FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, NOVEMBER 27, 1824. RECEPTIO N OF GENERAL U FAYETTE IN FREDERICKSBURG. THE within pages contain the full history of the visit of General La Fayette to the City of Fred ericksburg during his visit to America in 1824. Nearly all the actors on that interesting event have passed over the river and joined the silent majority, including the illustrious chief actor ; but the naxration as then written and now here reproduced, will be read with interest by the living generation, and preserved for the use and information of those who are to come after us. EUFUS PUBI-ISHUn, FREDERICKSBURG, VA. La. Z9 \ FREDEEICKSBURG, VIRGINIA, NOVEMBER 27, 1834. RECEPTION OF GEN. LAFAYETTE IN FREDERICKSBURG. The citizens of Fredericksburg having been informed that General La Fayette would visit them, in compliance with their previous invitation, on Saturday (20th) the Committee of Arrangements deputed four of its mem bers and two marshals, to meet him at the Wilderness Tavern, near the dividing line between Orange and Spotsylvania, distant 1-5 miles from town, to welcome his entrance into the county, to express the satisfation which was felt by the citizens in his expected visit, and to con duct him to town. He did not arrive at the Wilderness until' half -past two in the evening, escorted by a number of the citizens and the officers of Orange county, accom panied by Capt. Robert Lewis and the Hon. James Bar bour, Senator of the United States, (who was an invited guest,) and by tlie General's usual attendants, his son, and his friend, Mr. La Vasseur. Upon his arrival here he was received by a corps of about forty officers, hand somely uniformed and equipped, who had assembled themselves from this and the neighbouring counties, under the command of Col. Gulielimus Smith, of Spot- t^ylvania; Col. George M. Cooke, ot Stafford; and Col. John Stuart, of King George, as an escort upon the oc casion, and by the deputies from Fredericksburg, who made linown to him their duty, which called forth his thankful acknowledgments. The tavern and the yard wore thronged with young and old, male and female visitors, who had flocked from the neighbourhood to behold the nation's guest. The general and his company remained here about 30 minutes, whilst they partook of an excellent collation and the refreshments which had been provided for the occasion by Mr. Almond, the land lord, who had been a soldier of the revolution. Having taken an affectionate farewell of tlie citizens and the escort from Orange, the General and his suite then took their departure for Fredericksburg, about 3 o'clock in the evening, in two carriages, each drawn by four horses, Avhich had been provided and sent on for their convey ance by the citizens of Fredericksburg. In the foremost of the two were seated Gen. La Fayette, Capt. Lewis and Col. Barbour, and in the second, George Washington La Fayette, Mr. La Vasseur, and Col. Hugh Mercer, one of the deputies from Fredericksburg; and both preceded by the marshals and the carriage in which the other fleputies rode. It was exceedingly interesting during the rapid ride to town, to behold the display of feeling which manifested itself along almost every part of the wa.y ; the houses on the road-side were thronged with spectators, — and frequent accessions of horsemen, some times one and two, and sometimes in considerable num bers, were falling into the ranks to increase the escort. In an hour and fifty minutes, and just at sunset, the party reached the parade ground, west of Fredericks burg, in the following order : Two Marshals, Col. Smith, 1st Corps of Officers, Committee of Arrangements, Guest, in a carriage drawn by four white horses. Cols. Stewart and Cooke, 2nd Corps of Officers, Gen'ls Suite in a carriage drawn by four black horses, Citizens on horseback. As the General approached the parade ground, the military, commanded by Maj, O. M, Crutchfield, and aided by Capt. D. Green, were formed in line upon the left, and parellel with the turnpike road, in the follow ing order : On the right of the whole, a company com posed of youths, between 12 and 16 years of age neatly uniformed and armed with pikes, who had embodied themselves by the name of La Fayette Cadets, to the number of 40, under the command of Col. Wm. F. Gray, by whose skill and diligence they had been trailed to the most exact precision in all their evolutions. This corps of little military gave inexpressible interest to this and all the subsequent military exhibitions, and which seemed to be very sensibly felt by the General himself. Next to them was stationed Capt. D. Green's — 3— handsome company of Riflemen, from Falmouth ; next in order, the Rifle Company of Capt. T. H. Botts, and upon their left, the Washington Guards, all of them handsomely uniformed and equipped ; in the centre of tlie whole, the Marine Band from Washington, which was politely lent by Col, Henderson for the occasion. As the General and Suite advanced upon the right the whole line saluted, and as they cleared the left, Col. Stanard, who was apprised by signal, fired a Federal salute from the artillery stationed in the suburbs, and thus announced to the eager and anxious citizens the approach of their father, the friend and benefactor of mankind. In the rear of the military, and under the direction of Major H. M. Patton, chief marshal, aided by Capt. Jas. Green, between two and three hundred citizens from the town and neighborhood on horseback were arranged in line, and added greatly to the beauty and effect of the mostimposingandgratifying spectacle. The carriages having passed, the military wheeled into column and fell into procession ; next followed, in reg ular order, citizens ou horseback. Upon approaching the town a numerous body of respectable citizens joined the procession, and the whole advanced down Hanover towards Caroline street. The day-light began to close, and as the procession moved slowly on, darkness was stealing over the scene, and began to impair, in some degree, its imposing effect. Without any previous notice or concert, (for the arrival had been expected some hours sooner,) the light beamed from window to window, as if by magic, untiL almost a general illumination lighte^ its march. The processioh having arrived at the corner of tlie Farmers' Hotel, on Caroline street, suddenly the adjacent houses on both sides of the street were beau tifully and tastefully illuminated, and the effect was as gratifying as unexpected. It would be unjust to omit noticing the beautiful and appropriate transparency exhibited in front of the residence of H. Marshall, Esq., in which the features of the 'guest' were correctly de lineated ; an angel hovered over his head ; the genius of liberty stood by his side, and blew from her trumpet, <• Welcome La Fayette " Underneath was written, — "A name inscribed deeply in the, roll o( fame; It shall descend honored to the latest posterity." Its effect upon the assembled multitude was evinced by a slight pause in the procession and whispered sounds — 4— of applause. The procession continued to move on slowly to the Town Hall, in front of which it halted ; and the military advancing, took position in front of the Hall, extending a line from each flank to the sides of the platform, their ba.nners and bright arms glittering in the blaze of the illumination. When thus formed, the La Fayette Cadets were admitted into the centre, their white uniforms neatly trimmed with red, gleaming spears and handsome banner, added greatly to the inter esting scene. The General and suite were conducted through the lines to the platform, where he was ad dressed by the Mayor, as follows : "Gex. La Layette: In the name of upwards of four thousand of my fellow-citizens of the town of Freder icksburg and Falmouth, I bid you a cordial welcome to this section of Virginia, not very remote from one of the most important scenes of your heroic achievements in the cause of our beloved country, the inhabitants of this district feel a long and fondly cherished veneration for your illustrious name, and tender you the expres sions of their affectionate regards and high considera tion with unfeigned sincerity and delight. The presence of the friend of Washington excites the tenderest emotions and association among a people whose town enjoys the distinguished honor of having been the residence of the Father of His Country during the days of liis childhood and youth, and among whom, also, the gallant Mercer lived, and the veteran Weedon died. Our limited population and facilities will not admit of the pageantry of a splendid reception to our gener ous benefactor. We cannot vie with our sister cities in the erection of triumphal arches, the display of mili tary parades, and other magnificent exhibitions, but in feelings of unmingled gratitude and love towards your venerable person, we cannot yield to any, and are happy in the assurance that this is the offering which will prove most grateful to one who, having done so much to break the fetters of tyranny from the human mind, has evinced how highly he can estimate its free and un biased sentiments. In the various manifestations of public homage and exultation which have everywhere greeted your arrival on our shores, we have, however, truly sympathised. We have rejoiced to see that the national feeling has so cordially responded to the voice of duty and obligation, and that in the unwearied and reiterated efforts made to honor your illustrious pres ence, it has been strikingly evinced that the nation con siders itself as owing you a debt which can never be paid. Numbering ourselves among those who most deeply feel the weight of obligation imposed on us by your chivalric and magnanimous devotion to the honor and interest of America, we again beg you to accept the tender of our most respectful salutations and cordial welcome to our homes." To which the General replied, — "I cordially rejoice, sir, in the happy opportunity to re-visit this district, where the united citizens of Fred ericksburg and Falmouth, in addition to the obligations they had formerly conferred upon me, are pleased to welcome my arrival with new and highly valued testi monies of their friendship. At this place, sir, which recalls to our recollection several among the most honorable names of the revo lutionary war, I did, many years ago, salute the first residence of our paternal chief, received the blessing of his venerated mother, and of his dear sister, your own respected parent. Here now, as at Mount Vernon, we are left to mourn for departed friends and parents. An immense W?sh- ington Monument has already been erected on the whole basis of American Independence. Indeed, to our own revolution we may proudly ascribe the emancipation of those new and vast southern republics, in behalf of which, at every step of my progress through the United States, I have found the unanimous spirit of the people most warmly interested. With a profound sense of your flattering and affec tionate reception in this city, with a lively satisfaction in the great improvements 1 have the pleasure to wit ness, I beg you, .sir, and all of you, gentlemen, to accept my devoted wishes and respectful acknowledgments. " The General and his suite were then conducted into the Town Hall, which had been decorated with ever greens and flowers by the ladies with their own hands, in a style of simplicity and neatness, which reflects as much credit upon their zeal and industry as upon their taste. As soon as he entered the room, a choir of little girls, crowned with garlands, who were seated on the opposite side of the room, rose and sung to an appro- — 6— priate air, the follo-v\^iug words, composed by William McFarland, Esq., for the occasion : Our Father has dar'd the -n'ild strife of the sea, And come o'er to the home and the hearts of the free; The shouts of a nation attend on his march, And the soft hands of beauty his pathway o'erarch, As he moves in his triumph all bloodless and pure, Thro' the land where he hew'd out his red path of yore. In our darkness and peril the light of his brand Blazed a beacon to point thro' the tempest to land. And Fayette was the first, when the deluge was o'er, To bear us the palm branch of peace from the shore, "When the ark ot young freedom found rest from the wave, And our land was no longer the land of the slave. Thou art with u.s again, and all words are too weak Tiie deep thoughts that burn in our bosom to speak ; Thou art with us again, and the sky looks more bright. And the breath of the air blows more balmy and light, And our streams as they move In their coolness along, Seem to brighten with pleasure and burst into song, Lov'd friend of our Fathers! brave champion of truth, The stem which you bath'd with the blood of your youth Has bourgeois'd and grown till its arms spread a shade Where the w-rong'd and the wretched find shelter and aid ; And the exile of Europe pours blessings on thee As the green boughs wave o'er him of freedom's fajr tree. Then rest dearest Father! rest thou in its shade. Now that time his cold hand on thy temples has laid; The deeds of thy youth will pass freshly in view. And the grasp of old comrades thy spring-time renew Our mothers will cherish and watch thy repose, And the SEniles of their children cheer life as it close. This song was sung inimitably; and the exquisite, effect produced by this melodious eftusion of infant love to the illustrious benefactor of our country can only be conceived by those who witnessed it. It was manifest that he felt it deeply, and he returned his thanks to the young ladies after the song was finished, with the most affectionate tender ness. He was then introduced to the members of the committee of arrangements, and to the members of the council and justices of the peace. After remaining some short time in the Town Hall the General and his suite returned to their carriages, when the procession formed again, and conducted them around by the Masonic Hall into Caroline street, and up to his apartments in the spa cious building of Mr. James Ross, who had in a manner, which does much honor to his zeal and generosity, surren dered his house and furniture to the Corporation for the occasion. These apartments had been embellished and fur nished in a style of the utmost neatness and comfort, under the direction of the 'ladies and with the assistance of the committee appointed forthe purpose. Immediately on his arrival here refreshments were presented, and soon after the guest and his suite and several of the gentlemen who had been in attendance upon him during the day, sat down to a veiy handsome dinner. About 9 o'clock the party retired from the dinner table, and the General and his suite, accompanied by the Mayor and Col. Mercer, were conveyed to the Farmer's Hotel, to partake of a very splendid ball, which wanted nothing that expense could procure, or taste could embellish, to make complete. It was attended by an overflowing company from all the adjoining counties, and seldom has an occasion been graced with so much beauty, or enjoyed with such decent festivity. At 11 o'clock the General retired to his lodgings, and at 12 the ball ended. SUNDAY. On Sunday morning, by previous invitation, the General, his son. and Mr. La Vasseur visited "Fredericksburg Lodge, No. 4," which on this occasion was joined by many of the brethren from the neighboring Lodges. The spacious Hall was completely filled. The ceremonies were touching and solemn. The perfect order^ profound silence and deferen tial respect which was evinced by each individual, spoke in plainer language than words the intense feeling that per vaded the assembly. Previous to the General's reception in the Lodge he was, on motion of one of tho members, duly elected an honorarjj mem.ber. On his entrance, as his name was announced, the members rose, and the Worshipful Master, (Col. Wm. F. Gray,) descending from his seat, addressed him as follows : "Brother La Fayette: In the name of my assembled brethren, I bid you welcome to oui' Lodge, welcome to our homes, welcome to our hearts. We thank you, my Brother, heartily thank you, for this visit. We are proud of this opportunity of standing on a level with one whose noble exertions in the cause of humanit}^ has filled the world with his name. Whilst millions of freemen are rushing forth with enthusiasm to hail your arrival, and exhausting every device of taste and liberahty to swell the full tide of a nation's gratitude to one of her most illustrious benefactors, we, as .\f asons, desire to greet yon by the endearing ties of onr profession, and renew to you, in the sincerity of our hearts, those mystic nnd sacred pledges of fidelity and brotherly love, which are due to your exalted virtues. On this occasion, my Brother, it cannot be uninteresting to you, as the early friend and companion-in-arms of our beloved Washington, to know that this Lodge boasts the honor of beins: his parent Lodge. Our records assure us, that on the 4th day of November, A. L. 5752. the [ight of Masonry here first burst upon his sight; and that within the pale of this Lodge he subsequently sought and obtained further illumination. Here he first studied those liberal, tolerant and benevolent principles of our order, which have since, under Heaven, been through him and his worthy compat riots so happily diffused through the free institutions of our Government. He is gone from among us, but the recollec tion of his services and his virtues is indelibly engraven on our hearts. We feel a peculiar gratiiication, my honored Brother, in beholding you standing- within the body of the Lodge where he has so often stood and assisted in our labors of love. We would gladly avail ourselves of the occasion to testify to you our respect and fraternal regard by receiving you into our household. I have the pleasure of informing you that this Lodge has to-day elected you an honorary member; and I am instructed to express to you our united earnest request that joa will, before you leave us, inscribe your name upon the list of members. It already bears the names of Washington, Mercer, Woodford, Weedon, and many others distinguished for their virtues, and whose names live in oar country's history. It will be a lasting source of honorable pride to know that it also bears the name of La Fayette. Kuture members will peruse the proceedings of this day with devout interest, and will delight to trace the characters inscribed by your hand. My beloved .Brother, you will soon leave us, we may never more meet; but the anniversary of your advent among us will hereafter form a bright day in our calendar; and yearly, as we assemble to celebrate it, your good deeds will be freshly remembered. We would fain indulge the hope that the evening of your days may be spentin this happy country, peacefully sheltered under the viiie u.nd the fig tree, which your youthful hands assisted in pUmtinir, and your valor in defending. But, if that may not be, w'here'r you go, in vi^hatsoever land you may bide the remainder of your time in this tabernacle of clay, our earnest and un ceasing prayer shall be, that the blessing of Heaven may be round you and over you, and when "it shall please the Omniscient to call you hence, may you be received into the Grand Lodge above, among the spirits of the j ust made perfect. To which the General replied, to the following eti'ect: My Dear Sir, and you my Brethren, — The pleasure I ever feel in our fraternal meetings cannot be enhanced on this occasion by the consideration that in this city the first les sons of childhood, in this Lodge, the first lights of Masonry, were conferred upon the man who was first in all our hearts'. — 9— In Masonry he was our brother, in matters of state he was our father. I shall be happy, sir, to see my name united with those respected names, most dear to my heart, that you have just mentioned. And I beg you all, my Brethren, to acce[:)t my affectionate thanks for the favor you have conferred upon me, and which you, sir, have been pileased so kindly to announce. The General was then conducted to his seat, and the book containing the roll of members being presented to him, he subscribed his name to it. A procession was then formed, consisting of the most numerous assemblage of the Masonic Brethren that had ever been witnessed in Fredericksburg. In their peculiar order, the Committee of Arrangements, the civil authori ties of the town and the military officers, and the General and his suite, were conducted to the Episcopal Church, where an excellent discourse was delivered to an overflow ing congregation, by the Rev. Ed. C. McGuire. The text was taken from 139th I'salm, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 verses, and the subject, the omnipotence of God, involving reflec tions on his particular agency in the affairs of men. The following is an extract: "It inspires us with precious hope for ourselves and for all mankind. It is full of promise that loe shall grow and prosper in every principle and work of holiness, and that soon the world throughout its darkest and most afflicted regions shall realize "at once the brightest visions of the philanthropist, and tbe longing expectations of the saint, when God who hears the groans of nature in this nether world, and hears in infinite compassion, will put forth His power in surrounding us with those scenes of accomphshed- liiiss, foretold by prophets and by poets sung, in which universal peace and love shall reign, in which the sword shall be beat into the plough-share, and the spear into the pruning-hook, in which the wolf and the lamb shah feed together, and none shall be found to hurt or to destroy in all God's holy mountain. "That this glorious day is already dawning upon the world, whoever'notes the signs of this distinguished age, must surely see. In hindrance of that illustrious era the civil and spiritual degradation of many of the nations of Christendom has here'tofore opposed the must unyielding obstacles. Slavery in mind or body is the deadly foe of human happiness and human honour. " Tis liberty alone that gives the flow'r Of fleeting life its lustre and perfume. And we are weeds without it. All constraint, Except what wisdom lays on evil men, —10— Is evil ; hurts the faculties, impedes Their progress in the road of science ; blinds The eye-sight of discovery; and begets In those that suffer it, a sordid mind ; Bestial, a meagre intellect, unfit Tobe the tenant of man's noble form. But in relation to all the obstructions of human happi ness, God hath said, "I will overturn, overturn, overturn, till he comes, whose right it is." In doing this, God works by means. He lays under contribution all the powers of nature, puts in requisition all the energies of man, when he would achieve his bright designs. And is not the history of our day strongly marked with the indications of His agency in unsettling the foundations of tyranny, in vindi cating the equal rights of man, and furthering the cause of universal liberty and peace? What else can mean this mighty moral excitement, so widely pervading the reviving nations ? What means this gro-wing activity and thought- fulness of the human mind ? What this restless longing after some new and untried goods ? Never surely was the human mind more in earnest than at the present moment. The political commotions, M'hich from such prominent dis tinctions of our age, have sprung from some deep and pow erful working of the human soul. Men seem to have caught glimpses, however indistinct, of the dignity, rights and great interests of their nature; and a thirst fbr prohibited blessings, and impatience of long-endured wrongs, have broken out wildly, like the fires of Etna, and shaken and convulsed the earth. See you not in these things, assem bling and embattling his hosts for deeds of glorious war, in righteous judgment waged against his foe, that subduing them under his feet, he may urge on to their bright and glorious consummation, his sublime and merciful designs in favour of our afflicted race ? May God in mercy speed the auspicious end, in pity and forbearance wielding his "rod of iron," yet with resistless energy, constraining the benign and propitious reign of universal peace and love. In fur therance of his purposes of unquestionable love, may he raise up and long sustain the friends and avengers of oppressed and suffering humanity. May lie especially regard with favour, and crown with blessings, the illustrious advocate and defender of man's equal rights, at whose feet this happy and grateful land delights to lay its tribute of profoundest gratitude and love. May the evening of his days be crowned with the blessings of providence and grace, and his eternity with the joys of Heaven, through the merits and interces sions of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour." — Amen. After service, the order of procession was resumed, and — li the General was conducted to his apartments. His carriage was in waiting for him at the church, but he declined the use of it, and insisted on walking in the procession. This was an additional gratification to the anxious multitude who with eager gaze followed the procession to get a near look at him. The Masonic Brethren having returned to their Lodge Room, he was waited upon by a number of gentle men who called during the morning to be presented. His company at dinner was small, among whom were the Hon. Judges Brooke and Coaller, and such of the citizens whose duties required them to he present. After dinner Mr. Geo. W. ]ja Fayette departed alone in a private carriage, having refused the most earnest solicitation of the Committee of Arrangement for some of its members to accompany him. The evening was spent by the General in the company of a few of the relatives of Washington, at ('apt. Robert Lewis's, when he relired to his lodgings about 9 o'clock at night. MONDAY. On Monday, at 11 o'clock, the military, accompanied by the La Fayette Cadets, proceeded to escort the General from his quarters to the Town Hall, and the General, alone in a chariotee, drawn by four white horses, accompanied by the Mayor and several distinguished persons in a carriage drawn by four black horses; the whole preceded by a corps of officers under the command of Cols. Cooke and Stuart, ]iroceeded through the principal streets of the town, sur rounded and followed by strangers and citizens, all evincing the utmost sohcitude to behold him. The solicitation of the officers could not induce the General to remain covered, though exposed throughout to the glare of the sun. As he passed, the fair sex greeted him in every direction, and upon his arrival at the Hall, hundreds of ladies thronged to welc