Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1937-11-25
SIDE LIGHTS
LOCAL HISTORY
By
Sfanbery Alderman

had won it's independence and the
opening of the western territory WAS
starting. The settlers who came in
to this country knew the dangers
that would confront them and were
usually prepared to meet them.
They looked forward to making for
themselves home in country
whose richness was but then barely
guessed Some few were coming in
to this new country to escape what
they considered oppression, and
freedom was one of the objects Of
their migration.
But how different it was in Eur
ope No words of mine can so we'll
paint the picture for you as has
been done in a letter from Vlscount
Malartic to Governor st. Clair. The
letter is dated September l, 1895,
and was written from Neuwied on
the Rhine The original is N
French; the translation follows:
Mr.. Dear General:-I have, at
last, found an opportunity of writ
ing to you with certainty, for [ do
not know that the letters which l
have written to you since left
have reached you, not having had,
since that time, the slightest news
from America Although | left you
my address in France, l have not re-
turned there. You know that my
project was to join the French emf
grants who were at CoblentZ.
went there, in fact. Since that time
I have been serving in all the dit
ferent armies, Prussian or Austrian,
and l am now adjutant of the Prince
de Salm, who has several regiments
in the service of England; and /
am going with him to the army Of
the Duke of York | had the mis-
fortune to be wounded in the last
campaign by a cannonb ball. Hap
pily I have escaped as we'll as 9TH
ers, although I have been obliged
to take the waters of Aix-la- Chapelle
for my arm, which was strained, but
which is cured now.
l hope that you are well. and
that, since you are no longer In the
army, your gout has left you; for
you appeared to me fully resolved
to let your sword repose forever;
and you are quite right, especially
in country like yours, where you
are able to live entirely at your
ease without your profession. When
anyone has done as much for MS
country as you have, he may well
repose. I am absolutely ignorant
how General Wayne withdrew from
the campaign; the German news
papers speak only of what is near
them. Colonel Sargent will have,
without doubt, remained with the
army. l am very sorry, my dear
general, to have left America. IL
/ had followed only my inclination,
/ should have remained, but honor
and duty called me to avenge the
best of kings / have lost my for
tune; the guillotine has deprived
me of a great part of my family;
the rest are in prison, except a
brother and sister, who escaped
with her children from prison the ev-
ening before she would have mount |
ed the scaffold; she escaped month |
ago. Another sister was not SO
happy, and perished there. L IN
tend to wait still during this cam
oaign: if, in the spring, our affairs
are no better, I shall go with my +
brother and sister to America. we
shall try to collect together the lit
lie money that we have been able
% save, and we shall go and estab-
ish ourselves somewhere IL the in"
,erior in order to live cheaper. Il
am not able to leave France,
shall implore your protection ana
ry to obtain a place in the navy
After the kindness you nave
shown me. | hope you will not re-
use me your support, you, VINO
rave treated me like son. Our po-
ition is very unfortunate; chased
rom our homes because we have
)een faithful to our king, and re-
luced to the most frightful poverty;
or you may see whole families
Id men, reduced almost to beg
heir bread.
What difference between your
evolution and ours! Yours was
hat of justice and mercy, ours es-
ablished itself only upon sea OF
,lood," and through the most
.trocious crimes. Your people were
,orn to be free; they cherished
hat liberty which is so sweet IN
our cline, and which protects the
eeble as we'll as the strong; whereas
he French, on the contrary, seem
made only to obey. They all wish
O be free, and, under the veil OF
hypocrisy, they hide their desire to
omineer. You see them rise by
urns, like the Roman emperors,
nd finish on the scaffold. They cut
ach others throats-each strug-
ling for power.
The more 1 reflect, my dear gen.
raj, the more my country inspires
is the only country
n which to live. All Europe is
bout to suffer similar revolution,
nd for this reason | await with I'M
'atience the next year to carry out
ny plan. / am very anxious that
ou should write to me If the French
re always well treated with you,
nd il there are many Of them; not
or myself, for I believe that your
ountrymen will not show me the
Ioor, but for my family, who Will
ertainly come with me. / have
lot been able to send your letter to
A. de Lafayette-he was already in