The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-05
naior Andres Defense.

&kMf4N &&M0EH &A&A4AA~Ne
4 cd-4aspoudent Of the Newark Daily
Advertiser. Who seems 70 be fortunate
Is tie ra.aessiion Of sundry curious old
DaDers and other memorials Of the past
q veH IS q corresponding knowledge
m Ys,srsIrF. his furnished tor the col
,,rs1.s. az that papef document which
~. ~, net sreI1enber to have ever seen
.befare-ffe defense read By Maj. Andre
hes.,re 4l.e court WHICH condemned him
IA deash rs 4 spF. We have no doubt
that It will be read with lively interest
by many:
ssI came. he said, TO hold a commu-
niea4ion with a general officer OF the
American arnly By the order OF MY eWn
commander. / entered the American
lines 5y an unquestionable authority
when i rassed from them IL was by the
same authority. / used no deception.
/ had heard that 4 pFsViheial officer had
repented of the course he had taken,
and that Re ayowed that be never meant
m oo =, far a. he had gone In resisting
che authority Of his King.
The British commander was willing 70
extend to him. the King sclemency yes,
his bounty, IN hopes to allure others %
do the same. ] made no plans. sx-
anliRed no works only receIFed ms
communication, and ives on my way 70
retnrn to the army, and 70 make known
all thae ] had leaf ned from q general
officer In your camp. Is this the once
Of a spy7 L never should have acted
10 that light, and what have done is
net in the nature of 9 spys have
noted neitheTg yoaT strength nor your
Weakness II there be wrong an the
tFansaetion is il mines The Office Of
spy a soldier has a right to refuse; but,
to carry and fetch communications with
another army never heard was criml.
nal The circumstances which followed
after my interview with Gen. Arnold
were not in my power to control. lie
alone had the management OF them.
1t is said that rode in disguise.
rode for security siacog., as far as was
able, but other than criminal deeds IN.
duced nae to do this. was not bound
to wear my uniform any longer than 1t
was expedient or polite. / scoTsa the
nanre Of spy;brand my offense with
sori1es other titles if it change not my
punishment, I beseech you. 1t is not
death | fear. | am buoyed above it by
consciousness of having intended to
discharge my duty in an honorable man
ner.
plans. it is said, were found with me.
This is true; but they were not mine.
| Yet must tell you honestly that they
would have been communicated ii had
not been taken. They were sent by
Ger. Arnold to the British commander,
and should have delivered them. From
the bottom of my heart | spurn the
thought of attempting to screen myself
bv eliminating another; but so far as
am concerned the truth shall be told,
whoever suffers. 1t was the allegiance
| of Gen. Arnold | came out to secure.
II was fair to presume that many
| brave officer would be glad at this time to
| he able to retrace his steps; at least we
! have been SO Uniformed. Shall l, who
came ont to negotiate this allegiance
loRly, be treated as one who came to SPY
out the Feakness of a camp! II these
hactians are alike, | have to learn my
moral code anew.
Gentlemen, officers, be it understood
HAT am no supplicant for mercy; that
4f ask only from Onnipotence-not from
Thurman beings. Justice is all | claim
that Justice which is neither swayed by
preindice. nor distorted by passion, but
/ That which lows from honorable minds
| directed BIZ virtuous determinations.
! hear. gentlemen, that my case IS lkened
/ to that of Capt. Hale, in 1775. have
/ heard of him and his misfortune. |
wish that in all that dignifies man, that
adorns and elevates human nature, l
could be named with that accomplished,
i but unfortunate officer. His fate was
waywald. and ultimately was cut Of,
vet Younger than / am now. lie vent
lout knowing that he was assuming the
character of a spy. He took all Its la.
4 bilities into his hand, at the request OF
his great commander. He was ready to
meet what he assumed and all its con-
seauences. His death the law Of nations
sanctioned 1t may be complimentary
TO compare me with him, still it would
he unjust. He took his life in his hand
when he assumed the character and the
disglfise. | assumed no disguise, nor
|, took upon myself any other character
81 than that Of a British officer who had
business TO transact with an American
officer. . :,
In fine. 1 ask not even for justice; II
Won want A victim to the names OF those
: fallen untimely, ] may as we'll be thai
victim as another. / have in the mos
Z undisguised manner given you every
] fact ii the case. I only rely on thu
! nroner construction of those facts. LIE
: me be called anything but spy. an
not a spy. | have examined nothing
! laarne,l nothing. communicated nothing
{ Int INV detention to Arnold, that h
! MIGHT escape if he thought proper so t
III Z oArnnIy-nd N nrfV
q I hone the gallant officer who was the
2 unsnspicious Of his general will not b
: Iconaemned for the military error
: committed.
= / further state that Smith, who wa
!, the medium of communication. dId nc
:! = know any part of our conference, exceT
: that there was some necessity Tor secrec!
4 He was counsel in various matters K
= Gen. Arnold. and from all the lnte
= = views had with him; and it was SmIt
4. f. who lent me this dress-coat OF crimson
Z on being told that did not wish to |
= known by English or Americans.
mot believe that he had even suppos
Y tion of nv errand. On me your wrai
q should fall, if on any one. know yo'
~ ~ affairs look gloomy, but that is no re
8. snn why I should be sacrificed. y
death can do your cause no good. Nj
a Lions of friends to your struggle IN I'm
~ land YOU will lose if you condemn N
~ no saw not this by way of threat; tof
=. know brave men are not awed by the
y nor will brave men be vindictive
-, II eause they are desponding. | shou
~ ( nof have said word had it not been
" the opinion Of others, which am boul
I to respect.
~ III viii 90 down to posterity with exceedI
Is. ~ preat distincfriess on the page OF histoI
and If humanity and honor mark q
~ 5dsv,s decision, your names, each and
" - of you. will be remembered by be
W ~ nations when they have grown grea
- and more powerful than they now
=. RrIt. If misfortune befalls me, l SD
~ IN time have all due honors paid to
" =. memory. The martyr is kept in RENE
~ ~ brance when the tribunal that G
lon aefnnesl him Is forgotten. trust I
=. honorable court will believe me vi
ess say that what / have spoken
~ from no idle fears Of coward. b
.,sv done
ave watching Ones Self
be -..AEE When I was a boy, said an old n
-