General - Your arrival in the United States has been hailed with a joy as ardent as it is universal; and permit me to say, we are happy to mingle our congratulations with those of our fellow-citizens in bidding the gallant soldier, the friend of Liberty and of Man, welcome to these shores - welcome to Nassau Hall. In common with others, we enjoy the rich blessings of freedom and independence, which your generous aid, at a time of gloom and trial, contributed, under God, in an eminent degree to establish.Residing also on a spot renowned in the story of our glorious Revolution for one of the most brilliant exploits of our beloved and revered Washington, surrounded with objects that daily remind us of the arduous struggles of that eventful period, we cannot forget the generosity of that noble-minded youth, who came, like an angel from Heaven, to aid the oppressed and to vindicate the rights of man. We stand on consecrated ground. These classic groves, these venerable walls, have witnessed other scenes than the peaceful contests of the Muses, and retired labours of virtuous youths, ambitious to ascend the hill of science. A mercenary and foreign foe possessed these walls—a ruthless soldiery polluted these academic shades.But the wrongs of Nassau Hall were amply revenged. The sword of Washington, your companion and friend, and the blood of the gallant Mercer, redeemed this seat of science.Fully restored to its original destiny by the peace that succeeded the siege and surrender of York-Town, (in which you, Sir, bore a distinguished part,) this College has annually sent forth Alumni, who have held no secondary place in maintaining the freedom and independence of the nation, so ably achieved.Here young men from different States have acquired not only the elements of science, but what is of more importance in a government like ours, the love of hberty, and the veneration of those brave men " who fought and bled in freedom's cause." Here, on each succeeding anniversary of our National Independence, our youth have vied with each other in recounting the sufferings, the labours, and the dangers, that attended our Revolution—in celebrating the wisdom and magnanimity of our statesmen-the valour and heroism of our warriors. And permit me to assure you, that on these occasions no name demanded and received a purer and more deserved tribute of praise, than that of Lafayette. Hence the love of liberty and of country that have ever distinguished the sons of Nassau Hall. And if the memory of virtues so sublime, and services so useful, has cherished in our youths a devotion to the principles of 1776, how deep and how salutary must be the impression made by the cheering countenance and living voice of one who exhibited these virtues and performed these services?Happy Youth! who have the felicity to see the man whose property and whose blood were freely given to purchase their inheritance, returning after a lapse of nearly halt a century to behold the glorious results of his youthful enterprise, and to receive the thanks of a nation. Yes, generous Youth! Long will you remember this day, and the important lesson that it teaches. —You have before you a model of magnanimity successful enterprise, equal to any of which you read in Roman or Grecian story.