Halifax County celebrated the 200th anniversary of Marquis de Lafayette’s farewell tour of the United States, first Thursday in the county seat of Halifax where the Halifax Resolves were signed on April 12, 1776, and then today in Enfield where some 300 students took part in the celebration.

Halifax

Lafayette, portrayed by Samuel Powell, was welcomed in Halifax with cannon fire and the ringing of a bell as his fellow Masons and townspeople greeted him. He was then taken to the Hen and Hog for dinner and the traditional 13 toasts of the time.

Carl Burke, site manager for Historic Halifax, welcomed the general in a portrayal of Major Allen Jones Davie, son of William R. Davie.

“Although most of the sires of the Revolution are no more, and few are now left to hail and welcome their old friend and fellow soldier; yet, ere the grave had claimed all that morality could pay, they engraved on the hearts and the memories of their sons a deep and indelible impression, of your many eminent and splendid services, bestowed on our country in the darkest hour of her fortunes; but they did not, could not, leave us language to portray our warm, fervent, and lasting gratitude,” Burke said in remarks made to Lafayette 200 years ago. “It is a gratifying circumstance that we have the pleasure to receive General Lafayette, in that house which may be considered as the birthplace of the freedom of North Carolina. It was here that the constitution of our state was formed; it was under this roof the Legislature voted all the best energies of the state to aid that Revolution in which you, sir, bore so distinguished a part.”        Said Burke as Davie: “This day shall be long remembered by the citizens of Halifax; our children’s children will account it a high festival and keep it holy. For on this day, we have been suffered to pour out the effusions of our gratitude to the friend of Washington, the benefactor of America, and the patriot of France.”

Enfield

In Enfield, North Carolina Secretary of State Elaine Marshall told the audience, “It’s quite a pleasure to be here in the middle of peanut country, the place where democracy has stood long and strong.”

She said, “If it were not for the Halifax Resolves, the North Carolina delegates may not have had the right understanding of the idea that the citizens of this state believed that we should separate from the British reign.”

Directing her comments to Lafayette, she said, “I appreciate the fact that you came here seeking liberty … understanding what people of this continent thought were rights for them, especially the rights of women.”