The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-04-26

supper, the company returned to the
| ballroom, and kept up the dance till
| four in the morning, reaching their
homes about sunrise.
4 This festival, as Major Andre. re-
marks, was the most splendid ever
given by an army to its chief. And
little, indeed, had that chief done to
deserve it. An old officer of the
British army, who perceived tile fol
ly of paying such extravagant hon
ors to a general who had won no vic
tories, said sadly:-"What will
Washington think of all thisy'
Exactly month from that day,
the British army evacuated PhiIadel-
phia, and away they sped across
Jersey, with General Washington at
their heels. A day or two after a
body of American troops marched
in, commanded by General -Bene-
dict Arnold. All was changed.
The red coats had disappeared;
blue coats were in the ascendant;
and the new Yankee General was
the foremost man in the city. Ar
mold, a vain, weak man, ever fond of
display and luxury, appropriated to
himself one of the handsomest hous-
es in the town, where he set up a
costly establishment, kept a great
many servants. gave splendid din
ners, and maintained a handsome
equipage drawn by four horses-a
| scale of expense utterly lncompati-
able either with his fortune or his
pay. No one, however, knew at the
time that, to maintain this costly
pomp, he was concerned in specula
tions unworthy Of an officer and a
gentleman, and sometimes used the
public money that passed through
| his hands.
In inviting his guests, as the pat
riotic portion of the people remarked
with surprise, he was as likely to Sc
lect tories as wings. He seemed to
court the adherents of the King, and
| he frequently had at his table the
wives and daughters of public enc
mics, who had been publicly pro
scribed, and had found refuge with
the enemies in New York. Among
the families who attracted his re-
gard vas that Of Edward Shipper,
and he was soon observed to pay
particular court to his daughter
Margaret. Arnold was then a wild.
over, thirty eight years of age, just
twenty older than the young lady,
Ere long he formally asked her hand
from her father, and, her father con.
f senting, he addressed the daughter
and they were engaged.
In the meantime Arnold had be
) come so odious by his extravaganza
and his insolent, everbearing conduct
+ to the people, that Congress was
: obliged to take cognizance of the
fact. On the eve of his marriage
q he was ordered to be tried by court
! martial. Miss Shippen, however
. was true to her engagement, and
married him five days after The
court martial, as every one knows
, sentenced him to be reprimanded BY
General Washington, and he wai
reprimanded accordingly.
sour profession" said Geneaa
Washington to him, sis the chast
est of all; even the shadow of fault
> furnishes the lustre of our fines
! achievements. The least inadvert
ance may rob us ofthe favor, so hard
to be acquired. 1 reprehend you fol
' having forgotten that, in proportion
, as you had rendered yourself formid
f able to your enemies, you should
! have been guarded and temperate
+ in your department towards your fel
low citizens. Exhibit anew those
noble qualities which have placed
, you on the list of our most valued
commanders. l will myself furnish
you, as far as it may be in my pow
r er, with opportunities Of regaining
the esteem of your country"
| This was more like an eulogiuh
? than a reprimand; but it did not
: touch the heart of Arnold, who went
} from the presence of his commander,
not to regain the esteem of his coun-
try, but to betray that country.
a year passed away. He was in
command at West Point, in cores
pondence with the enemy. Whether
she shared her husbands secret dur
ing those months of preparation, will
perhaps never be known with GER
tainty. Just before the explosion
Of the treason at West Point, Arnold
sent for his wife and child to join
him; and 1 have seen the letter
j which he wrote to her on this occa-
sion, telling her of the best way OF
reaching him; and what house she
could sleep at on the road. Arnold
and his wife were seated at the break
: ( fast table, with Hamilton, Lafayette
and an aid In the midst of the
{ meal a horseman alighted at the
J, door; and, in moment after, a let
ter was placed in Arnold's hands,
which informed him of his ruin. He
controlled his countenance, rose
, quietly from the table, and beckoned
| his wife to follow him. They went
up stairs to their room, where lay
their infant child; and there he told
her he was a ruined man, and must
4 fiy, that instant, for his life. She fell
senseless to the floor. Leaving her
there, he rushed from the room, hur-
: ried down stairs, sent some one to
| her assistance, and then returned to
T the breakfast room. He told his
guests that General Washington was
: coming, and he must make haste to
prepare tor his reception. He
, mounted the horse of the messenger,
who had brought the Letter and gal
loped away.
Colonel Hamilton has left us an
, interesting account of Mrs. Arnold's
: demeanor after her husbands dc.
parture. He says she remained
. frantic all day, and accused every
one who approached her of an in
, tention to murder her child. She
, continued, he says, to rave until she
was utterly exhausted. But Colonel
f Burr, in his old age, was accustomed
| to give a very different account OF
4 the meter. He had known Mrs.
Arnold from her infancy, aud he de
. lclared that she knew all about heI