Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-05-12
A ision of the
Great Commander
A Sketch For Washington's Birth
day.
BY. F A. Mitchell
BY. F A. Mitchell


and | concluded to do some reading of
the historical events with which lac
was Identified in the flesh. There We're
several events in which took greater
Interest than others That which cspe-
cially arrested my attention was the
treason Of Benedict Arnold When the
Revolutionary war opened Arnold was
an apothecary III New Haven.
ON the night before the .2d Of Feb
ruary / read about Washington. Ar
mold. Andre aud others till late. 1t was
nearly midnight when | laid my book
on table beside me and leaning back
In my chair, fell TO musing about the
events In which these three were con
cerued.
Whether | fell asleep. whether | had
sort of nightmare or whether J
dreamed / cannot say. At any rate,
had singular experience. The door
opened, and looked into what seemed
Ia me small Office At desk sat IA
man IN Continental uniform He was
All elderly man and of large frame.
he wore n red cOat-enter this office
and approach the man at the desk.
The latter turned his face, and | rec
Ognized General Washington. The 9th
tr was very pale
Your cxcelleucy," said The latter
Il come to make an appeal for my life
You have approved the sentcuce OF
the court martial. aud ! am to be hang
ell tomorrow ! ask that you viii hear
the reasons why / should not he exc
cutcd."
Proceed with them" -
The principal Ia the matter for
which / am 20 suffer has escaped You
cannot punish him. did not agree
to surrender West Point. | did not
possess West Point: therefore | could
not surrender IT, / merely transmit
ted his agreement Would you hans
post official who carried letter bear
Ing reasonable agreement and let
the traitor 20 Tree: True. you have
not permitted the traitor to 80 free
but lie, having escaped You
Al this juncture a man whom | had
not seen before he had been hidden
Ia n dark corner stepped forward and
said to the general
Major Andre Is right. general
aIn alone responsible for this deed thai
has been called trcachery. 1t was my
privilege at the beginning Of this strug
gle 30 choose the side would take
uuWisely chose the rebel cause Later
saw nay error aud tried to 10 some
thing to atone for it, NV loyalty to tht
king came late, but it came Ia time t,
save nae from the faint OF treason t.
my lawful sovereign. / trust That since
you cannot punish me for " hat You
esteem my treason YOU VIII not venl
your ire on this young man, who was
merely "A messenger
Then Washington spoke, deliberate
~. calmly. ana It SEEMED that each
word had the weight az mountain:
'Benedict Arnold. you are an illus
tration OF the adage Put a begear on
horseback nud Ice viii rifle 10 the devil
When the colonies called her sons to
arius you were mixing pills ina Con.
ne,tlcut shop. 1t was ambition rather
than patriotism that caused your re.
sponse. You wished to take adyan-
tage OF war to carve out career for
Yourself. You did this Your remark.
able march through the Maine wilder.
ue>s upon Quebec showed that you pos
Sess the energy essential 70 Il success
fla commander. 1t is due To YOU
chiefly that Rurgoyue's surrender was
achieved
when you went to Philadelphia
with the reputation OF success ful
general aud married into one OF the
principal Tory families there. YOU Wer,,
StiH the New Haven apothccagy trans
formed. You We're not satisfied With
soqr laurels You WISHED congress 10
give You the command Of the Cont
mental army Not obtaining il. You
asked FOR the command 1T the matu
military position between the north
aud south colonies. with Il view t.
tsAiug reNeuge upou Nour fellow couu-
trymcu 10y surreuderiug IL to Clinton.
Had You succeeded lou would have
broken Your country into Two parts.
With tue enemy between them
"fhis young uau win die a death
which you VIII uuly too often wish
that you had died, lie viii have paia
the penalty of having been atied With
traitor aud his death viii cHl his
connect lion with this lamentablr affair
Aon VIII live to Zee eNrrratcd not oul1
hS Your vouUrrNmcu au1 hy ~utrp~siva