The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-10-23
Ghe 9emorrat.
Lafayette and ArnoId's Treason,
BY ROBERT DALE OWEN.

AAl1YOGgO e-A4
BY Der DALE OWEN.
But the event of this visit OF mine tc
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 feel
ings had gained fresh fervor 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 tc
hberate, and by which he had been vel
coined as never a nation, till then, had
welcomed a man
l heard his praise on every tongue, ]
found love and gratitude toward him IN
every heart.
My admiration aud sympathy were on
doubt transparent, and these may have
won for me, from one of the most genial
of men, a heavy reception. At all events,
he devoted himself TO satisfy curiosity
with an overlooking good-nature and a
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 l
think Of it, the tender eyes and the gra-
cious, loving manner which made the
grand old Frenchman the idol of all youhg
people who were fortunate to share his
friendship.
7. was Just before the unmasking of the
sole traitor who doomed up during our
Revolution, on one of the most eventful
days in all that eventlul period, and more
than four years after the immortal Decla-
ration had been from the steps of the old
Philadelphia statehouse ; 10 was the 25tn
OF September, 1850. On the afternoon Of
the preceding day, Washington, after di-
ming at Fishkill, had set out with his
suite, intending to reach Arnold's head
quarters, eighteen miles distant, the even
ing. What would have happened had he
carried out his intention, We can now only
conjecture. What men call chance-a
casual meeting near FIshkill with the
French minister, De Aforementioned
him to remain there that night Next
morning, after sending notice to Arnold
that he might expect him to breakfast, he
again changed his intention, turning off
10 visit some redoubts on the Hudson, OPP
posite West Point, and sending two aides
de-camp, to apologize. 1t was while
these officers were at breakfast with the
lALullN Lna0 II NaN NS@R0NSA
which announced Andres capture, and
caused his (Arnold's) instant flight, on
pretence, to his visitors, of a call from
West Point. Some hours later Washing
ton, arriving with General Knox and Gen.
Lafayette, and finding Arnold gone, fol-
lowed him, as be supposed, across the
river, and learning that Arnold had not
been to West Point, returned to dinner.
AS Washington approached the house, has
aide, Colonel Hamilton, who had renamed
behind, cems hurriedly to meet him, and
placed in his hands a despatch which, as
confidential staff officer, he had already
opened, and which disclosed Arnold's
treacherV Washington communicated Its
contents, doubtless before dinner to Gen
eral Knox, and to him alone, with the
brief and significant words, "Whem can
we trust now 2"
The usual version is that he thus COM
munieated the portentous news to Gener-
al 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 M at
the time, and has remained indelibly i'm
pressed or my memory. 1t was this:
When Washington sat down to dinner,
no unusual emotion was visible on his
counLenance. he was grave ana silent,
but not more so than often happened when
recent tidings from the army occupied his
thoughts. At the close OF the meal he
beckoned to Lafayette to follow him, pass
ed to an inner apartment, turned to his
young friend without uttering a syllable,
piSeed the fatal despatch 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
general (cold and digniied in his usual
manner) as devoid OF the common weak
neases Of humanity, may be imagined
al believe" said LafoyottOy-to-me In reta=
ting this anecdote, that this was the on
~ occasion throughout4hat long and
sometimes hopeless struggle that Wash
ington ever gave way, even for a moment,
under a reverse of fortune and perhaps |
am the only human being who ever wit
messed in him an exhibition of feeling 80
foreign TO his temperament. 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 de
meanor either of grief or despondency."-
A1amtic Monthly for October.