The Marquis de Lafayette

The Marquis de Lafeyette

Just finished the book by David Clary, Adopted Son, which beautifully portrays the relationship between George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette. If I was a Hollywood producer, no doubt I would make a movie of the Marquis’ life. It is one of the grandest and most exciting stories of a brave, noble man who always fought for right principles that ever existed. At 19 he sailed from France to America in search of glory, he found his cause to be that of self representative democracy and freedom. He immediately latched on to George Washington as a father (both were orphans and Washington childless) and by being with him side by side he discovered Washington to be the most noble, wisest man he had ever met. He spent the rest of his life dedicated to him and their friendship and trying to emulate his principles to his death. He fought for democracy in France, because of this he was imprisoned and banished to Austria. Through trials and tribulations he remained steadfastly loyal to democratic principles on both a governmental level (although he allowed for constitutional and superficial monarchies, much like the one that still exists in England) and on a human level. He was an ardent abolitionist, even convincing George Washington to free his slaves upon death. Not only did he advocate abolition, he bought a huge plantation in French Guyana to send his freed slaves so that they and others could make a life. When he was imprisoned in Austria because of his Democratic beliefs, Washington took in his son George Washington Lafayette who managed to escape death and the guillotine (all wealthy nobles were being beheaded during the Reign of Terror). Every time Washington and Lafayette would see eachother (Lafayette made numerous transatlantic voyages) they would run to eachother, embrace, kiss and cry. The letters they wrote to eachother are some of the most touching literary demonstrations of love between friends ever reduced to writing. When they were apart, both ached to see one another. The Marquis became the most popular leader in France during his lifetime, but like Washington, he demured from taking any leadership position for life unlike Napoleon Bonaparte who only became powerful due to the Marquis’ rejection of accepting the head of a military dictatorship on more than one occasion. In short, among some of the amazing accomplishments of the Marquis, he is the military leader Washington trusted most to lead Cornwallis into a trap into Yorktown (although the Marquis did not know the plans as he was doing it lest detailed instructions be intercepted by the British) that led to the siege and battle victory of the American Revolution. He convinced the British not to restart the war with America by sailing a gigantic fleet of over 66,0000 men to the British Channel en route for America. This French show of strength was the final straw and they signed the peace agreement. He was a part of the peace delegation negotiations (although he could not be formally designated due to some objections he was not American although he was made an honorary citizen by many American locations even receiving and honorary phD from Harvard and recognized as one of America's favorite heroes during his lifetime). He lobbied the French government to lift tariffs on American made goods so our fledgling country could trade and make money (very needed in our infant Republic when we had no credit). He was instrumental in forcing Spain to recognize the US as a country when they refused due to their desires to claim the Mississippi (and where US minister John Jay could not accomplish such). The list of his contributions to America, its independence, its economy and its peaceful relations with other European countries goes on and on. As a person, he was magnanimous, charming, generous (he spent the bulk of his independent wealth funding the American Revolution equipping ships, buying food and uniforms, paying for spies against the British, etc.), and of the greatest character. After capturing British General Cornwallis, he treated him with dignity so much that in his later travels to England, Cornwallis welcomed him and treated him as a friend. Lafayette was never one to make enemies on any level. Before making political moves, he would always write Washington and when the answers (which could take 6 weeks to months) did not arrive fast enough, he always tried to do as Washington would. He was a man for all ages, a hero that took his present life circumstances and lifted all mankind to higher levels. I for one believe that men like him are the greatest heroes of all time. I highly recommend to anyone interested in studying good character a serious introspection of the life of the Marquis de Lafayette and as an added bonus his relationship with another great: George Washington.