The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1879-01-03

Ladies ana gentlemen, circumstances
over which have no control compel
me to dismiss the house. "-AarA
Z.Cxsi,s.
NATHAN NALE...JOHN ANDRE.
Editor. Ne,c York ISt0:
I was pleased to find, in reading the
Sun this morning, that there was at
least one American besides myself who
protested against the erection Of u
country. When read the proposition
of Mr.. Cyrus w. Field in your paper
on Saturday last I was filled with
astonishment. asked myself, could
toadyism to British pride and arro-
gancc go further? Where Is the monu-
ment to Nathan Hale? OF the two he
appears to mo far the nobler and man
lter character. Andre entered our lines
by stealth to corrupt q General In our
armies from his allegiance, and sur
obtain possession of one of
our strongholds, considered the key
to our defences, the loss of which might
have involved the subjugation OF the
colonies. He was caught, tried, and
hanged as a spy, according to the we'll
known laws of war. When arraigned,
he pleaded earnestly Ia extenuation
that he was no spy, only an envoy
from his Chief, author
lied to treat with an American officer
of high rank-for what? The violation
of that officers oath by the base and
the enemy. Andres condemnation
and execution have been justified by
the ablest writer's on the laws Of war
OF that period and subsequently,. He
received all sympathy and kindness
compatible with his situation. His
execution was delayed by Washington,
it Is said, in the hope that the sur
render of Benedict Arnold, or even his
capture through the bold device of
Sergeant John Champe, might give
the American Chief an
excuse to save his life.
Who was Nathan Hale? A young
Captain In the Connecticut militin who
boldly took his life in his hand to save
the patriot army which, broken aud
dfspirited, fingered in New York un-
der Washington after the disastrous
battle of Long leland, by obtaining In
formation as to the proposed move
ments of Lord Howe, then encamped
with vastly superior force on Brook
lyn Heights. He was caught, tried
evasion, but frankly admitted his
ofense, the object of which-to save
his country-he gloried in. He was
sentenced to be hung the next day.
The attendance of a clergyman and
even the use of q Bible were denied
him, and the letters he wrote to his
family and friends were destroyed.
When inquiry was afterWard made as
to this last inhumanity the reply was
that "the rebels should not know they
had man in their army who could
die with SO much hrn1ness." In tho
brief space between this sentence and
execution, Hale was treated with tho
grossest barbarity, being placed in
charge of the infamous Capt. Cunning
ham as Provost Marshal, who was
hung for forgery in London in 1891,
and declared in his dying confession
that while in charge of the old prison
Mt New York he had been accessory to
the deaths of 1000 prisoners, starved
in the churches, by stopping their pro-
visions, which he sold, and also to the
of 275 Americans, with or
without the orders of his Government
Nathan Hale died spy, but a martyr
in the cause of civil liberty. Where
is his monument? Some thirty years
ago, few brave, patriotic women of
undertook to build it with
their needles. How far their pious |
task succeeded 1 am unadvised.
I have seen the monument over |
Andres remains which rest in West
minister Abbey, splendidIy entombed,
beside England's kings, heroes and
sages. And now a wealthy son OF New |
proposes to raise him mon
in this country, whose inde-
peudence he sought to defeat, not by
force of arms, but through the most
treachery. Should Mr.. Field
carry out his purpose, I think can
a more appropriate inscription,
under the circumstances, than even his
courtly and aristocratic friend,
Dean Stanley:
Here Lies
MAJOR JOHN ANDRE,
A Loyal Officer of King George ILL.,,
Cruelty Hanged by the Arch rebel,
GEORGE WAsHINaToN.
JOHN w. BRYCE.
Hoboken, N. j., Dec. "a.
(troot carornOn ioS ora pnpoaSnry snva