Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-10-08
Lafayette and Arno1d's Treason.
by ROBERT DALE OWEN.

But the event OF this visit ot mne TO iafls
was my introduction by FrarclI Wright TO Cen
eral LAFAYETTE. OF all men living he was The
one | most enthusiastically admired, and the
one | had the most earnestly ohgcd to see
These feelings had lained fresh fcrror IN me
United States. just Two mouths before land
cd at New York lafayette had returned home
in the BIandywne, after year 5 SrJoun III
the land which he aided to llbcratc, and ny
which he had been welcomed as never naIl"l,
till then, had welcomed a man.
| I heard bis praise IN every tongue, | louhu
love end rra.iluie toward him in every heart.
Nv admiration and sympathy were, no doubt
transparent, and these may have w"n Tor me-
from one of the most genial of men, hearty
reception. At all events, he devoted himself
to satisfy my curiosity, with M yclhowns
eood nature and winning kindness and slul-
nGcity that [ shall remember to NY dying day
| A few items of our conversation L still most
distinctly recoIlcct. Ohc lnc'den', presenting
| the Father CT his Country in rare aspect, ever
recalls TO me, when | think of it, the ;cn,icr
eyes and the gracious, loving manncr e. the
grand old Frcuchmau, the idol of all young
| neorle who were fortunate enough 10 share his
| friendship.
It it was Just befnr the unmasking Of the
sole traitor who doomed up during "ur Revoh.
ticu. on one of the most cvcnttu days III all
that eyentful period, and more than four years
after the immortal Declaration had been read
from the steps Of the old Philadelphia State
Housc-it was the 18th of September, 80
On the afternoon of the preceding day, Wash
iuptop, after dining at FiShki had set Out
with bis suite, intending to reach Ar"old 5
Headquarters, eighteen miles distant, that even
ing. What would have happened. had ne car
red out his intentions, We eau now only COZ,
lecture. What men call clancc-a casual
meeting near Fishkill with the French Minis
tel. De Luzcrne-iuduced him to remain TIER.
that night. Next mornIng, after sending no
ticc to Arnold that he might expect ham to
breakfast, he again changed lis lncnlon, turn
lug off to wish some redoutts on the Hudson,
opposite West Point. and sending two alds-dc
camp to apologize. 1t was while these officers
were at breakfast with the family tat ArnClI
received the dispatch which ann" un"nd Andre :
capture, and caused his Arnold ) Instant fight
on pretcnse to his visitors. of /. call from West
Point Some hours later Washington, arriving
with Gen. Knox and Cen Lafayette, and find.
i.g Arnold gone, followed him, a. he supposed
across the river, and learning that Arnold had
not been to West Point, returned to dinner
As Washington approached the house, hi. aid,
Col, Hamilton, who had remained behind, came
hurriedly to meet him, and placed in his hand
dispatch which, as confidential staff officer,
he had already opened, and which disclosed
| Arnold's treachcry. Washington communicate
ed It's coutcnts, doubtless before dluncr.tu Gen.
| knox and 10 him alone, with the brct and
| significant words, "W hOm can we trust now
The usual version is that he thus connlun-
Gated the poreniOus news to Generals kn0X
and Lafayette jointly, but that Is az error The
statement made to ME by the latter during our
Journey to LII Grange surprised and Interested
NE at the same time, and has rcmaiucd IN
dclibly impressed on my memory. Ii was THIS
When Washington sat down to dinner no
unusual cmotiou was visible Oh his cnuntcnance.
He was grave and silent, but not more 50 than
often happened when recent tidlugS from the
army occupied his thoughts. At the Close 81
the meal he bcckoncd to Lafayette to follow
him, passed to an inner apartment. turn
ed to his young friend without utter
ing syllable, placed the fatal dispatch IN his
hands aud then, giving way to an ungovcrna,
bic burst of feeling, fell 90 his neck and sot'bcd
aloud. The effect produced on the young trencl!
marquis, accustomed to regard his General
(cold and dignfcd in his usual manncr) as de
void Of the common weaknesses OF humanity
may be imagined Il believe. said Lafayette
10 III TtldlIliS llls 'HoI '''' va
the only occasion throughout thar long and
sometimes hopeless struggle that Was hlngton
ever gave way even Tor moment, under IL re-
verse Of fortune; and perhaps am the only
human being who ever witnessed in him an cx'
hibition Of feeling SO foreign to his temporal
mcnt. As it was he recovered himself before
| had peruscd the communicating that had
given rise to his excitement, and when we re-
| iurned IN his staff not q trace remained IN his
demeanor either Of grief or dcspouJclIcy. -
atlantic Monthly for Octoler.
TEETH OF A SUPPOSED MAMMOTH FOUND
IN AUGUSTA CoUNTY.-Wc have in our pos
session four teeth supposed to have been those
of Mammoth or Mrgatherium, left with Us
by Major McCue. He gives us this de>erlp-
ton of the place and circumstances under which
they we're found: y mile below the village Of
Sangcrsville, on North river, Is the farm known
80 IL, ,iJor ,,no,lo rf th,. r. ,l1utv rs 'f,rvpt.