The Virginia Gazette

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 30.

As the public curiosity and anxiety must naturally be raised to a high pitch by the providential detection of the perfidy and treachery of a late distinguished General Officer of the United States, we shall endeavour to give our readers such particulars as have come to our knowledge, and are well authenticated.

On Monday last, Congress received a letter from General Greene, enclosing one from Colonel Hamilton, one of General Washington's aids, informing him that a scene of the blackest villainy had been just disclosed; that Arnold was gone off to the enemy; that Col. Andre, General Clinton's principal aid and confident, was apprehended in disguise in our camp; that West Point (where Arnold commanded) was to be the sacrifice, and that all the dispositions were made for delivering it up as last Monday night; that he had pursued Arnold as far as Verplank's Point, from which the letter was dated, but without success; that though it was not probable the post would now fall, yet it was possible, and especially as the wind was now fair; therefore he recommended to General Greene (who commands the army in General Washington's absence) to put it under marching orders, and detach a brigade immediately.

The letter from General Greene confirms the above account but adds no material particulars.

As soon as these letters were read, the contents were communicated to the Vice President and the Council of this state and Justices of the Supreme Court, who directed an immediate seizure of all Arnold's papers, which was made, and though no direct proof of his treachery was found the papers disclose such a scene of baseness and prostitution of office and character, as it is hoped this new world cannot parallel.

His participation of the plunder of this city when he held the command after the evacuation of the enemy, is now found by the agreement, signed between him and his accomplices, to share the profits of that shameful business. It appears that he and some others, whose names will probably in due time be made known, now have subsisting contracts with persons in New York for merchandise.

In making an estimate of his estate, he enumerates his share of the sloop Active, though he found witness to swear before the Grand Jury that he had no share in her. In short, his whole command appears to have been a scene of the basest traffic and public plunder. In August last he directs his wife to draw all the cash from the Commissaries, and sell it or store it, though at that very time the army was destitute of provisions. In the private correspondence of his family and himself are contained the most scurrilous and contemptuous expressions of the French Nation and of an eminent personage of that country, whose hospitality and politeness they were at that time frequently experiencing.

The illiberal abuse of every character opposed to his fraudulent and wicked transactions exceeds all description.

Prudence forbids our mentioning the names of those persons who appear, by his letters, to have supported and abetted him in his nefarious practices; nor is it necessary, as the journals of a great assembly, and the countenance he received in this city, from some persons, will easily direct the public judgment. The attempts to stigmatize the President and Council of this state, and to saddle it with the payment of the sloop Active, must now appear in their proper light, and fill the authors with shame and remorse.

Our correspondent concludes with a remark on the fallacious and dangerous sentiments so frequently avowed in this city, that female opinions are of no consequence in public matters. The Romans thought far otherwise, or we should not have heard of the Cornelias and Anias of antiquity; and had we thought and acted like them, we should have despised and banished from social intercourse every character, whether male or female, which could be so lost to virtue, decency and humanity, as to revel with the murderers and plunderers of their countrymen.

Behold the consequence! Col. Andre, under the mask of friendship and former acquaintance at Meschianza and Balls, opens a correspondence in August 1779, with Mrs. Arnold, which has doubtless been improved on his part to the dreadful and horrid issue we have described, and which but for the overruling care of a kind Providence, must have involved this country and our allies in great distress, and perhaps utter ruin.

The following are the reports of the manner of discovery, but we can only give them as such, viz.

That Col. Andre came up the river, in a frigate and then went on shore in disguise, supposed to meet Arnold, and finish their intended scheme; but it happened, that a British deserter crossed the river in the same boat, who knew Andre, notwithstanding his disguise. The deserter took no notice of him in the boat, but hastened up to Arnold's quarters to give information; Col. Hamilton fortunately was there on business, and was present when it was given; he, with some others hastened immediately to the place, where Andre was found, seized, and disowned himself: but in the mean time, Arnold fearing his plot had failed, and goaded by a guilty conscience, fled to a boat at the river side, which conveyed him on board the frigate, where, for the present, he is out of reach of the punishment due to his crimes, though doubtless brooding over them, and where he will soon feel the stings of contempt, which ever follows successful treachery.

But whose keen sensations must be doubly quickened under shame and disappointment.

Andre's fate is not yet known.

The following is ARNOLD's infamous letter to our Great Commander:

On board the VULTURE, Sept. 25, 1780.

SIR,

THE heart which is conscious of its own rectitude, cannot attempt to palliate a step which the world may censure as wrong; I have ever acted from a principle of love to my country, since the commencement of the present unhappy contest between Great Britain and the colonies; the same principle of love to my country actuates my present conduct, however it may appear inconsistent to the world, who very seldom judge right of any man's actions.

I have no favour to ask for myself, I have too often experienced the ingratitude of my country to attempt it; but from the known humanity of your Excellency I am induced to ask your protection for Mrs. Arnold, from every insult and injury that the mistaken vengeance of my country may expose her to. It ought to fall on me, she is as good and as innocent as an Angel, and is incapable of doing wrong. I beg she may be permitted to return to her friends in Philadelphia, or come to me as she may choose; from your Excellency I have no fears on her account, but she may suffer from the mistaken fury of the country.

I have to request that the enclosed letter may be delivered to Mrs. Arnold, and she be permitted to write to me.

I have also to ask that my clothes and baggage, which are of little consequence, may be sent to me, and if required, their value shall be paid in money. I have the honour to be, with great regard and esteem, your Excellency's most obedient humble servant,

B. ARNOLD.

His Excellency GENERAL WASHINGTON.

N. B. In justice to the Gentlemen of my family, Col. Varick and Major Franks, I think myself in honour bound to declare, that they, as well as Joshua Smith, Esquire (who I know is suspected) are totally ignorant of any transaction of mine, that they had reason to believe were injurious to the publick.

A concise DESCRIPTION of the FIGURES exhibited and paraded through the streets of this city on Saturday last.

A STAGE raised on the body of a cart, on which was an effigy of General ARNOLD sitting; this was dressed in regimentals, had two faces emblematical of his traitorous conduct, a mask in his left hand, and a letter in his right from Belzebub, telling him that he had done all the mischief he could do, and now he must hang himself.

At the back of the General was a figure of the Devil, dressed in black robes, shaking a purse of money at the General's left ear, and in his right hand a pitch fork, ready to drive him into hell as a reward due to his many crimes which his thirst of gold had made him commit.

In the front of the stage and before General Arnold was placed a large lanthorn of transparent paper, with the consequences of his crimes thus delineated, i. e. on one part General Arnold on his knees before the Devil, who is pulling him into the flames--a label from the General's mouth with these words, "My dear Sir, I have served you faithfully;" to which the Devil replies, "And I'll reward you."

On another side, two figures hanging inscribed "The Traitor's reward," and wrote underneath, "The Adjutant General of the British army, and Joe Smith; the first hanged as a spy and the other as a traitor to his country." And on the front of the lanthorn wrote the following:--

"MAJOR GENERAL BENEDICT ARNOLD.
late COMMANDER of the FORT WEST POINT.
THE CRIME OF THIS MAN IS HIGH TREASON."
He has deserted the important post West Point, on Hudson's river, committed to his charge by his Excellency the Commander in Chief, and is gone off to the enemy at New York.

His design to have given up this fortress to our enemies, has been discovered by the goodness of the Omnipotent Creator, who has not only prevented him carrying it into execution, but has thrown into our hands ANDRE, the Adjutant General of their army,

who was detected in the infamous character of a spy.

The treachery of this ungrateful General is held up to public view, for the exposition of infamy; and to proclaim with joyful acclamation, another instance of the interposition of bounteous Providence.

The effigy of this ingrate is therefore hanged (for want of his body) as a traitor to his native country, and a betrayer of the laws of honour."

The procession began about four o'clock, in the following order:

Several Gentlemen mounted on horseback.

A line of continental Officers.

Sundry Gentlemen in a line.

A guard of the city infantry.

Just before the cart, drums and fifes playing the Rogue's March.

Guard on each side.

The procession was attended with a numerous concourse of people, who after expressing their abhorrence of the Treason and the Traitor, committed him to the flames, and left both the effigy and the original to sink into ashes and oblivion.