The semi-weekly mountain Democrat. (Placerville, El Dorado Co. [Calif.]) 1860-1860, 1860-09-01
The Treason Of Gen. Charles Lee.

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Had Col Napier accomplished nothing
more in writing his history of the PENN.
sular War, than the vindcation of the
character Of Sir John Moore from the as
PERSONS arising from his unfortunate cam.
paign in the north of Spain, he would
have rcapcd result rewarding abundant
| ~ all his labor. lie who vindicates q no.
bic character, especially that of the dead,
from the malice and misrepresentation Of
| Ignorance and slander, accomplishcs n no
bic work. Little less is the service done
to truth and humanity by him who tears
the mask from hypocrisy, and reveals q
pretended virtue and patriotism in the. ug-
illness Of its ambition, bascncss, and sell
tiShness. The feeling is amiable and conf
mendablc which prompts the sentiment
De -N0rtuSiS nil nisi G0num. This
however, like every emotion of the heart
that is lovely and Of good report, must be
held in ohcyance by justice. Times may
arise when TO speak nothing but good Of
the dead may be treason to truth, no less
than injustice to the great and good whose
fame is the cherished inheritance Of com-
ing generations.
Such is the case in reference to the
memory Of Gen. Charles Lee. History,
Providence, we should rather say,-has
at last done him justice What many
good men had long suspected, unanswcr.
allie evidence now confirms. The New
York Historical Society have laid our
country under additional obligations by
the publication of a volume rutitict,, he
treason of Charles Lee, Major General -
Second in command in the American
Army of the Rcvolutitaa-" This volume
is by George II. Moore, Esq, Librarian of
the Society. The document which SO
clearly proves the treason of General Lee,
was brought with others from the same
source in England and after rigid cX.
animation to satisfy himself of thor gen
uincncSS, was purchased by Mr. Moore,
and is now in his possession. Tic may
well say, he thus finds himself in sole
possession Of papers Of the most startling
charactcr-H key to some of the Strangcst
events of the Revolution" lie gives a
fac-simile of this paper and the letter
written by Lee from Baskingridge the day
he was captured. No person who exam
ines them can doub: they were both writ
ten by the same hand
Lee was caPt0rcd, December II, TITO.
lie was carried to New York and though
accounts were circulated Of his being
harshly treated, they were certainly ex-
aggcrated. Other authority confirms his
own words in letter to Robert Morris,
that Gen. Howe has treated me in all
respects with Kindness, generosity, and
tenderness" That he was roughly han
died at the outset is equally certain. This
rigor was relaxed, and General IIowe's
kindness, generosity, and tenderness"
substituted, because Gen. Howe found that
this man around whose neck, as a British
officer, Aahaltcr might be thrown, could
be used for iniuring the patriot cause.
Lee showed a willingness to make his
military knowledge and his influence
gained in our service, the means of saving
his own neck and advancing the interests
Of England This proof of his treason is
endorsed in Lees own handwriting, "Mr.
Lees Plan-o9th March, 1777." Thus
early after his capture, had he made his
trcasnnablc ovcrturcs.
In the indignant words of Mr.. Moore,
alt was at this time that he abandoned
the cause to which he had so solcmnly
devoted himself lie was wanting in the
hour Of trial At the touch of misfortune,
like the angels spear, the DISCUSSES of
rowardicc and ;reachery FL! away, and
the pages upon which he recorded his own
condemnation, indicate his claims to q
high place upon the list Of traitors, of
whom-tO the sorrow and shame of hu-
manity be it spoken, Judas was not the
first, nor Benedict Arnold the last! While
the Continental Congress were dcnoun-
cling their most solemn vengeance in re-
taliation for any injury which he might
receive at the hands of his captors-while
| Washington, forgetting the insults and
injuries which had led to his misfortunes,
was straining every nerve in his behalf,
and urging his request upon Congress
with constant zeal and Sympathy,-mE
WAS PLANNING FoE THE ENEMIES OF AMER
IcA, THE RUN OF THE CAUSE"
This plan is Stratcgctcal memoran-
dunn, occupying about three sheets Of let
tcr-papcr, laying down series of opera
tons for crushing the patriots. The cs-
Scntial point, he says, is "unhinge or dis
solve the whole system or machine of re-
SiStancc, or in other terms, Congress Gov
ernmcnt." This is said to depend, as
affairs then stood, entirely ON the people
of Maryland, Virginia, and Pennsylvania !;
"if the province Of Maryland or the great
CT part of it is reduced or submits, and
the people of Virginia are prevented or
intimidatcd from marching to aid the
Pennsylvania army, the whole machine is
dissolved and period put to the war. ."
lie recommends, in order to accomplish
this end, that an expedition be sent to oc-
cupg the New Englanders at home /; and
then -four thousand men DC Immediately
embarked in transports, one half Of which
should proceed up the Potomac and take
post at Alexandria, the other half up
Chesapeake BAY and possess themselves
of Annapolis" These posts, so strong
by nature" were to be strengthened by
military works; proclamations Of pardon
were to be issued and measures taken
to make those places the points from
which strong bodies of troops should sally
forth to harraSS the refractory patriots in
TO submission. After going through his
plan in detail, of which we have been
able to notice only the salient points,-hc
concludes am so confident of the
event that will venture to assert with
the penalty Of my life if the plan is fully
adopted, and no accidcntS-Such as rup-
ture betwixt the powers of Europe-in-
tcrvene, that in less than two months
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