The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1780-10-17 00:00:00, page 2

Lifer. Partial triumphs have been a
curse to us ; and slashes of success, like an
ginis fatuus, lead us on to our ruin. The
Americans, driven to resistance by our
oppreflions, have furprized the world with
what they have dared, and what they have
atchieved: The found of applause from
foreign nations has reached them : Such
Spirits are not easily quell'd : They have
endured much for independence § they
have possessed it a long time ; they are
proud of it ; by all this they are better
prepared to defend it.---Tlieir armies, it is
granted, have foretimes been unapplied;
and fared hard : What has oeen the con
sequence ? Have they mutinied.? Have
they disbanded ? Have they gone over to
the ^nemy ? Nothing like it. Their Ge
neral, like C^far, has set the . example of
contentment, and his soldiers, like those
cf the Romans,have only demonflrated an
invincible attachment to their leader and
their cause. The fuccours they have asked,
and readily received from France, shew
that the cause is common to them both,
and the interest mutual ; and this being
the case, such a kind of intercourse, in
dead of weakening, must. every :day
Strengthen the bands of thealliance. But
France, it seems, with little or no aditi
onal expence, with all her resources, and
with all the abilities of her great financier,
must soon be bankrupt : Instead of expect
ing this, I dread, from the immense dis
proportion of loans at wh:eh we fopport
the war, our own approaching deftrudi
on. At the rate we go on, France, with
out a single victory, must totally ruin us.
But what Shall we fay of the wealth of
Spain? All the world knows her reve
nues were never in better order, and in
these the Americans must find a sure Sup
port. I Smile to hear the noble. Lord in
the blue ribbon talk of vanquishing them
from their want of Supplies. They have
vast resources in themselves; their fields
are covered with plenty; their pastures
abound with flocks and herds ; their land
ed interest, even during the war, increases
in value every day: Foreigners know all
this, and will be ready to lend them,
We ourselves furnifh them with vast Ap
plies: What an immense quantity of pro
vifioris and goods cf all kinds have their
cruizers captured from the trade and pub
lic Fores of this nation ? But their confe
deration, we are told, is not complete.
It may not be formally, but it is virtually:
We have felt it. And should any thing
be wanting on this head, we ourselves
shall cure the defe&. They may differ
among themselves in unaliential points
while they think themselves fafe from our
power, but press them with arms and they
will be perfectly united : That partial
fucccfs, the expectation of which pleases
so much, the noble Lord, will, only con
firm their confederation, and call forth
new exertions. Their government is al
ready established, and in most if not all
the colonies, appear as well fettled as if
the revolution had taken place a hundred
years ago. What madness then must
it be in this nation to continue a war
with such insupportable burdens, with
nop'rofpe& of final success, and only to
plunge ourselves into deeper deftruc
tiou !
^HfL &DELPHI A, Oanbet 4 '. ,
As the public curioli.y and anxiety must naturally
be railed tc ahigh pitcl, by the providential de
teAion cf the perfidy aad treachery of a late d.l
- genera! officer of the United S.ater, we
shall endeavour to ^iveour readers such part cu
lars as have come to out knowledge, and are well
authenticated.
On Monday the 25th ^lt. Coigrefs received a
letter from General G/eene.. inciting one ftor.l Col.
Hamilton, one of General Washington's aids, in
forming him tint a fecne of the blacked villany had
been just disclosed ;, that Arnold was gone off to the
enemy ; that Col. Andre, Gin. Clinton's principal
aid tad.confident, was apprehended in difeuife in
our camp; that Will Point (where Arnold com
manded) was to be the facrifice, and that all the
dispositions wAe made for delivering it fp on Mon->
day the 25th uh.' at night-;- that he halt purfusd
Arnold as far as Verplanck's [Point, from which the
letter was dated, but without success ; that though
ft was net probable the fort would now fall, yet it
Was pebble, and afpecieily as the wind was fair :
therefore he recommended to Qtn. Greene (Who
commands the array in Gen. Washington's absence)
to pit it under matching orders, and death a bib
grade inimedhuely. ~•
The letter from Gen. Greene confirms the above
account, but adds no material particulars.
As soon as these letters were read, the contents
were communicated to the Vice P^fidejt and' the
Council of this State and toe Judices of the Supreme
Court, who discard an immediate Seizure cf all
Arnold's papers, which w^ made ; ,nd though no
direct proof of his treachery was found, the papers
difclcfe fucha feene cf b^fenefs and prostitution cf
office and char&aet, as it is hoped this new world
cannot' parallel. His participation of the plunder of
this city, when he held the command, after the eva
cuation of the enemy, isaow found by the agreement
finned between him and his accomplices to share the
profits of that fhameful baEnefs. It appears that he
and fame others, whose names will probably in due
time be made known, now have fubfifiing commas
with perlons in New York fee merchandize. In
making an estimate of h# chate, he enumerates the
shire of the Hoop A&ive; though he found witness
to fware before the grand jury that he had no there
in her. In short, hi, whole command appears to
have beta a fanetf the baftft trade and pail c plan
tier. In Aigaft laS, hedirefts his wife to draw all
she can from the com^^ricr. and fell it or fibre it.
though at that very trail the army was destitute cf
provifeof. In the privActorrelpondence of his N
mily and himfelf, are captained the most sarcastic and
contemptuous expreffioni of the French nation, and
of an eminent personage of that country, whose hof
piulity and politeneft they woe at that tirae fre
quently experiencing. Theilliberal abuse of every
charaaer, opposed to his fraudulent and wicked tranf
a&ians, exceeds all description.
Prudence forbids oar mentioning the names of
those persons who appear by his letters to have fop
ported 2nd abetted him in his nefarious ,radices :
Nor is it necaffary, as ithe journals of a great assembly
and the countenance he received in this city from
fomt perlons, will easy dirtd the public judgment.
The attempts to Bi*matize the Prefidentand Council
of this State, and to saddle it with the payment of
the flocp AAive, muR now appear in their proper
light, and fill the authors with fheme and remerfe.
Our correspondent concludes, with a remark cn
the fallacious and dangerbus sentiments so frequently
avowed in this city, thut female opinions are of no
confequebee in public matters. The Romans thought
far otherwise, or we ffeuld not have heard of the
Clelias, the Cornelias, and Abias of antiguiy: And
had we thought and card like them, we should have
defy fed and banished from fecial interccurfe every
charader, whether male or female, which could be
so loft te virtue, decency and humanity, as to revel
with the murderers and plunderers of their country
men. Behold the confequcnc& Co!. Andrew under
the mask cf friendffi p end former acquaintance at
Nkfchiarzar and Balls, opens a correfpondtr.ee in
Anguß 1779, with Mrs. Arnold, which ha^ doabi
kf; been improved on hit part to the dreadful and
horrid issue we have defcrikd ; and which, but for
the over ruling care cf a kind Providence, must
have involved this country and cur allies in ^at
difcfs. and perhaps utter ran.
The following is Arnold's infamous letter to our
<Great Commander.
On board the Vulture, Sept. 25, 1780.
^I R,
64 THE heart which is conscious cf is own
reAitude, cannot attempt to paliate a fep which the
world may censure as wrong ; I have everzaedfrem
a principle of lov# to :ry country, fleet the .<s^
mexeamt of the prefect unhappy ban est between
Gm'-Britsia aid tfa colonies, the ferae principle
of love to my country adaa;# my prefect conduct,
however it may appear inconsistent to the world,
who vlry leldom j idge right of any man's a&ions.
" I have no favour to aft for myfelf; I have too
ofcfl experienced the ingratitude of ray country to
attempt it, bat from the known humanity of your
Excellency, I am induced to ask your protection for
Mrs. Arnold, from every insult and injury that the
miflaken vengeance of my country may expose her
to. It ought to fall only cn me, she is as good and as
innocent as an angel, and is incapable of doing wrong.
I beg she may be permitted to return to her friends in
Philadelphia, or to come to me, as she may choose ;
from your Excellency I have no fears on her account^
but she miy sass r from the miAaken fury of the
c untry. ' < .•
" I have to rrqutfi the inclofed letter may Be &li
vertd tc M^. Arnold, & she permitted to write to me.
, I have also to ?jk, that my clothes and bag
g%e» which are of little conflquence, Lay be sent
to me ;,if- reached, their value shall be paid for in
taoney." I have the hczor to be, with great regard
and esteem, Your Excellency's most obedient,
,Humble fav^nt, B. ARNOLD.
His Excellency General Washington.
N. B. In jxAicc to the gentlemen of my family.
Col. Varick and Major Franks, I think myftlf in
honor bound to declare, that they, as well as Jo.fhua
Smith,Efy; (who [know is fufpeaed) are totally
ignorant cf any tranfa&icns of mine, that they had
reafoD to believe were injurious to the public.
A concise Dtfcription, of th. Figures exhibited and
paraded through As Amu of this city cn Sa
turday h^.
A flage raised pn, the body'qf a cart, on which
was an effigy, cf General Arnold fitting : This was
duffed in regimentals, having two facts, emble
maticaf of his Iraitetous condua, a mask in hid left
hand, and a letter in his right from Belzebub, tell
ing him that he had done all the..mifchief he could
do, and nowhe mul hang himfalf.
And at the back of the General was a figure, qf the
. Devil, dreff<d in bhek robes, Shaking a park of
money at th^ General's left ear, and in his right
hand a pitch fork, ready to drive bte;into hell; g
thb reward due for the many crime, which his thl;£
of gold had made him commit, ; , f ^ )
In the front of the Hage, and before Generat Ar
nold, was placed a large leathern of tranfpu&at
paper, with the consequences of his crime that
delineated, i. e. on one part General Arnold cd hie
knees before the Devil, who la pulling him into the
flames ; a label from the General's month, with these
words, " My dear Sir, I hale saved you faithful
ly To which the Devil replies, "And I'll re
ward you." On another fide, two feuu h^ging)
inscribed, •♦ The Traitors reward," and wroteun
deroeath, " The Adjutant General of the &itifh
army, and Joftiua Smith ; the Ard hanging as a fey#
and tieothez as * traitor to his country." And on
the front of .he lanthorn was wrote the following r
" Major-General Benedit Arnold, hie Cbm
mender cf the Fort Weft Point.
The crime of this Man is High Treason.
" He has deferred the important pofi Weft Point,
on Hadron's Rv^r committed to his charge by his
Excellency she Commander in Chief, and is gore
off to the enemy at New York.
“ His design to h@ve given up the fortrefs to our
enemies, has been discovered by the goodaefs of the
Omnifeient Creator, who has net only prevented
him tarrying into execution, but has thrown into
our hands Andre, the Adjutant General of their
army, who-was de^a&d in the infamous charaaer
of a spy. : -
" The treachery of this ungrateful General is
held up to publ c view, for the exposition of infamy,
.and to proclaim with joyal acclamation, another in
fiance of the inter portion of bounteous Providence.
• 6 The effigy of th a ingrate is therefore hanged
(for want cf his body) as a traitor to his native
country, and a betrayer of the laws cf honour."
The procession began about four o'clock in the
following order:
Several gentlemen moutned on hcrfeback.•
A line of Continental Officers.
Sundry gentlemen in a line.
A Guard of the City Infantry.
Just before the cart, Drums and Fifes playing the
Rogue's March.
Guards on each fide.
The procession was attended with a numerous
concourse of people, who, after expressing their ab
horence of treason and the traitor, committed him
to the flames, and left both the effigy and the %)*!#
to fink into effier end aHftiten. ,