Georgia statesman. (Milledgeville, Ga.) 1825-1827, September 12, 1826, Image 1

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Georgia® Statesman. -r>IS,-S3 PER ANNUM, IN ADVANCE,] |y s. ME AC HAM. | THE leroRGSA ETATSSSffAN I ,j,| ; «hed every Tuesday in Milledgevillc, V * the State-House Square. I .. -n> Terms... . Three Dollars in advance, |.w Dollars if not paid in six months.— I, subscription received for less than one [ . un'ess the money is paid in advance, I no paper discontinued til! all arrearages S übscription and advertisements arc paid. | N - g —Notice of the sales of land and nc- I, by Administrators, Executors, or Guar f as ’ nm=t be published sixty days previous ftiic day of sale. . I r(,e sale of personal property in Idee man l - must be published forty days previous to [ day of sale. ..... . . I Native that application.wiHhe made to the l .< of Ordinary for leave to sell land, must [Tjblish. and nine months. I Vjtice that application has been made for L 0 f Administration, must also be pub- L ,1 forty days. f * * All letters directed to the Editor on, l ~MBS relating to the Office, must he post W~ f r( , m the New-York Statesman. I Visit to Lafayette. —The following Bitter, giving an account ol Mr. Car- Brs interesting visit to La Grange, ■ tl,clast cl his correspondence which Bias come to hand. Our latest pri- Binformation left him in the South Ks France, about to embake for It |lv, with the intention of returning Ever the Alps. Wc mention this circumstance that our readers may mount for the interregnum in pub ishing his letter, which must occur u; til we hear from him again, of rfcica we are in daily expectation. (Editorial Correspondence.] Parir, Jan. 1826. Our excursion to La Grange oc ipied four days, which will of q be recalled and fondly remem icred as among the happiest of my jfc. A knowledge of the fact that Jeneral La Fayette is frequently iverrun with company, and that he ms about to leave his country resi lence with his family, to pass the (i iter in Paris, half induced us to relinquish the idea of visiting La Grange for the present; when some 6! our friends returned from a similar excursion, bearing to tin fi Eiust irienu- Ij note from the General, and ex iressing a hope that we would visit him before going to Italy. Such a kind and cordial invitation removed ali doubts, and was promptly accept ed Oa the morning of the 27th of September, we took the Diligence for the village of Rose within about two miles of which La Grange is sit 'tinted, forty miles in an easterly di rection from Paris. Our exit from the metropolis n as through the Place Royal, the Place Pastille, and the Place du Trono.; thence by the Dar ner, Palace, and Forest of Vincen o, up the banks of the Mornc, which is one of the largest branches of the S inc, being nearlay as broad and deep as the river, in which it loses its water and its name. In one place it makes a circuitous route of several miles round a high peninsula, vhich is only half a mile across, and through which a subterranean canah has been cut, navigable for boats. For the first few miles, this route presented many interesting objects. The Palace of Vincennes is a large venerable pile, without much orna ment, and occupied at present as a State Prison. Several events of some interest to the traveller have trans put! within its walls. Here tii two great princes of Coride were impris oned for years; and here Charles V. Cardinal Mazarine, and Henry V. of England expired. The Forest of Lncennes covers a large tract, con sisting of a small growth of natural woods, through which roads and vis tas open in all directions. At the distance of eight or ten m les from Paris, the roads become dull, leadi. g through an agricultural country not remafkable for its fertil ity, and studded with little villages, which add nothing to its beauty. Midw,.y mthe journey,the Diligence slopped at a small Inn, for breakfast or dinner, call it which you will, as the lull of fare is generally the same, pot even excepting soup. On the plate from which 1 took my mutton soup, was a representation ol Geu. I.a Fayette on horseback, in the at titude of storming a fortress, with the folluwing inscription.; “ II s’elancc 1c premier dans la Rcdoutic.” At a table oil the opposite side of the room sat a group of three ladies and a gentleman, whose faces, dres i»es, and genteel manners attracted our attention, and w ho were, as was subsequently ascertained, a part of Gen. La Fayette’s family, going to town to attend the examination of a school. But this was not the last of the earious incidents which occurred at iLe hotel. A gentleman rode with Us from Paris to this place, in the same department of the Diligence, without a word passing between us, he taking us for Englishmen, and we supposing from his complexion that he was a Portuguese or Spaniard. He turned out to be a Lieutenant «».the United States Army, who wa s going to La Grange on the same er rand with ourselves. Wc reached the village of Rose at 5 o’clock in the evening, and that no unnecessary claims might be made to the hospitality ofGeneral La Fayette, or Iris family subjected to any incon venience, we dined at the hotel, be fore taking a carriage and setting out for La Grange. On arriving at the Chateau, the General gave us a warm reception, and presented to us his numerous and interesting family, consisting of a son, two daughters and twelve grand children, with a lieautiful and accomplished daughter of Count Segur, together with two or three other inmates, making in all a circle of something more than twen ty. Simplicity, politeness and affa bility of manners, genuine kindness of heart, and unaffected hospitality characterize the whole grouj, from the patriarch himself down to the youngest of his descendants. They need only the American name—a claim of nativity in the land of Wash ington and Franklin—to call forth all the warmth and generosity of tneir feelings, making the stranger at once at home, and treating him with the cordiality of a friend or brother. The only uneasiness which the visitant experiences, arises from a fear, that the proverbial politeness of the French, accompanied with all the en thusiasm of feeling, will subject the family to inconveniences on his ac count, and lead them to do too much for hus happiness. The evening glided away delight fully, and almost imperceptibly, in the midst of conversation on a variety ol topics, chiefly relating to our coun try ; for the whole family talk, and seem to think of nothing else train the United States, where their feel ings, their hopes and wishes all cen tre. The General considers himself emphatically a citizen of the Ameri can Republic, and familiarly speaks of it precisely in the sam way, as if he had been there born and educated, lie receives S gfeai number of Ameri can newspapers, reviews, and other publications, and regularly Corres ponds with many of his friends in eve ry part of the Union These various sources of information, persued witl the utmost attention, added to the astouishing accuracy of his observa tions and recollections of circumstan ces connected with the tour, render him better acquainted with the con dition of our country, than almost any one of its actual residents, lie has visited evety- State in the confedera cy under favorable circumstances, having been introduced to the most prominent individuals, and seen a large proportion of the whole popu lation in each. A package of letters and papers had just reached him, and he gave us a detailed account of events, which w re new to us, and of and interesting character. In the course of the evening, he often reverted to the scenes h had visited, and to the friends with whom he had met and parted with no ex pectation of ever seeing them again Many anecdotes were related, which had escaped attention, even in the voluminous reports of our papers. He stated that during the thirteen months occupied iu his tour, he trav elled between siaty and seventy thou sand miles ; and that his health had been greatly improved, instead of impaired, by the necessary latigues of such a constant scene ot bustle and activity. Before he left home, he had been troubled with a chronic al fection, which had entirely disap peared ; and his health is as perf ct as his happiness at the result of his visit I could not but feel a degree of pride and pleasure, that our country had in any degree b'en instrumental in contributing to the domestic felicity ot such a man and such a family, who merit all; and if possible, more than all the gratitude and esteem they have received at our hands. Before retiring to our chambers to dream only ol La Grange, we examin ed some of the principal rooms ofthe Chateau, our hospitable friends kind ly acting as expositors. The furni ture is perfectly neat, and even ele gant, but bears no marks of extrava gance or luxury—nothing which is incompatible with a refined taste,and a republican simplicity ol manners — nothing which does not conduce more to convenience and comfort than to show ; and which could be compared in point of richness and spkndor, as the General himself re marked, with what he had gratui tously been made master of in his tour through the United State' s - Ihe ornaments are nearly all American. In the hall at the head ol the stair way, and forming the entrance to the drawing-room, is a portrait ol Gener al Washington, with the colors ol the frigate Brandywine, (presented by Commodore Morris on his arrival at Havre,) hung in graceful festoons around the almost idolized picture. On the right ofthe father ot his coun- H;r tlbi eruiT! artes, pacisque imponerc morem, parcere subject!* et deliellore superbos. Virgil. MILLEDGEv'i'LIE* TUESDAY', SEPTEMBER 12, 1826. try, is a fine portrait of Franklin, co pied by one of the accomplished grand-daughters of Gen. Lafayette, fn a conspicuous part o f the hall, stands an admirable bust of President Adams, presented by Mrs. Adams, just before the General left Washing ton. To these are added a portrait of Commodore Morris, (taken by particular request,) and several pic tures connected with the history of our revolution. The rotunda, or drawingroom, contains, besides other decorations, a painting of the siegt of York-town, and a portrait of Gen eral Wadsworth, the revolutionary friend of Lafayette. At 10 o’clock, which is uniformly the hour for retiring at La Grange, we took leave of the family for the night, and were shown into our bed chambers, after having been notified, that the ringing of the Chateau bell would summon us to breakfast at 10 the n; xt morning. Our appartments were in the same style of neatness and comfort as the sitting rooms, with a cheerful wood fire blazing up on the hearth, with carpets covering the polished oaken floor. As is usu al in French houses, furqished with fewer conveniences than this, each chamber had a bureru, or writing desk, containing an ample supply of pen, ink, and paper, together with the other appendages for scribbling, all under lock and key. The tempt ations of such comforts, the whistling ofthe wind round the Gothic turrets and antique windows ofthe Chatean, with the delights of the fire side rev erie on the events of the day, induced us to protect our waking dreams to a late hour. In the morning a grey-headed ser vant, who is almost as old as the mas ter whom he loves, and from whom he has imbibed his kindness ol haart, opened the door gently, and perform ed his office of rekindling the fire, with such studied quiet, as would sca.rc<siy disturb the slumbers of a sick-bed. We reached the drawing room in seasou to see the members ofthe happy family appear one after another, and share the paternal kis-. Breakfast was served up in a large hall on the ground floor, in the usual French style, with wine, and coffee after the desert. The table was crowned with abundance, without superfluity ; and a circle of smiling face; would have rendered a less sumptuous repast agreeable. Amon h ttie rarer dishes, was a kind of pie sent as a delicacy to the General, from some of his friends at Strasbourg. After breakfast wasover, we walk ed out in company with Washington Lafayette, and the whole group of ladies, to examine the exterior ofthe Chateau, and the farm, of which scarcely a glance had as yet been obtained. La Grange was formerly a fortified baronial castle; and not withstanding the modifications it has undergone, much of its antique and feudal character still remains. It was once surrounded by a doub le moat, sections of which filled with water, have been preserved, and the residue filled up either for the sake of health or convenience. The edi fice consists of a centre, perhaps a hundred feet in length, with two wings ofabout the same dimensions, apd joining it at right angels. From tfihces still visible, a gallery evident ly extended across at the other ex tremity of the wings, enclosing a quadrangular courtyard, strongly de fended, with only one entrance under a lofty arch in the northern walk, guarded by a portcullis. The Chateau is three stories high, plainly constructed of a hard and dark colored stone, rendered of a deeper line by its v. nerable age and long ex posure to the climate. Tw ■ Gothic towers of a conical shape rise from the ends of each of the wings, and form almost the only urnanient. The approach is by a winding avenue on the northern side, leading through a thick grove of evergreens and other trees, and under the arcti already mentioned, around which hang fes toons of ivy, planted by the celebra ted Charles James Fox, in one of his visits to La Grange. The beau tiful plant is as green as his memory, and mantles nearly the whole facade ofthe Chateau. Its luxurant foliage, shading the grey walls, the thick copse bordering the moat, and.the four antique turrets half concealed by the intervening branches, present a view on this side, seldom equalled in an airy, rural, quiet, and unostenta- tious retirement. An artist from our country has taken several very exact sketches ot La Grange, plates of which will hereafter be published. As the morning was bright and pleasant, though the gmund yet ver dant, was covered with a heavy hoar frost, we made a circuit of a mile or two over the farm, which is one of the largest, as well as the most com plete, in France. It contains five hundred acres, lying in one body, in the form of a circle, with the Chateau in the centre. ufeJt J’Uins have been taken to round it off in this way, by exchanges of contiguous territory. It is divided according to the most approved models, into suitable pro portions oftillage, pasture, and wood land, with the minor compartments of gardens and orchards. The Gen eral has planted three thousand apple trees, which are yet small, but thrif ty, opening in vistas oil over his plantation. He is much engaged in the cultivation of fruit of the best kinds. The soil of this large tract, though not perhaps remarkable for its natu ral fi rtili v, has been highly improv ed by culture, and yields wheat with other agricultural products in abund ance. It is finely wooded end water ed. Half a mile from the house, in the directionof'llose, there isalarge and living fountain, canalled in a green vale, and sheltered from the sun in summer by a grove of venera ble oaks. Its limpid waters at this season repose on a bed of autumnal leaves, and are as pure as they are copious. From this rural and seques tered retreat, a distant view of the Chateau on one side, and of two lit tle villages, with a spire to each, and the smoke curling above them, on the other, makes a quiet and cheering picture. Not far from the fountain. Washington Lafayette, (whose name perhaps I use some-whattoo familiar ly for the sake of distinction,) is much engaged in constructing an ice-hous , upon the plan of some of those e saw in our country. In short, near ly all the improvements of La Grange, now in progress, are according to Americans models. On our return from this delightful promenade, and after r sting for a fewminuh s, wc were merely consign ed from the hands ol one part of the family, to receive the assiduous at t. ntionsofan other The General nimseif accompanied us to the farm yard, which in point of practical utili ty, is more interesting, especially to • iie eye of an American, than all the parks and pleasure grounds we have seen m Europe. A range of build ugs extend quite round an open area, containing,perhaps,an acre ofgrnund. The first of these is the granary, which was once a chapel, and the turret of which is yet left standing. Men were at work in winnowing wheat of an excellent quality. The second department is appropriated to all kinds ol poultry, among which are wild geese from the banks of the Mississippi. A flock of* bout a thou -anc. merinos, prettily feeding at their long ranges of cribs, occupied anoth er portion of the buildings It was odd enough to the little lambs bearing on their backs the same name wnich had graced our triumph al arches; and to see the hero him self doating upon the construction of anew kind o (piggery, upon a plan recommended in the American Far mer. Among the twenty two cows, arc eight from Switzerland, 6cnt to the General by his friends in that country ; and four of the Holkham breed, presented by Mr. Patterson, of Baltimore. The assortment of horses is as extensive as the other kinds of domestic animals. In mak ing the circuit, we next came to the farm-house, kitchen and dairy, the walls of which are ornamented with a map ofthe whole plantation, de signating the grouud appropriated to each department. Then follow th> pens containing several rare species of animals, among which are wild tur keys and partriges from the United States, (intended, if possible, to be domesticated,) ducks which came as a present from the Gard nos Plants, at Paris, and a pair ofbeauliful Mexi can Pheasants. For the latter, and lor the American partridge, anew house is going up, to be artificially warmed by a stove. To these ani mals, may be added a dog from Wash ington, and a racoon from our forests, who are inmates ofthe chateau, in stead of the farm-yard. The latter is so tame, as to pl;.y about the par lour, and climb up into the General’s lap. At 5 o’clock, the bell called us to dinner, which was bountiful, and served up without any formal parade. Among the peculiar dishes were len tiles, much resembling boiled peas; and a rich kind of pastry, such as we had not found in the inhnite assort ment of a Paris tnbl . A desert of apples, pears, and dry fruits with tlir e or four varieties of wine, inclu ding ehanipaigne, crowned the fes tivities of the hoard. The General entertains no doubt, that the grape from which the latter is made would tlourisl. in the United States; but whether the wine could be produced is more problematical, as it is confin ed to one province in France, and depends much on a peculiar quality ofthe soil. It is, however, niy in tention to send home slips ofthe vine, by way of experiment. On returning to tUg drawing-room j a large folio volume, bound with red morocco, and richly gilt, was found lying upon the table. It was pre sented to the General just before he sailed from Washington; and con tains a transcript of all the addresses to him by the authorities of N. Y ork. The specimens of ornamental pen manship are certainly elegant, and have excited general admiration at the Chateau. By its side was a vo- lumniou9 portfolio, containing por traits and autographs of public rer sonages in France since the com mencement of the revolution—both brought out for our amusement. Alter tea the ladies favored us with a great variety of songs and mu sic upon the piano, which they play with much taste and skill. One of the number, finding that her voice and execution could contribute to the enjoyments of the social circle, and forgetting herself in endeavoring to add to the common stock of plea sure, continued to sit at the piano until she was solicited to leave it, instead of the ordinary request to re main longer. This mark ol polite ness was so peculiar, that it appear ed to me worthy of record and imi tation. Among the musical pieces, was one or two composed in the Un - ted States, during the General’s visit. At 9 o’clock in the evening, we manifested an intention to return to Rose that night, and set out for Paris next morning, desirous that if the hospitality ot the family were not al ready exhausted by a visit, which seemed too long lor strangers who had no other claim than simply that of being Americans, a share ol it might be reserved for others, upon the republican principle of equality. But at La Grange, feelings ol gene rosity and kindness, towards even the humblest citizens of the U. States, know no bounds. Favour after fa- vour descends spontaneously upon the visitant like the dew; ~od in view of the paternal affection manifested on this occasion, our couutry might address to its illustrious 'benefactor the forcible apostrophe—“ inasmucn as thou hast done it unto the least of these my children, thou hast done it unto me." Pretexts as plausible »» genuine hospitality requires, were urged with a politeness that could not be resisted, and the result was a happy prolongattou of our visit. After breakfast on the following morning, the General conducted us to his library, which is on the third floor, in one corner of the Chateau. The windows, wnich in summer are shaded by a copse of trees lilting their aged branches from below, took in two directions, and command a view ot a rural domain, sucti as Cm cinnatus or Washington would have enjoyed, and such as its own proprie tor would not exchange for an em pire. In the anti-chamber, and the apartment itsell, are several likeness es of nis friends, trans-atlantic as well as European; and in s veral neat cases, on which the utmost care has been bestowed, are deposited all the little presents he'has received from our countrymen, from the sacred me morials ot his beloved Washington, down to the humblest pledges ol gra lttude and esteem, collected in his late tour. The whole makes an ex tensive museum, which is guarded with more vigilance, and is shown by the family with more delight, than would apparently be felt in exhibit ing the costliest collection of dia monds. All the articles were taken out of their places for our inspec tion ; and the history of them detail ed with a familiarity which proved now much they are valued One of the most conspicuous of these me morials is a beautiful model of the waterworks at Philadelphia, which tnc General took to pieces, to point out the ingenuity of its construction. The library itself contains about two thousand volumes of well select ed books. A large proportion of these were presented by his friends. One compartmeut is filled entirely with American works, containing a majority of our best publications? Additions are daily making to the collection by th-3 attention ol his cor respondents. The Phi Beta Kappa Oration ot Mr. Everett, and the Ad dress of Mr. Webster, before the Bunker Hill Association, arc cherish ed among the choicest treasures It was a curious incident, that 1 should here recognise the copy of the Co lumbiad which had been brought to me at New-York a year previous, for examination as a specimen of splen did binding, before it was presented to La Fayette. Having passed an hour or two in the library, and glanced at its inter esting contents, we took auotlier long walk with the ladies over the larm, pursuing a different route from what had been taken on the preceding day, and tr- adiug many a by-path iu a long circuit through the woodlands, i keen December air imparted an additional tinge to complexions nu [OR <4 IF NOT PAID IN SIX MONTHS. NO VOL. r iurady rosy; aud to the eye of a poet some of our- lair companions, in their rambles through tangled copses and groves of oak, might have seemed like Dryads. Iu the course of this piomenade, one ot the daughters of General Lalayette gave me a circum stantial account of his imprisonment at Olrnutz, and of the sufferings hot!* ol himself and family. The story is long, and its leading incidents would not be new to any of my readers.- One little anecdote, however, which gave relief to the tragic tale, so much amused me that I cannot forb ar to repeat it In their flight through Germany, the female part of the G< neral’s family were obliged to as sume the guise of English travellers, in order to elude the vigilance of their enemies. As they had some knowl edge of the language, to which was added a similarity ol national dress, they succeded tolerably well among strangers. At length, they were thrown in contact with an English waiting-maid who had emigrated to the continent soni years before. Serious fears of detection were here ■pprehended. But the poor girl err tertaining no doubt, that the ladies were really English, although she found difficulty in understanding them —and as they were supposed to have left her native country at a muc.u la* ter period than herself, she came to the melancholy conclusion, that by a long residence abroad, she had io3t her mother-tongue! In the midst of walks, conversa tions, aud enjoyments like these, the hour of dinner again earne round. By this time, our places at table had been as perfectly learned, as if we had become permanent mmatesof the Chateau. Another evening of mu:bc and social pleasure was added to the »um of our happiness. At Bor 9 o’clock, an intention was again sig nified to go to Rose, in readiness lor the Diligence the next morning. But “it would be madueis to go to i e hotel that night, where the rt ct ,u;- modations were not good ; besides, it was snowing, and the weather was unpleasant: a servant should be sent to engage piac s lor us, and it would be easy to reach the village by eight o’clock, the hour for the departure of the coach on the following day." in Vain were any suggestions oppos> and to these kind persuasions; and at 10 o’clock, we retired for the th.rd oiglit to the chambers of the Chateau The next morning at 7, we :ound both tne general & family in Iherira -v --ing»roum before us, with coffee uj oo the table, and his own coach at the door, in readiness to take us :o Roiel In a few minutes more, :i cordial grasp of tlie hand and tuo j.-iru g benediction ofthe patriarch, produc ed a state of teeiing which on our part admitted of few words ; and we left La Grange with a full conviction, that if there is a paradise on earth, ;t must be found m the domestic, un sophisticated. and innocent delights of such a family, and if unalloyed happiness be the portion of any mor tal, it must consist in the luxury of such feelings, and in the practice of such virtues as are possessed by General Lafayette. “ I never in my life could stond straight i’th’praseuce of a great mon; but a’ways boowed. and boowed, and boowed, as it were by instinct.” The above sentence of Sir Pcrti nax Macsycophant, was brought for cibly to our recollection, by a perusal of John Randolph’s speeches ,md toasts at the public entertainments in England, an account of which Wat published in the Patriot of yesterday. Who can reflect upon his indiscrimi* nate abuse in his harangues in Con gress, ol every public functionary in the United States, and then read tilt reports of his “ boowing and striv ing to catch alnock or a smile fra the great mon,” with" a modest cadence of body, and a conceeliating c«.-ope ration of the whole mon. " with his torrents o’flattery till him, ” without experiencing sensations of the most nauseating disgust, and exclaiming with Egerton," contemptible.” Balt. Patriot. The ceremonies attendant upon takiDgthe Black Veil, were perform ed at the Convent in Georgetown, D. C. on the 15th iost. when ;he vows which are to seperate her from the world, and to confine her in fu* turcjwithin the precincts of the Con vent, were taken by Miss Jones, daughter of Com. Jones, ofthe Uni ted States’Navy. The White Veil was taken by Miss Jones about a year since. — —- A letter has been published in Pa ris, purporting to be written by Sir Walter Scott, iu which he repels the report that he is the author ofthe Waverly Nov Is; but th letter is suspected to be a forgery. Sir Wal ter has been appointed to the , roiita hie office of King’s Printer for Scot ia ndi n Vj