He himself had seen France taste freedom, turn to the Terror, accept Bonaparte’s dictatorship and fight the world—and he had taken his part in it all, even to five years spent in a prison cell. Now he beheld on the throne again the scions of the same monarch who had tried in vain to prevent his aiding America in her fight for freedom, and, his title and estates gone, he must have felt France’s failure to realize such ideals of government as he and Washington knew, as keenly as he appreciated the “astonishing” march of democracy on this continent.
Entertained first in the North, Lafayette hurried South to see Jefferson at Monticello for a day. From the Charlottesville estate he traveled to Orange Courthouse, and thence, over the road his army had cut through “The Wilderness” and which even to this day is known as “The Marquis Road,” he came to Wilderness Tavern, where he was met by an escort from Fredericksburg.
Fredericksburg was awaiting him, and Lafayette was glad of the opportunity to spend the greater part of a week in the “home town” of George Washington, to visit Washington’s relatives, and to meet those of the Revolutionary general still living in the place. He had been to Fredericksburg before in 1774, an honored guest at “The Peace Ball.” He had said that he felt more at home in Fredericksburg than anywhere in America.
General Washington, Mrs. Washington, General Mercer, General Weedon—a dozen of his closer friends whom he had left behind forty years ago—were dead, but among the Fredericksburg people there were still numbers who knew him, some who had entertained him, and many who had fought with him.
Peculiar Items of Expense
That Fredericksburg did her best and that good cheer was not lacking when the general arrived, is recorded in the old courthouse of that city in the official bill of expenses for the entertainment of the distinguished guest. On these yellow papers written in the careful hand of that day, are bills for ribbons and laces and cocked hats, sperm candles and cakes, oranges (at $1.20 a dozen), cockades, cloaks and “everything” that might assist in making the November days of the Marquis’ stay glide right merrily.
Before the general arrived there was preliminary work, and this is recorded in a number of bills, among them that of Sally Stokes who had one for “cleaning and schowering the town hall, and whitening the steps and cleaning the walls, etc.—I charge for myself and 2 other women—$2.25.” Her charge was probably a little high as the work was for the city. “Benj. Day” got the draying contract and profiteered in the following rate:
“Dr. me for myself and team and dray for 4 days hauling for the Entertainment Commit. $6.00.” Also among the bills for labor is one:
“To John Scott, Dr. to hire of my man Billy, the painter, for 6 days to paint the market house, $4.50,” while “Mary Lucas,” a “freewoman,” got $1.25 for “sawing 2 1-2 cords of wood.”
George Cary’s Great Thirst