"GENERAL LAFAYETTE,
"The citizens of Pennsylvania behold, with the most intense feeling and exalted regard, the illustrious friend and companion of Washington.
"With sentiments of the highest veneration and gratitude, we receive the early and great benefactor of the United States; the enlightened statesman, philanthropist and patriot of both hemispheres.
"The sincere and universal joy which your arrival has diffused over the nation, is no where more deeply or enthusiastically felt, than in Pennsylvania; whose fields and streams are rendered memorable by your achievements; whose citizens were the followers of your standard, and the witnesses of your sacrifices and toils, in the defence of American liberty. The eventful scenes of your useful life are engraved on our hearts. A nation has rejoiced at your successes, and sympathized with your sorrows.
"With ardent pleasure we have ever observed your strenuous exertions as the friend of man; and whilst your great services, rendered in the cause of humanity, have commanded our admiration, the purity of your motives has insured the love and affection of Americans.
"With the best feelings of the heart we now approach you, with the assurance that, if any thing could add to our happiness on this interesting occasion, it would be the hope of enjoying the distinguished honor of your permanent residence among us, and that a long and splendid life of usefulness may be closed in the State, whose soil has been moistened with your blood, generously shed in the cause of virtue, liberty and independence."
Answer of General Lafayette.
"On the happy moment, long and eagerly wished for, when I once more tread the soil of Pennsylvania, I find in her affectionate welcome, so kindly expressed by her first magistrate, a dear recollection of past favors and a new source of delightful gratifications. The very names of this state and her capitol, recall to the mind those philanthropic and liberal sentiments, which have marked every step of their progress.
"Pennsylvania has been the theatre of most important events; a partaker in the arduous toils and meritorious sacrifices, which insured the success of our glorious and fruitful revolution, I particularly thank you, sir, for your gratifying mention of my personal obligations to the Pennsylvanian line; nor will I ever forget, that on Pennsylvania ground, not far from this spot, I enjoyed, for the first time, the delight to find myself under American tents, and in the family of our beloved commander in chief. Now, sir, Pennsylvania is in full possession, and reaps all the prosperities and happy consequences of that great national union, of those special institutions, which by offering in a self-governed people the most perfect example of social order that ever existed have reduced to absurdity and ridicule the anti-popular arguments of pretended statesmen in other countries. In whatever way I may be disposed of by the duties and feelings, in which you have been pleased to sympathise, I shall ever rank this day among the most fortunate of my life; and, while I beg you, sir, personally to accept my cordial acknowledgements, I offer through you a tribute of profound gratitude and respectful devotion to the citizens of Pennsylvania."
His entrance into the fair city, founded by the wise and benevolent Penn, is described as most magnificent in all its accompaniments. The population poured forth to meet him at an early hour. Carriages, horsemen and pedestrians filled every avenue for a distance of five miles; and the windows and stagings were thronged with ladies eager to welcome him. Just at the entrance of the city, a division of militia, composed of cavalry, artillery and infantry was drawn up in a hollow square, on a piece of land of about forty acres, to receive the Patriot Hero, whose approach was announced by a salute of 100 rounds of artillery. Lafayette, uncovered and standing up in the barouche, was seen by the whole field. The car of Saladin could not have exceeded that of Lafayette. The troops were nearly six thousand. After the review, which the general made on foot, he received the saluting honors in his barouche.
The line of march into the city was then taken up. It extended nearly three miles, and passed through numerous streets. More than six hours were consumed in proceeding from Frankfort to the State House, a distance of about four miles. A full description of the procession, and the decorated arches, &c. under which it passed, would occupy too great a portion of this volume—we can only give the outline of the procession.
A cavalcade of 100 citizens preceded; followed by 100 general, field and staff officers. Then came a square of cavalry; a band of music, mounted, and a corps of 160 cavalry. Next a brigade of infantry, with flank companies.
Committee of arrangements. General Lafayette and Judge Peters, in the splendid barouche.
Then followed four other barouches, drawn by four horses each, with Governors Shulze and Williamson, and suites, the general's family, and distinguished individuals.
Then three cars, of large dimensions, containing 120 revolutionary heroes and worthies, each car characteristically decorated; bearing on their front "WASHINGTON," on the rear "LAFAYETTE," and on the sides, "defenders of our country," "The survivors of 1776."
Then advanced 400 young men. After these the procession of trades, led by a car, containing a body of printers at work at case and press—the latter striking off, and distributing, copies of an ode on the occasion—followed by the typographical society, with a banner, with the inscription: "LAFAYETTE—the friend of universal liberty, and the rights of the press."
Then followed 200 cordwainers (with banners, badges, emblems, &c. The other trades were also decorated;)—300 weavers;—150 ropemakers;—150 lads, uniformly dressed;—100 shipbuilders;—700 mechanics of different professions, not enumerated;—150 coopers, with a car containing a cooper's shop, the workmen fitting staves and driving hoops:—Then came 150 butchers, well mounted and neatly dressed in their frocks;—then 260 carmen, mounted, with aprons trimmed with blue; and a body of 150 riflemen, in frocks, dressed with plaids, leopard skins, &c. A company of artillery, with two pieces; a brigade of infantry and the New Jersey cavalry. A body of 300 farmers closed the procession.
Besides the above, there were the Red Men of the state, the Lafayette Association, the True Republican Society, the Washington and Lafayette Society; and the German American Society.
The appearance of the whole of this truly grand procession was august and imposing. As it passed, Lafayette! Lafayette! sprang from the voices of a multitude that rolled on, and on, and on, like wave after wave of the ocean, in numbers we shall not presume to name, (but which were estimated at 200,000.) Lafayette beat in every heart—Lafayette hung on every tongue—Lafayette glowed on every cheek—Lafayette glistened on every swimming eye—Lafayette swelled on every gale. The whole city and country appeared to have arrayed themselves in all their glory, and beauty, and strength, at once to witness and adorn the majesty of the spectacle; and the fashionable part of the community seemed determined to exhibit the perfection of taste in the beauty of the decoration of their persons, and the richness of their attire. In Chestnut-street wreathes were cast into the barouche, as it passed, and many of them were from the fairbands of Quakeresses.
After the procession had passed through the principal streets, the front halted at the old State-House, which contains the hall in which the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776.
Here the general alighted, passed under a most magnificent triumphal arch, and was conducted to the hall, which is 40 feet square and was decorated in the most splendid manner. Among the decorations was a statue of Washington, and portraits of William Penn, Franklin, Robert Morris, Francis Hopkinson, Greene, Wayne, Montgomery, Hamilton, Gates, Rochambeau, Charles Carrot, M'Kean, Jefferson, Hancock, Adams, Madison, Monroe, and Charles Thompson.—The portrait of Washington, by Peale, occupied the first place, and was the most splendidly decorated. Here were assembled the city authorities, the society of Cincinnati, the judges, officers of the army and navy, and the committee of arrangements, all seated on superb sofas.
The Governor of the State having been presented, General Lafayette, Judge Peters, and George Washington Lafayette were introduced, the company all standing. The Mayor of the city then welcomed the guest, in the following address:—