The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-06-26
ARNOLD'S TREASON.

Sir Henry Clinton's view of the execution
of his books now in the John Carter Brown
Library, drawn up apparently in 1882:
about Eighteen Months before the
present period, Mr.. Arnold "a Major Gen.
eral in the American service) had found
means to intimate to me, that having found
cause to be dissatisfied with many late
Proceedings of the American Congress,
particularly their alliance with France, he
was DESTROYS of quitting them and joining
the cause of Great Britain, could he be
certain of personal security, and Indemni-
fication for whatever loss of property he
might thereby sustain. An overture of
that sort coming from an officer of Mr.
Arnold's ability and Fame, could not but
attract my attention, and as l thought it
possible that like another General, Monk,
he might have repented of the part he had
taken, and wished to make attonement for
the Injuries he had done his country by
rendering her signal and adequate benefit,
| was, of course, liberal, in making him
such offers and promises as judged most
likely to encourage him in his present
temper. A correspondence was after this
opened under feigned names; in the course
of which, he from time to time, transmitted
to me most material Intelligence; and with
a view (as supposed) of rendering us still
more essential service, he obtained in July
1850 the command of all the Enemy's forts
in the Highlands, then garrisoned by about
1000 men. The local Importance of the
the posts has already been very fully de-
scribed. 1t is therefore scarcely necessary
to observe how that the obtaining possess
sion of them at the present critical period
would have been a most desirable circum-
stance; and that the advantages to be
drawn from MIR. Arnold's having the COM
mand of them, struck me with full force,
the instant l heard of his appointment.
But the arrival of the French armament,
the consequent Expedition to Rhode Island,
and the weakness of my own force together
with the then daily increase of Mr.. Wash
ington's, obliged me to wait for some more
favorable opportunity before | attempted
to put that gentieman's sincerity to the
proof.
In the meantime, wishing to reduce to
an absolute certainty whether the person,
| had SO long corresponded with was actu-
ally Major General Arnold commanding at
West Point, | acceded to a proposal he
made me permit some officer in my conf
dence to have personal conference with
him, where every thing might be more
explicitly settled than it was possible to do
by Letter, and as he required that my
Adjutant General Major Andre (who had
chiefly conducted the correspondence with
him under the signature of John Anderson
should meet him for this purpose on Neutral
ground, l was induced to consent to his
doing SO from my great confidence in that
officers prudence and address. Some at
tempts towards a meeting had been accord
ingly made before Sir George Rodney's
arrival. But though the plans had been
well laid, they were constantly frustrated
by some untoward accident or other; one
of which had very nearly cost Mr.. Arnold
his life. These disappointments made him
of course, cautious; and as l new became
anxious to forward the Execution of my
project while could have that naval chiefs
assistance, and under SO good mask as
the Expedition for the Chesapeake, which
enabled me to make every requisite Prepa-