The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-14
MRS. BENEDICT ARNOLD.

BY EVERETT T. TOMLINSON.
Copyright. 1897, by Everett T. Tom
lnson.-
Was the wife of the famous Cor in
famous) traitor a sharer in her hus-
bands plots? Did she fall with him
or he with her? Was she the Lady
Macbeth of the revolution, or was she
sinned against?
Alexander Hamilton believed her in
nocent of crime if not of blame, and
SO did Robert Morris. Historians such
as Sparks and Reed have united in de-
claring that Ms. Arnold was more
sinned against than a sinner. Poor
Mrs. Arnold, Was there ever such an
internal VILLAIN wrote the financier
OF the revolution in a letter concern
ing the treason of the traitor.
HER HOME ENVIRONMENT.
Margaret Shipper, the young wife
of Benedict Arnold, was a Philadel-
was known as one of the elite of the
city. Wealth, luxury and fiattery were
about her from her earliest years. This
youngest daughter of the man who
later was chief justice of Pennsyl
vania, the pet and baby" of the house.
hold, the toast of young British Off
GERS while their army occupied the
city. was only IS years of age when
Arnold first met her. Beautiful and
fascinating, she was the type of what
would now be known as a society
girl"
In her home the continentals had
been held I'D to ridicule. They were
Doors and wanting in all the graces of
the well dress ed, smooth hammered
British officers. Their clothing was ill
hitting, their manners coarse, and they
were not accustomed to the best so
ciety. She heard nothing of the rug
ged devotion and deep, strong pat
rlotism of the continental leaders. The
sympathies OF her family were all with
the more aristccratic tories, and right
TO ner became synonymous with luxury
and display
Before this young girl appeared Ben
edict Arnold, some ten years or more
her senior. There are letters extant
which show the general feeling of her
1amlly towards this young officer, who
dlHered so much from the rank and
file of his companions. Not word
concerning his character, nor one of his
moral integrity, but all were of his
line figure, his brilliant and daShing
manners, his ability to dance well
and to conduct himself properly in the
presence of such refined people as
Margaret Shippers family. The young
girl was taken" and apparently
took her family along with her
There is a published letter, written by
Arnold from the camp at Raritan to
Margaret Shipper in February. 1779.
not long before their marriage, in
which he gives full play to his feel
ings- There are bitter illusions to the
leaders and harsh complaints at their
Failure to recognize and do justice to
his merits, and we may be sure a young
soldier as deeply in love as Arnold
doubtless was, would not have written
in that fashion unless he had known
IN just what manner his letter would
have been received. He knew her adj
miration for the dashing relocated
men, and 1t may be she may have ex-
pressed her wish that he was on the
other side, but there is no record of
her ever having written such words to
her lover. His own letters show by
their expressions his knowledge of her
real feelings in the struggle. The I'M
conscious influence of the society girl
must be considered among the elements
that led to the downfall, or rather TO
the revelation of Arnold's character.
for he was traitor not because he be. |
trayed his country, but he betrayed
his country because he had already be. |
come traitor.
THE WIFEtS INFLUENCE.
The marriage, which soon followed. |
increased the perils of Arnold His wife |
still chung to her friends, who were on |
the other side in the struggle, and, |
her, her husband was brought |
into frequent contact with the enemies |
OF his country. 1t is highly probable /
that more than once he listened to ex- |
pressions of wonder that such man as |
hn aarlfe 70,
the Doors 1t was no cause of wonder |
that he should not be appreciated by |
them. The simple truth was they were |
incapable of approaching such a man,
who, in ability and grace, so far sur
passed them all.
If such words were spoken, Arnold !
found no antidote in the counsels or
of his wife. She had none of
The missionary spirit in her nature, and |
could not understand what such coarse
and rough men wanted. For herself, a
gay time was the only happy time, and
she mad no taste or desire for the mar
row life of the wife of even one of the
ablest of the American generals.
Nor was her influence alone with the
Young British officers. At the very time
When the little party of Washington ar
rived - West Point, LAFAYETTE re-
minded the general that Mrs. Arnold
md that they had best hasten, and
he leader laughingly responded: "Ah,
you young men are all in love with
Mrs Arnold and wish to get where
she is as soon as possible. Go break
asst with her and do not wait for me-
The correspondence of Major Andre
With Mrs. Arnold often has been quoted
Is showing that she had a share in the
dot which was then going on, but a
.andid judgment can only pronounce
t all part of the life of the light
hearted woman. She simply must keep
n touch with the gayer life of the
world outside. and Andres letters,
fright witty and full of gossip, were
My portion of that
IN THE HOUR OF TRIAL.
discovered he FASTENED to his wifes
DOM, quickly summoned her, and I'M
er the necessity of prompt action al .
most brutality told her the exact condi-
ion, and when he left the room his
wife had swooned and fallen.
When General Washington saw her,
S he did soon, she had recovered suf-
cientlv to vent all her feelings upon
i'm. He was to blame for it all. He
t was who had plotted to ruin her
husband and murder his wife and
hid. Colonel Hamilton's letters de-
cribe her almost uncomfortable raw !
lgs and tears. Even then the true
ature showed itself She made no
lans TO join her husband, but left
Vest Point to seek her fathers home
I Philadelphia. But, by an order of
oil Of Arrn =