GILBERT-MOTIER DE LAFAYETTE Plessis. His mother and her father A THE family of the Marquis de Lafayette carries its ancestry far back into the old nobility of France. It boasts a Marshal of the early part of the fifteenth century, who distinguished himself in defence of his country in the war carried on against it by England. In the seventeenth, it claims that eminent literary personage, Madame de Lafayette, the novelist and memoir writer, the friend of Madame de Sévigné, and the admired of the Parisian salons, when they were frequented by such celebrities as Lafontaine and Ménage. The Marquis de Lafayette, the father of our Ameri- ailles. The lady was two years younger can hero, was a gallant young officer than himself—a hazardous alliance, of the armies of Louis XV. He was under ordinary circumstances, but in engaged in the Seven Years' War this case approved by something more waged on the continent between Frederick the Great and united France and Austria, and fell, a colonel of the grenadiers, at the battle of Minden, at the age of twenty-four, a few months before the birth of his illustrious son. than the usual advantages of a match of policy. The young couple lived to share one another's honors, and strengthen one another in trials of great severity. A place at court was the natural poThat son, Gilbert-Motier, Marquis de sition at that day in France for a young Lafayette, was born at Chavaniac, in nobleman of Lafayette's station and inthe ancient province of Auvergne, in fluence. He was accordingly put for the present department of the Haute ward by his new connections for an Loire, in the south of France, Sep- honorary post in the household of tember 6, 1757. He was brought up the Count de Provence, afterwards by "tender and revered relations," in Louis XVIII.; but the young man, Auvergne, and at the age of twelve who seems already, even from his was sent to Paris to the Collége du school-days, to have been agitated by court. a love of liberty and independence, lution. It was a project not to be showed no inclination to the service. talked of in public, in the existing reThe method which he took to relieve lations between England and France; himself of its honorable burden was nor could he expect to carry it on withcharacteristic of the times. Meeting out opposition from his family. As a the count at a masquerade, and readily hint to others, as well as an encouragedetecting his disguise, he availed him- ment to himself, he tells us, in a fragself of the opportunity to pour into the ment of autobiography, he adopted, as a ear of the prince, under that convenient device on his arms, the suggestive license, views and opinions which he monosyllables, Cur non?-Why not? knew to be unpalatable at court. His Two of his young friends and relatives, stratagem was not thrown away; the whom he admitted into his confidence, count took offence, and, it is said, never the Count Ségur and Viscount de Noailforgave the slight. Nothing more, of les, gave the scheme their approval, but course, was heard of the situation at refused to join in it for family considerations. The Count de Broglie, a marshal in the army, a more mature adviser, at first endeavored to check his ardor, and then gave his acquiescence. He introduced him to Baron de Kalb, who had already visited America, by whom he was carried to the American commissioner, Silas Deane. The latter perceived the moral effect of the acquisition to the cause of a brilliant young nobleman, in cheering the spirits of his countrymen at home, and leading others to imitate his example abroad; he gave his encouragement, and it was arranged that Lafayette-his family, fortune, and influence, compensating for his extreme youth-should receive from Congress, on his arrival in America, the rank of Major General. Aid was already being secretly sent to the insurgents, as they were called, and Lafayette was to sail in the vessel employed in the service. At this moment the news of the battle of Long Island, and its disastrous sequel of events, came to hand to dash all hopes and interrupt the expected succors. Lafayette, however, was not The next incident in the career of Lafayette, was his seizure by a passion to participate in the struggle for American liberty on this side of the Atlantic, which then, in its early movements, began to attract attention in Europe. Oddly enough, he was indebted for his first decided impulse in this direction to a brother of the King of England. It was in the summer of 1776, at a dinner at Metz, where Lafayette was stationed as an officer in the French army, that he met the Duke of Gloucester, in whose honor the enter tainment was given. The royal duke had just received dispatches from England, announcing the progress of affairs in America. As he detailed the circumstances of the Declaration of Independence, and other incidents, the young officer was caught by the sound, and, pursuing his inquiries, before he left the table began to think of going to America and offering his services in the cause. The idea still clinging to him, he went to Paris full of the reso to be turned from his project. The more need, thought he, so much the more honor. He resolved to purchase a ship at his own expense, and proceed in it, with his companions and supplies, to America. Even the prudence of Franklin could offer nothing in resistance to a proposition of this generous character. The measures of Lafayette were accordingly taken to procure the requisite vessel at Bordeaux. In the meantime, to obviate suspicion, and fulfil an engagement with his friend, the Prince de Poix, he made a brief tour of three weeks to London, where his uncle, the Marquis de Noailles, held the post of French ambassador. The journey was made with no reference to obtaining information of the English plans or resources in their war with the colonies; on the contrary, the chivalrous Lafayette declined to take advantage of opportunities of the kind which lay in his way. He made no secret of his liberal views, and rejoiced at the news of the success at Trenton, and had the honor of an invitation to breakfast, in recognition of his opinions, from Lord Shelburne, a distinguished member of the opposition. He returned hurriedly to the French capital, concealed himself at Chaillot, saw only a few friends, and, in a few days, set out for Bordeaux, where he found his vessel not quite ready. The court, meanwhile, as he became aware, had learnt of his intended departure, and fearing interruption, he sailed to the neighboring Spanish port of Passage. The whole court, the English minister and his family, were loud in their outcries at this discovery. He was recalled by a lettre de cachet from the king, and accompanied the officers to Bordeaux. His family was urgent that he should join them in a tour to Italy. Seeming to consent to this arrangement, he declared his intention to proceed to Mar seilles, and was suffered to depart. He had scarcely left the city, however, when he disguised himself as a courier, and hastened, with his companion, an officer named Mauroy, also bent on an American campaign, towards the Spanish frontier. At Bayonne, Lafayette, to preserve his concealment, rested on straw in a stable. At St. Jean de Luz, a little village on their course, he was recognized by a young girl, the daughter of the keeper of the posthouse. A timely sign from him induced her to keep silence, and, by her false information, perplex his pursuers in the chase. He reached Passage, and in company with Baron de Kalb, and other officers for the service, was borne safely to sea. The papers of the vessel were taken out for the West Indies, and her captain had some reluctance, on approaching the American coast, to turn from his course. Lafayette insisted on his landing him on the mainland by urging his ownership of the vessel, and finally, on learning the secret of the captain's reluctance, in his hesitation to risk an important venture of his own on board, pledged his private fortune to make all losses good. The ship was then steered for the coast of South Carolina, where, running the gauntlet of the British cruisers, a landing was happily effected at the harbor of Georgetown. Ascending the river in a boat, Lafayette, with some of his officers, alighted in the the army, and such the state of the night near the residence of Major Ben- national finances, that there was little jamin Huger, where, upon making hope of his request being regarded. themselves known, they were received Upon this, not at all disconcerted, he with warm-hearted hospitality. Dur- sat down and addressed a note to Coning the voyage, Lafayette had penned gress, in which he claimed the right, an affectionate epistle to his wife, whom after the sacrifices he had made, to he had left about, a second time, to serve on two very simple conditionsbecome a mother; he now added to it to be at his own expense, and to engage a postscript, announcing his arrival, first as a volunteer. This direct as well which was just in time to send a mes- as reasonable petition caused immediate sage home by a vessel leaving for attention to his letters. They were France. His epistle is dated June 15, read at once, and, on the instant, 1777, and records his first impressions. the following resolution was passed: "The manners," says he, "in this part "Whereas, the Marquis de Lafayette, of the world are simple, polite, and out of his great zeal to the cause of worthy in every respect of the country liberty, in which the United States are in which the noble name of liberty is engaged, has left his family and con constantly repeated." A few days nections, and at his own expense come later, at Charleston, in another letter, over to offer his services to the United he repeats his satisfaction with the States, without pension or particular equality, kindness, love of country, allowance, and is anxious to risk his which everywhere prevail. All is life in our cause; resolved, that his ser charming to his eyes. The absence of vice be accepted, and that, in consider poverty, the neatness and ease of man- ation of his zeal, his illustrious family ners of the ladies particularly strike and connections, he have the rank of him. It is a political Arcadia, with Major General in the army of the United which the Parisians, in those days, were States." This resolution, conferring delighted, but which they found it very this high rank on a youth of ninedifficult to imitate. teen, was adopted July 31, 1777. Shortly after, the party left Charleston for the North, travelling on horseback, through North Carolina and Virginia. Arrived at the seat of government, at Philadelphia, where Congress was then in session, Lafayette placed his letters in the hands of Mr. Lovell, of Massachusetts, Chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs. Upon waiting waiting on that gentleman the next day, he was informed that such was the crowd of foreign applicants for employment in Washington being expected shortly in the city from the camp, Lafayette awaited his arrival. Their first meeting was at a dinner-party, at the close of which Washington, who was favor ably impressed at the outset with the new guest of the nation, took him aside, complimented him on the ardor he had shown and the sacrifices he had made, and ended by inviting him to make the headquarters of the his army home, and consider himself a member |