And then we drove to Loudon County for yet another Lafayette 200 event!
Starting a year ago, these amazing programs have faithfully followed the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’s Grand Tour in America, day by day, for all 15 months of his visit! (Check out the ones I have attended.)
AUGUST 1825 – LAFAYETTE FETED BY LOUDON COUNTY
Historically, on August 6, 1825, Lafayette traveled by carriage with his son, George Washington Lafayette, and President John Quincy Adams, from Washington DC for two days to visit James Monroe at his home of Oak Hill, in Loudon County.
After arriving, Lafayette gifted Monroe intricate Adamesque fireplace mantels to thank him and his wife for rescuing his wife, Adrienne, from prison during the French Revolution.
Without their intervention, she would have been guillotined, while Lafayette wasted away in a prison outside France, when he fled the guillotine, himself.
During this time that Monroe served as Minister to France under George Washington, Monroe also labored to influence Lafayette’s own release, but his freedom was surprisingly gained at the hands of Napoleon.
With so many memories to share by Monroe, Lafayette, and Adams while staying at Oak Hill, they enjoyed several days of respite from the outside world.
On the second day of Lafayette’s visit, some members of the Loudon County militia arrived on August 9 to escort them to the nearby town of Leesburg for a day of celebration with the public. {{{This was reenacted the day before.}}}
AUGUST 2025 – OATLANDS PLANTATION
Driving a few miles past Oak Hill, the day after the Leesburg reenactment, we arrived at Oatlands Plantation, which is six miles south of Leesburg.
While Oatlands is a historic site open to the public, Oak Hill is a private home. Currenly, the owners are seeking legislative efforts for this historic home to become a state park.
Read more about that effort and see the gorgeous fireplace mantels Lafayette gifted Monroe at this site.
Since my son’s dorm at nearby Patrick Henry College was named Oak Hill, after President Monroe’s home, I’ve long had a dream to attend one of the rare and unique opportunities to tour this lovely home.
So far I’ve had to simply settle for enjoying the moment while on my many drives on Route 15.
Q&A WITH MONROE, LAFAYETTE, AND MODERN AUTHOR
Thus arriving at Oatlands, many of us Lafayette fans assembled under a big white tent behind the Carriage House.
Soon a question and answer session began with Chuck Schwam (American Friends of Lafayette Executive Director), Mark Schneider (as Lafayette), Jay Harrison (as James Monroe), and author Marc Leepson of Lafayette: Lessons in Leadership from The Idealist General.
Many of the questions centered around parts of his book, to which Lafayette and Monroe would reply, then smile as they listened to the 21st century author share his perspective, and back and forth in teasing manner this continued, to our great delight.
It was fun watching them cross the 200 year old bridge, while discussing history.
STUMBLING UPON HISTORY AT THE CARRIAGE HOUSE
Although I had hoped to take a picture of Lafayette and Monroe together, Lafayette was called to other business soon after the program…which is SO 1825 of them to do!
Nevertheless, Lafayette and I stumbled upon one another before the program at the Carriage House, enabling us to trade felicitations once more.
Later, while awaiting my hubby at the Carriage House, I stumbled upon President Monroe, who grandly introduced himself and chatted with me for a few minutes…my first time to visit with him in person.
And so after the program, I chatted further with President Monroe, since I was especially intrigued by some stories I had read before arriving, about himself, Lafayette, and John Quincy Adams.
Full of tons of information, Monroe elaborately detailed amazing stories, which I cannot articulate as well as he did, so I researched a bit further as I prepared this blog post, to hopefully lay out the details correctly. In so doing, I found a few more interesting details!
Is it possible that Lafayette’s abolitionist stance on his 1824-1825 Grand Tour of America helped John Quincy Adams win the presidential election?
PRESIDENT MONROE – ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS
After the War of 1812, America experienced unity and purpose, due to: a few years of prosperity, lessening of political division, and interest in projects for the national good. –American Battlefield Trust
When James Monroe toured America after becoming president in 1819, his name forever became linked to the Era of Good Feelings, as a result of a newspaper reporter in Boston.
JAMES MONROE INVITED LAFAYETTE FOR GRAND TOUR
While continuing with the Era of Good Feelings, Monroe recalled his friend, Lafayette, who was well known and beloved in the thirteen states during the American Revolution, especially in Virginia.
Thus, in February 1824, President Monroe invited Lafayette to America for a Grand Tour of America (now 24 states) to rejuvenate patriotism in preparation for America’s 50th birthday in 1826.
MISSOURI COMPROMISE 1820 – BITTER DISCORD
Regarding whether to admit new states to the union as free or slave, Congress divisively fought, since the north wanted free states, while the south pushed for slave states.
In order to maintain unity, the Missouri Compromise of 1820 was enacted, which declared western lands north of the 36o 30′ parallel free, while lands south of the line would be slave.
Meanwhile, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams (under President James Monroe) vehemently opposed slavery, although he wanted the union to remain intact. Upon further reflection in his journal though, he wished they had fought for a Convention of States:
I have favored this Missouri compromise, believing it to be all that could be effected under the present
Constitution, and from extreme unwillingness to put the Union at hazard. But perhaps it would have been a wiser as well as a bolder course to have persisted in the restriction upon Missouri, till it should have terminated in a convention of the States to revise and amend the Constitution. This would have produced a new Union of thirteen or fourteen States unpolluted with slavery, with a great and glorious object to effect, namely, that of rallying to their standard the other States by the universal emancipation of their slaves. If the Union must be dissolved, slavery is precisely the question upon which it ought to break. For the present, however, this contest i[s] laid asleep. –John Quincy Adams’ journal
(Learn more about how a Convention of States works, as mentioned in this historic document.)
Proving John Quincy Adams right – despite the agreement – a powder keg simmered, waiting to blow into Civil War…
ERA OF GOOD FEELINGS
In 1824, tensions grew as America faced a presidential election beginning on October 26 and running to December 2, causing citizens to debate the course of the country, slave or free…whom to choose, especially since there were no more American Revolutionary heroes (who had proven their mettle) young enough (and still alive) for whom to vote. For whom to vote?
So, in early 1824, James Monroe, in his eighth year as president of the United States, sent the following invitation to Lafayette in France:
A public ship shall be immeditely ordered to the port which you may designate, to carry you to the country of your adoption early in life, and which has always cherished the most grateful recollection of your important services. – James Monroe to the Marquis de Lafayette, February 7, 1824
LAFAYETTE ARRIVES TO TREMENDOUS FANFARE
Arriving in New York Harbor in July 1824, Lafayette was cheered by massive crowds numbering in the tens of thousands while vendors created and sold memorabilia galore.
Traveling by boat and carriage, Lafayette traveled from town to town to enthusiastic greetings…(think the Beatles in the 1960s arriving to America from England).
So many people and towns wanted to see Lafayette, that he extended his tour even longer than it was originally scheduled, lasting until September 1825…lasting a total of 15 months!
ABOLITIONIST LAFAYETTE SPEAKS
Throughout his tour, Lafayette spoke of his many memories from the American Revolution, willingly fighting for the cause of liberty.
In that vein, he reminded those around him that he did NOT, however, fight to keep slaves enslaved…
Lafayette persistently exclaimed that he: gave his best services to and spent his money in behalf of Americans freely because he felt that they were fighting for a great and noble principle – the freedom of mankind. -Lafayette to Thomas Jefferson, 1824
Setting an example to help free one slave, James Armistead Lafayette, attached to his spy detail during the American Revolution, Lafayette constantly encouraged his American friends to do the same.
DIVISIVE ELECTION OF 1824
As a result of the Era of Good Feelings, political party divisions dissipated, leaving one main party for which to run: the Democrat-Republican ticket.
Although nine Democrat-Republicans were initially nominated for president, five dropped out.
Ultimately, four Democrat-Republicans threw their hats into the ring for presidency in 1824: John Quincy Adams (Massachusetts), Henry Clay (Kentucky), Andrew Jackson (Tennessee), and William Crawford (Georgia).
Promoting Alexander Hamilton’s American System, which included “national banking, protective tariffs, and Federal support for internal improvements” aka infrastructure, were John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay, both of whom also were anti-slavery. –Lafayette’s 1824 Tour and the American System – Blog
While both Clay and Adams were anti-slavery, John Quincy Adams was the only one who did not own slaves.
Like his father, Adams was also quite vocal about his stances, without putting on airs or appearances.
Meanwhile the pro-slavery candidates, Andrew Jackson and William Crawford, supported states’ rights in opposition to the American System.
After the votes were counted, Jackson led, with Adams close behind, while Crawford carried his own behind them.
Because no one achieved the required electoral votes to win, the initial election ended in early December at a stalemate.
ELECTION ANIMOSITY BUILDS
With the fewest votes, Henry Clay stepped away…then campaigned for Adams at Capitol Hill, because the House of Representatives was remanded to determine the election, casting one vote for each state.
Meanwhile, Jackson felt secure that he’d win in the House, since he had the lead going in.
However, what if he loses? Everyone knew that could mean a riot.
While the newspapers published on a recurring basis of the many entertaining stories of the many fetes granted Lafayette as he traveled America, raging articles attacked the political candidates in the election.
Likewise, Congress toasted Lafayette after a day of bitter discord on the floor, only to return to animosity when they returned to Capitol Hill the next day.
If Lafayette accomplished only a little, he was at least a balm to sooth tensions for brief moments as Americans recalled their heritage…sadly before returning to fighting.
However, Lafayette left a celebration in his honor due to disruption from the Pennsylvania militia:
The immoral Jackson is the chosen candidate of the people! Our representatives in Congress cannot, without betraying us, choose another for President! If trickery and corruption make the pretensions of Adams prevail, well then, our bayonets will do justice! We will go to the Capitol! We will proclaim there, we will cause to triumph there, Jackson’s rights by the force of arms, and militias of Pennsylvania will teach the entire union that they have not at all lost their old energy for the defense of that which they believe to be just! -Levasseur, Lafayette’s aid, who kept a journal of the Grand Tour
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WINS!
On February 9, 1825, Lafayette crammed into the House chamber with others of the public who crammed the galleries to see the certain drama on the floor.
Peacefully, the crowd, along with Lafayette, observed the House vote John Quincy Adams for the 6th president of the United States!
That evening, President Monroe hosted a victory party in the White House, attended by Lafayette, his son, George Washington Lafayette, and his secretary, Levasseur.
Surrounded by well-wishers, the sea parted to Andrew Jackson who strode forward, offering his hand to John Quincy Adams, in congratulations, with no appearance of anger.
ABOLITION GROWS
Meanwhile, the abolition movement grew while John Quincy Adams served as the sixth president of the United States, from 1825-1829, the last of a dynasty of the Founding Fathers who fought for and planted the seed of liberty.
After the presidency, Adams served in the House of Representatives from 1831 to 1848…constantly fighting for the freedom of slaves.
On December 31, 1834, John Quincy Adams eloquently delivered to Congress (at their request), the eulogy for America’s friend, the Marquis de Lafayette.
Fourteen years later, Old Man Eloquent, as John Quincy Adams was known, suffered a stroke on the House floor and died on February 21, 1848.
As per his prior request, one of his pallbearers was a junior representative whom he had closely mentored…who in 1860 became president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
