Concord Register

From the Boston Commercial Gazette.

GENERAL HULL

The memoirs of General Hull have now been very generally distributed. This veteran officer has suffered much from the results of his unfortunate campaign in the early part of our last war. Loss of reputation, and jeopardy of life, were supposed to have been no more than the decrees of justice—but time, which, sooner or later, sets most things right, has reversed the sentence pronounced upon him by a Court Martial, and at that period confirmed by the opinions of his country. It has seldom fallen to the lot of any injured man to have so entirely outlived the stains upon his character, as General Hull has. His defence is so manly, temperate, and unanswerable, that hardly a shadow of doubt remains upon his fame. We are not prepared to say, precisely, where the sin lies, but it is sufficient to state, that he has thrown it from his own shoulders; and posterity, yea, the present generation, will fix it somewhere. Byng fell a sacrifice to ministerial safety—and Moore was left in an unhonored grave, to excuse a foolish expedition; but the historian will not be duped or bribed, and ample justice is in store for them. Gen. Hull has been more fortunate than either of those patriots, for he has lived to defend himself. It would be wise and magnanimous in our Government to redeem their error by bringing him again into notice. If he is too old for employment, at least, they can blot out the record of his ill fate, and restore him to the courtesies of the world. His memoirs must have reached Mr. Madison, in his retirement; and it is said this gentleman's disposition is not implacable—let him then come forward and speak plainly what he thinks now; and the powers that be, cannot do less than restore the General to the good opinions of his countrymen. It is remarkable that in so short a time truth should have come to light, in such a satisfactory manner to all classes of men. Bravery deserves applause, but suffering virtue demands our sympathy. Let the Ostracism which excludes Gen. Hull from the pale of honor be condemned, and the veteran once more be restored to fame and favor—no matter where the fault lies—let that too be forgotten, if peace and national dignity require it; but suffer not justice to slumber until his grey hairs are gone down to the grave, and until those who shared the anguish of his wounded spirit are beyond the reach of consolation. It would give the heart of the NOBLE LA FAYETTE the purest pleasure to take his compatriot, by the hand once more and say, "we have suffered contumely and reproach, but our characters are vindicated; let us forgive our enemies, and die in christian peace and love with all mankind."