My favourite quotes from George Washington getting stressed over Georges Washington de Lafayette: A trilogy
(For context: At this time Washington could not offer sanctuary to Georges publically when he had arrived in America as it would run the risk of causing political friction – Lafayette was seen as a traitor to the French Revolution, and by accepting his son to stay with him, Washington would damage his neutral standing. So, instead, Georges stayed with the Hamiltons for the time being).
“Did my letter to young Fayette (under cover to you) get to hand in time to be presented to him, at the interview you had with him? My desire of seeing, and assuring him from my own mouth, of my fixed determination to be his friend & supporter, is such, that I hardly know how to reconcile to my feeling, the denial of permitting him to come hither for a few moments to receive it. But supposing that whatsoever you decide on will be for the best, I shall acquiesce therein.”
-To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 28 November 1795
“Have you seen or heard more of young Fayette since you last wrote to me on that subject? Where did he go to? Did you deliver him the letter I sent under cover to you for him? His case gives me pain, and I do not know how to get relieved from it. His sensibility I fear is hurt, by his not acknowledging the receipt of my letter to him; and yet, if considerations of a higher nature are opposed to a more uncovert countenance, it must be submitted to. If he wants money, I am ready to furnish it.”
-To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 22 December 1795
Ft Alexander Hamilton:
“Young La Fayette appears melancholy and has grown thin. A letter lately received from his mother which speaks of something which she wishes him to mention to you (as I learn from his preceptor) has quickened his sensibility and increased his regret. If I am satisfied that the present state of things is likely to occasion a durable gloom, endangering the health & in some sort the mind of the young man, I shall conclude, on the strength of former permission, to send him to you for a short visit—the rather as upon repeated reflection I am not able to convince myself that there is any real inconvenience in the step and as there are certainly delicate opposite sides. But it will be my endeavour to make him content to remain away.”
-From Alexander Hamilton to George Washington, 24 December 1795
“My mind being continually uneasy on Acct. of Young Fayette, I cannot but wish (if this letter should reach you in time, and no reasons stronger than what have occurred against it) that you would request him, and his Tuter, to come on to this place on a visit; without avowing, or making a mystery of the object—Leaving the rest to some after decision”
-To Alexander Hamilton from George Washington, 13 February 1796
Tag: history
what was lafayette’s personality?
Like all of us, it depended on the age and environment. As a
young man, he was awkward but tried to stay included. In all honestly,
he was a typical noble until being introduced to America. In court, he
attended parties, flirted with ladies, drank, danced…and was basically
terrible at all of it. Most of his friends thought him shy, reserved, or
brooding in his early/mid-teen years, but later he stated it was
because he was not comfortable around those that were his social betters
and admitted that he was quiet to protect his pride.In
America, almost everyone found him to be charming, earnest, zealous,
and generally ‘warm’-natured, or in modern terms, (sometimes overly)
enthusiastic. Many people mentioned his excellent manners. Washington
often described his charm, but commented on his level-headed thinking in combat and his good judgement. While it was well-known that it was nearly impossible to get Lafayette to change his mind on something once he’d decided on it, he always deferred to older, more experienced generals when pressed or when arguments about leadership sprung up.When Lafayette lost popularity in France, many people saw him as two-faced; whispering in the ear of the monarchy while championing the common man. The reality was that he wanted a constitutional monarchy…meaning that he wanted King Louis XVI to remain in some semblance the leader of France while simultaneously regulating his power to such an extent that he had very little say, giving others a chance to reform. Because of this, however, he lost favor with both sides of the argument…and all manner of accusations begin showing up in the literature and letters to and about him during that period.
All in all, Lafayette was a charming, optimistic, awkward, zealous, egocentric, and ambitious man who put his best foot forward in all situations and almost never met a stranger, as the saying goes. And while that sometimes gave him the appearance of talking out of both sides of his mouth, the reality is that he typically believed both opinions he gave on any given topic…he simply knew how to phrase them so that he remained in good standing with all.
Alexander: If I prove that I never broke the law, do you promise not to tell another soul what you saw?
Burr: No one was else was in the room where it happened.
Alexander: Is that a yes?
Jefferson/Madison/Burr: Um, yes.
Burr: *reading the letter* Cold in my professions, warm in friendships, I wish my dear Laurens, in my power, by actions rather than words to convince you I love you-
Alexander: THAT’S THE WRONG LETTER!
Jefferson: My god.
Could you tell me about Eliza’s personality?
Sure. She was social, loyal, caregiving, insecure, proud, sensitive, judgmental and impulsive throughout her life.
As a girl, she was somewhat of a tomboy who knew her father’s land very well and made fun of others inability to climb rocks like she could. She helped with the raising of her younger siblings. Her mother was not a very hands on mother and seemed to pass the buck to her daughters as a way to prepare them for their future roles. She may have been a bit coquettish and none of her or her sisters fell for the infantrymen when they descended onto their parents’ house and made life a little miserable for the Schuyler family. She likely had her eye on a bigger prize. She was also obedient of her parents, including setting aside her own wishes so they could throw her a wedding.
As a mother and a wife, she said that she had a passion for homemaking. I think she liked that role and appears to have excelled at her. Her husband said he could not be happier in a wife and her children described her as the best wife, mother, woman, etc. She was also generous with what she had–from taking in Fanny to raise to being charitable to other poor women and children to sitting in a jail to have her portrait done and encouraging her friends to do the same to help the artist. She was also extremely social during this time. She and her husband went to the theater and balls and dinners and (though I’ve seen different sources on this) she likely had a night that was hers for entertaining the other ladies of the court. She was also a great help to her husband in his work and took on his enemies as her own.
As a widow, she was dedicated to her children, her husband’s memory, and the New York Orphan Asylum, where she had a very active role and took it extremely seriously. She ran it with a few other women who she seemed to treasure and them her. I think in many ways, she took her years as a political wife and really put it to use for that organization. But I also think it was a mark on how seriously she took her religion. I also personally think it was in many ways a coping mechanism after all the tragic loses she’d experienced. For a long time after her husband’s death, she seemed to be in a pretty deep depression. The orphanage gave her purpose. In her 80s, she was still traveling, as she went to visit her son William out west where she picked wild flowers in the mornings. There’s also a charming story about her climbing over a fence to get to a kid’s house rather than walk the long way. She definitely had a streak of independence. She was also very social, especially after moving to Washington D.C. in the 1840s. There, she was often called on by sitting presidents and, if she went to the president’s house for dinner, she became a belle again. She also designed the floral pattern on her couch, which is that excellent homemaker in her coming out.
John Adams On Sex
Here it may be proper to recollect something which makes an Article of great importance in the Life of every Man. I was of an amorous disposition and very early from ten or eleven Years of Age, was very fond of the Society of females. I had my favorites among the young Women and spent many of my Evenings in their Company and this disposition although controlled for seven Years after my Entrance into College returned and engaged me too much till I was married.
I shall draw no Characters nor give any enumeration of my youthfull flames. It would be considered as no compliment to the dead or the living: This I will say—they were all modest and virtuous Girls and always maintained this Character through Life. No Virgin or Matron ever had cause to blush at the sight of me, or to regret her Acquaintance with me. No Father, Brother, Son or Friend ever had cause of Grief or Resentment for any Intercourse between me and any Daughter, Sister, Mother, or any other Relation of the female Sex. My Children may be assured that no illegitimate Brother or Sister exists or ever existed. These Reflections, to me consolatory beyond all expression, I am able to make with truth and sincerity and I presume I am indebted for this blessing to my Education.
My Parents held every Species of Libertinage in such Contempt and horror, and held up constantly to view such pictures of disgrace, of baseness and of Ruin, that my natural temperament was always overawed by my Principles and Sense of decorum. This Blessing has been rendered the more prescious to me, as I have seen enough of the Effects of a different practice. Corroding Reflections through Life are the never failing consequence of illicit amours, in old as well as in new Countries. The Happiness of Life depends more upon Innocence in this respect, than upon all the Philosophy of Epicurus, or of Zeno without it. I could write Romances, or Histories as wonderfull as Romances of what I have known or heard in France, Holland and England, and all would serve to confirm what I learned in my Youth in America, that Happiness is lost forever if Innocence is lost, at least untill a Repentance is undergone so severe as to be an overballance to all the gratifications of Licentiousness. Repentance itself cannot restore the Happiness of Innocence, at least in this Life.
John Adams takes time out of his autobiography to lecture on the dangers of ‘libertinage’.
Doctor’s Orders
One of the last things James McHenry (he of the Ham’s wedding night poem fame) did before he switched from medicine to being Washington’s aide de camp was to prescribe Hamilton this:
In order to get rid of your present accumulations you will be pleased to take the pills agreeable to the directions; and to prevent future accumulations observe the following table of diet.
This will have a tendency also to correct your wit.
I would advise for your breakfast two cups of tea sweetened, with brown sugar, and coloured with about a teaspoonful of milk. I prefer brown sugar to loaf because it is more laxitive, and I forbid the free use of milk until your stomach recovers its natural powers. At present you would feel less uneasiness in digesting a pound of beef than a pint of milk.
So you like the original Gay Trio that is Alexander Hamilton, John Laurens, and the Marquis de Lafayette. But now you’re looking for someone new to study. Could there be another trio that fulfills your desire to research the Revolutionary War era and queer history?
The answer is yes. Allow me to introduce you to the Gay Trio: Geneva Edition. Featuring…
Francis Kinloch. The Alexander Hamilton of the group. Very possibly a polyamorous bisexual man. Exchanged some particularly affectionate letters with Vegobre and Laurens.
Louis de Manoel de Vegobre. The Lafayette of the group. Swiss man who starts out only knowing French, but he learns English from Laurens and finds true joy in every bit of English he reads or hears. He learns
about America and literally cries because of the hardships that may befall America because of the war. Calls Kinloch “my beloved.”And John Laurens as John Laurens. Doing his usual John Laurens things. The only difference is that he’s in Geneva.
There’s more to come on this, so stay tuned for some new quotes and information!
Daintyfire 