82 / 239
81
Promulgation officielle de l’invitation, transmise à Lafayette,
attestée par le
Town Clerk
, de la résolution des citoyens de
Newburyport, d’accueillir Lafayette aux États-Unis pour
fêter “the brave soldier, who devoted his person & fortune
to our country’s cause, & their gratitude to the early, zealous
& constant Friend of Liberty & of America ; la création d’un
comité d’accueil comprenant “the Hon Samuel S. Wilde, Hon
William Bartley, Hon Josiah Smith, Hon William B. Banister,
Hon Nathan Noyes, William Farie, William Cross, Thomas M.
Clark, John Coffin and Caleb Cushing, signed and attested
John Fitz, Town Clerk”
Lafayette replied on 27 August, the original of which is now on
deposit at the Newport Historical Society (Gottschalk,
Guide
,
p.186). The General and his party reached Newburyport on the
night of 31 August 1824 :
“it was late at night when we arrived at Newburyport. The brilliance
of the illuminations, and the fires lighted in appropriate places in the
street, the uninterrupted sounds of cannon, bells, the shouts of people,
and the sight of armed troops advancing rapidly to the sound of the
drum, might have led one to suppose we were entering a town taken
by storm, and delivered to the flames, of the words Liberty, Country,
Washington, Lafayette, which incessantly fell upon our ears, had not
reminded us that we were present at a truly national and popular
festival. Although the night was so far advanced, we were obliged to
devote a considerable time to the reception of the citizens who pressed
forward in crowds to greet him. We stopped at Tracy’s inn, which had
been prepared for our reception. General Washington had stayed
there in 1789... From the joy which appeared to sparkle in the eyes
of our host, it was easy to divine the sentiments that animated him,
and how difficult it would be to induce him to part with the furniture
which had served Washington and Lafayette” (Levasseur,
Lafayette in
America
, I, pp. 72-73).
200 / 300
€
169
LAFAYETTE
, Gilbert du Motier, marquis de
[Toast 2] Document autographe signé
New York, Wahington Hall, [11 septembre 1824]
3 lignes
TOAST EN FRANÇAIS POUR LES FRANÇAIS DE NEW YORK.
EXEMPLAIRE DE LAFAYETTE.
TOAST IN FRENCH TO NEW YORK’S FRENCH COMMUNITY.
LAFAYETTE’S COPY
“Gal Lafayette.
A la mémoire des français morts pour la France de la vraie liberté
depuis 1789 jusqu’à ce jour ; leurs mânes nous demandent que tant
de sacrifices ne soient pas perdues pour la patrie”
“The general and his son were present at a masonic celebration
at the Knights Templars, who admitted them to their lodge,
and conferred upon them the highest honours, of which they
presented them the richly wrought badges. In the evening, we
dined with the French residents of New York, who wished to
celebrate the 47
th
anniversary of the battle of Brandywine. The
dinner was prepared at Washington Hall, and this patriotic
and family festival was marked by a character both happy and
original ; many Americans, who were present, were struck
with astonishment (...). To this toast the general replied by
the following : To the memory of the French who died in the
cause of true liberty, from 1789 to the present day. Their names
demand of us, that so many sacrifices should not be lost for
the country”. (Levasseur,
Lafayette in America
, I, pp. 95-97)
1 500 / 2 000
€
- Toast -
169