Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1873-11-20
lafavette and ArnoId.s Treason.

and Arnold's Treason.
Robert Dale Owen in Atlantic Monthly.
But the event Of this visit of mine
to Paris was my production by
Francis Wright, to General Lafayette.
or all the men living he was the one
| most enthusiastically admired, and
the one | had most earnestly longcd
to see. These feelings had gained
fresh feryor in the United States
Just two months before l landed at
New York Lafayette had returned
home in the Brandywlne, after a
years sojourn in the land which he
had aided to liberate, and by which
he had been welcomed as never
a nation, till then, had welcomed o
man.
| heard his praise on every tongue,
I found love and gratitude toward
him in every heart
Ny admiration and sympathy were
no doubt transparent, and these may
have won for me. from one OF the
most genial of men, d hearty recep
ton. At all events, he devoted him.
self to satisfy curiosity with an over
flowing g~ood-nature and winning
kindness and simplicity that l shall
remember to my dying day.
A few items of our conversation L
still most distinctly recollect. One
incident, presenting the Father OF his
Country in a rare aspect, ever recalls
to me, when / think of it, the tender
eyes and the gracious, loving man
ner which made the grand old French
man the Idol of ell young people
who were fortunate enough to share
his friendship.
1t was lust before the unmasklng
of the sole traitor who doomed up
during our Revolution, on one of the
most eventful days in all that event
full period; and more than four years
after the immortal Declaration had
been read from the steps of the old
Philadelphia State house; it was the
25th of September, $780, On the
afternoon of the preceding day
Washington, after dining at Fishkill,
had set out with lis sui,e, intending
to reach Arnold's headquarters,
eighteen miles distant, that evening
" hat would have happened had lie
carried out his intention we q now
only conjecture. What men call
chance-a casual meeting near Fish
kill with a French Minister, De Lu-
zerne-ipduced him TO remain there
that night. Next morning, after
scEding notice 10 Arnold that he
might expect him to u aklast, he
again changed his intention, turning
off to visit some Iedoub;s on the
Hudson opposite West Point. and
sending two aids de-camp to apollo
gize. 1t was while these officers
were at breakfast with the family
that Arnold received the dispatch
which announced Andres capture,
and caused hi, (Arnol1s) instant
flight, on pretense, to his visitors OF
a call from West Point. Some hours
later, Washington, arriving with
General Knox and General Lafay-
cite, and finding Arnold gone, fol
lowed him, as he supposed across the
river, and learned that Arnold had
not been to West Point, returned to
dinner. AS Washington approached
the house, his aid, Colonel Hamilton,
who had remained behind, came hur
riedly to meet him, and placed In his
Lands a dispatch, which, as conf
Dental staff officer. he had already
onanad -and nhiah-liAlA~AI1H
nold's treachery. Washington com
municated its contents, doubtless be
fore dinner to General Knox, and 10
him alone. with the brief and signifi-
cant words, Whom can we trust
uow?"
The usual version is that he thus
communicated the %portentious news
to General Knox and Lafayette,
Jointly; but that is an error. The
statement made to me by the latter,
during our journey to La Grange,
surprised and interested me at the
time, and has remained indelibly i'm
pressed on my memory. 1t was this:
When Washington sat down to din
ner, no unusual emotion was visible
on his c~ountenance. He was grave
and silent, but not more so than of
ten happened when recent tidings
from the army occupied his thoughts.
At the close of the meal he beckoned
to Lafayette to follow him, passed to
an inner apartment, turned to his
young friend without uttering 4 syl
liable, placed the fatal dispatch in his
hands, and then, giving way to an I'M
governable hurst of feeling, fell on
his neck and sobbed aloud. The CT
feet produced on the young French
Marquis, accustomed to regard his
General (cold and dignified in his
usual manner) as devoid Of the con
mon weaknesses of humanity, may
be imagined. 81 believe" said La
fayette to me in relating this anec-
dote, "that this was the only occasion
throughout that long and sometimes
hopeless struggle that Washington
ever gave way, even for a moment,
under a reverse of fortune; and per-
hnps / am the only human being who
ever Witnessed in him an exhibition
of feeling SO foreign to his tempera
ment. AS it was, he recovered him
self before l had perused the CON-
m~unication that had given rise to his
excitement, and when we returned
TO his staff not a trace remained in