Arrival at Cincinnati—Entertainments given by that city—Swiss of Vevay—State of Ohio—The Vinton family—Journey from Wheeling to Uniontown—Speech of Mr. Gallatin—New Geneva—Bradock’s field—General Washington’s first feat of arms—Pittsburgh.
On the 19th of May, at 10 o’clock in the morning, we arrived on the left bank of the Ohio. The first object that attracted my view on the side, and almost opposite to us, was the handsome city of Cincinnati, majestically covering a large amphitheatre, at the foot of which, the river, upwards of half a mile in width, flows peaceably. Several boats, carrying a deputation from the city of Cincinnati, and some officers of the staff, had been waiting since morning for the arrival of General Lafayette. We entered, with our fellow travellers from Frankfort, into the handsomest of these boats, and rapidly crossed the river. We landed under a salute of thirteen guns, and cries of “Welcome, Lafayette,” repeated by thousands of voices in honour of the guest of America. In presence of the people assembled on the banks of the river, and of several regiments of militia formed in line, Governor Morrow received him in the name of the state, and having placed him by his side in a calash, conducted him to the hotel in the midst of enthusiastic testimonies which it would be impossible to describe.
It was General Harrison, whose name is so gloriously associated with the principal events of the last war, who received General Lafayette at his quarters, and addressed him in the name of the state of Ohio. In a discourse, filled with sentiments of tenderness and gratitude towards Lafayette, General Harrison drew a picture of the prodigious increase and prosperity, of which the state of Ohio and city of Cincinnati offered a most admirable example.
When the address was concluded, the crowd, which filled the apartments, pressed with ardour around General Lafayette, each anxious to be personally introduced to him. Many revolutionary soldiers were present, who were not the least zealous in claiming the right to shake hands with their ancient comrade. There was also a citizen of Cincinnati, whose name and aspect excited the most tender emotions in the general’s heart. This was Mr. Morgan Neville, son of Major Neville, his former aide-de-camp and friend, and maternal grandson of the celebrated Morgan, who, by his talents and bravery, at the head of his corps of partizans, during the war of independence, gained great reputation. After some moments devoted to official introductions, and reciprocal felicitations, the general returned his thanks to General Harrison, and we proceeded with a numerous train of free masons to the masonic hall, where many lodges had met to receive the nation’s guest, and offer fraternal congratulations upon his arrival in the state of Ohio.
A public dinner and display of fire-works from the highest part of the town, terminated the day, which was only the prelude to entertainments on the morrow, more splendid than had ever before been witnessed in Ohio.
The first honours which the general received at sunrise, were from the boys and girls belonging to the public schools. Assembled to the number of six hundred, under the superintendance of their teachers, these children were ranged in the principal street, where they made the air echo with Welcome, Lafayette. When the general appeared before them, their young hands scattered flowers under his feet, and Dr. Ruter advancing, delivered him an address in their name, the sentiments of which sensibly affected the general, who wished to express his acknowledgements to the doctor, but, at the moment, was surrounded by the children, who in a most lively manner stretched out their little hands to him, and filled the air with their cries of joy. He received their caresses and embraces with the tenderness of a parent who returns to his family after a long absence, and then replied to Dr. Ruter’s address.
Whilst this ceremony was going on, the militia were called to arms, and at eleven o’clock appeared, formed in line of battle, upon the public square. In front appeared the fine companies commanded by Captains Harrison, Emerson, and Avery. The general passed them in review. Immediately afterwards came the mechanics, forming a long procession, in the midst of which floated the flags representing their various trades. The barge in which Lafayette had the preceding evening crossed the Ohio, followed, mounted upon four wheels, with its oars trimmed and flag floating in the air. A detachment of revolutionary soldiers marched around her. We were desired to place ourselves in the middle of this procession, with which we made various turns through the town on our way to a large square near the court-house. There the general mounted an elegant platform, decorated with verdure. The people pressed around him, and the harmony of a fine band of music having gained the attention of the multitude, Mr. Lee sung, to the air of the Marseillaise, a martial ode, of which the last words of each stanza were enthusiastically repeated by the spectators. A discourse upon the solemnity of the day, succeeded these patriotic songs. The orator who was to pronounce it arose, advanced towards the expecting multitude, before whom he remained some moments silent, his countenance depressed, his hand placed upon his breast, as if overcome by the greatness of the subject he was to treat. At length his sonorous voice, although slightly tremulous, was heard, and the whole assembly soon became fascinated by his eloquence. The benefits and advantages of freedom, the generous efforts made for its establishment in the two hemispheres by Lafayette, the picture of the present and future prosperity of the United States, furnished the topics of Mr. Benham’s address. He took such possession of the imagination of his auditors, that even after he had ceased speaking, the attentive crowd remained some time silent as though they still heard his voice.
Popular eloquence is one of the distinctive characteristics of the Americans of the United States. The faculty of speaking well in public is acquired by all the citizens from the universality and excellence of their education, and is developed in a higher degree by the nature of their institutions, which call upon each citizen for the exercise of that power in the discussion of public affairs. In each town, in every village, the number of persons capable of speaking before a numerous assembly, is truly surprising; and it is not uncommon to meet among them men, who, although born in obscurity, have justly acquired great reputation for eloquence. At the head of such speakers, we may mention the names of Messrs. Clay and Webster, whose parents were, I think, farmers, and who, at the present day, might appear with advantage in comparison with our most distinguished European orators.
After the address of Mr. Benham, the people dispersed, and the ceremonies were suspended until the hour for the public dinner, to allow the general some repose. We had hardly returned to Mr. Febiger’s, in whose hospitable house we lodged, when we saw thirty or forty persons arrive, who entered the drawing room, and requested permission to speak to Lafayette. “We are citizens of Vevay,” said an old man at their head, who spoke to me in French, and for whom all the rest seemed to possess great deference. “We were induced to hope that the friend of America and of liberty, would come and visit our little town, and that we should have the pleasure of showing him our vineyards, and inducing him to taste the wines of our vintage; but his passage through Kentucky deprived us of this happiness. Nevertheless, we could not miss seeing the man whose name was dear to us even before we left our country, and we resolved upon coming here to salute him.”
I communicated this to the general, who, being unable to come down at the moment, sent his son to request the visiters to wait for him a short time. They received Mr. George Lafayette with great tenderness, and after having repeated to him nearly what they had said to me, they informed us that they were all Swiss, for the most part from the canton of Vaud; that the persecutions of the local authorities, the desire of ameliorating their condition, and love of liberty, had determined them to leave their country and come to settle in the New World; that they had founded in the state of Indiana, on the banks of the Ohio, about one hundred and fifty miles from Cincinnati, a town to which they had given the name of Vevay; and that about one hundred and fifty-six families lived there, principally by the produce of their vines, the culture of which they had succeeded in introducing into this portion of the United States. Whilst we were listening to these details, the general arrived, and immediately the Swiss of Vevay having formed a semicircle to receive him, the most aged among them, whom I had heard called Father Dufour, advanced and welcomed him by an address full of feeling. When he had finished speaking, all these inhabitants of Vevay threw themselves into the arms of the general and tenderly embraced him. They had brought with them some wine of their vintage, which they presented us, and we joined them in drinking to the prosperity of their new and the regeneration of their old country.