A complete history of the Marquis de Lafayette, major-general in the American army in the war of the revolution. Embracing an account of his tour through the United States, to the time of his departure, September, 1825. By an officer in the late army.

276 HISTORY OF THZ
erred, it must be admitted that he was always consistent ill
his principles. Faithful to his oath, to his king, and, to his
engagements, he was among the first to oppose all seditious
designs, and among the most distinguished of those who contended for the maintenance of order and civil obedience.
To have received with cordiality, the illustrious supporter of
regulated liberty, would have been noble and magnanimous;
-to imprison and persecute virtue and valour in distress,
was mean and dastardly: but, from Tiberius to the present
times, cowardice has been the uniform character of ty
ranny.i
When Lafayette diminished his escort, he set out with
seven companions,t and arrived, after a rapid journey, in the
neighbourhood of an advanced guard of Austrians. It was
extremely dark, and their horses being greatly fatigued by
the march, as well as a heavy rain, they found it impossible
to proceed further; nor could they, from the same cause, retrace their steps, laying aside the risk of pursuit from the
French. It was, therefore, necessary to carry a bold front,
and endeavour to obtain permission to pass, without disc
covering their ranks and names. Colonel de Puzy advanced,
and requested to speak with the officer commanding
at Rochefort. Lieutenant-colonel count D'Harnoncourt,
who held the command, wishing to send Puzy, as all
emigrants had heretofore been, to the duke de Bourbon,
commander of the neighbouring posts, the colonel replied that
his companions and himself ought not to be confounded with
the emigrants who bore arms against their country; that
they were patriotic officers, attached to the constitutional
laws, who had, in fact, left the army, and who demanded permission to seek an asylum in a country which was not at war
with France. D'Harnoncourt, detaining Puzy, sent orders
*Toulong. Hist. ii. 272, 3. —Hist. Rev. France, li. 67.
t These were Louis and Victor Latour Maubourg, Bureau-de- Puzy,
Alexandre Lameth, Auguste Masson, Rene Pillet, and Cardignan.