Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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I,*FA YKTTE'S VI84T HERE Told by His Secretary Who Ac companied Him on Trip. <Krom Sunday's News and Courier) Next week markn the one hun dredth anniversary of the visit of UiFayette to South Carolina. On March 15 the artgravuro section of l'he Sunday News will carry quite i number of pictures recalling the stay of the marquis in Charleston which he cached on March 15 And left for Savannah on March 17. The 'Backward Glances" feature of The News and Courier, it will be noted, ; carries something almost eyery day now about the preparations which Charleston was- making a hundred years ago for La Favette's coming. Accompanying La Fayette as his soc reiary during the American journey was a very able Frenchman, A. Levasseur, who kept a journal of the trip which was afterwards published in two volumes. It makes very in teresting reading and The "Sunday News is republishing below that part of the journal whicl\ tells the stoicy ,>f La Fayette's *trip across South Carolina from his entrance into this state after proceeding from Wash ington to Norfolk, to Raleigh, to Fayetteville and thenco to Cheraw, until, after stopping in Cumden and Columbia, he reached Charleston. M. Iieva8seur'? account follows: "Twenty-four hours after our de ' parture from Fayetteville, in the midst of a pine forest, we met the deputation df the state of South Carolina to General i* Fayette. This meeting took place on the confines of the two states. Our kind and amiable travelling companions from North Carolina delivered ua to their* neighbours, with the most lively ex pressions of regret at a separation which cost us as much as them, and we continued our route in new car riages, with a new escort of friends, till we arrived at Cheraw, a pretty little town, which three years pre vious, had not more than four houses huilt, and now contains about fif teen hundred inhabitants. The next day's journey was^long and difficult; sometimes, indeed, the road was al most impassable, being, in some places, entirely cut up by the over*' flow of rivers, whilst in others wb could only cross the marshes by mov ing gently over a road formed - of badly arranged trunks of trees,'* In fact, we travelled so slowly, that night overtook us on the roati, and it soon became so dark that many of -the gentlemen of Our escort lost the road, and not being able to trace it in the ?sand, wandered into the for est. The carriages of the party also began to stray from each other, and towards ten o'clock Mr- George La Fayette and myself discovered that the one we rode in was at a gr6at distance behind the others. A few minutes after we felt a violet shock and heard a_loud crash. Our car riage tongue was broken, and we, were leftVVti the midst of the marsh. Our situatrfh was extremely dis agreeable and we should have had some difficulty to escape from it but for the assistance of two dragoons who had never left us, and who obliged us to mount their horsez, which, after some minutes, brought us in sight of the fires of the guard surrounding the house that was to serve us for an asylum, where the general had arrived an hour before. In this house, which stood altogether alone in the midst of the woods, we were well accommodated. We had an excellent supper, and good beds, in which we might probably have slept soundly but for the trumpet, which was sounded all "night for the pur pose of rallying our scattered escort. "On arising, an entirely novel scene was presented to my view. We were in the midst of what is called in | America a new settlement, that is to, say, a clearing or erection* of new habitation in the woods. The house in which we had pawed the night was the only dwelling in the place, and it was still unfinished. By ,its side they had begun to raise the. frames of some other buildings, doubtless intended for granaries and ?stables. Numerous trunk*; of half hewn trees collected together showed that it was the intention of the owner soon to erect other buildingw, und al ready the forest was prostrated to a considerable extent. But a few vast trees were standing in the clearing, whose branches were not only lopped off, but some of them were deprived of their bark, and blackened for the wholo length by the action of the flapies which had been employed to burn off tho brush about them. It is difficult to imagine anything more desolate than ^uch a srene. It is, nevertheless, in this way/ said one of our travelling companions, 'that all our little towns, which are so at tractive and lively, begin. Cheraw, wheye you slept yesterday, and with which you were so much pleased, but a few years ago resembled this, and perhaps, should you return in four or five years, you may here find an other Cheraw. See,' continued he taking me to a part of the forest which the axe and the fire had still spared, 'ydth what care and skill the founder of this future city has laid the basis of a fortune which he anticipates enjoying in a short time. Look at this lot of several acres, sur rounded by a strong fence, in which his cows, horses, and hogs are en closed. These last named animals, raised thus at large, and in the en joyment of abundance of food, soon multiply without nurftber, and afford him a certain part of his subsistence. The next year, that portion of his land whi,ch comes to be cleared, will probably yield him a rich harvest of corn or rice, but the proprietor, whilst waiting for the growth of his crops, is obliged to obtain his bread by trading, and pays for it in turpen tine, collected from the enormous pines which surround him. A small notch cut in the body of the tree, gives issue to a liquid which is re ceived in a trough. Three thousand tr^es ' furnish annually seventy-five barrels of turpentine. But it is not onljTthe young and vigorous trees, which contribute to his wants; he has recourse also to those time has destroyed. , From the dead trees he extracts'tar, obtained by burning the wood upon a grate, a kettle being placed beneath to receive, the boiling liquid. Sometimes from the plants which he clears away from around his house, he obtains a coiysiderable quantity of potash 'which still aug ments his wealth. Every year sees the cleared land increase around him, and soon other settlers, encouraged by his success, piace themselves about him, and assist in erecting the new village, in which he may be permitted to enjoy the public employments con ferred by his fellow citizens as a tribute to his talents and patriotism. """Whilst "we were thus engaged in casting a rapid glance over the re sources of our host and his future destinies, General La Fayette conclud ed the preparations for his departure, and at a signal given by the trum pets, we resumed our journey, pass ing through the sands and pines on our way to Camden, where we were to lodgo. The weather had changed during the night, and our marc^ was now favoured by a cloar sky. Al though it was the* month of March, we felt the heat of the sun consid erably, and every thing around bore the appearance of advanced sprint?. On approaching Camden, where wo saw a considerable number of well cultivated gardens, we were a good deal surprised to find the trees in flower, and the balmy air perfumed by the plants, as in France during the month of June. "Camden is not a large town, con taining only about two hundred in habitants. We nevertheless found there a very numerous population col Look! Look! 0 8x10 Sa*h?12 Light* $1.86 <3 8x12 Sash?12 Light* $2.00 I?f^. 8x14 Sash?12 Lights $2.25 10x14 Sash?12 Lights - $2.75 DOORS AT SACRIFICES No seconds or Jow grades like being handled at other piaces. All in first class condition - lected from more than eighty miles aroiind, to receive General L* Fayette and assist in laying the corner stone of a monument which they were about erecting to the memory of Baron de Kalb. General La Fayette was received a little in advance of the town, near the old quarters of Corn wallis, by all the citizens lender arms and was conducted with great pomp and in the midst of companies o( young ladies, to Uw d\Vcllirig prepw ed for him, where he was addressed by Colonel Nixons, Jr.,' with a re markable warmth of feeling. The at tentive crowd applauded the orator witty transports when hi- told the general that his visit to the United States had added a new page to his to?y, and that the splendour of Greek apd Roman triunvphs faded before the unanimity and harmony of this pop ular ovation. "On the morning of the next day a long procession, formed chiefly of free masons, followed by the civil authorities and deputations from the different associations of South Caro Una, came to the. general'* lodgings, and conducted him with solemn music towards the spot where De Kalb's funeral ceremony was to be perform ed. Thore the consecration of the monument raised by tho generous inhabitants of South Carolina to un fortunate bravery, was performed. An inscription, in a style at once noble and unaffected, reminds the country of the services and glorious end of De Kalb. "It is well known that De Kalb was a German, who, after he had served a long time in France, came to America, like La Fayette and Pu laski, to offer his services in the cause of liberty. He was second in command in General Bate's army during ^he unfortunate affair of Cam den, where the Americans were com pletely defeated. He had performed prodigies of valor at the head of the Delaware and Maryland troops, when, towards the close of the battle, he fell from his eleventh wound, an event which deprived the American cause pf one of its most able and de-' voted defenders. ."After his remains, which had been carefully preserved, were deposited in the monument, and had received mili tary honours, the stone which was to cover them was laid by General La Fayette. It contained the following inscription: This stone was placed over the remains of Baron De Kalb by General La Fayette, 1825. "Tho. hand of the general resting upon tho .stone,- followed it as it' slowly ami gradually descended, \^liilst the multitude, in religious si lence, contemplated the French vet eran, after almost half a century, ren dering the last offices to the German soldier, in a land which they both had moistened with their blood, and which their arms had contributed to set' free. How many glorious and painful recollections must this scene have awakened in the mind of La Fayette! Alas! during his long tri umph,- how many tombs was it his lot to visit, from that into which he descended at Moyrt Vernon, to the one soon to be raised at Bunker's Hill! "The . ceremony concluded by a discourse from the general, in which he paid to his old companion in arms, that tribute of* esteem which was 'duo to his civil virtues, his military talents, and undaunted courage, in defending the cause of freedom. "We left Camden on the 1,1th, to go to Columbia, the capital of the , state of South Carolina. This town Is pleasantly situated upon a fertile and healthy plain, on the shore of the river Congaree. We found all the streets, through which the gen eral and his escort were to pass, or namented with flags and triumphal arches. Upon one of these, -three young and beautiful girls supported flags, upon each of which were in-, scribed, In letters of gold, the names of La Fayette, De Kalb, and Pulaski. Under another, placed near the house, we were to occupy, the general was met and addressed by the mayor of the town, a young man of distinguish-, ed talents, who during our stay in Columbia, paid us the most kind and delicate attentions. Governor Man ning also addressed the general, in the presence of the people assembled' in the legislative hall of South Caro lina, and both the evening and morn ing were devoted to public rejoicings. "The first evening, after having passed through the streets, which were brilliantly illuminated, we paid a visit -to the academy, under the superintendence of the celebrated Dr. Cooper. We were agreeably enter tained by the professors, who are all of the first merit. Two of them spoke French with great fluency. They informed us, that they had re sided a long time in I^aris, where they were ppoud to have acquired that knowledge which they were called up on to Impart to their pupils. The next day, several companies of mill* tia, among which a corps formed by <4feV*9todent? of the academy, under the name of La Fi timoriiftls of friendship anil admire ation she saw lavished upon La Fay ette, suddenly broke forth in trans ports which she was unable to sup press. 'Heavens!" exclaimed she, 'how proud and happy I feel today, in being a native of France, and of the same country with ,General La Fayette!' Then, after having sprung towards tho general and kissed his hands, she returned to me with great animation, and said; 'Tell the gen eral's family, I beseech you, how happy wo should be to receive them here as we have received himl And say to them, that for myself, I feel for the children of La Grange the friendship of a countrywoman, and for La Fayette himself the gratitude of an American.' This scene, made a lively impression upon all who wit-i nes^-d it, and the general thanked the young lady with all the ardour of a strongly agitated heart. "On the 14th of March, we set^ out for Charleston, intending to lodgi some miles from this city, as Gen eral La Fayette was not to , make his entry until the 15th. An escort of Columbia volunteer cavalry were formed in line before the. door, at i the moment of our departure, anx ious to accompany the general all i the way to Charleston, but he thank ed them, and insisted that they should I'not leave the town, as the road he had to travel was both long and dif ( ficult, and there was moreover the appearance of a heavy rain. It was, in fact at a very late hour that we arrived at our destination. The night and the rain caught us in the midst of a thick forest, across which it was difficult to find our narrow and devious way. About nine o'clock in the evening, the carriage I rode in broke down. That of the general, Which went before with the governor and 'some officers of his staff, con tinued its__route without perceiving the accident, but that of Mr. George La Fayette, which at this time hap pened to be in the rear, found its passage obstructed, and -the horses taking fright, plunged amongst the trees, where it stuck fast. Mr. George and his travelling companions Colonel Preston and the Mayor of, Columbia, immediately alighted, and, by main strength, dragged their carriage be I fore mine. They offered me a seat along with them to continue the jour ney, di?ecting the servants to mount 1 the horses and go in search of light and assistance to repair the broken vehicle. I accepted their offer, but had scarcely joined them, when Col onel Preston, who- had taken the reins, deceived by the darkness, car ried us into the thickest woods; and in such a situation, that we must I have infallibly upset had we pro ceeded a step further. Nothing was left for us now, but to remairf nearly an hour, under a driving rain? for the return of the servants who brought with them great pine torches.1 They now assisted us out of our embarrassment, and at eleven o'clock at night, wet and extremely fatigued, we reached the house of Mr. Izard, I where we found the general and his companions who had arrived a long time before. The hospitable table of Mr. Izard, his kind reception and that j of his family, soon made on forget our misfortunes,, at which we were the first to laugh over the desert. "That the citizens of Charleston, who had made immense preparation to receive the guest of the nation, might not be kept waiting, we re sumed our journey at a very early hour. At the moment when we were preparing to take leave of the family of Mr. Izard, we saw an escort of volunteer cavalry arrive from the city, with which we immediately set out. In proportion as we advanced towards Charleston, the monotony of pine forest disappeared.' Our eyes now rested with pleasure upon clus ters of verdant and beautifully shaped saplings, among which superb mag nolia were majestically elivated. The entrance to th^ city appeared W us lik? ? deIk loos Iraraafl. TB* 'fcooL of thc *"?ht -tb* net frem tb* orang*. distinguished, came to exercise un der the general's windows. We pass ed the remainder of the day in the midst of some of La Fayette's vet eran companions in arms, who took s pleasure in recalling to his mem ory the times in which they had fought and suffered with him for lh? independence of their country. In the evening, at a hall, rendered remark able by tho beauty of the ladies grac ing it, as well as the good taste dis played in the arrangements, we made acquaintance with a young lady who inspired us with the most lively in terest. She was the wife of one of the professors. Jiorn in I'aris, she had only been transplanted into thin new soil about three months, in the midst of manners which- at first were **? altogether strange, but with which she now appeared perfectly reconcil ed. She was introduced to the gen eral, who received her with great kindness, Towards the close of t,ho evening, her French and American feelings; strongly excited by the tea. almond trees, covered with flowers, und embalmed the air. We stopped a few minutes to change the carriage and allow the procession time to form when, on a signal given by a cannon, we commenced our entrance into Charleston." "Never do something you do not approve of, more quickly to accom plish something that you do approve of, for there are no safe shortcuts in piloting a business, or a ship."?J. Pierpont Morgan. ""final discharge Notice is hereby given that ono month from this date, on March 20th, 1925, I will make to the Probate Court of Kershaw County my final return as Guardian of the estate of my son, Henry Martain, ho hayUg attained hid majority, and 011 the same date I will apply to the Mil Court for a final discharge an said Guardian. NELSON REYNOLDS, Guardian. Camden, S. C., February 17th, 1925. I FINAL DISCHARGE Notice its hereby given that omo month from this date, on Monday, March 16th, 1025, I will make te the Probate Court of Kershaw county my final return as Executrix of the j state of Edward W. Brisbane, deceas ed, and on the same date I win apply ?0 the said court for a final dis charge from my trtist as snid execu trix. v ELLEN C. BRISBANE. Camden, S. C., February 12th, 1&2K. FERTILIZERS "The World'* Beat . bjr Every T??t" FOODS It is a duty to provide good wholesome food for one's family and economy to furnish good nutri tious food for one's stock. It is equally important to feed one's crops with the best plant foods, pre pared in such forms and condition as to be readily available to the tender plant rootlets. The best plant foods are more carefully selected and more scientifically prepared and compounded than foods for man or beast. "AA QUALITY" FERTILIZERS comprise all the essential factors of the best plant foods that practical experience and scientific re search of over half a century have developed. To insure the largest yield and best quality of all crops use "AA QUALITY" FERTILIZERS BEST KNOWN TO YOU UNDER THE C' FOLLOWING BRAND NAMES "AA" ASHEPOO ?POCOMOKF. 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