Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1847-10-28
3WhOIe No 9O5.


a spy should never have acted in.
that light, and what have done is nor
in the nature OF spy. have noted
neither your strength nor weakness. II
there be wrong IN the transaction is II
mine The office Of spy soldier has
a right TO refuse but, To carry and fetch
communications with another army,l new
er heard was criminal The circum-
stances which followed, after my inter
view with General Arnold, were not in.
my power to conirul. lie alone had The
management of them.
Il Ii is said that rode in disguise !
rode for security iac0g., as far as ! WIS
able, but other than criminal deeds i'll
duce one to do this. ] was not bound
10 wear my uniform any longer than 1t
was expedient or polite. scorn the
/ name OF spy; brand my offence with
/ some other title, if 1t change lnol my
! punishment, beseech you. it is not
death fear. am buoyed above it by a
d. consciousness Of having intended to dis
charge my duty in an honorable man
'ner.
\ Plans, it is said, were found wi,li ne
THIS Is true but they were not mine
Yet must tell YOU honestly that they
would have been conn unicated If had
not been taken. They were sent by Cen
eral Arnold TO the British commando.
and ] should have delivered them. Frou
the bottom of my heart, spurn the
thought of attempting to screen myself
10y eliminating another; but so far as i
am concerned she truth, shall be told,
whoever suffers. 1t was the allegiance
of General Arnold came out to secure.
1t was fair to presume that many brave
officer would be glad at ibis time to be
able 10 retrace his steps, at least We
have been so Informed Shall !, who
came out to negotiate this allegiance on
ly, be treated as one who came to spy
Out the weakness Of a camp! lf these
: actions are alike, ! have 10 learn my
: moral code anew.
Gentlemen, officers, be il understood
that am no supplicant for mercy; that
ask only from Omnipotence not from
} human beings. Justice is ah claim
8 that Justice which is neither swayCd by
f, prejudice, nor distorted by passion. but
! that which flows from honorable minds
D dictated by yirtuous determinations.
, hear, gentlemen, tha, my case is likcncd
to that of Captain Hale, in l771
d have heard of him and of his misfor-
= tunes. ] wish that in all that dignife-
5 man, that adorns and eeyates human mn.
ture, | could be named with that accom-
!, pllshed but unfortunate officer. His fte
was wayward and untimely he was Gu,
' off, yet younger than ] nov am. lie.
i the character of spy. lie took all i,s
: Liabilities into his hand, at the request of
. his great commander. He was ready r,'
u meet what he assumed and all its consc-
y quences. Ills death the law of nations
sanctioned. 1t may lie complimentary
to compare me with him, still it would
be unjust. He took his life in his hand
when he assumed the character and DIR
;. guise assumed no disguise, nor took
u upon myself any other character than
y that of British officer who had business
to transact with an American officer.
y la fine, ask not even for Justice IL
YOU want victim TO the names Of those
: fallen untlmeIy, ] may as well be that
u victim as another have, in the mos,
:, undisgulscd manner given YOU every fact
III the case. ! only rely on the proper
- construction of those facts. Let me be
-. called anything but a spy. am not :.
= spy have examined nothing, com
" muuicated nothing, but my detention, To
y Arnold, that he might escape If he
thought proper to do SO This was. a. |
-, conceived, my duty. hope the galan,
- officer, who was then unsusplciouS of hi-
~ general, will not be condemned for the
:, military error he committed
=, farther state that Smith, who was the
=. medium Communication, did not know
= any part OF our conference except that
a there was some necessity for secrecy. -
n lie was counsel III various matters for
General Arnold and from all the inter.
views had with him, and it vas Smith
who lent me this drcss-coat OF crimson
ly on being told that did NOT wish to b,
te known by English or Americans. | DC
Id not believe he had even a supposlton %
i, my errand. On me your wrath SHOULD
IL fall if on any one. know Your affair
nc look gloomy but that is no reason why
ch should be sacrificed. My death eau d,
re your cause no good. Millions Of friend
,e- to your struggle in England YOU vii
20 lose if YOU condemn me. say not this
il by way of threat for know brave meI
~. are no, awed 10y ihem-nor will brave
III men be vindictiNe because they are de
he spending should not have said
sn word had it no, been for the opinion q
an others, which ] am bound to respect.
- The sentence YOU this day pronounc
he will go down to posterity with exceedln
l great distinctness on the page of history
ad aud if humanity aud honor mark ,hI
nd days decision, your names, each aud al
TO of you, will be remembered by both IA
ng ,ions when they have grown greater an
more powerful than they now are. Bn
TO If misfortune befals me, shall IN tim
ea have all due honors paid to my memor!
10 'rhe tnartsr IL kent in rememlu anc