distant places, together with the most distinguished public characters in the whole state of Virginia. There were also present on this occasion, many officers of high rank of the army and navy of the United States. Great preparations had been made by the citizens of Virginia, and by the state authorities, to celebrate the anniversary of the capture of the British army, under Lord Cornwallis, at this place, on the 19th of October, 1781; an event, in which Lafayette took a very active and useful part; perhaps no general in the siege, under Washington, was more active and useful--an event, also, which had great and immediate influence with the English government, to acknowledge our independence and offer terms of an honorable peace. General Lafayette had been invited, some weeks before, to be present in Yorktown, at this time. The Ex-Presidents Jefferson and Madison, were also invited to attend, but they both declined. Mr. Madison's want of health prevented; and Mr. Jefferson declined on account of age and infirmity. We give his letter in reply to the invitation. _"Monticello, Oct_. 9, 1824. "SIR, "I received, on the 2d instant, your favor of September 27, conveying to me the obliging invitation of the volunteer companies of the state, to meet them and their distinguished guest; Gen. Lafayette, at York on the 19th instant. No person rejoices more than I do at the effusions of gratitude with which our fellow-citizens, in all parts, are receiving this their antient and virtuous friend and benefactor; nor can any other more cordially participate in their sentiments of affection to him. Age and infirmities, however, disable me from repairing to distant occasions of joining personally in these celebrations; and leave me to avail myself of the opportunity which the friendship of the General will give by his kind assurance of a visit. He will here have the pleasure of reviewing a scene which his military maneuvers covered from the robberies and ravages of an unsparing enemy. Here, then, I shall have the welcome opportunity of joining with my grateful neighbors in manifestations of our sense of his protection peculiarly afforded to us and claiming our special remembrance and acknowledgements. But I shall not the less participate with my distant brethren by sincerely sympathising in their warmest expressions of gratitude and respect to their country's guest. "With this apology for my inability to profit of the honorable invitation of the volunteer companies, I pray you to accept for them and yourself the assurance of my high respect and consideration. "TH. JEFFERSON." Hon. Mr. Marshall, the Chief Justice of the United States, Major-General Taylor of the Virginia militia, Mr. Bassett, many years a member of Congress from the state, and a committee from Yorktown, went in the steamboat to meet General Lafayette. The address of one of the committee, on his entering the Virginia steamboat, was as follows: