It must be confessed that the wine of Vevay is by no means exquisite. Nevertheless, it is quite a pleasant drink, and, according to my taste, the best of the wines made in the United States.[[15]] Although the vine grows naturally in the forests of North America, it nevertheless submits to cultivation with difficulty, and, to the present time, it is only by the greatest care that it can be rendered productive. The sudden changes of temperature cause it to be affected with diseases which show themselves by the appearance of numerous little black spots on the leaves; and the cold nights of autumn often prevent the fruit from arriving at perfect maturity. The vine-dressers of Vevay have however succeeded tolerably well in acclimating some of the plants of Europe, which promise an abundant produce. On our way to the dinner, as we crossed the public square, we saw the gunners stationed at their park of artillery. Their elegant and martial uniform, was that of the French artillery. We were informed that this was the Vevay Artillery Company. It was, in fact, composed almost entirely of Swiss, among whom a great number had served in the artillery of the French army. Their manœuvres appeared to be executed with a precision and rapidity altogether remarkable.
In the ball which succeeded the banquet, the citizens of Cincinnati displayed the good taste and elegance which characterize a rich city, fruitful in resources and long polished by civilization. But that which charmed the general most, was the delicate attentions offered him on all sides. More than five hundred persons animated this patriotic party, at which Messrs. Morrow, governor of Ohio; Desha, governor of Kentucky; Duval, governor of Florida; Scott, major-general of the United States army; with many other personages of distinguished rank and character, were present.
At midnight, at a signal given by the Vevay artillery, we took our leave of the citizens of Cincinnati, and embarked in the Herald to continue our journey. The general could hardly force himself away from the circle of his friends, nor could he cease from expressing his admiration at the prosperity of Cincinnati, and the state of Ohio, which he denominated the eighth wonder of the world. One cannot, in fact, avoid being struck with astonishment at the sight of such prodigious creations of liberty and industry, of which this state offers so many examples. The simple progress of its population borders on the marvellous. In 1790, there were in it only 3,000, whilst at present there are nearly 800,000. In 1820, the town of Cincinnati contained only 9,642 inhabitants, now it has 18,000. Ohio is both an agricultural and manufacturing state. Its fertile soil produces abundance of grain and a variety of fruits. In the southern part they raise a little cotton, whilst the northern section is celebrated for its rich pasturage. Agriculture is said to occupy 112,000 individuals, while only about 19,000 are annually engaged in manufacturing. Last year the manufactures of wool, cotton, and thread; of leather, iron, nails, and maple sugar, amounted to nearly two millions of dollars. All these products, along with those of agriculture, have a prospect of increasing considerably every year, and the excess over the internal consumption always finds an easy market, the state of Ohio being admirably situated as to facilities of exportation. For more than four hundred miles, the beautiful river which waters its south and south-east limits is navigable for large vessels. Its northern frontiers are for seventy-five miles washed by the waters of Lake Erie, and a canal running across the whole state joins these two points, so that Ohio stands upon the great line of internal navigation which connects New York with New Orleans, passing beyond the Alleghany mountains.
To all these natural sources of prosperity, Ohio unites another advantage, which she owes to the happy construction of her constitution; namely, the abolition of slavery and involuntary servitude. A slave becomes free as soon as he touches the happy soil of Ohio; and if he does not enjoy the right of suffrage, and some other political privileges, he ought not to ascribe it to the partiality of legislators, but to the melancholy state of ignorance in which his unfortunate race still exist.
It was on the 22d of May at midnight, when we embarked on board the Herald, which was to carry us to Wheeling, a small town in Virginia, situated on the banks of the Ohio, almost on the frontiers of Pennsylvania. Although we had to run more than three hundred miles, we nevertheless landed there on the 24th before night. It is true, that, during our passage, we did not stop except to take in the necessary supplies of wood, and visit some establishments which we found on the banks of the river, such as Portsmouth, Galliopolis, Marietta, &c. which, for the most part, were founded by the French, but the population is now altogether American, at least with very few exceptions. It was in one of these small towns, Galliopolis, I believe, that we visited the family of Mr. Vinton, one of the Ohio representatives to congress, who was of the small minority that voted against the national recompense given to Lafayette. Mr. Vinton had not yet returned from Washington city, but his family received the general in his behalf, with every mark of tenderness and veneration; and Mrs. Vinton did not leave him until he returned on board the Herald, whither she wished to accompany him on foot with all her relatives. This civility in the Vinton family, sensibly touched the heart of the general, and afforded him a proof, that the members of the small opposition who had voted against the proposition of the 20th of December, were not the less his sincere friends; and that, if they had hazarded their popularity among their constituents in such a case, it was, as I have before said, only from motives of public order, and a steady resolution to oppose every extraordinary measure of finance.
From Wheeling we again entered the state of Pennsylvania, by Washington, Brownsville, Uniontown, &c. In all this route, the general found the Virginia and Pennsylvania population in the same dispositions as in the preceding year; that is to say, the people every where crowding his way, and conferring upon him the greatest honours. The little town of Washington, the seat of justice for the county of the same name, distinguished itself by the brilliancy of its festivals. At Brownsville we crossed the Monongahela in a batteau, bearing twenty-four young girls dressed in white, who came to receive the general, and who crowned him with flowers the moment he came within the limits of the town. At Uniontown, the seat of justice for the county of Lafayette, he was received with a simplicity and cordiality calculated to recall the character of the founders of Pennsylvania. For the purpose of addressing their national guest, the inhabitants of Uniontown employed, as their organ of communication, one of his oldest and best friends, Mr. Gallatin, known in Europe from his diplomatic labours, and whom the American leaders have always reckoned among the number of their most able defenders.
Placed upon a stage raised in the centre of the town, Mr. Gallatin received General Lafayette, and addressed him in the name of the surrounding people, who listened in silence.
Mr. Gallatin is not of the number, unfortunately too great, of those foreigners, who, from ignorance or envy, incessantly confound the cause of legitimacy, and the happy results of the French revolution, with the horrible and sanguinary excesses afterwards perpetrated by those wretches, who were only the instruments of the servile partizans of privilege, and who, for the purpose of checking liberty in its noble career, thought to bring it into disrepute by the crimes committed in its name. The justice Mr. Gallatin rendered to the courage and wisdom of the French patriots of 1789, deeply affected General Lafayette, who expressed to him his gratitude, in a reply distinguished by its eloquence and the elevation of its sentiments.
After twenty-four hours passed, I will not say amidst entertainments, but rather in the reception of the most tender and affectionate testimonials of attachment from the inhabitants of Uniontown, the general accepted the invitation of Mr. Gallatin, to repose himself a short time in the bosom of his family; and we accordingly set out with him for New Geneva, a charming residence, situated on the high and rocky banks of the Monongahela, at some miles distance from Uniontown. A detachment of militia from the county of Lafayette, in whose ranks was a son of Mr. Gallatin, escorted us; and through the whole route we met groups of the inhabitants, who, in their joyous acclamations, blended the name of Lafayette with that of Gallatin, to which were associated the remembrance of innumerable services rendered to this part of Pennsylvania. We found at New Geneva all that could contribute to the pleasure of a visit. To the advantages of a situation happily chosen, are added the charms of an amiable and intelligent society. But the general was very far from finding there the solitude which his friend had promised him. During twenty-four hours which we remained at this delightful place, the doors remained open, to give free access to the good people of the neighbourhood, who came in crowds to salute their well beloved guest.
On the 28th of May Mr. Gallatin reconducted us to Uniontown, when we took leave of him to go to Elizabethtown, a little village situated on the banks of the Monongahela. We arrived there about twelve o’clock; when a boat, propelled by four oars, received us on board, and we descended the river to the famous Braddock’s Field, which we reached some time after sunset. We were favoured with delightful weather during our sail, which was rendered highly interesting by the conversation of our companions, the members of the committee from Uniontown. We surveyed the shores, which in times past echoed with the cries of victory from the adventurous sons of France, and which were also the witnesses of disasters which the faults of a government as presumptuous as imbecile drew upon them. The recital of the events of that period, chained our attention until the moment of our landing. It was nine o’clock when we arrived at Braddock’s field, where the English troops, under the command of a general of that name, were completely defeated in the month of July, 1755, by the French and Indians united. The principal circumstances of that memorable event are too familiar to all those whose attention has been directed to American history, for me to relate them here. I will content myself by only repeating, that, it was on that day, so fatal to British arms, that the man who has since established the glory and independence of his country, gave the first proofs of his military talents, and calm intrepidity in battle. If General Braddock had not scorned the advice of his young aide-de-camp, Washington, he would not have fought upon ground where every thing was in favour of the enemy, and thus have sacrificed his army, his fame, and his life. Although his advice was rejected, the young Washington did not fight the less heroically; and it was owing to his courage and coolness that the wreck of the conquered army was saved.