1Lafayette’s Draft of a Declaration of Rights, June 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
MS ( DLC : TJ Papers, 36:6252–3); in an unidentified clerk’s hand, with marginal note by TJ; endorsed by him: “Fayette. His decln. of rights”; undated, but this state of the text probably belongs to the end of June or the beginning of July 1789. This text represents an intermediate state of Lafayette’s proposed declaration of rights between that transmitted by TJ to Madison on 12 Jan. 1789 and...
2To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [before 3 June 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
I Most Heartily thank You, My dear friend, for Your Excellent ideas. What will Become of the States Generals God knows. Our House Has this Morning protested Against the Appellation of Commons , and the Commons Have said there Must Be No intermediaire Between them and the King. It is true they Meant the Ministers But we took it for us. In the Mean While the King and Queen are on the...
3I. Lafayette to Jefferson, 6 July 1789 (Jefferson Papers)
This Morning Has Been Employed in Hearing the Report of a Committee for Subsistance and As they were Going to Vote thanks to Administration Mr. de Mirabeau Rose and said He Could Give proofs to the House that You Had Made offers to obtain flour from America which Have Been Refused—He Announced His Motion On that Head for to Morrow, and Means to Ground on this an Attack Against Administration....
4IX. Lafayette to Jefferson, [8 July 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
Before Your letter Came to Hand M. de Mirabeau Had engaged to disown what He Had Advanced. On the Receipt of Yours He did more, He Undertook to Read it to the Assembly, and telling Every thing that was in it He layd it on the table. Some Body Undertook to translate it, and the House Called for the Reading of the translation. I Confess I thought it indelicate, if Not for Mirabeau’s feelings at...
5X. Lafayette to Jefferson, [9 July 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
M. de Mirabeau’s Affair brought me Under difficulties and Almost a Quarell with the Ministry. He Had Engaged to Retract Before Your letter Came to Hand. He did it, and Besides read your letter, and laid it on the table. Some Body Undertook to translate it, which He did Very ill, and Many in the House asked for the Reading of this translation. But as M. de MiRabeau Had said Every word which...
6To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, [25 August 1789] (Jefferson Papers)
I Beg for liberty’s sake You will Breack Every Engagement to Give us a dinner to Morrow Wenesday. We shall Be some Members of the National Assembly—eight of us whom I want to Coalize as Being the only Means to prevent a total dissolution and a civil war. The dificulty Between them is the King’s veto. Some want it Absolute, others will Have no Veto, and the only way to Unite them is to find...
7To George Washington from Lafayette, 12 January 1790 (Washington Papers)
I Cannot let the packet Sail without a line from your filial friend, who, altho’ He depends on Mr Short for your information, wants to Express you those Affectionate and Respectful Sentiments that Are Never So well felt as in UnCommon Circumstances—How often, My Beloved General, Have I wanted your wise Advices and friendly Support! We Have Come thus far in the Revolution without Breaking the...
8To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 1 February 1790 (Jefferson Papers)
Paris, 1 Feb. 1790. He asks TJ to be of service to M. Minguée, who is leaving for America to “faire un établissement” on the Scioto river, having served with patriotism and zeal in the national Parisian army from the beginning of the Revolution, and from whose great friend, the “Gouverneur de mon fils,” he has just received new testimony in his favor. [P.S.] “I don’t know, My dear friend, When...
9To George Washington from Lafayette, 17 March 1790 (Washington Papers)
It is with the Utmost Concern that I Hear My letters Have Not Come to Hand, and While I lament the Miscarriage, I Hope You do Not impute it to Any fault on My part —In these time of troubles, it Has Become More difficult to Know, or to Reach Opportunities, and How this Will be Carried I leave to the Care of Mr Payne Who Goes to London. Our Revolution is Getting on as Well as it Can With a...
10To George Washington from Lafayette, 23 August 1790 (Washington Papers)
What Would Have Been My feelings, Had the News of Your illness Reached me Before I knew My Beloved General, My Adoptive father was out of danger! I was Struck with Horror at the idea of the Situation You Have Been in, while I, Uninformed, and to distant from You, Was Anticipating the long waited for pleasure to Hear from You, and the Still More Endearing prospect to Visit You, and present You...
11To George Washington from Lafayette, 25 January 1791 (Washington Papers)
Give me leave to introduce and recommend to You Mr Kellerman the Son of an Able and patriot General officer in the french Service—it is Not Under the Embroidered Regimentals that we find the Greater Proportion of friends to the Revolution—for which Reason I am the Better disposed to oblige such as Have Sided with us. The National Assembly Have, whilst I was Engaged in quelling a Riotous fight...
12To George Washington from Lafayette, 7 March 1791 (Washington Papers)
Whatever Expectations I Had Conceived of a Speedy termination to our Revolutionary trouble, I Still am tossed about in the Ocean of factions and Commotions of Every Kind—for it is My fate to Be on Each Side, With Equal Animosity Attacked, Both By The Aristocratic, Slavish, Parliamentary, Clerical, in a Word By all Ennemies to my free and levelling doctrine, and on the other Side By the...
13To George Washington from Lafayette, 6 June 1791 (Washington Papers)
I Most Heartly thank You for Your letter dated March the 19th, the more welcome to me, as I Had long lamented Your Silence, and was panting for News from You, My dear General, wherein I Could Be informed of every thing Respecting Your public and private Concerns—I Rejoice and Glory in the Happy Situation of American Affairs—I Bless the Restoration of Your Health, and wish I Could Congratulate...
14To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 7 June 1791 (Jefferson Papers)
Altho Every Motive of Regard and Affection Conspire to Make me Lament our separation, I Lament it still more on Account of our Revolution wherein Your Advices would Have Greatly Helped us, and Could Not fail to Have Had a Great Weight Among our Constitution Makers. You left us on the Point of that dissolution of the Patriotic Party which I then did, and I Have ever in Vain Endeavoured to Unite...
15To George Washington from Lafayette, 22 January 1792 (Washington Papers)
This is a Very different date from that Which Had Announced to You My Return to the Sweets of Private life, a Situation Hitherto Not very familiar to me, But Which I, after fifteen Revolutionary Years, I Had Become Quite fit to Enjoy—I Have Given You an Account of the Quiete, and Rural Mode of Living I Had Adopted, in the Mountains Where I was Born, Having there a Good House, and a Late Mannor...
16To George Washington from Lafayette, 15 March 1792 (Washington Papers)
I have been called from the army to this Capital for a conference between the two other generals, the ministers, and myself, and am about returning to my military post. The coalition between the continental powers respecting our affairs is certain, and will not be broken by the Emperor’s death; but, altho’ warlike preparations are going on, it is very doubtful whether our neighbors will...
17Enclosure: Lafayette to the Princesse d’Hénin, 15 March [1793] (Jefferson Papers)
Imaginé vous une ouverture pratiqué dans le rempart de La Citadelle et entouré d’une haute et forte palissade; c’est par la qu’en ouvrant successivement quatre portes, dont chacun armée de chaines, Cadenats, et Bars de fers, on parvient non sans peine et sans bruit jusques a mon cachot, large de trois pieds, et long de cinq et demi; il est Lugubre, humide, et m’offre pour tout ornemens, deux...
18Enclosure: Lafayette’s Revolutionary War Account, 24 December 1793 (Washington Papers)
War Department Accountants office December 24th 1793 Signed Joseph Howell Accountant. Copy, DNA : RG 46, Third Congress, 1793–95, Senate Records of Legislative Proceedings, President’s Messages; copy, DNA : RG 46, Transcribed Reports and Communications Transmitted by the Executive Branch to the U.S. Senate, 1789–1819. War Department Chief Clerk John Stagg, Jr., certified that the account was a...