LAFAYETTE.
TO THE EDITOR OF TIIE SPECTATOR.
Paris, 21st May 1834. SIR — Have you ever witnessed the destruction, the downfal, the death, of the OAK OF TIIE VILLAGE ? Generations passed away, but
thc Oak was ever in its place. The village had a new church—TIM offi- cers—new governors—new proprietors—new mansions—new owners— new institutions—and even new customs and habits : but the Oak was ever in its place. In the centre of the village-green, it spread its luxu- rious and refreshing branches ; whilst the young carolled and the gay danced beneath its loved shade. " The Oak" was the scene of mammy a festive hour, many a joyous jubilee, many a happy anniversary! Other oaks had been planted, and had been cut down ; other trees had luxu- riated and smiled on the villagers. There was but one Oak to the
village — others were oaks, and others were trees, but this was Tite OAK If a cricket-bat had to be played, it was under the Oak ; if a wrestling-match had to be fought, it was under the Oak ; if two lovers gave a rendezvous, it was at the Oak ; if the officers of time parish wished to address the inhabitants, they met under time Oak. When the church was pulled down, and divine worship was chanted in the open air, the Oak at once sheltered the assembly from the rays of time sun and from the showers of heaven. The candidates for Senatorial ho- nours spoke to the electors of the spot, and the neighbourhood, under the Oak. The little children were left to play under the Oak ; and their mothers or their sisters confided them with a degree of confidence to his protection—for he was as the father of the village, and the house- hold gm' of the villagers. In summer-time, the master of the charity school conducted his little flock on a Saturday to the shade of the Oak ; and before they separated till the Monday, from their books and studies, they sang the evening hymn beneath his branches. In troublesome and warlike times, when invasion was spoken of, and foreign foes were feared, the "Loyal Volunteers" used to exercise and drill under "the Oak." And when even winter was most drear and time storm most pitiless, still the Oak rdised his venerable head; and time thought that the spring would return, and the tree and the green be once more gay and enlivening, softened the severity of the hour, and mitigated even the roughness of the blast. The Oak was a coostant benefactor and a never-failing friend. Other friends might be faithless—other trees might perish or die—other shades might be destroyed by the interested or the powerful : but "the Oak" belonged to the village — and the hearts of all the village for all times belonged to him. But even the Oak was mortal—even the Oak was destined to perish : and in the midst of a horrible tempest, whica desolated this once happy and once prosperous, but now sad and desponding village, the lightning from the skies descended upon the Oak—tore from it its branches—struck it even to its roots; and the Oak fell, and was no more ! So there was no more singing and no more dancing —no more carolling and no more meeting; and the green became deserted : and a simple monument marked the place where the venerable friend of the village bad once stood ; and it became deserted, lonely, and sad. And the first days of grief were as the days of weeping of an orphan who mourneth over the tomb of her mother, and as the grief of a widow who is suddenly bereft of her husband, and as the tears of a mother who weepeth over the loss of her only, her virtuous, her beloved son. And no eye was dry, and no cheek was rosy or healthy ; for all felt time loss of the Oak to be the greatest of all losses; and the village was in mourning. And to the credit of that village be it said, the mourning was a long mourning, and the tears were oft-shed tears, and the grief was not of short duration, and "the Oak" is engraved on the hearts, and hangs up in the form of pictures and of paintings, in the cottage of every villager ; and pieces of the branches, and of the trunk, and of the root, are handed down as precious relics from father to son, and from generation to generation. For it is still " THE OAK."
And what that Oak once was to the village, LAFAYETTE bath been TO THE PEOPLE.; and not merely to the people of France, but of the Ihsited States of America, of Poland, of Germany, of Italy, of Spain, of Portugal, of the Republics of South America—and in one word, to the people of the whole world. The people who were oppressed, were sure to find in him both sympathy and love. The people who broke their bonds asunder and cast away their cords from them, were sure to find in him one who rejoiced at their successes, counselled them in their difficulties, encouraged them in their efforts, and regulated their enthusiasm and zeal. The people who were exiled, were sure to find in him a generous donor—a faithful brother—an active, enlightened, and zealous advocate—and a heart loving to do good, not for the sake of praise, or of reward, or of popularity, but for the sake of aiding pil- grims in search of a home and brethren and foreigners in distress. He was called "THE HERO OF THE TWO WORLDS ;" and the title was well merited and appropriate. He did not fight in the cause of ambition, or for the love of conquest, or for the aggrandizement of territory : but he fought for the great cause of civil and religious liberty all the world over; and his conquests were as signal as they were profitable and glorious. As the benighted traveller regards some far distant ob- ject, which seemeth to him to speak of human habitation and so- ciety, and swatches it in the horizon—keeping it constantly in view —preserving it as his guide till he reaches the dwellings of men, arid is rescued from peril and death ; so the proscribed and wan- dering of all countries—so proscribed because they loved liberty better than slavery, and the human race next to their God—ever kept their eye on LAFAYETTE; and on arriving at his door, and reaching bis mansion, were sure there to be received with gentleness, affec- tion, and sympathy. As the crew of a little bark tossed in a tempest, driven on an unknown shore, and exposed to the dangers and diflicul- ties of a most uncertain navigation, behold with joy and gratitude when the sun has gone down, and when night draweth its a distant light--a beacon—a signal—to direct them to a harbour and a home ; so the per- secuted and oppressed of all countries, in the night of danger and dark- ness and sorrow, beheld from afar off the example, the promises, and the character of LAFAYETTE, and turned to him for direction, for sym- pathy, for safety, and for love. And as a father's voice is that which most gladdens the heart of the son, as he approaches the home of his ancestors—as his gray hairs, serene eye, cheerful countenance, and wel- come hand are the objects which most impress themselves on his recol- lection amidst all the pleasures of future life ; so to France were the voice, the smile, the encouragement, the prayer, the tear, the sympathy, and the heart of LAFAYETTE. When Liberty first dawned on the vine- covered hills and gay regions of his native land, LAFAYETTE won the people to energetic resolutions, to conflict, and to success. When -Liberty hid her head, or wept shrouded or veiled at the feet of scaf- folds erected by those who had never felt her influence or understood her character, LAFAYETTE raised his voice against the despotism of as- sassination, and against:the blasphemies of those who impiously affected to be devoted to the people and to freedom. When CAPITAL PUNISH' 3IENTS became frequent for political offences, and when political opi- nions were met, not by other opinions and other reasonings, but by the halter and the axe—then LAFAYETTE thundered in the ears of the as- sassins, that men were not to be convinced by being made martyrs, and that Liberty could never be served by holocausts of victims and streams or torrents of blood. When Europe united against France, and threat- ened her with a division of territory or with anti-national and foreign institutions, opposed to the genius, the wants, and the wishes of her people, then LAFAYETTE was found first at his post—foremost in the ranks of patriots : and his sword was ready to meet the insolent in- vader, and repulse him. When military despotism in the form of an Empire deprived France of her liberties, and engaged her in a war of conquest arid not of freedom, LAFAYETTE foretold the full of that mighty being who then swayed the sceptre of a large portion of the world—refused to lend his aid to wars of conquest, in which the people lost all, and obtained nothing but tears, sorrow, and martial music in return—and directed his attention to a new world, where Liberty had planted her standard and unfurled her banners. When in process of time the Empire was overthrown, and France was at least promised a Constitutional Government and a Charter which was to secure her liberty of conscience, liberty of speech, liberty of the press, and liberty of person and property, LAFAYETTE was fore- most in the field to require securities—to demand pledges—to rally the friends of liberty around him—to organize a constitutional opposition— to protect as tar as possible the charter which was granted, from attack and from defeat. When in succeeding years, under the Restoration, the cause of Liberty was in jeopardy, and the people knew not to whom to turn for protection and aid—when but a handful of men were left to form a barrier against the inroads of priestcraft, superstition, intole- rance, and arbitrary power,—LAFAYETTE was at the bead of this chosen band ; and the handful of wheat became a field of corn, and the grain of mustard-seed a large spreading tree. When, yet later in the history of later days, the Bourbons, uninstructed by experience, and forgetful of the history of the past, endeavoured to establish a new despotism by ordinances and by means of a POL/GNAC Administration, " LA- FAYETTE!' was the rallying word of the Constitutional Opposition ; and he prepared the people for resistance, for revolution, and for victory. When, in 1830, the people rose—when the wonders of "the Three .Days" made each throne tremble and each coward heart quake—when "the barricades" appeared to the Monarchs as impregnable forts, and when the " Sovereignty of the People" was triumphantly asserted and maintained,—to whom did that people turn ? whom first did they seek ? to whom did they offer the Presidency of the then proposed Republic? and whose counsels and aid were then required by the chiefs and leaders of the mass ? There is but one reply to these questions, and that reply is—Laraverre ! And, alas ! (for it must be recorded) who, when he saw that the Revolution of July was not to advance—that a compact was to be made between the Holy Alliance and the Throne of the Barricades—that the people of other countries were to be unaided in their efforts against their oppressors, and the tyrants who kept them in bondage—and that, instead of the Revolution of 1830 being the. signal for universal emancipation, it was to be the sera from which was to be dated the new chains forged for the people, and the mew yokes fitted to their necks,—who was the first to sound the trumpet—who was the first to call the hour of the night—who was the first to renounce the command of the National Guards—who was the first to separate himself from a Government which renounced its origin and betrayed its mother ? It was LAFAYETTE! And during
the remaining years of his eventful and glorious life, did he not, till that eye which was so benevolent had ceased to beam, and till that heart which was so expansive had ceased to beat, contend against the en. croachments of power, of priestcraft, and of avarice—of the sordid policy of some and the inveterate despotism of others—holding on the even tenor ofhis virtuous course even to the grave ? And even when
in his last sickness those hateful laws now passed, but inexecuta- ble, against the press, the associations, and the barricades, were under discussion, did he not say—" Dead or alive, I must be carried to the Tribune, and there I must be heard against those laws of exception. I
must say to France, that he who knew how to resist both Republican and Imperial tyranny will protest to the last moment of his life against this new despotism." To France, then, he was as true as to the world he was sincere. Because all men were his brethren, and because he loved all as such, yet France shared the largest portion of his affections, and was interested the most deeply in his heart. Though his benevo- lence was universal, yet he had a country ; and though he formed a portion of that one great family whose interests we all too much neg.. lect, and for whom we all make too little exertions, yet he had a home, kindred, sons, daughters, grandchildren, fellow-citizens, and fellow- countrymen. As " the Oak " of that village which we have been con- templating at the commencement of this letter, his fine head was seen rearing on high even by the inhabitants of distant villages, and spots far removed; and as to them that Oak refused not shade or shelter when
they came to seek it, so did not LAFAYETTE refuse protection °raid to those who from other lands sought repose in his shadow and strength under his arms. Yet " the Oak " was, after all, "the Oak " of that village ; and LAFAYETTE, after all, was the Oak of France.
But we have spoken of the grief of the villagers !—what shall we say of the grief of the world at the loss of LAFAYETTE ? Never perhaps was any man in the history of that world more universally beloved! His firm character—his noble independence—his undoubted and an- doubtable integiity—his singleness of purpose—his purity of life—his utter freedom from selfishness—his love of doing good—his sympathy with the whole human race—his expansive benevolence—his zeal—his industry—his refined and delicate manners—his soft and gentle habits —his clear judgment—his persuasiveness—his Utilitarianism—his in- difference to worldly honours, dignities, and titles—his affection for the young—his devotion to the cause of liberty and of truth—insured him the homage of his enemies, the gratitude of society, the adoration of his friends, and the pious worship of his loving, watchful, and watched- over family. His enemies (yes ! his enemies, for even he has had them) have already been compelled to record of him, " that his loss will be profoundly felt by all the friends of liberty ;" that "no one in France will ever forget the immense services which in the course of his long and glorious career he has rendered to the national cause ;" and that "all must concur in admiring in him a political probity and disinterested- ness which will ever place him in the first rank of great citizens.
But the enemies of liberty—the enemies of France—the enemies of civilization—the energies of the liberty of the press—the enemies of the Revolution of July 1830—tie enemies of the emancipation of Poland, of Germany, of Italy, of Spain, of Portugal, and of Greece—have al- ready, in the Gazette de France, commenced their predictions and pub- lished their prophecies. " Mirabeau," say they, " when he was dying, said that lie should carry with him to the grave the old French Mo- narchy, which would be interred with him ; and of Lafayette it may be said, that with him will be buried the Republic. The Revolution is dead, since it has lost the last of its representatives."
Vain illusions ! bauble hopes ! impious wishes ! absurd predictions! No, no—the Oak of the village has been struck to the ground ; and the mourning shall be deep, and general, and long, and universal. But the village shall exist still. There shall not only be another Oak, but a forest of oaks shall succeed; and he shall be greater in his death than ea en be was dining his long, brilliant, glorious, and beneficial life. Principles do not tints perish. Examples are not thus lost. Liberty bath not only now planted her standard, but she bath a large and a. glorious army ; and though but one LAFAYETTE Could be.fOHliati he is not—yet in the ranks of this army there now exist minyti chief, many a darieg and enlightened soldier ; and LAFAYETTE hiMS'elt Shall answer, in the words which lie made use of to a friend a few days before his death, this idle, this wicked, this presumptuous, this daring, and blasphemous prediction of the organ of the Legitimists.
When a friend of this immortal man deplored with him lately the events of the last two years, and said to him, *, Liberty is lost, Humanity is outraged, and the Revolution is betrayed,"—" No; Liberty is not lost (said the General) ;I shall not carry with me to the tomb all the hopes of the friends of freedom." No—virtuous, generous, noble, devoted man, best of citizens and best of patriots—you are right. Liberty is independent even of such agents as thou wert, and the flag which has been unfurled shall wave on, though her long, tried, valiant, and generous standard-bearer is no more.
I cannot terminate this humble tribute to such distinguished worth, unexampled patriotism, and never-to-be-forgotten virtue, without ad- dressing a few words of consolation to that inestimable farnily now bowed in deep affliction before the shroud of their ancestor. Excellent, amiable, generous, and admirable, is that circle of weeping mourners. What shall I say to them ? Weep for the loss of the wise and good Chief of your house, your family, your generation ! Yes, weep on— for those are tears which Heaven approves and which Humanity con- secrates! But do more than weep. Join at this moment with all the friends of freedom in the world, in one deep, heartfelt, sincere, and solemn vow. Let its vow together over the bier of this great and good citizen, "to fight for the cause for which be fought—to plead for the cause for which he pleaded—to suffer for the cause for which he so often suffered—to support and strengthen the cause which was so dear to his heart—and to die, at a more or less advanced life, upholding and supporting the rights of the people, and the cause of justice, mercy, liberty, and truth, all over the civilized world." But oh ! "my father, my father, the chariots of Israel and the horse-
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