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.

324 HISTORY OF THE
iand which had been previously entered by Lafayette. He
was immediately informed of the fact. It was stated to him
that his right to this land was unquestionable, and the legal
opinion of an eminent lawyer and jurist was forwarded to
him, with the assurance that, in a contest with the city of NewOrleans, he must succeed. The value of the land had been
discovered, and fifty thousand dollars could, even then, have
been obtained for the general's title to it. But what was the
conduct of Lafayette, on being informed of these facts? He,
promptly and without hesitation, communicated to his agent,
"that he would not consent even to inquire into the validity of
his title; that he could not think of entering into litigation with
any public body in the United States; that the property had
been gratuitously bestowed upon him by the United States, and
it was with them to say what had been given;" and he accompanied these declarations with a positive direction to his agent
to relinquish his entry, and to make a location elsewhere. This
was done, and the land substituted for that which was lost, is of
very inconsiderable value; while on a portion of that which
was so generously relinquished, now stands a valuable part of
the city of New-Orleans, valued, according to correct estimates,
at from four to five hundred thousand dollars.*
On the twenty-fourth of December, 1807, Lafayette experienced a blow which it required all his religion and philosophy
to support. His wife,-his best friend, his faithful and heroic
companion; adorned with every virtue; pious, modest, generous, and faithful; affectionate, yet firm, and gentle, yet resolved,-the long-tried wife of his bosom, at length sunk under her
misfortunes, and was torn from the arms of her husband at an
age when she might have expected many years of happiness in
store. But the dastardly ferocity of tyrants brought to an untimely grave, in the forty-seventh year of her age, a woman who
was once the soul of her numerous family, the support of the
poor, the ornament of her country, and the honour of her sex. —
She was, indeed, a superior and admirable woman, possessing
* Colonel Hayne's (of S. Carolina,) Speech in Congress, Dec. 20, 1824.