The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-10-27
MARGARET ARNOLD.


We give this week an extract from Mrs. Ellet's
new work, The Women of the Revolution,
assured that it will interest those of our readers who
have not the volumes at command Presuming
that they are already familiar with the history Of
many of the ladies whose biographies Mrs, Ellet
has given. we have selected that of one whose
name has been-wTongtully, we are persuaded
associated with treachery and mpatrIOtc sentI-
menls. 1t is pleasure to find our countrywOman
thus vindicated, and by one of her own sex. Mrs.
Ellet has here displayed true generous and woman
y feeling, and the record of the unhappy life and
lonely death of Mrs Arnold, cannot but move our
deepest sympathy Meals Philadelphia Saturday
Gazette
The wife of Benedict Arnold was Margaret
Shippen, of Philadelphia. One of her ancestors
Edward Shippen who was Mayor of the city in
the beginning Of the eighteenth century, suffered
severe persecution from the ZealOts in authority at
Boston, for his Quakersm but, successful in
business, he amassed large fortune, and, accord
ing to tradition, was distinguished for being the
biggest man. having the biggest house, and the
biggest carriage in Philadelphia" His mansion,
called " the governors house, " Shippen's great
house, and "the famous house and orchard out
side the town. was built on an emnence, the
orchard overlooking the city yellow pines shaded
the rear, a green lawn extended in front, and the
view was unObstructed to the Delaware and Jersey
shores. princely place, indeed, for that day
with its summer house, and gardens Astounding with
tulips roses and lilies 1t is said to have been the
residence, for few weeks, of William Penn and
his family. An account of the distinguished per-
sons who guests there at different times, would
be curious and Interesting.
Edward Shipper, afterwards Chief Justice of
Pennsylvania, was the father of Margaret. His
family, distinguished among the arstOcracy of the
day, was prominent after the commencement of the
contest among those known to cherish lOyalist prin
ciples-his daughters were educated in these, and
had their constant associations and sympathies
with those who were opposed 10 American indie
pendence. The youngest of them-Only eighteen
years of age-beautiful, brilliant, and fascinating,
full of spirit and gaiety-the toast of the British
officers while their army occupied Philadep hia-
became the object of Arnod's admiration. She
had been one of the brightest of the bellies of the
MischianZa :" and it is somewhat curious that the
knight who appeared in her honor on that occasion,
chose for his device a bay-leaf, with the motto,
Interchangeable" This gay and volatile young
creature, accustomed to the display connected
with the pride of life,' and the homage paid to
beauty in high station, was not one to resist the
lure of ambition. and captiyated it is probable
through her girsh fancy, by the splendor Of Ar
nods equipments, and his military ostentatlon
These appear to have had their effect upon her
relatives one of whom in manuscript letter still
extant, says: I'VE understand that Gen. Arnold,
a fine gentleman, lays close siege to Peggy thus
noticing his brilliant and imposing exterior, without
word of information or inquiry as to his character
or principles
4 letter from Arnold to Miss Shipper, which has
beempubshed-written from the Camp at Raritan,
February 8th I779-not long before their marriage,
shows the discomfort and of his heart IN the
illusions to the President and Council of Pennsy-
vania These feelings were probably expressed
freely to her, as it was his pleasure to complain Of
injury and persecution while the darker designs,
of which no one suspected him till the whole COM
munity was startled by the news of his treason,
were doubtless buried in his own bosom.
Some writers have taken delight in representing
Il l. "
lOus and artful seduCtress, whose nOrdnate vanity
and ambition were the cause of her husband s
crime; but there seems no foundation even for the
suppOsitiOn that she was acquainted with his pur-
pose of betraying his trust She was not the being
he would have chosen as the sharer OF secret so
peTilOus nor the Discrimination attributed to her
consistent with her character. ArnOld's marriage,
it is true brought him more continually into tamil
liar association with the enemies OF American llber-
ty and strengthened distrust of him in the minds OF
those who had seen enough to condemn IN his pre-
vious conduct; and it is likely that his propensity
to extravaganza was encouraged by his wife taste
for luxury and display, while she exerted over him
no saving influence. In the words OF one OF his
best biOgraphers " He had no domestic security
for doing right-nO firesde guardianship to protect
him from the tempter. Rejecting, as we do utterly
the theory that his wife the nstlgatOr OF ms
crime-all common principles OF human actlon De-
ing opposed to tive still believe that there was
nothing in her influence or associations to counter
vail the persuasons to which he ultimately yielded
She was young, gay and frivolous; fond of display
and admiration, and used to luxury; she was ut
tery untitled for the duties and privatiOns of poor
mans wife, loyalists daughter, she had been
taught to mourn over even the poor pageantry Of
colonial rank and authority and TO recollect with
pleasure the pomp of those brief days Of enjoyment
/ when military men of noble station were her adj
mirers Arnold had no counsellor on his pillow, tC
! urge him to the imitation of homely republican yir
tue to stimulate him to follow the rugged path of
! Revolutionary patriot He fell and though his
wife did not tempt or counsel him to ruin, there i
no reason to think she ever uttered word or made
a sign to deter him."
| Her fundamentally in the intercourse carried OF
while the iniquitous plan was maturing, according
to all probability, was an unconscious one. Malo
| Andre, who had been intimate in her fathers fam
lily while General Howe was in possession of PhIla
| delpha wrote to her from New York, in August
1873, to solicit her remembrance and offer his ser
vices in procuring supplies, should she require any
in the millinery department. in which, he says play
fully the Mschanza had given him skill and ex
/ perience. The period at which this mssive wa
sent-more than year after Andre had parted wit
the e" fair circle" for which he processes such llvel
regard, and the sngularty of the letter itself, JUST
fed the suspicion which became general after II
seizure by the Council of Pennsylvanla-tha II
offer of service in the detail of capwire, needles
and gauZe, covered meaning deep and dangerous
This view was taken by many writers OF the DAY
but, admitting that the letter was intended TO con
vey mysterious meaning, still, it is not concihslv
evidence of Mrs Arnods participation III Inc ue
.~Cfl -