American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-11-03

all points to receive them Ye, had time been given
them by the tardy retreat of that enemy, have
no do0bl but the rush to arms, and to the protection
OF their country, would have been rapid and uni
sersal as in their invasion during our late war; when
at the first moment Of notice our citizens rose in
mass, from every part of the State, and without
waiting to be marshaled by their officers and them.
selves, and marched off, by ones and by twos, as
quickly as they could equip themselves. Of tn
individuals of the same house, would start IN
the morning, second at noon, third in the even
ing no one waiting hour for the company of
another. This saw myself on the late occasion,
and should have seen on the former, had wind and
tide, and Howe instead Of an Arnold, sackened
their pace ever so little.
And is the surprise Of an open and unarmed
place, although called City and even Capital SO
unprecedented to be matter OF ndelibe reproach
Which of our Capitals during the same war, was
not in possession of the enemy. not merely by
surprise and for day only, but permanentyr That
OF Georgian of South Carolina North Caronae
Pennsylvania? New York? Connecticut Rhode
Islandp Massachusetts, And, if Others we're not,
it was because the enemy no object in taking
possession of them add to the list in the late war,
Washington also, the metropolis of the Union, COW
cred by fort, with troops and dense population
and, what capital on the continent OF Europe, 81.
Petersburgh and its regions OF ice excepted did nos
Bonapate take and hold at his pleasure Is 1t then
just that Richmond and its authorities alone should
be placed under the reproach Of history, because
IN moment of peculiar denuda,on Of resources
by the coup de main Of an enemy led on by The
hand OF fortune, directing the winds and weather TO
their wishes, was surprised and held fof "a honrs
Or, strange that that enemy, with such advantages,
should be enabled then to get off without risking the
honors he had achieved by bufnings and desruc.
tions Of property, peculiar to This principle OF wa
fare? We at least may Leave these glories TO theif
own trumpet.
During this crisis OF trial was left alone, unas
sisted by the CO operation Of single public fuDc.
tionary: for, with the legislature every member OF
the council had departed, TO take care OF his own
family, unaided in my bodily labours, bot by
my horse, and he exhausted at length by fatigue.
sunk under me in the public road, where had to
leave him, and With my saddle and bride on my
shoulders, to walk foot TO the nearest farm, where
borrowed an unbroken colt and proceeded to Mar.
chester, opposite Richmond which the enemy had
evacuated few hours before.
Without pursuing these minute Details will here
ask the favor OF you to turn 10 Girardns History OF
Virginia, where such Of them as worthy the no.
ce Of history related in that scale of extension,
which its objects admit. That work was written at
Milton, within two or three miles ct Monticello;
and at the request of the author comm uncated to
him every paper possessed on the subject, oil which
he made the use he thought proper for his work,
(see his pages 453, 400, and the Appendix XII
XVI can assure you of the truth CT every TACT
he has drawn from these papers and at the genu-
ineness OF such he has taken the trouble Q: copy
ing. 1t happened that during these days OF in-
cessant labor, for the benefit OF my own memory,
carefully noted every circumstance worth 1t. These
mfmorandums were often written on horseback and
on scraps OF paper taken out of my pocket at the
moment, fortunately preserved to This day, & now ly
ing before me. wish you could see them. But my
papers of that period stitched together In srge
masses, and so tattcred and tender, not 10 admit
removal further than from their shelves to reading
table They bear an internal evidence oil fidelity
which must carry conviction to every one who sees
them We have nothing in neighborhoud
which could compensate the trouble ct visit TO 1t,
unless perhaps our University, which believe you
have not seen, and can you is worth seeing.
Should you think so, I would ask as much OF your
time at Monticello, as would enable you TO examine
these papers at your ease. Many others too, are
Interspersed among them. which have relation to
your object, many letters from Gems. Gates, Green,
Stephens and others engaged in the Southern war;
and in the North also. All should be laid open TO
YOU without reserve for hete is not truth exist
ing which fear, would wish unknown to the
whole world. During the invasiohs OF Arnold,
Phillips, and Cornwallis, until my time OF Office
expired, made il a point, once week, by let
tiers TO the President Of Congress and to Genera!
Washington, TO give them an exact narrative OF
the transactions Of The week. These letters should
still be in the office Of State in Washington, and
in the presses at Mount Vernon. Or, il tie for
mer were destroyed by The CONGREGATIONS OF the
British, the latter are surely safe aud may DC ap-
pealed to in corroboration of what have now
written.
There is another transaction very erroneous!y
stated in the same work. which although net CON
corning myself is within my own know'edgc, and I
think it duty TO communicate II to you. am
sorry that, not being 10 possession OF copy OF The
Memoirs l am not able to quote the passage, and
still less the facts themselves, verbatim from tho
text: bu, OF the substance as recolleced, am