91To George Washington from Lafayette, 1 January 1788 (Washington Papers)
I am fortunate in this Opportunity to wish you a Happy New year, and to devote the first Moments of this day to the Heartfelt pleasure to Remind you, My Beloved General, of your Adoptive Son and Most Affectionate, devoted friend. I Beg you will present My Best Respects to Mrs Washington. Madame de Lafayette joins in the Most tender Compliments to you and to Her and I Hope, My dear General,...
92To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 11 October 1784 (Jefferson Papers)
When I Heard of Your Going to France, I heartly lamented I Could not Have the Honour to Receive You there. But in the Same time Anticipated the pleasure to wait upon You this Winter in our French Capital. Your Voyage to Europe I Ever Considered as a favourite Wish of mine and on Every public and private Account am Happy to think You at last Have Consented to go. Permit me, my dear Sir farther...
93To James Madison from Lafayette, 12 June 1809 (Madison Papers)
The Sudden departure of Mr. Coles Has Left me But the Time to Come to town, take Leave of Him, And aknowledge Your kind Letter Just Now Received By Mr. Gelston. With Affectionate Gratitude I See that No pressure of Business Can Make You forgetful of the private Concerns of Your friend. Be pleased to present Also My Best Thanks to Mr. Gallatin. You Will Have Been Much Surprised to Hear the...
94To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 30 December 1777 (Washington Papers)
I went Yesterday morning to Head Quarters with an intention of Speaking to Your Excellency But You were too Busy and I shall lay down in this letter what I wished to Say. I don’t Need telling You How I am Sorry for all what Happens Since Some time it is a necessary dependence of my most tender and Respectful friendship for You, which affection is as true and Candid as the other Sentiments of...
95To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 17 May 1803 (Jefferson Papers)
In the Joy of my heart I congratulate you on the happy arrangement which has Lately taken place—The occupation of Louisiana by the French Governement was big with Evils—I doubly felt them—Now I see for the United States noble boundaries, and for that Vast Country the insurance of Liberty and republican Union—How happy I am in that transaction I want Words to Express With respectful and...
96To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 24 February 1780 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society According to the letter your Grand son wrote me last Morning I have obtain’d from the Ministry that the four thousand Compleat Cloathes would be Carried on Board of the frigatte that is ordered to Carry me to America— so that if they are at Rochefort, la Rochelle, l’isle d aix or l’isle de Rhé By the Second of the next month they will be taken on Board— I...
97To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 7 May 1782 (Adams Papers)
I Heartily Give You joy, My dear Sir, Upon the Happy Conclusion of Your dutch Negotiations. Every Body Here Congratulates me not only As a Zealous American, But Also as Your long Professed friend and Admirer. And tho’ the Court Air Has not So Much Altered My Republican Principles as to Make me Believe the Opinion of a King is Every thing, I was the other day pleased to Hear the King of france...
98To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 21 February 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
I Am the More flatterd By the Command Which His Excellency General Washington Has Been Pleased to Intrust to Me , As Independant of the General Good that May Be Hoped from this Expedition, It seems to Promise An Opportunity to Gratify the High Sense I Have of My Personal obligations to the State of Virginia. I Shall from time to time Inform Your Excellency of the Movements of the Continental...
99To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 2 March 1783 (Washington Papers)
On the 5 Ulto I Had the Honor to write You a Letter, and as Count d’Estaing was pleased to let me Have a Vessel to Carry it, I am not without My Hopes to Have Given You the tidings of a General peace—I also Have informed You that Upon My Going to Sail for America, I Had Received a letter from Mr Carmichael Entreating My Immediate Assistance at Madrid—I therefore Gave up My darling Plan, and...
100To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 5 January 1787 (Adams Papers)
I Expected to write to You By c ll franks, But as His departure Has Been daily differed, I will not delay Any longer My Hearty Wishes of an Happy New year to You, mr̃s Adams, mr̃s Smith, Your Sons, the Adoptive one I will write to By in Bye— May this New Year Afford You, and Your Worthy family and friends Every kind of Public and Personal Satisfaction! Had I Been less Acquainted With the forms...
101To James Madison from Lafayette, 22 July 1820 (Madison Papers)
I Have not Had for a Long time the pleasure to Hear from You, and Beg You not to Leave me in this painful privation of Your Correspondence. It Has been Lately my fate to be entangled in a Long, boisterous Session; where much has been Said in favour of liberty, but much Has been perpetrated against it. Yet upon the whole I do not know whether the talkers Have not Had the advantage of the doers....
102To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 29 May 1781 (Jefferson Papers)
The Enemy’s Movements into the Country, and our great deficiency in Cavalry, makes it absolutely necessary that two hundred dismounted Dragoons, under the Command of Col: White are immediately furnished with Horses. For this purpose I have directed Col: White to fix upon some Place of safety to equip his Men, and send them to the Feild; to accomplish which I must request the favor of your...
103To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 5 March 1782 (Franklin Papers)
AL : American Philosophical Society The Mis. [Marquis] de la fayette Has the Honor to Present His Respectfull Compliments to Mr. franklin and informs Him that the frigat Hermione is Arrived in 23 days from America— Mr. franklin’s dispatches Will No Doubt Be sent By Count de Vergennes—The Marquis Had two letters that Say Very little on public Business, and Will to Morrow After noon do Himself...
104To John Jay from Lafayette, 28 April 1782 (Jay Papers)
The Opportunity I now Embrace is offered By the Prince of Masserano Who Sets of this Minute for Spain, and Intends to Act a part in the daring Siege of Gibraltar— I will Communicate a few intelligences Which it May be Agreable for You to know and Which I Hope I May Safely Intrust to this Conveyance Holland is now Quite determined, and Has Agreed to Acknowledge our Independence— They are About...
105To George Washington from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 September 1781 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 2d 7ber is just come to Hand. Mine of Yesterday Mentionned that the ships in York River Had gone down. Inclosed is the Account I Receive of an engagement off the Capes. What disposition has been made for the internal protection of the Bay I do not know. Iames River is still guarded but We Have not as Yet Rreceived any letter from Count De Grass relative to His last...
106To George Washington from Lafayette, 25 May 1788 (Washington Papers)
In the Midst of our internal troubles, it is a Comfort to me that I May Rejoice in the Happy Prospects that oppen Before My adoptive Country. Accounts from America Give me Every Reason to Hope the New Constitution will Be Adopted. Permit me once More, My Beloved General, to insist on Your Acceptance of the Presidency. The Constitution as it is Proposed Answers Most of the Purposes, But, Unless...
107To George Washington from Lafayette, 2 January 1788 (Washington Papers)
I Have writen to You By way of England, and will only inclose a duplicate of the arrêt of the Council and letter to Mr Jefferson which I Hope May Serve the Commerce of the United States —I Am the More wishing for an Encrease of intercourse Betwen the two Nations, as Mr Jefferson and Myself Have pledged ourselves with the Ministry that it would Be the Case. And indeed it is Equally Necessary to...
108To Thomas Jefferson from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 20 December 1823 (Jefferson Papers)
It is a very long while since my eyes were gratified with a sight of Your Handwriting: I know that Occupation is a fatigue to you and would not Be importunate. But when You indulge the pleasure to Converse with absent friends Remember few are as old, and None Can Be More Happy than I am, in the testimonies of Your welfare and Affection. Every Account I receive from the U.S. is a Compensation...
109To James Madison from Lafayette, 24 March 1810 (Madison Papers)
The Letters intended for the John Adams Are Gone an other Way. I Will not However Miss the Opportunity of the frigate. It is probable, after she is Arrived from England, Gnl. Armstrong Will Have to detain Her a few days, and By that time More May be Said on the Situation of American Affairs With Respect to Both Belligerents. My feelings and Wishes You Well Know. What information May Be...
110To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 15 October 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
While you Have Been Attending your Most Important Convention, debates were also Going on in france Respecting the Constitutional Rights, and Matters of that kind. Great Reforms are taking place at Court. The Parliaments are Remonstrating, and our provincial Assemblies Begin to pop out. Amidst Many things that were not Much to the purpose, some Good principles Have Been laid out, and altho our...
111To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 4 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
You know, My dear General, that I Am Very Anxious of Seeing the Army well Cloathed for this Campaign—the importance of Such A Measure is on every Account obvious, and from the knowledge I have of the Auxiliary troops that Are Coming I Can so well demonstrate its Necessity, that I shall for the present But Attend to the Means of executing it. in the Space of Six Month (we know from experience)...
112To George Washington from Lafayette, 8 October 1786 (Washington Papers)
This Will Be presented By Mr le Coulteux a Relation to the Respectable House of french Merchants By that Name who is Going to Settle in America—I Beg You to Honour Him With Your patronage and Advices. Not Knowing when this Will Reach You I only add My Respects Most Affectionate to Mrs Washington—Remember me to George, to the Young ones, to all friends. A treaty of Commerce is Signed Between...
113To George Washington from Lafayette, 9 April 1784 (Washington Papers)
Among the Numberless Applications I Have Had for our Society, there is One which, in duty to My feelings, I Cannot decline to present, on my first Voyage to America, Monsieurs de Mauroy, Lesser, Valfort, and du Boismartin were with me, and Altho these Meritorious officers Had an Engagement with Mr Deane, Congress did not think it in their power to Employ them —My instructions Being positive, I...
114To Benjamin Franklin from Lafayette, 15 March 1785 (Franklin Papers)
ALS : American Philosophical Society Inclosed Your Excellency will find a Letter from a Canadian who Requests I would Recommend Him to You— While I was with Congress, I wrote a public Letter Stating the Case of the Citizens of that province who Had Assisted us and were not paid— I Hope a Committee was Appointed to Consider the Affair— So far as Respects Mr. Calvet, I need not See the Lady, But...
115Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 22 April 1812 (Jefferson Papers)
I find the dispatches By the Hornet are Just Going and altho’ I mean to write more fully By the Return of the wasp I Hastily Seize the Opportunity to let you know that my family and myself, mde de tessé , who Has Been ill, mr de tessé , m. de mun and m r de tracy are now all well—your Correspondance with washington will inform you of the European news.—Great Continental preparations are moving...
116Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 10 October 1815 (Jefferson Papers)
A Long while Has Elapsed Since I Had the pleasure to Hear from you—I might Say a Century Was I to Reckon upon the Succession of Revolutions and dynasties—But as Royal and imperial Cycles are to you and me very Secondary objects, I only mean the true time during which I Have Been deprived of your Correspondance In your Letters of Last year, anterior to the first Abdication of Bonaparte , you...
117To George Washington from Major General Lafayette, 29 July 1780 (Washington Papers)
Your letter of the 22d Came to hand last evening and I hasten to answer At least to a part of its Contents —I Shall Begin By the disagreable disappointement I met with on account of our cloathing —inclos’d, my dear General, you Will find the Return of what has been put on Board of the fleet which I have sent By a vessel to providence, and which will be forwarded to head quarters as soon as...
118To James Madison from Marie-Joseph-Paul-Yves-Roch-Gilbert du Motier, marquis de Lafayette, 8 April 1808 (Madison Papers)
The only intelligence I Have derived from the last packet Are that You Have Been ill but Had Recovered Your Health, and that You Are Going to be Made a president of the United States. My feelings on Every One of these Accounts You do Not Question. I am Equally Sure of Your Sympathising Concern for the Cruel Loss Which Has devoted to Eternal Grief a Heart Hitherto Superior, I Can Say, to...
119To Benjamin Franklin from the Marquis de Lafayette, 6 June 1783 (Franklin Papers)
Printed invitation with MS insertions: American Philosophical Society The Marquis de la Fayette has the Honor to present his Compliments to Mr. Franklin and begs the Favor of His Company at Dinner on Monday next An Answer is desired June 9. BF was a frequent guest at the Monday dinners held at Lafayette’s magnificent new home: XXXIX , 520–1n; Louis Gottschalk, Lafayette between the American...
120Enclosure: Lafayette to an Unidentified Correspondent, 22 May 1814 (Jefferson Papers)
J’ai eu la bonne idée de me prévaloir des droits que me donnent mes Sentiments pour vous, votre amour du bien public, et votre affection pour la gloire de l’Empereur Alexandre ; ce Secret sera d’autant mieux gardé que je connais votre répugnance à vous mêler d’affaires etrangères à votre païs. Voici une note que j’ai demandée à M r Crawford digne Ministre des Etats Unis. Il s’est adressé à M r...