Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1899-12-29
Dau THOUGHTS
BY "0rosvenor."

" Ivy AllOuyllUC5
By "drosvenor." I
Some of the Revolutionists:-
Let us look back at a few of those
who came into touch with Wash
ington, and thus realize more than
ever the moral poise of the man.
AS the men next Of rank to Wash
ington, congress appointed two
soldiers of fortune, both of whom
later tried to make a wreck of
Washington's career in order that
they themselves might climb
higher-a very unsatisfactory and
uncertain way Of rising.
One was General Chas. Lee, a
man who had been everywhere,
done everything, and who seems
to have entered upon the American
struggle from purely professional
motives. Prior to the retreat
acros New Jersey, he lost his
balance by writing letters of undis-
guised hostility regarding Wash
ington, and then he lost his liberty
by being foolhardy in the neigh
borhood Of the foe. He is not
above Observation-Disclosures suspicion
of trying to tell the British how to
subdue America. After his release
Washington magnonimously aided
him until his suspicious behavior
at the battle of Monmouth, when
there were short, sharp words and
afterwards a court martial.
The other was General Horatio
Gates, to whom Burgoyne surrend-
cred in the northern campaign-a
truculent, insolent man, whose
jealousy prompted him to omit all
mention Of Arnold's bravery at
Bemis' Heights and Saratoga, and
whose jealousy also caused him to
ignore his comander-in-ch chief and
report to congress direct. Yet
the campaign had been planned by
Washington prepared by General
Schuyler, fought by Arnold, and
its laurels snatched by Gates, who
being too drunk to command, and
yet not drunk enough to be beyond
the power of doing harm. Gates
subsequently made a failure of the
Southern campaign and retired to
a petulant private life.
Then there was Ethan Allen. a
rare old fghter-an outlaw at that
and SO ferociously Independent
that most of his work tended to
undo the Revolution rather than
strengthen it; for he had the great
est love Of action, but with him
self as leader. He would rather
go it alone, and did, than go under
others. His forte was an irritat-
ing but unenduring guerilla war
fare.
Out Of such material was ex-
pected to develop victory.
Worst Of all, yet probably the
most wronged of all, was Benedict
Arnold. We need not dwell on
his lion-like courage, nor even on
his treachery, as the ground is
familiar. He sold his secrets in
stead Of resigning his commission,
and thus paid for the husks of
riotous living that had cost him so
dearly in Philadelphia. In those
black hours at West Point, the
most hopeless Of all, when Wash
ington knew not what officer might
be implicated in the treason, he
doubted man and said, "Whom
can we trust now?" Yet note the
s%elf-control, the tender pity, the
keen judgment, all displayed in
one hour SO clearly that we wonder
if we ever dimly comprehend him,
for at this moment, when every
thing seemed slipping from be-
meath his feet, he remembered the
distress of Arnold's abandoned
wife and visited her with words of
comfort and cheer.
If you want an enjoyable trip to
Eastern Canada and return begin
by buying a Great Northern ticket.
W