“… our noble cause has prevailed…”

America 250 — Landmark Documents from President Roosevelt’s Early American History Collections

Follow our #America250 series of articles highlighting hundreds of remarkable historical documents, manuscripts, and rare books collected personally by Franklin D. Roosevelt. These special collections reflect Roosevelt’s abiding interests in early American history, our nation’s founding fathers, the American Revolution; and they evidence the personal importance he placed on historical preservation of American heritage. President Roosevelt donated each of these treasures to the National Archives so they would be permanently preserved and made available for public research and exhibition at the FDR Presidential Library & Museum in Hyde Park, NY.

Last post, we highlighted a document sampled from President Roosevelt’s extensive and remarkable collection of naval manuscripts.

Now we will pivot to another of FDR’s personal manuscript collections, which is known as the Historical Manuscripts Collection. This collection contains material on almost every phase of political, social, mercantile, and military life in the United States, during the period 1636-1936. FDR prized the collection perhaps more for its autographs than for historical reference. Yet, in addition to the signatures of numerous well-known individuals, it does contain source documentation of significance. Of note are papers of prominent persons from the American Revolution and the early United States, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, James and Dolly Madison, and Andrew Jackson.

From this personal collection of FDR’s, we are highlighting a file copy of a letter written by the Marquis de Lafayette to Elias Boudinot on February 5, 1783. Boudinot was the President of the Continental Congress at the time.

Lafayette, an aristocrat and nobleman from France, served in the Continental Army beginning in 1777, attaining the rank of major general. First inspired by the American cause, he traveled to General Washington’s army and would serve with distinction throughout the war to became one of the most admired figures on the American side.

The letter featured here, provided confirmation and congratulations to the Continental Congress, concerning the preliminary peace treaties signed at Versailles, France, between Great Britain, France, and Spain on January 20, 1783; and the “Declarations of the Suspension of Arms and the Cessation of Hostilities” signed by the American delegation that same day, which solidified the preliminary peace treaty between the United States and Great Britain that had existed since November 30, 1782. These preliminary peace agreements with Great Britain would be formalized on September 3, 1783, as the “Treaty of Paris” for the United States and the “Treaties of Versailles” for France and Spain, formally ending the wars between them (collectively known as the “Peace of Paris”).

The letter from Lafayette also describes his feelings about peace and his service in the war, as well as his hope to return to America and his optimisms for America’s future. The letter also highlights his continuing work on behalf of the United States in their quest for independence and international recognition. In the letter, written from Cadiz, Spain, Lafayette describes his current posting with a large fleet and army of 20,000 men (under the command of the Comte d’Estaing), that was seemingly ready to strike in the event negotiations in Paris broke down. Lafayette then reveals his impending travel to the Spanish capital, Madrid – likely to help encourage relations between a new United States and Spain (Spain was an ally of France, not the United States in the war).

Within the letter, is also a remarkable wish for the new nation – found in Lafayette’s final paragraph – one which foreshadows the next century for America:

Now, sir, our noble cause has prevailed, our independence is firmly settled, and [American] virtue enjoys in reward – No exertions, I hope, will now be wanting to strengthen the federal union. May the states be so bound to each other, as will for ever defy European politics. Upon this union – their consequence, their happiness will depend – it now becomes the first wish of a heart so truly American that no words can express its grateful, unbounded, and eternal affection.  

Lafayette would return to America in July 1824, in advance of the 50^th Anniversary of the United States of America, to tour the young nation and inspire a new generation of Americans.

Thanks to Robert Laube, FDR Library volunteer, for transcribing Lafayette’s handwritten letter