Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1817-02-24

vINDICATION
lQf Van Wart, Padding and Will
liams.
The three pirtuoils and patriotic W.
mericaa Yeomen Uho arrested Iud-
,jor Andre.
Colonel Benjamin Tallmsdge. .
member Of the house Of Representa-
tives of the u. States, in speech
which he lately delivered 10 that
body, ventured to aseribe to the cele
brated csptors Of Andre. a character
the most infamous and detestabie. Il
Ito their conduct on that occasion,
motives the most sordid and odions
He accused these men Of being as
loiten 10 the camp Of the enemies OF
their country. as in cur own; OF be
ling men. destitute not only ofpatriot.
ism, but Of common honests and ho
|nour /; of belonging to that detests-
lble gang usually known BY the name
|of cowboys. He charged them. in
EFFECT. therefore, with deing the viiest
Iof thieves and rsbber, /; and in DO
ling 50. represented General Wash
Iington and the Congress as beaow-
ling the public bounty upon wretehes.
utterly base and contemplate from
mere motives Of policy. There was
in this attempt, an intrcpidity wor-
lihy q better cause but at the same
time y ra huess which he will never
cease to repent. Cot rallmadge
has endeavoured 10 tear the fairest
leaf from our history. and 10 deprive
the yecomanr, Of our country OF a
theme in which thew gloried. and Of
AN example, whose influence is not
less extensive and important. than
was that of the immortal William
TELL. lfhe has done 50. upoa slight
lgrounds :; not from his own know
Hedge, but from the caiumnies Of the
lenvious. and the mere suspicious Of
Ian enemy, he has incurred a respon
sibility. which be must meet -; a
responsibility from which the per-
sonal respect with which he ma,
have been heretofore regarded ought
not to protect him, nor gene 81 coin
eide of political opinion to release
him.
Upon what grounds did the colonel
accuse these men of being Cow boys1
of being az often in the eueny's
camp, as 10 our oan1 Did he know
the facts /! lf he did. be must have
seen them steal. be must have seen
them IN the enemy's camp But he
does not pretend this,-What then
if the evidence Of these facts Al
most hsarsay--- which might indeed
be true--but /. might also be, as in
fact it was, false.--This evidence
WAS assurcdly too loose. for the
charge he advanced. against men
n hose services had certainly been
; and who, sbseut, were
not 10 condition to justify them.
selves The colonel is "a Christian.
Did he here observe the golden ruler
The colonel has his enemies how
would no feel, il the community
should judge Of his eharaeter,by their
,calumnie-
The utmost that can be said in
Ipa liation Of col. Tallmadge's con-
duet, is that he believed what he said
TO be trse He believed them TO Dr.
Cowboy Pluaderers. because he heard
SO 1--He believed they would have
permitted Andre TO proceed. If he
had more TO give them, becsusc An
DIRE said he was Of that opinion Up
on such grounds tho col. emplo, ed
the weight of his character, ind the
Authority Of his place. to eonsign to
infamy the three men who had aved
West Point and the army!
There is not court Of Justice in
shristendom which woul not spurn
such evidence. There can therefore
be no fear that il will he received by
"a grateful people. And altho' We are
fully persuaded that nothing has ap.
|pesred to put the accused upon their
|defense, yet we proceed, gratuitously
to lay before our readers, such con.
elusive testimony a. will salty the
whole world.
And first, as to these men being
Coy boys.-1heir neighbours would