Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1845-12-04


The following facts relative to the .rea.
sonable acts of Benedc, Arnold and the
providenlial illustration of his nefarous
designs. we copy from speech, deliver
ed by II. ID. Owen, at New Harmony,
Indiana, Feb. 22, 1910:
The public events connected with Ben
edict Arnod's treacherv are familiar To
every one; but the private details of that
story are. in various histories OF the PERI
cd, either incorrectly given or essentially
omitted. The surrender OF. Vest Point
was hnl small portion Of arnold's plan.
He had projected the decoying ,hllier,
and the betrayal into Sir Henry Clln,on's
hands of General Washington himself, of
Lafayette and of the principal SAT- oil.
GERS. Had his plan succeeded, how diff
fercnt might have been the story history
| would have TO tell
a trifing circumstance caused lis fail
nre. Arnold had invited Washington.
| then. if | recollec, Alright, on his return
home from Hart(ord,) to breakfa>, with
| him al West Point, on the very morning
the plot was discovered; and Washington
had promised to accept the invitation. lie
was prevented from doing so, BIZ an mr.
gent request made 10 him by an old nlf.
Ger, near to whose station he passed, that
he would remain The night with him,
and next morning inspect some works IN
the neighborhood. Washington accord
ingly despatched an aid from his suit to
make his eXcuees 10 Arnold. The mes
senger rode all night, and arrived mex,
morning at West Point. Arnold invited
him TO breakfast. Whilst sitting al table,
letter was brough, to Arnold, from the
post of the officer commanding the scout
ing parties on the American lines. As his
eye fell upon the superscrlpiion. The cup
which he had raised 10 his lips, dropped
from his hands. he seized the lettrr.rush-
ed from the room, locked himself in his
bed chamber; and in few minutes after
wards. was Oh his way to an English
sloop of war then lying in The North river.
In the meantime, while Washington
and his staff. including Lafayette, were
seated al the table at the quarters of the
officer whose invitation had DELAYED the
visi. to West Point. despatch was
he Immediately opened, and laid down
WITHOUT comment. No alteration was vis
lille in his cunnlenance, but he remained
perfectly silent. Conversation dropped
among his suit; and. after some minutes
the General beckoned 10 Lafayette TO fol
low him. retired 10 an inner apartment,
turned TO Lafayette without uttering a
syllable. placed the fatal despatch in hi.
, hands, and then giving way To an ungov
, ernable burst of feeling-fell on hi.
+ friends neck and sobbed aloud. The ef
fee, produced on the young French Mar
) ouis. accustomed 10 regard the Genera
(,oll and dignified in his manner alinos
10 extreme, as devoid Of the usual weak
ness of humanity. may be imagined. .
r from that venerable patriots own lips thu
: blamed the narrative now relate. :"
believe Ibis was Tie only occasion
, throughout, that long and sometimes hope
less struggle, that Washington ever CAV
; way, even for moment. under revers
j.. of torture; and perhaps was the only
: human being who ever Witnessed in hin
&. an exhibition 50 totelSH W HIS teHiPei
ment. As il was, he recovered himself
before had perused the communicate
j that gave rise TO his emotion: and wbe
a he returned 10 his staff, no trace remain
: ed on his conntenance either of grief 0
, dependency,
, So true it is, that Of all human revel
a SEES. the betrayal of confidence, on tn
II par, Of one who has been implicitly ,rus
e ed, is, TO generous nature, The harde'
II and bltlerest TO bear!