Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-02-28


him, nor general coincidence oil p0iitica'
opinion, To release him.
Upon what grounds did the Colsnel
accuse these men oil being Cow-boys oi
being as often in the cnemy's camp, as IN
our own! Did he know the facts ii
he did, he must have seen them steal /;
he must have seen them IN the enemy 5
camp! But he does not pretend tins.
What then is the EVIDENCE of these facts
At most, hearsi,y--whicli might indeed be
truc-but it might also, be, as IN fact III
was, false. THIS evidence was assurcdiy
too loose, for the charge he advanced
against men whose service had certainty
been important; ard who, absent, were
not in "a condition 10 Justify themselves.
The Colonel is Christian. Did he here
observe the golden rule? The Colonel
has his enemies how wo,ld he feel, III the
community shouid judse of a,s character,
by their calumisics
The utmost that can he said III paIiia-
ton af Colonel 3iallmadge's conduct, Is,
that he believed what he said To be true.
He believed them 10 be Cowboy plumber
ers. because he heard sd !! lie believed
they would have permitted Andre TO
proceed, ifhe had had more tn give them,
because Andre said he WAS OF that opin-
ion Upon such grounds the Colonel
employed the weight OF his character,
and tie authority of his place, TO consign
to infiny the three men vino had saved
West Point and the army
There is not court otJustice IN CHRIS
tendon which would not spurn such evil
dcnce.-There can therefore be no fear
that it will be received by grateful peo-
pie And although we are fully persuad-
ed that nothing has appeared TO put the
accused upsn thcirdcfence, yet we proceed,
gratuitousIy, 10 lay before our readers,
such conclusive testimony as will satisfy
the whole world.
And first. as to these men being Cow-
boys. Their neighbours would be, OF al!
others, most likely to know the fact, if 1t
were so and the annexed certificate from
men aged and venerable, will shcw that
they were not even suspected. But the
oath of Mr.. Van Wart is decisive.
As TO the second point, whether the
caplors of Andre would have released
him for very large bride, provided he
could immediately have paid II, that is ID
circumstance which could be known only
6y themselves. And Mr.. Van Wart ex-
pressly denies the imputation IN the an
nexed affidavit.
The only possible question that can
remain is, whether the witness Is worthy
of credit.-To this point, we bring men
who have known him from his infancy,
men, whose venerable hairs are silvered
by age: they speak TO us from the verge
of the grave and they unite IN the
declaration that no man is more entitled
to be believed, than Isaac Van Nart!
The nature Of the case does not admit
of testimony more precise, perfect and
conclusive The reiutation is sOlemnly
sworn TO, and by a man who, i'll moral
and religious department during long
life, has had no superior.
isaac Van Waits A1;tlarit.
Isaac Van Wart, OF the town of Mount
Pleasant, in the county Of Wcstchestcr.
being d,lv sworn, doth depose and saw.
that lie is one of three persons, who ar
rested Major Andre, during the American
revolutionary war, and conducted him TO
the American camp. That he, this de-
poneni, together with David Williams
and John Padding, had secretcd them
selves at the side of the highway, for the
purpose ofdetecting any person coming
from or having unlawful intercourse with
the enemy, being between the two armies;
a service not uncommon in those tim es
That this depouent and his companions
were armed with muskets and upon
seeing Major Andre approach the place
where they were concealed, they rose and
presented their muskets at him, and re
quired him to stop, which he did. lie
then asked them whether they belonged
to his party and then they asked him
which was his party? to which he replied
the lower party. Upon which they,
deeming a little stratagem, under such
circumstances, not only iustitiable, but
necessary, gave him TO understand that
'hey were of his party upon which he
ioyfully declared himself to be British
officer, and told them, that be had been
out upon very particular business. llav-
ing ascertained thus much, this deponent
and his companions undeceIvcd him as o
their characters, declaring themselves
Americans, and that he must consider
himself their prisoner. Upon this, with
seeming unconcern he said I've had a pass
from General Arnold, whichhe exhibited,
and then insisted on their permitting him
TO proceed. But they told him that as
he had confessed himself to he British
officer, they deemed it to be their duty to
convey him TO the American camp; and
then took him into wood a short dis
lance from the highway, in order to guard
against being surprised by parties of the
enemy, who were frequently recOnDoitcr-
ing III that ncighborlood. That when
they had him IN the wood, they proceeded
TO search him, for the purpose of ascer-
tanning who and what he WAS, and found
inside of his stockings and boots, next to
lfIc hare ,,annro ,,I,,i, ,..t,. Il