Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-20
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Washington and Lafayette
To the Editor of the Telegraph:

To the Editor of the Telegraph:
The royal welcome accorded
President Wilson in the French ma
ton in his trip to Europe brings to
remembrance the important part
played by France in the American
Revolution by Lafayette. One of the
interesting incidents connected with
that movement was the intimate re-
lationship established between Gen.
eral Washington and Lafayette. The
historians are a unit in saying that
the American Congress in session in
Philadelphia in 1777 was at first un-
willing to accept Lafayette's services
in the army, although he held a
commission as major general, from
a representative of the American
government in France, authorized
by the Congress itself. Mr.. Holland
in his Lafayette We Come" assures
us that John Hancock, the president
of the body, demurred and shifted
the subject to others. 1t was not un-
til Lafayette actually offered to join
the army as volunteer without pay
that Congress passed the order of
acceptance. The reasons offered for
the hesitation were that some
French officers had been a misfit and
gave poor satisfaction. 1t was Wash
ington's influence that cleared the
way fo<~the acceptance as he placed
Lafayette as one of his staff. An
intimacy sprang up between the two,
phenomenal in its origin but which
became permanent. 1t is an inter-
esting study to determine the steps
leading up to this Damon and
Pythias relationship. Still 1t was
hardly a brotherly affection since
Lafayette was but nineteen years
old and Washington forty-five.
Father and son would express 1t
more perfectly. Lafayette had an
honorable record at home, was a
man of wealth and was possessed OF
engaging manners. Washington may
have been influenced by the heroic
endeavor to cast his lot with Amer
lea and the sacrifices he was maxi
ing. and that in spite of the organ
lied opposition at home. Many
deemed it n foolhardy adventure
silly in its inception and bound for
defeat To many young men this
would have been bewildering, but
Lafayette's indefatigable spirit rose
supreme in overcoming the obstacles
which increased from time to time.
Washington was man OF that
stamp himself, and at that very
time was cheering his ragged and
hungry troops at Valley Forge. His
affectionate regard for his young SOL
diers must have been strengthened
by contemplating his career as an
officer in the army. He discovers
him to be every inch commander
of force. Skill in management, de-
- and frnnIInnf VIC
tories placed the general, who ready
to acknowledge the same, put him in
special posts of danger and respon-
sibility. Lafayette's love of liberty
had become a passion. Nothing could
turn him aside from his purpose to
spend and be spent in the cause of
the colonists.
The men of Lafayette's division
found him companionable, capable
as a drillmaster and alert. When we
remember that the many letters
which passed between them at times,
all of which breathed q rare spirit
of appreciation of each other, and
that Lafayette became frequent
guest at Mount Vernon, we arrive at
the conviction that this peculiar in
timacy was founded upon motives
natural and honorable to both. A
striking similarity in temperament.
methods and purposes must have
existed between them.
General Washington-the Ameri-
can public will never suffer the name
of your friend, Marquis de Lafayette,
to vanish into oblivion inasmuch as
1t enshrined in the immortal Stars
and Stripes, emblem true of per-
sonal and national liberty.
II. c. PARDOE, d. D.,
Altoona, Pa.