Chapter I: Front Matter

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Transcriber’s note:

Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_).

LAFAYETTE IN AMERICA IN 1824 AND 1825;

Or, Journal of a Voyage to the United States:

by

A. LEVASSEUR;

Secretary to General Lafayette during His Journey.

Translated by John D. Godman, M. D.

VOL. I.

Philadelphia: Carey and Lea. 1829.

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Eastern District of Pennsylvania, to wit:

Be it remembered, That on the sixth day of November, in the fifty-fourth year of the independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1829, Carey and Lea, of the said District, have deposited in this Office the title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following, to wit:

“Lafayette in America in 1824 and 1825; or Journal of a Voyage to the United States: by A. Levasseur, Secretary to General Lafayette during his journey. Translated by John D. Godman, M. D.”

In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, entitled “An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned.” And also to the act, entitled, “An act supplementary to an act, entitled, ‘An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts, and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,’ and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engraving, and etching historical and other prints.”

(Signed) D. CALDWELL,
Clerk of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

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THE AUTHOR’S PREFACE.

In publishing at this late period the journal of my voyage to the United States, along with General Lafayette, in 1824 and 1825, I think it right to account for the circumstances, which have so long delayed this publication.

The duties of private secretary, which I performed for General Lafayette, were prolonged for three years after our return. During all this time, I thought that the intimacy of my relations with him, rendered it a point of delicacy, that I should not cause to emanate from his cabinet a narrative, of which he was the principal object. Swayed by this sentiment, I resisted the solicitations of my friends, and resolved to await the period, when having become entirely independent, and entering into a career of industry, I could publish my journal without exposing any one to participate with me in responsibility for the opinions or facts produced. This time has now arrived, and there is no longer any inconvenience in my publishing details, not altogether unknown, but which cannot be found any where so complete as in this journal, which moreover, has a character of incontestible authenticity, for in addition to the testimony of several millions of witnesses, that might be adduced if necessary, I can also say, _all I relate I have seen_.

I need not say, that in offering to my friends and the public, the details of a triumph, which honours the nation that decreed it, as much as the man who was its object, the recital of which, I hope, will one day prove the greatest encouragement that can be offered to the sincere friends of a wise liberty, I am less concerned to adorn my narration, than to preserve that character of verity, which will be its greatest, perhaps even its only merit.

Involved during fourteen months in the torrent of popular festivities, which uninterruptedly followed the steps of Lafayette throughout the twenty-four states of the Union, it was only during the brief hours of the night, and as I may say, in presence of the events of the day, that my journal was written. It necessarily must partake of that extreme agitation; however I have not thought of making any other change in it, than that of dividing it into a certain number of chapters, each of which contains a series of facts more particularly attached to some epoch or locality. This division appears to me more suitable, because it allows of the suppression of all the dates, that would embarrass the narrative, and a multitude of details which could only interest a small number of individuals.

TRANSLATOR’S NOTE.

The MSS. translation of the first volume, was revised by an intimate friend and correspondent of the author, P. S. DUPONCEAU, Esq. whose name is justly associated with deep learning, great intellectual acumen, and urbanity of manners; he also furnished the occasional notes marked with the letter D.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Invitation of the Congress of the United States to General
Lafayette: departure from Havre: voyage: arrival at Staten
Island: reception at New York: review of the troops:
entertainment given to Lafayette: statistics of New York: its
constitution, &c. 9

CHAPTER II.

Departure from New York: journey from New York to Boston: entry at
Boston: visit to the University of Cambridge: visit to
Charlestown and Bunker’s hill. 27

CHAPTER III.

First settlements in Massachusetts: sketch of revolutionary events
in this province: its actual condition. 44

CHAPTER IV.

Camp of Savin Hill. Visit to John Adams: review of the regulations
of the Massachusetts militia. 61

CHAPTER V.

Journey from Boston to Portsmouth: sojourn at Portsmouth: history,
constitution and statistics of New Hampshire: journey from
Portsmouth to New York: description of Long Island. 69

CHAPTER VI.

Entertainment given by the Society of Cincinnati: origin and
statutes of the society: visit to the public establishments:
dinner given by the French of New York: ball at Castle Garden. 86

CHAPTER VII.

Voyage upon the Hudson: treason of Arnold: military school at West
Point: Newburgh: Poughkeepsie: Clermont: Catskills Hudson:
Albany: Troy: return to New York. 99

CHAPTER VIII.

Streets of New York: drunkenness: prostitution: lotteries:
hospitality: bankruptcy: women and young girls: luxury: hotels:
police: anecdote: number of passengers arriving at New York, from
1818 till 1819. 122

CHAPTER IX.

Departure from New York: journey from New York to Trenton; battles
of Trenton and Princeton: visit to Joseph Bonaparte: state of New
Jersey. 133

CHAPTER X.

Entry of Philadelphia: history and constitution of the state of
Pennsylvania: commerce, agriculture, &c.: city of Philadelphia:
public buildings, public institutions, prisons, &c. 141

CHAPTER XI.

Voyage from Philadelphia to Baltimore: American aristocracy: fort
M’Henry: entry of Baltimore: description of Baltimore: defence of
the city in 1814. 159

CHAPTER XII.

Farewell to Lafayette by the inhabitants of Baltimore: journey from
Baltimore to Washington: entry of that city: visit to the
President: description of Washington: jesuits. 171

CHAPTER XIII.

Departure for Yorktown: Washington’s tomb: celebration of the
anniversary of the surrender of Yorktown: details of its seige in
1781. 180

CHAPTER XIV.

Journey from Yorktown to Richmond by Williamsburg and
Norfolk.—History of Virginia. Some considerations on negro
slavery. 194

CHAPTER XV.

Masonic entertainment: journey to Petersburgh: visit to Mr.
Jefferson: his mansion: plantation: slaves: Montpelier: Mr.
Madison: religious liberty: return to Washington by Orange
Court-house and Fredericksburg. 210

LAFAYETTE IN AMERICA.