How To Address A Letter To His Excellency

miles young, welcome to lafayettecollege we are so delighted to have you here to receive this well-deserved honorary degree. wewould love to show you some items from our collection, our marquis de lafayettecollections here at lafayette. the centerpiece of our collectionhere at the college

How To Address A Letter To His Excellency, are a 149 original letters thatlafayette sent to george washington and i have two of the greatest ones on the table. in fact, i often say theseare two of the great letters in american history. this first one waswritten in 1783

by lafayette to washington and lafayette is having the honor and pleasure oftelling washington that the preliminary peace treaty that will end the americanrevolution has just been signed. but what makes this letter incredibly remarkable is what happenson page four. i will point out to you this lastsentence is just so moving. he says to washington: "ifit be a wild scheme, i had rather be mad that way than to bethought wise on the other half." this is the first inkling that he isgoing to be an abolitionist,

something that he espoused for therest of his life. but this letter is probably the mostfamous letter in the collection and this is the letter by which lafayette transmitted to washington the key tothe bastille that hangs at mount vernon. so just he is so eloquent and he says "i owe this as a son to my adoptivefather, as an aid to camp to my general, and as a missionary of liberty to its patriarch".

-those are truly amazing. truly amazing. -thank you, miles. we're very proud of them