In 1824, the Marquis de 拉斐特 received a letter from President James Monroe offering to send a frigate to any convenient French port “in case you may be free to visit the United States now.事实证明, 拉斐特 had once again found himself on the wrong side of the political fence in France, so he eagerly accepted the invitation of the American president, setting out from Le Havre in mid-July with his son Georges Washington, his private secretary Auguste Levasseur (who would later publish a journal of the trip), 还有他的男仆巴斯蒂安. Declining Monroe’s offer of a frigate, 拉斐特 and his party sailed aboard a merchant vessel, the 卡德摩斯, arriving in New York Harbor to a 13-gun salute on Sunday 15 August and delivered into the welcoming arms of his adopted country. Although 拉斐特 had planned to visit only the 13 original colonies, his farewell tour would last a little over a year and carry the Marquis to all 24 states.

拉斐特热

在史坦顿岛和纽约市fêted之后, 拉斐特和他的随从出发前往波士顿, 让他的纽约东道主失望了. 一封重新发表在 新罕布什尔爱国者和国家公报 报道了拉斐特坚持要去波士顿, “因为我希望在波士顿, 我可以在毕业典礼那天访问剑桥, 我将在哪里见到许多老朋友. You no doubt know my attachment to you ALL: I am heartily glad to see you—but must make a visit immediately to Boston, 还会再回来.” 拉斐特 had been granted an honorary Doctor of Laws degree by Harvard during his first return to the United States in 1784, no doubt partly explaining his anxiety at returning in time for commencement.

All along the route from New York to Boston, 拉斐特’s party was greeted enthusiastically. 的 波士顿商业公报 of 23 August described 拉斐特’s progress as “a phrenzy of gratitude … more splendid and honorable than any that was ever given before to a benefactor of mankind.“ 萨勒姆公报》 8月24日发表意见, “除了总统的问题, 现在公众的脑子里除了 拉斐特, his movements and the arrangements which are making in the places where a visit from him is expected.” Newspapers throughout the country breathlessly published and republished tales of 拉斐特’s appearance, 演讲, 并在全国各地举行招待会, 旁边是拉法耶特画像的广告, 手帕, 还有其他纪念品.

到达州长的家. William Eustis (a surgeon during the Revolutionary War) in Roxbury, 总督热情地拥抱了拉斐特, 谁宣称自己是“世界上最幸福的人”.“ pair shared “an elegant breakfast” before setting off to the State House where 拉斐特 was officially welcomed to the Commonwealth with a grand military and civic procession, 炮兵敬礼, 以及公园里成千上万的学童. By all accounts, 拉斐特’s reception in Boston was an unqualified success. 根据 波士顿商业公报, 100,000人看到了久违的英雄,” with the editors of the paper “unable to do justice to the grandeur and moral sublimity of the whole scene.“ accolades and welcoming ceremonies continued in small towns and large cities, everywhere 拉斐特 travelled during his sojourn for more than a year.

拉斐特的回报

经过10个月的全国旅行, 拉斐特 returned to Boston to lay the cornerstone of the Bunker Hill Monument on the 50th anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill, 1825年6月17日. 他的秘书做了准备：

十点半，游行队伍开始行进. 它由大约7000人组成. Two hundred Revolutionary officers or soldiers marched at its head; 40 veterans, 邦克山战役的光荣遗迹, 坐着八节敞篷马车跟着他们……. Behind them marched a long column formed by the numerous subscribers for the construction of the monument … and 2000 Masons ... 随后，拉斐特将军乘坐一辆豪华马车来了, pulled by six shining white horses … This column advanced to the sound of music and bells in the midst of 200,000 citizens … while salvoes of artillery and general acclamations saluted it at short intervals.

铺好基石后, 拉斐特在波士顿待了几天, 在前往缅因州之前，他拜访了约翰·亚当斯的家, 新汉普郡, 佛蒙特州, 然后掉头向南返回法国. President John Quincy Adams arranged for 拉斐特 to return to France aboard the newly commissioned USS 白兰地酒 (原 萨斯奎哈纳), re-named for the battle in which 拉斐特 had been wounded fighting alongside American forces. 经过三周的暴风雨航行, the Marquis arrived back in France where he would continue his involvement in French politics until his death in 1834 at the age of 76. 听到他去世的消息, President Andrew Jackson ordered the same memorial observances that had been given to Washington. Congress was draped in black bunting for 30 days and members wore mourning badges; the public was encouraged to follow suit. In December, former president John Quincy Adams delivered an 演说 before Congress summarizing 拉斐特’s entire career and eulogizing him as one who had devoted “himself, 他的生活, 他的财富, 他的世袭荣誉, 他的雄心壮志, 他灿烂的希望, 一切都是为了自由的事业.”