The Republican journal., 1873-10-09
Lafayette and ArnOld's Treason.

Lafayette and Arnold's Treason.
But the event of this visit of mine te
Paris was my Introduction, by Frances
Wright, to General Lafayette. OF all mer
| living he was the one | most enthusiast
cally admired, and the one | had mos
earnestly longed to see. These feeling.
had gained fresh fervor in the Unite,
| States. Just two months before | LANDED
at New York Lafayette had returned home
in the Brandywine, after a years soiourr
in the land which he had aided to liberatc
and by which he had been welcomed a,
never nation, till then had welcomed :
| man.
| heard his praise on every tongue.
| found love and gratitude toward him in
every heart.
My admiration and sympathy were II,
doubt transparent, and these MAY have
wen for me, from one of the most oenia
of men hearty reception. At all events
he devoted himself to satisfy my curiosity
with an Overlooking good-naturc and a
winning kindness and simplicity that |
shall remember to my dying day
\ few items of our conversation still
most distinctly recollect. One incident
presenting the Father of his Country in Il
rare aspect, ever recalls to me, when
think of it, the tender eyes and the ora
cious, loving manner which made tn,
grand old Frenchman the idol of all Young
people who We're fortunate enough to share
his friendship.
1t was Just before the unmasking of the
sole traitor who doomed up during our
Revolution, on one of the most eyentful
days in all that eventful period and more
than four years after the immortal Decla-
ration had been read from the step, of the
old statehouse it was the 18th Of Septem-
ber,s 1880. On the afternoon of the pre-
ceding day, Washington, after dining at
Fishkill, had set out with his suite, intend
ing to reach Arnolds headquarters, ciel-
teen miles distant, that evening. What
would have happened had he carried ont
his intention, we can now only conjecture.
What men call chance-a casual meetin"
near Fishkill with 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 intcn-
ton, turning off to visit some re,oubts ON
the Hudson, opposite West Point and send
ing two aides-de-camp to apologize 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 light, on
pretence, to his visitors. of a call from
West Point. Some hours later. Washing
ton, arriving with General Knox and Gen
eral Lafayette, 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 remained
behind, came hurriedlv to meet him, and
placed in his hands a despatch which, as
confidential statf-otficer, he had already
opened, and which disclosed AmoId's
treachery Washington communicated its
contents, doubtless before dinner. to Gen
eral Knox, and to him alone, with the brief
and significant words. ''Whom can We
trust now ?"
The usual version is that he thus com
municatedthe portentious new ) to Generals
Knox a,m Layayete jointly; but that is an
error The statement made to me hy HE
latter, during our journey 70 La Grange,
surprised and interested me At the time.
and remained indelibly impressed ON my
memory. 1t was this:
When Washington sat to dinner, no m
usual emotion was visible on his count,-
nance lie was grave and silent, but moi
more SO than often happened when re-
cent tidings from the army occupied hi.
thoughts. At the close of the meal he
bechoned to Lafayette to follow him.
passed to AM inner apartment turned to
his young friend without utterng a svlla-
bic, placed tn faaG despatch in lis hands,
and then, giviihgsNay to an ungovcrnablr
burst of feeling, feAbn his neck and
sobbed aloud. rheeffect produced on the
young French IiaaTquis, accustomed to re-
gard his general colAand dignihed in his
usual mannerJSas devoid of the common
weaknesses of humaQAY may be imagined
81 believe" said La fSdn1fe to me in re-
lating this anecdota1 Rat this was the
only occasion throIa4out thahabng and
sometimes hopeless tAaggle'tf at Wash
ington ever gave way, eN2ii fsf a moment.
under reverse of fortMF and perhaps /
am the only human Being who ever Wit
messed messed: in him an exhibfioaef feeling 50
he recovered himself bSfare~f had perused
the communication that had given rise to
his excitement, and when we returned to
his staff not Il trace remained in hi, de-
meanor either of grief or dependency"
Atlantic Monthly for October.
The labor Of the body relieves us from
the fatigues of the mind; and this il is
which forms the happiness of the poor.