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LAFAYETTE 97 infantry, watching the movements of the Brit- ish under Sir Henry Clinton, with whom Ar- nold, then in command at West Point, was se- cretly negotiating for the betrayal of that im- portant fortress. Arnold made an attempt to obtain from Lafayette the names of the spies he maintained in New York city, on pretence that intelligence from them might often be conveyed more expeditiously by way of West Point ; but Lafayette declined to communicate them. Lafayette was one of the court of 14 general officers, convened at Tappan, Sept. 29, by whom Major Andre was tried as a spy and condemned to death. During Arnold's in- vasion of Virginia in the beginning of 1781, Washington sent Lafayette, Feb. 20, with 1,200 men of the New England and New Jer- sey lines, to assist in the defence of that state. They arrived at Annapolis in a state of great destitution, without shoes, hats, or tents. The United States having neither money nor credit, he purchased for them a full supply with his own funds. His presence inspired the militia of Virginia with fresh hope, and his force was soon doubled in numbers. Toward the end of May Lord Cornwallis took command of the British in Virginia, and, with his usual en- ergy, on the fourth day after his arrival he marched to attack Lafayette, who with about 3,000 troops was then encamped in the neigh- borhood of Richmond. Confident in his su- periority of numbers, Cornwallis was so sure of success that he wrote home, " The boy can- not escape me." Lafayette, however, made a skilful retreat to the northward, and, though pursued with unusual activity, made his way safely to the Raccoon ford on the Rappa- hannock in Culpeper county, where he was joined by Gen. Wayne, who had marched from Maryland to his assistance with 800 men. La- fayette then advanced, and interposed himself in a strong position near Charlottesville be- tween the British army and some large quan- tities of stores removed from that town on the enemy^ approach. Cornwallis marched off toward Williamsburg, pursued by Lafayette, a portion of whose troops overtook the British, July 6, at the Jamestown ford, where a sharp action was fought. Continuing his retreat, Cornwallis at last took post at Yorktown. Lafayette stationed his army so as to cut off their retreat into the Carolinas, and awaited the reinforcements from the north, which came a few weeks later under the command of Washington and Rochambeau. For his ser- vices during the siege of Yorktown, where in conjunction with Hamilton he commanded one of the assailing parties, he was publicly thanked by Washington on the day after the surrender of Cornwallis. At the close of the campaign he returned to France. In granting him leave of absence, congress passed resolutions ac- knowledging his eminent services, and direct- ing all the ministers of the United States in Europe to confer and correspond with him. He was received with the highest enthusiasm in France, and his request for additional men and money for service in America was readily complied with. The enthusiasm spread from France to Spain, and an expedition of 60 ves- sels of the line and 24,000 troops was organized to sail from Cadiz under the command of La- fayette, who led 8,000 men from Brest to Ca- diz. Soon after his arrival he heard of the conclusion of peace at Paris ; and from a letter which he sent from Cadiz, Feb. 5, 1783, con- gress first learned the news of the treaty. In 1784, at the invitation of Washington, he re- visited the United States, landing at New York Aug. 4, and proceeded almost immediately to Mount Vernon. He subsequently visited An- napolis, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Albany, and Boston, receiving everywhere the warmest testimonials of affection and respect. On his departure in December, congress ap- pointed a solemn deputation of one member from each state to take leave of him on behalf of the whole country. In the year after his return to France he visited Germany, where he was received with much distinction. Fred- erick the Great paid him marked attention, and took him with him on a military tour of in- spection and review. For some years he now occupied himself with efforts to ameliorate the political condition of the French Protestants, and in promoting the abolition of slavery in the colonies. He purchased a plantation in Cayenne, emancipated the slaves, and ex- pended a large sum in their education. The assembly of the notables at Paris, Feb. 22, 1787, was the first step in the French revolu- tion. Of that assembly Lafayette was a mem- ber, and contributed essentially to give char- acter to its deliberations. He stepped forth at once the champion of the people, denounced the abuses of the government, proposed the abolition of private arrests and of the prisons of state, the restoration of Protestants to equal privileges of citizenship, and the convocation of the states general. "What!" said the count d'Artois, the brother of the king, and afterward king himself as Charles X., "do you demand the states general ? " " Yes," re- plied Lafayette, " and something better than that." The states general, which soon became the constituent assembly, met May 5, 1789. Ac- cording to Jefferson, its initiatory movements were concerted by Lafayette and a small circle of friends at the hotel of Jefferson himself. He proposed in this body a declaration of pop- ular rights not unlike that of the American dec- laration of independence ; and by his influence on the night of July 13, while the Bastile was falling before the people, the decree providing for the responsibility of the royal ministers was carried through. Two days afterward he was appointed commander-in-chief of the na- tional guards of Paris, an organization which rapidly extended throughout the kingdom un- til it embraced 3,000,000 men. It was at his suggestion that the tricolor was adopted, July 26; an emblem destined, as he said, to make