Print of the Declaration of Independence. 171 
quis La Fayette—which, although it has gone the round of 
our public prints, is worthy to be preserved in a form 
more enduring, and is therefore inserted here; nor do we 
think it worth while to suppress those parts of the letter, 
which, although not relating immediately to the subject 
before us, have still a very important bearing on the in- 
terests and honor of this country. 
Extract of a Letter from the Marquis La Fayette to 0 Col. 
John Trumbull. 
‘Parts, Jan. 4, 1824, 
“* My Dear Sir, 
Words cannot sufficiently express how happy you have 
made me by your most valuable, and no less welcome, 
present.* [received it in my usual family retirement at 
La Grange, and was delighted with many happy recollec- 
tions it did produce, among which the pleasure of my 
friendly acquaintance with the painter had a very great. 
share. | at once recognized all the portraits, and think 
you have been remarkably fortunate in hitting not only 
the features, but the manners and deportments of the 
principle characters. It is so much the case, that my 
children, who, George excepted, were very young when 
they had a peep at John Adams, pointed out the father, 
from their later acquaintance with the son. Hancock, 
Charles Thompson, Franklin, Roger Sherman, &c. &c. 
suddenly appeared to me in that grand act which has be- 
gun the era of rational freedom and self-government. I 
hailed the banner under which I enlisted in my youth, and 
shall die in old age; and I thanked the great artist, the 
good fellow-citizen and soldier, to whom I was obliged for 
so many lively, affectionate, and patriotic sensations. 
It is to me also an inexpressible gratification to think 
your admirable pencil has fixed me on the grand central 
rotunda of the Capital of the United States, in a situation 
where I like myself seen, viz. in my American regimen- 
tals, under our republican Continental colors, at the head 
of my beloved, gallant, affectionate light infantry, at the 
* A copy of Col. Trumbull’s new print of the Declaration of Indepen- 
dence. 
