The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-03-21
NE w BOOKS.


NEW BOOKS
From Charles Scrbner New York and London;
for sale by Jas. S. Waters:
THE TREASON OF. CHARLES LEE, Major General second in
command in the American Army Of the Revolution. By
cal ocetv Read before the Soc etv on Tuesday evening
June 22d, 1881 lvol Svo., PIP. ll5 1860.
The study and comprehension of the events and
the men of the American Revolution may he said
to have just fairly commenced. 1t seems to
qure the decay of severa generations to bring into
proper relief the facts on which history depends.
Questions about which contemporary opinions
were strangely divided, and which contemporary
judgments could never decide, are often stripped
by time Of the false lights and collateral circum-
stances by which their proportions distorted,
and at length to be received, in some
degree, as they really existed Especially is the
character assigned to men by their own age, sub
ject to process of modification and readjustment
by posterity. man may never have been hero
with his valet, but the very good reasons which
the valet had for differing with the world about
his masters claims. often remain concealed for
an age, when they turn up in unexpected
way, and convince us, beyond all doubt that the
individual who aided in making up the exterior of
the unconquerable general, or the wise and ncor-
structure of the figure thus presented to the world
than all the rest of the world put together.
General Charles Lee was of the heroes of our
Revolution AT time, it is scarcely too much to
say that, except in the prestige dependant upon
moral qualities, he stood ahead of Washington
himself, in the opinions of half the Wings of
America. Aspiring, as he openly did, to the
chief command, there were not wanting many, not
-; oF,,n TOD ID g.; H.
believed that the cause of freedom would have
prospered more rapidly in his hands than in those to
which a wiser Providence had confded it. As late
as 1913, work written in England to prove
that Charles Lee the author of Junius; and
yet it is conclusvely demonstrated that this
man was, in point of capacity, humbug, and in
morals a poor rogue-ranking far below Benedict
Arnold in every manly and solderlike quality,
and his equal only in unsuccessful treason. The
evidence of this, for the first time presented to
the world, rests upon manuscript of undoubted
authenticity, which was brought from England and
offered for sale to the editor, by whom it sub
sequently purchased. A fac Simle of this extraor-
binary document-endorsed "Mr. Lees Plan, 80
March, l777'-is bound up in the volume before us,
with another manuscript of General Lea letter
to General Gates-to afford means to every reader
concocted, was during the authors captivity in
New York, after he had been taken prisoner, in a
manner utterly disgraceful to him as a soldier, at
Baskng ridge New Jersey, by Col Harcourt.
The traitor commences his ''plan" with an excuse
for his treasonwhich wa, the inevitable failure of
the American arms, and his wish to be instru-
mental in composing the unhappy differences in
proper way. After urging that taking possession
NJ.
nothing, he proceeds: "To bring matters to a con-
"cluson, it is necessary to unhinge dissolve if
''may so express myself, the whole system or
"machine of resistance, or, in other terms, the
Congress government. This system machine as
"afairs now stand, depends entirely on the cir
'cumstances and disposition of the people of Mary
Gland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. If the province
of Maryland or the greater part of it, is reduced
cor submits, and the people of Virginia are pre-
''vented inundated from marching in aid to the
''Pennsylvania army, the whole machine is dis
''solved, and a period put to the war;" &C., &c.
The plan proposes that General Howe should send
four thousand troops take possession of Annapolis
and Alexandria. At these places call the necesa-
fries and refreshments for an army are near at
"hand, and in the greatest abundance. Kent
''island will supply that of Annapolis, aud every
Cambria
He pointed out that these posts would sup
port each other, being only two days march apart;
that Baltimore, some spot the west bank of
the Susquehanna, might be SEIZED and that the
populous German settlements in Pennsylvania and
Frederick county, Nd, might, by carrying the
war amongst their rich farms, be brought to sub
mission. He proposed the issuing of proclamations
IF pordo fo ubO ~
his confidence in his plan that he ventured 'to as
"sert, with the penalty of his life if the plan were
"fully adopted and accident (such as a rupture
betwixt the powers of Europe) intervenes, that in
"less than two months from the date of the proca-
"maton, not spark of this desolating war re-
'mains unextinguished in any part of the CONT
"nent."
"Such," says Mr.. Moore, "was the scheme
''of treason which Charles Lee, Major General Sc
"cond in command in the American army of the
Revolution, took the liberty of offering to the
% consideration OFT Lordship and the General
'lts form and character do not admit the SUPPOSE
"tion that he had been tempered WITH solicited or
approached in any way on the subject. 1t must
have been the voluntary offering of cowardice,
"eager to purchase safety by treachery and thus
''to open the way back to allegiance and protec-
'tion.'
This extremely interesting and valuable contri-
button to countrys history, is but the prelude
to more elaborate work, which the author pro-
poses to pubish-"The Life and Treason Of Charles
Lee"
From the same:
DIARY OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, from Newspapers
and Original Documents BY FRANK MOORE in two
volumes Svo PIP 52s-559. 1860
"The materials of these volumes are taken from
Wing and Tory newspapers published during the
American Revolution, private diaries and other
contemporaneous writings. As far as practicable
the language of the writers has been preserved"
The idea of making the Revolution tell its own
tale, by reprinting the current comments upon its
events, is for the execution of which the editor
will receive the thanks of every class of readers
We believe this work is sold only by subscription
and will be forwarded to any address, postpaid on
receipt of five dollars by the publishers.
From the same; and for sale by James S.
Waters:
MARSH vol, Svo.. pp 6g7 by 'hOA'h T.
This volume contains thirty most admirable lee
lures, delivered by the learned and eloquent au-
thor in the autumn and winter of 1852 at Col
umbia College, before what was termed post
graduate class. They are eminently popular in
their style and treatment, yet the noble science of
phology is most ably and thoroughly developed.
Also:
WOLFE OF THE KNOLL, AND OTHER POEMS. By Mrs
IEoAGE 7. MARSH. / vol l2mo PIP 321. 1860.
From Ticknor and Fields Boston; for sale by
James S. Waters:
SERMONS ON ST PAUL's EPIsTLEs TO THE CORINTHIANS
Delivered at Trinity Chapel Brighton. By Rev
i25. 1860. ' fF'
From J. E. Tilton & Co., Boston; for sale by
Cushings Bailey:
HOME PAsTIMEs, or Tabeaur Ti7ants 1 vol l2mo pp.
From T. B. Peterson Brothers, PHILADELPHIA:
for sale by Henry Taylor, Sun Iron Building:
The HAUNTED HOMESTEAD and other Nouveetes with an
autobiography Of the author. BY Mrs. EMMA D. r N
SoUTHwORTH, author of Deserted Fife, &c l vol,
l2mo. 1860.
From D. Appleton & Co., New York and London:
for sale by Jas. S. Waters:
HISTORY THE EARLY CHURCH. from the first preaching
of the Gospel to the Council of Nice For the use Of
young reis By the author of Amy Herbert. vol,
limo 1860
NAGAZINES RECEIVED.
De Bow for March, 1860
a LiTleIoUs PLAYwRIGHT.-Mr. Dion BoURCICAULT
who seems latterly to have acquired passion for
laying lnJunctons upon theatrical managers has
warned Miss J. M. DAVENPORT to desist from any
further performance of play adapted from ScorT's