The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-14

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military skill, but sHoraAS CONWAY
most amazing
capacity for making trouble. The
soldier was Thomas Conway, a British
subject, who had lived since early
childhood In France. There he had
joined the srmy and risen to colo
nelcy. When he came here he was
ioyfully received. The Revolutionists
lacked expert officers and they made
him brigadier-general
The mans boasts and his dashing
ways impressed the simpler states
men. But George Washington read him
at a glance, for windy, vicious In
competent.
So when congress decided a little
later to make Conway a major gen.
eral the chief sternly opposed such
promotion and gave his reasons for
doing so. From that moment Conway
was Washington's sworn foe. One
active mischief-maker can sometimes
work more harm than a dozen wise
men can undo. Conway at once join
ed Washington's opponents in con-
gress and the army, and started
campaign for the chiefs overthrow.
He and his associates formed what
was known as the Conway Cabal,"
and did all in their power to under
mine Washington's influence. In a So
ries of anonymous letters Conway rid
iculed the chief as coward and az
too feeble of mind as q leader. He
suggested Gen. Horatio Gates as COM
mander-in-chief in Washington's place.
Not only did Conway and his friends
win Gates over to this scheme, but
they induced several prominent con-
gressmen to lend their influence to
the movement.
It was the Revolutions dark hour.
New York and Philadelphia were in
the hands OF the British. Washing
ton and his army were starving and
freezing at Valley Forge after a sum-
mer and autumn of repeated defeats
Mems hearts grew faint and their al
legiance weakened. Conway's crafty
words at such a moment fell on ready
ears
The cabal waxed strong. But for
mere accident it might readily have
ended by depriving Washington of
power and Of placing the command of
the patriot armies in the hands Of Gen.
Gates. And with fussy, inefficient,
cowardly old Gates at the head Of the
American troops American liberty
would have been doomed. Here in
brief, is the story OF the accident that
saved our country:
Gates aid, Wilkinson, drank too
much one night and babbled to a friend
Of the chief some of the contents Of
a letter from Conway to Gates : in
which Conway had spoken insultingly
of Washington. The story was told to
Washington, who called Conway to ac-
/ count. Conway rushed to Gates for
aid, and Gates tried to get out Of the
difficulty by branding Wilkinson as a
liar.
Wilkinson promptly challenged
Gates to a duel Gates wept on Will
kinson's shoulder and implo-ed him
to withdraw the challenge, speaking Of
himself as a feeble old man who loved
I Wilkinson like a father. In this way
the frightened old general wriggled
out of fighting.
Meantime, thanks to the first hint,
Washington learned of all Conways
anonymous letters and other treacher-
/ les. The facts were made known to
/ the people. The cabal was crushed un-
der a storm Of public disapproval.
But Conway was not to escape SO
easily. He was challenged to a duel
I by Washington's friend, Gen. Cadwal-
I lader, who proceeded to shoot him
/ through the mouth
I Conway. believing himself dying,
wrote one more letter. This time 20
Washington, asking forgiveness for
his villainies and declaring the chief
20 be great and good man" Then
I be "conditionally" resigned his COM
miEion as sn oficer IN the American
service. Congress accepted the res.
ignation. Internationally. ana Conway
went back 70 France.
\ There be styled himself aCoun- de-
Conway" and managed to win an an
I pointment as governor OF one OF
Frances Oriental provinces. He made
such mess Of his diplomatic work
In his province Of the Orient thar he
almost wrecked the French interests
there. He returned to France and be-
came general In the royal armies.
During the French Revolution be
was condemned to death. He was
saved only by an appeal to Great Brit
ain against which he had fought in
the American Revolution), but was
compelled to fee from France for his
life
After that Conway disappeared from
history. He Is supposed to have died
about 1900 In poverty and exile.