Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1873-10-22
and ArnOld's Treason.

Robert Dale Owens, of the Atidnti1
Monthly, writes: The event of visit to
Paris was my introduction, by Frances
Wright, to General Lafayette. OF al
men living he was the one most enthu.
siastically admired, and the one had
the most earnestly longed to see. These
feelings had gained fresh servor in the
United States. Just two months before
landed at New York Lafayette had
returned home in the Brandywine, after
a years sojourn in the land which he
had aided to iberate, and by which he
had been welcomed as never nation,
till then. had welcomed man.
L heard his praise on every tongue, l
found love aud gratitude toward him in
every heart.
My admiration and sympathy were
no doubt transparent, and these may
have won for me, from one of the most
genial OF men, hearty reception. At
all events, he devoted himself to satisfy
my curiosity, with an overlooking good
nature and a winning kindness and
simplicity that shall remember to my
dying day. a--r r.t.t
A few items of our conversation / still
most distinctly recollect. One incident,
presenting the Father of his Country
IN rare aspect, ever recalls to me,
when / think of it, the tender eyes and
the gracious, loving manner which made
the grand old Frenchman the idol of all
yOungpeople who erefortunate enough
to share his friendship.
1t was just before the unmasking of
the sole traitor who loomed up during
our Revolution, ON one of the most
eventful days in all that eventful period,
and more than four years after the
immortal Declaration had been read
from the steps of the old Philadelphia
statehouse it was the 2jth of Septem-
ber, 17S0. On the afternoon OF the
preceding day, Washington, after dining
at Fishkill, had set ont with his suite,
intending to reach Arnold's headquar-
ters, eighteen miles distant, that even
ing. What would have happened had
he carried ont his intention, we can now
only conjecture. What men call chance
the French minister, DE Luzerne-
induced him to remain there that night.
Next morning, after sending notice to
Arnold that he might expect him to
breakfast, he again changed his inten-
ton, turning off 10 visit some redoubts
on the Hudson, opposite West Point,
aud sending two aides-de-camr 70 apollo
gZe. 1t was while these officers were
at breakfast with the family that Arnold
received the despatch which announced
Andres capture, and caused his
(Arnold's) instant flight, on pretence,
TO his visitors, OF call from West Point
Some hours later, Washington, arriving
with General Knox and General Lafa-
yette, and finding Arnold gone. followed
him, as he supposed, across the river,
and, learning that Arnold had not been
to West Point, returned to dinner. As
Washington approached the house, his
aide, Colonel Hamilton, who had re-
NAMED behind, came hurriedly to meet
him, and placed in his hands despatch
which, as confidential staff officer, he
had already opened, and which disclosed
Arnold's treachery. Washington COM
municated its contents, doubtless before
dinner, to General Knox, and to him
alone. with the brief and significant
words, Whom can We trust IOw?"
The usual version is that he thus
communicated the portentous 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 impressed on my
memory. 1t was this:
Ivha,, lvaaI,;ncto,, s.t Jo,,-,, 10 l;oror
no unusual emotion was visible on his
countenance. He was grave and silent,
but not more SO than often happened
when recent tidings from the army occu-
pied 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 syllable. placed the fatal des-
patch in his hands, and then, giving
way to an ungovernable burst of feeling,
fell ON his neck and sobbed aloud. The
effect produced on the young French
marquis, accustomed to regard his gen
eral tcold and dignified in his usual
manner) as devoid of the common weak
nesses of humanity, may be imagined.
Il believe" said Lafayette to me in
relating this anecdote. "that this was
the only occasion throughout that long
and sometimes hopeless struggle that
Washington ever gave way, even for a
moment, under reverse of fortune
and perhaps / am the only human being
who ever witnessed in him an exhibit
tion of feeling so foreign to his tempera-
ment. As it was, he recovered himself
before l had perused the communication
that had given rise to his excitement,
and when we returned to his staff not a
trace remained in his deaeanor either
of grief or dependency"