"We rejoice, sir, that you both live to meet again, and to enjoy together the consolations fairly derived from your virtuous and heroic deeds.
"The minds of our countrymen traced your course with anxious solicitude, through the French revolution, from your first success in the cause of liberty, until the spirit of oppression confined you to a dungeon; and their hearts were gladdened, when, by the influence of our great and good Washington, their friend was at last set free. In the rich harvest you are now gathering of the expressions of esteem and gratitude of this numerous people, whose freedom and happiness your exertions so essentially contributed to establish, we hope you will find some compensation for all your trials, sacrifices and sufferings; and we feel much complacency, that, in this respect you have gained so complete a triumph over the monarchs of the world.
"Again sir, we bid you a most cordial welcome; and hope, the testimonials of approbation you are receiving from every heart and every tongue, will forever retain an instructive lesson to mankind, that patriots who endure faithfully to the end, shall not lose their reward."
The General said in reply—"I am most happy in visiting my old brother soldier and friend, General Brooks, to be received with so kind a welcome: You speak of compensation, sir; the smallest part of the delight which I have experienced in America, would more than repay me for all my services and all my sufferings."
Several evening parties were given in honor of Lafayette, while he was in Boston, by some of its most distinguished citizens. On these occasions, he manifested great pleasure on meeting the children or relatives of the patriots of our revolution, with many of whom he had a personal acquaintance. It was delightful to observe the eagerness with which the ladies, old and young, pressed around him and the pride with which they boasted of hawing taken his hand. His countenance and manner discovered the joy which filled his heart, in cherishing recollections of past services, which he might indulge without vanity; and in perceiving the gratitude, which a deep sense of those services excited among all classes. He manifested a desire to attend the religious service of the Sabbath at the church in Brattle-street, where he had formerly joined in worship with Bowdoin, Hancock and Cooper; he was accordingly conducted there, accompanied by the Mayor of the City and Chief Justice of the State. The sermon, by the learned and pious pastor of that Church, which was an occasional one, was happily calculated to direct and chasten the feelings of the audience. He inculcated the sacred duty of confidence and joy in the providence and moral government of God, and of gratitude to those who had been raised up to be instruments of extensive blessings to our country. The most ardent were gratified, while the more sober and devout were pleased, that no complimentary panegyric was pronounced incompatible with the solemnity of the place and day. In the afternoon he visited. Hon. John Adams at Quincy; the truly venerable patriot of 1775; a decided, zealous advocate for independence in 1776; the able and faithful minister of the nation, at foreign courts; and sometime President of the United States. Mr. Adams is eighty-eight years of age, and his constitution much debilitated within a few years. But his powerful mind is still bright and vigorous; and he dwells with great enthusiasm upon the glorious prospects of our rising empire. His highly valuable services to the country can never be forgotten. For no one, if Washington be excepted, among the many firm asserters of our rights in the struggle for independence, could justly claim a greater portion of gratitude and praise from the present generation.
Desirous of offering all due honors to General Lafayette, and knowing his taste for military exhibitions, the Governor ordered the militia of Boston, which constituted a brigade, of the first division, and an equal number from Essex and Middlesex, which included the second and third divisions, to assemble on the Common in the city of Boston, on Monday, the 30th of August; This was really a proud day, particularly for the citizen soldiers of Massachusetts; but all classes of the people enjoyed this imposing and honorable display. For our militia are justly considered the ornament as well as the defence of the republic. Citizens of all professions take an interest in their appearance, their discipline and their reputation. The ranks are composed of our valuable and industrious population; and their officers are to be found among our respectable mechanics, merchants and professional gentlemen. The exhibition was the most splendid of the kind recollected by the oldest inhabitants. There were above five thousand men armed and equipped, and their appearance and movements would have done credit to regular troops. Their officers are men of talents and ambition. The impression made upon the minds of a great concourse of distinguished citizens, in the civil department, who were present, was highly creditable to our military system, and to those, whose duty it is to attend to the execution of laws on the subject. The Governor, as Commander in Chief, had ordered a spacious marque to be erected, where upwards of fifteen hundred people were accommodated in partaking of an abundant collation; rations were also dealt out to all the troops on duty at the expense of the State. The spectacle was most magnificent. The officers and soldiers did themselves and the State great honor by their exact discipline and soldierly appearance; and by the promptness and regularity of their movements. The illustrious visitor was highly pleased, the strangers were gratified; and the militia themselves felt a conscious pride, in having an opportunity to offer appropriate salutations to one who was both a soldier and a philanthropist.
Should it be supposed by the sober citizens of other countries, or by those in our own, who did not join in these offerings of grateful admiration to Lafayette, and who therefore could have felt nothing of the enthusiasm which such scenes are calculated to produce; that there was too much parade or an undue measure of sensibility manifested on this occasion; it may be proper to observe, that no conclusion is to be drawn from this great rejoicing, that the people of Boston, or in fact of the United States, are disposed to pay higher regard to eminent men of the military than in the civil department; or that they have so little discrimination, as to bestow applause upon merely splendid achievements. It is believed to be a fact, that the most intelligent and sober part of the community were as ready to engage in these processions and ceremonies as those of the more common and uninformed class of citizens. How could it be otherwise? These are convincing proofs of the zeal, disinterestedness and devotion of General Lafayette to the cause of American liberty and independence—of his bravery, activity, judgment, constancy and fidelity—of his attachment to Washington and other patriots, and of their regard for him; and of his uniform support of regulated liberty in his own country. In his early days, he had risked every thing and had done every thing which an individual could possibly endure or attempt, in our behalf. He had now in advanced life, left his own beloved retirement in a distant hemisphere, to visit this land of liberty, and of his affections; to behold the prosperity, order, enjoyment and felicity of a great people. His character, too, is unstained by bloodshed and crime; it is consecrated on the contrary by the prayers, and tears and benedictions, of all good men in America and Europe. Who then will censure or wonder, that he should be received by the moral and sober people of America, with all that cordiality and enthusiasm, which were discovered on his arrival among us? We do not forget Washington; our beloved, and almost adored Washington—nor are we insensible to the merits and virtues of other statesmen and heroes of our own country. But, surely we may be allowed to greet this old distinguished benefactor, with a cordial welcome, without subjecting ourselves to the charge of extravagance or caprice.
The character of the militia in Boston, and generally through the state, has been much improved within the last fifteen years. They have recently adopted a cheap uniform; and great improvements have been made in adopting the modern system of tactics. The independent companies need not decline a comparison with regular troops; and, what is very important to the respectability of the militia, their officers are intelligent and ambitious, and actuated by a patriotic spirit, which is a pledge of fidelity and a stimulus to honorable exertion. The high praise bestowed upon the militia at this review, was justly merited.
General Lafayette left Boston on Tuesday morning for Portsmouth, in the state of New Hampshire, intending to pass through Marblehead, Salem and Newburyport, on his way to the former place. A number of distinguished citizens, and a Committee of the City Council accompanied him to the northern line of the city; and the governor's aids attended him to the extreme part of the state adjoining New Hampshire. On his route, he was greeted by the inhabitants of Chesea, Lynn and Marblehead, with great feeling and respect, alike honourable to themselves and gratifying to the friend and guest of the nation. Addresses were also made to him, in these several towns, expressive of their gratitude for his services, and of the lively sense they had of his present visit to the country. He took breakfast at Marblehead, where almost the whole population of this industrious and patriotic town were presented to him. He also met here, some gentlemen celebrated for their naval exploits in the war of the revolution.
His reception at Salem was very distinguished and splendid. At the entrance of the town, he was met by the selectmen and committee, a numerous cavalcade, and a large body of citizens in carriages, and received a salute of artillery; on advancing a short distance within the bounds of the town, the bells commenced ringing, and the escort was joined by a battalion of light infantry, and a body of seamen, of about two hundred, in blue jackets and white trousers, with ribbons on their hats, stamped with the name of Lafayette.