81To Alexander Hamilton from Marquis de Lafayette, 12 April 1787 (Hamilton Papers)
It is an Age since I Heard from you. Of you I Hear By some of our friends, and in the News Papers. But altho I Have a Right to Complain, I want to let you know the proceedings of our Assembly, which as it is Unusual in France, May Raise Your Curiosity. Our Constitution is pretty much what it was in England Before it Had Been fairly writen down, and Minutely preserved; so that we Have great...
82To John Jay from Lafayette, 1 May 1787 (Jay Papers)
I Have But a Little time to write to America, and Am taken Up from Morning Until late in the Night By the Business of our Assembly—I Have Some days Ago Given Some Account of it to C ol Hamilton to Whom I Refer You as Well as to Mr de S t jean. The Archbishop of Toulouse a Man of the Finest Abilities and Great Honesty Has at last Been put at the Head of the finances—We are Now Collecting our...
83To George Washington from Lafayette, 5 May 1787 (Washington Papers)
Altho’ I Cannot omit an opportunity of writing to You, my letter will not Be so long and Minuted as I would like to make it, Because of the Constant Hurry of Business occasioned By the Assembly—every day, Sundays excepted, is taken up with General Meetings, Committee’s, and smaller Boards—it is a pretty extraordinary sight at Versailles, the more so as great deal of patriotism and firmness Has...
84To John Adams from the Marquis de Lafayette, 30 May 1787 (Adams Papers)
our Assembly is Ended; and altho’ the late depredations, and Confusion in the finances Make it Necessary to Encrease the Burthen of the People, Yet Have we Reasons to Rejoice at the More Equal Repartition of taxes, and the Barriers that Have Been placed Against future dilapidations— the Provincial Assemblies above all are a great thing—and you will see we Have obtained Many other points....
85To John Jay from Lafayette, 30 May 1787 (Jay Papers)
Had I Been Sooner Acquainted With Mr Forest’s departure I Would Have Given You More Particular Accounts of the later part of our Session—But Have only the time to inclose the Speeches that Were Made By the Heads of the Several Corps—Not that Such Etiquette Speeches are Any Way interesting on the other Side of the Atlantic, But Because You Will in the Same Book find that of the Archbishop’s de...
86To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 6 June 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
It would Be almost as easy to shoot one of the flying Geniuses of the Arabian Nights as to direct a letter to the place where it Has the Best chance to Hit You. I Have Been dilatory in My Answer, which must be imputed to the public Hurry of National Affairs. But as I Now Hope for Your Speedy Return, I shall Make this letter the Shorter Because I Have thousand things to tell you. Our Assembly...
87To George Washington from Lafayette, 3 August 1787 (Washington Papers)
I Have Received Your first favour from Philadelphia with the Greater Satisfaction, as it promises me the pleasure to Hear Again from you Before long —a pleasure, My Beloved General, which Your friend’s filial Heart wants to Anticipate, and Enjoys most Affectionately—I Have not Been surprised to Hear of Your Attendance at the Convention, and would indeed Have wondered at a denial—on the success...
88To James Madison from Lafayette, 5 August 1787 (Madison Papers)
Your Correspondents in france, Besides me, are So Well informed that You Have only to Be affraid of tedious Repetitions. They Will tell You that the dutch are divided into Several Parties, Which are Ranged in two opposite Armies. Three provinces and a Half, among Whom is that of Holland, and the Volunteer Corps are on the Side of freedom. The Remainder of the provinces, the Regulars, and a...
89To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, 27 August 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Notwithstanding the Advantage of Your Situation in the busy Center of public Affairs, I know that our Country News will not be Quite Uninteresting to You, particularly when they Are Mixed with the Personal News of a family Most sincerely Attached to You. Our Preliminary Assembly is at an End, the journal of which I Have directed to be sent to You. We Had No details to Enter into, but it Has...
90To Thomas Jefferson from Lafayette, with Enclosure, 18 September 1787 (Jefferson Papers)
Thus far I Have Come down from My Mountains, and Hope I will not Be sent Back without some decision or other Respecting American affairs. Inclosed is the Copy of a letter to M. Lambert which I Have writen as soon as I Knew His Appointement. I also inform M. de la Boulaïe that I will Be Ready to Meet Him Every day in the Next week, But that I am obliged to set out Again on the fifth of October...