Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-03-21
secret serriee In ,he Revolutlot.

All of the mysteries that occurred in the
American Revolution, the employment OF
Rvington, editor of the Royal Gazette, in the
secret service Of the American Commander,
is the most astounding
Riyinoton proved faithful to his bargain,
and often would intelligence of great import
ance, cleaned in the conVitial moments at
Sir Williams or Sir Heneys table, be in the
American camp before the convivialists had
slept off the effects Of their wine. =.
The business of secret service was SO well
managed, that even suspicion never arose
as to the medium through which intelligence
of vast importance was continually being re-
ceivcd in the American camp from the very
headquarters of the British army, and, had
suspicion arisen, the Kings printer would
have been probably, the last man suspected;
for during the whole of his connection with
the secret service, his Royal Gazette literally
piled up abuse of every sort upon the Ameri-
can General and the cause of America.
In l783this remarkable mystery was solved.
When Washington entered New York as con-
queror, on the evacuation by the British forces,
he said one morning to two of his officers,
Suppose, gentlemen, we walk down to Riv-
ington's bookstores he is said to be very
pleasant kind of fellow" Amazed, as the
officers were, at the idea of visiting such a
man, they of course prepared to accompany
store, Rivington received his visitors with
great politeness; for, indeed, he was one Of
the most elegant gentlemen and best bred men
of the age.
Escortng the party into parlor, he begged
the officers to be seated, and then said to the
chief 'Will your Excellency do me the honor
to step into the adjoining room for moment
/ that | may show you list of the agricultural
works am about to order out from London
0 n Il aAA ha
| locks on the doors of the houses Of New York
more than three score years ago, were not so
| good as now. The door of Rivingtons pri-
/ vate room closed very imperfectly, and soon
became aiar, when the officers distinctly
/ heard the chinking of two heavy purses OF
gold as they were successively laid on table
The party soon returned from the inner
room, when Rivington pressed upon his
guests glass of Madeira, which he assured
them was prime article, having imported il
himself, and it having received the approba-
ton of Sir Henry and the most distinguished
bon UiUdRts of the British army.
The visitors now rose to depart. Riving.
ton, on taking leave of the chief whom he
escorted to the door, said "Your Excellency
may rely on my especial attention being giyer
to the agricultural works, which, on theil
arrival, will be Immediately forwarded t
Mount Vernon where | trust they will con
tribute to your qualification amid the shade
of domestic retirement"
Rivington remained for several years i
New York after the peace of 1888 1t was tn
general opinion at the time that if Rivingto
had been closely pressed on the delicate sui
iect of the secret service, characters of create
) calibre might have appeared on the tapis tina
} the Kings printer.-From The Ne,c York RI
collections and Pirate Memoirs Of GeorJ
Washington. r..........