, 1875-05-30
ARNOLD AND AHDRE,

Providence, R. l., contains 81 History Of
the Origin, Progress, and Termination Of the
American War;" by STEDMAN, an officer in the
English army. This Particular copy Of the
book once belonged to Sir HENRY CLINTON,
who conducted the negotiations with Bzxr-
DICT ARNOLD, and sent out Maj. ANDRE to
confer with the traitor. It contains many
annotations by CLINTON. His comment On
SrEpMAus account Of the attempt to betrsy
West Point into the hands Of the BriHsh is.:
So Ignorance of the whole transaction,- too
tender subject to explain upon now" By
the time he finished reading the book, how
ever, be seems to have decided to record
what seemed to him fair statement Of tho
case. The Ay-leaves ut the end of tho seo-
ond dvo1ume contain this curious record, which
has just been published for the first time. )
ARNOLD opened negotiations with C1uroa
in 1850. He said that the alliance with
France had disguised him, md that he would.
on this account, 60 over to the British, pro
vided be was guaranteed personal security
and indemnity for any loss Of property ha
might sustain. Sir HENRY WIGS Liberal in
his promises He got from ARNOLD, on sey-
era1 occasions, ''most material intelligence.
and finally, at the latters request, sent Axpax
to meet hinF on neutral ground At this time,
CLINTON was still uncertain whether his cor
respondent was really Maj Gen. AHSo1D
Several meetings were planned, but each ons
was prevented by some unexpected circrm-
stance. Finally, On ARso1D's suggestion,
ANDRE visited West Point under flag of
truce. He had been charged by C1srox
"not to change his dress or name on any &C.
count" and to carry no suspicious papers.
He was to return by water, as he went. # this
plan had been carried out, ASpnR would
have incurred no risk Whatever But Ar
No1D, either for some unknown reason, or be-
cause he loss his presence Of mind for tho
moment, persuaded OF compelled his visitor
to disguise himself and pass through the
American lines with only passport and his
wits to protect him. Both resources failed.
ARNOLD, when he heard Of AZORES arrest,
fled to New York and carried the news to
C1rSToN. The latter was gueved, but sup
posed that his friend would soon be e1-
changed He was horrifed when !" "Mr.
WAsuNoros's Council Of Wer condemned
ANDRE to death. His having landed under q
flag Of truce, at the request Of ABSo1n, and
his having assumed disguise and taken a
false passport at the instance Of the latter,
are urged in this curious document as reac
sons why his life should have been spared
This is not very conclusive reasoning, but
better could not be expected from such
warm friend as CIM1oN. He ends his nota
By saying that his heart will "never ceass
to bleed" at the thought Of AsDrE's fate
Much IS We may depfore the untime1y death
Of gallant gentleman, whose Judges gEieved
over the sentence they had to pronounce, it
can scarcely be seriously denied that the use
Of flag Of truce, under the circumstances,
only aggravated the guilt OF the SPY who was
caught with the written proofs Of his crime
upon his person He was a good
man, and brave man, and smart man, but
another spy Of the American Revolution WAS
greater than he. Andre, hung for his share
in plot to corrupt soldier, canuot be CON-
pared with NATHAN Hale, legitimate spy,
whose work had nothing vile about it, and
who went to the scaffold regretting that hs
,ould give only one life for his country.