The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-09-12
MAJOR ANDRE AND GENERAL WASHINGTON

Philadelphia North American take the following very
able and interesting passage. The review is evidently
from the pen of Hon William B. Reed
But we are devoting too much space transatlantic
storya large portion of this volume being given to Amer
can affairs On the threshold the American reader starea
and panied by Lord Mahons narrative the treason oil AT
mold and his harsh Judgment Nahingons action IN the
case of Major Andre is in opinion most nconeusiye
and unsatisfactory and think detect how 1t has
been brought about 1t the more painful because oiu
Mahon not only his other volumes but in thisn the I'M
mediate context-is in his appreciation OF Washing
ton He loses chance of doing justice to his LOFTY spirit
and high courtesy to fallen foe at Yorktown, ana 10 ms
gentle and noble nature the of Captain Asg lhs
presents in sharper his harsh judgment in Andres
matter He even preserves in note anonymous SANDER
retaed in Fauxs Memorable Days OF an American geher
al the name is not given by Lord Mahon though Is by
Faux insulting Andre on his way to execution py telling
him. you die for your cowardioe ana Ike coward Inns
is patent SANDER which sorry to see reproduced In
the columns of daily Journal we, of course, have no means
Of discussing this question should be- but Lord Mahon
NAV be assured that there is no part OF Washington con
duet which has been thoroughly ed better under
stood or more thoroughly approved than this SAD as was
the necessity think he does greatly deceive himself
in surprising that ere long, intelligent Americans
Up. 1869 will agree with him.
Andre spy in every sense vulgar ana ,ecnn
l------- A. c. s~Ls lAah. ~siasy
admit of doubt IT, case narrated by Lord
Mahon elsewhere the Duke de Cron had in br
bling the governor of Mnorca Sir Henry Clinton did Ar
mold and had conducted his purchase by sending gal
liant young French Spanish ad-deeamp his messenger
to carry the negotiation and to bring him plans of the be-
aed position and he had been caught he would have been
spy Major Andre and would have been treated
SUCH His court of inquiry might have consisted of OF
higher rank and larger experience than the homey Amer
who Andres but their decision would have
been the Nay does it Lord Mahon that
putting on the ground of mercul consdera
ton stricter rule and sterner example necessary
when the belgerept parties not nations equal foot
1,tn
to show mercy British spy than she could when
act of mercy necessarily construed into act Of
fear 1t the moment of the agony of our fate Lord
Mahon rests his argument against the justice of Washngton
decision the sophistry that Andre spy because
he entered the American lines under pass from de Jaco
American officer Arnold Now, the very instincts Of
(if may such phrase) revolt at this. Arnold
traitor and known to be such both Andre and to Sir Hen
ry Clinton He longer for them American officer
The porter who leaves the door unlached who meets and
coners with the thief in the ycstbue longer the agent
of the house. but the confederate of the invading thief Ex
scty such Arnods position Congress would doubt
have been responsible for contract he had made for for
age supplies down TO the moment when he fed to the
vulture but his of crime involved immunity to his
willing conederates. We have but hint at the fall
lacy of this line Of argument 1t might be illustrated with
conclusive force
"At loss to reconcile the cruelty to Andre with Wash
ngons ordinary of Justice Lord Mahon
it by aributing it to strong and angry passona fierce
resentment aroused by Arnods perfdy Now, it
from close study of Washngtons most familiar writings
and scrutiny of his conduct described by those who
rowly watched it, that did he show greater secontro
than at this crisis Whom trust {? his
terrogatve exclamation to Hamilton Lafayette and this
all he said; and in his letters to his endsto
Governor Reed for examplehe wrote of Arnods perfd
yany but that railing any approach VIC
lence of language Washington felt Arnods treachcry
keenly he had been slow to believe him guilty of
minor crimes but wtha there departure from the
calm dignity of his character no irritation small resent
earnestly and its victims IN ay ab protest
tons motives to of low rritablity and passion
Lord Mahon has had to peculiar and most inter
esng material this point in history and yet 1T seems
to u.s. this very material has med him. We refer to the
manuscript memoirs of Sir Henry Clinton, which now, for
the first me have BEEN in part given to the world For
Sir Henry Clinton the historian has evident and most
natural partially. He in every deserved it. He
most gallant man, and worth OF Iiowes or Bur-
goynes The able of British strategy in those days
were clearly Clinton and Corvallis But in this Arnold and
Andre matter Sir Henry played for large stake, and lost
He put the table of perou hazard valuable human life
and the stake swept away All he gained for Andre
Arnold and that very poor equivalent In all he
did attempted he did but his duty and considering the
sacrifice the failure and the anguish which, to generous
heart it must have involved cannot wonder at the irr
taon which engendered. Every page of his diary re-
veals it, this diary Lord Maon has been most
full and sympahizing student What clearly reveals it
than the passage which Lord Mahon cites, written in 1850 or
later in which the vulgarism OF Mr. Washington Is pre-
served, passage WHlch lnleu III splcui, "'
we quote simply show the bitterness of unjust resentment
in which the British COMMUNICATIVE chief INDUCED when re-
ferrne 10 this bis fatal error Speaking of Washing
ton, he says u. 81
"Deliyering himself as it would seem, TO the ranc1r
excited by the accomplishment OF plan which might
have eectusly restored the Kings authority and hunped
him from his exalted stuaon he burned with de
of wreakng his vengeance on the principal actors IN
and consequently regardless of the acknowledged worth and
abilities of the amiable young man who had fallen into hs
hands and opposition to every principle OF policy and call
humanity he without remorse put him to an ANONYMOUS
deat,, &c
awe are surprised hat Lord Mahon did not see in lam
guage like this temper which utterly united bir Henry
Clinton as authority the More unjust dcnunciaon
could not well compressed in many words The feeling
in this country on this point is well asccraincd and British
writer's need anticipate any reversal Of it, deep cordial
sympathy with poor Andre, much more generous than ey
beow cd on ayEe OF Hddy respect for hs courage IN the
face of DEATH but fixed approval OF WashnGohs oonuuct
and decision from first to last
Turninr willingly from this vexed question, gladly
commend Lord Mahon narrative, graceful picturesque,
and emnently udicous American readers Copying
the language of an English critic who in respects
scarcely docs the work justice truly say 1T is one OF
the most readable Of recent books eyery page has the
impress of a graceful, amiable, honorable mind,
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