. He served well
and with distinguished loyalty to the
cause Of the colonies.
lie had ftted out vessel at his own
expense before sailing from France,
and also risSed his entire property in
his native country by transferring mis-
military services; elsewhere. The French
government forbade. his leaving France
and sent Out ships to arrest his voyage,
but fortunately failed to reach him and
his own vessel. He landed on the coast
OF South Carolina, April 19. i777. not
many miles distant from Charleston. He
brought with him clothing, guns and &C
coutrements for 100 men, and made u
donation to Colonel Moultrie's COM
mand soon as ne was informed of
their necessities. He fought in various
battles and was always the enthusiastic
friend and supporter of General Wash
ington. He named his only son George
Washington Lafayette, and when he re-
turned to France and found his native
land in a bloody revolution he sent his
son to America TO be protected by Cen
eral Washington. He also sent the key
TO the Bastile to Mount Vernon. Any
visitor TO General Washington's home
and town can still see the key hanging
where il was located in General Wash
ingtons time. In the year 177S, King
Louis XVI of France acknowledged the
Independence of the United States gov
eminent, to which end General LaFay-
cite contributed largely, because the
king entertained high regard for the
gallant young marquis. Space fails me
to 20 into details of his sojouTn in
America. He left his young wife at
home with little children. After long
years of hardship and peril he landed
finally al Brest, and was glad to touch
his native shores once more. His wife
was the daughter of Countess of
Noailles. a distinguished French family
OF the noble class.
When the French revolution was in
full tide of destruction, the mother and
grandmother of Madame Lafayette were
guillotihed hv the Jacobins; likewise her
only sister. Madame Lafayette was i'm
prisoned for months in one of the dread
tul French prisons. deSpairing of life
a greater part of the time, and finally
rescued by the wife of the American
minister at d time when she was con-
nearest and dear rest relatives. General
Lafayette arrived in France only in
January, l7s2. from America. All the
dreadful caldnities of the French rev.
olutiou occurred after his return to
France from America. In February,
1887. serious difficulties were constant
~ occurring in France, and General La
Fayette was chosen to lead in many
ways by his countrymen. He became
commander of the national guard OF
France. a position of high honor and
responsibility.
But everything in Paris went from
bad to worse. The king and queen, Marie
Antoinette. were guillotined
Everything went on from bad 10
worse until Lafayette was imprisoned
in the castle of Olmutz, in Austria.
For seven years he was a prisoner
TO the Prussians and Austrians; his wife
was in prison. his property all taken
from him. and the dungeon he occupied
dark in the daytime. His wife lay In the
Paris dungeon eighteen months. AS soon
as her release came she went into the
Olmutz prison with her two young AM
beautiful daughters. On September H.
1897. they were released through the
efforts of the American government
He was exiled. spent two years in Den
mark and Bavaria. His son, George
Washington, returned from America. the
suffering wife died in 1906. In 1874
I,aFayette was invited to visit America
and received a royal greeting.
on the 18th of June, 1884, the news
of his death was received in TINS couh-
try with universal grief. He was then
seventv-seven years old. He had made
his good name immortal.