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ART. I. The General Biographical Dictionary; containing an historical and critical account of the lives and writings of the most eminent persons in every nation :-new edition by A. CHALMERS, F. S. A. London. 1817. (Article "WASHINGTON," Vol. 31st.)

OUR attention has been recently directed by a friend to the 31st Volume of Chalmers' General Biographical Dictionary; Article Washington, p. 204. We find there the following passage.

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'Much has been said, by the American Biographers of Wash'ington, concerning his magnanimity during the ravages of a civil war, in which he acted so conspicuous a part; but, on the other ' hand, two instances have been mentioned, in which he is thought 'to have been deficient in this great quality of a hero. Granting (it has been said) that duty required him to execute, as a spy, the accomplished Major Andre, true magnanimity would have pre' vented him from insultingly erecting, in the view of that unfortu'nate officer, the gallows on which he was to be hung, several days before his execution. And, when Earl Cornwallis was overpowered by numbers and obliged at Yorktown to surrender to the united armies of America and France, a magnanimous conqueror 'would not have claimed, contrary to the usage of civilized war, the sword from the hands of that gallant nobleman. On these 'two occasions, and on some others, the conduct of Washington agreed so ill with his general character, that he has been supposed to be iufluenced by the leaders of the French Army.'

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When a compiler of General Biography, assails the character of one of the first men of the age, it is surely incumbent upon him to VOL. II.

give some sufficient name, as an authority for the facts which he asserts; or in defect of this, to furnish proof of his having had the means of knowing them personally. On this occasion, however, Mr. Chalmers has thought proper to dispense with both these rules, and to substitute for them, a loose and illogical language, obviously calculated to leave it matter of doubt, whether the American Biographers of Washington, did or did not themselves furnish both the praise and the censure. His expression is substantially this"Much has been said by American Biographers in commendation "of the magnanimity of Washington; but, on the other hand, two "instances, which detract from this praise, have been mentioned." And by whom? This, is precisely what the compiler wished to conceal; because, had he told the public, that these two enormities in the conduct of Washington, had come down to him through the Welds, the Parkinsons or the Bristeds of the day, the plan would have failed-the trap would have caught nobody, and like the accomplished Andrè, Mr. Chalmers would have had the satisfaction only, of having meditated a mischief, he was unable to effect. But let this pass: our business is less with the sources whence his fictions are derived, than with the fictions themselves: and

1st. That General Washington, for the purpose of insulting the feelings of Major Andre, caused the gallows (on which the Major was afterwards hanged) to be erected, several days before the execution, and within the view of the prisoner.'

This assertion has not even the colour of truth to support itbut before we touch the positive evidence, within our reach, we will briefly examine the charge, on the ground of probability.

It will be remembered, that Major Andrè was apprehended on the 23d of September (1780); that on the 28th, he was removed to Tappan; that on the 29th he was brought to trial; that the last sitting of the court-in which was decided the mode of his punishment was held on the 1st day of October, and that his execution took place, precisely at 12 o'clock, on the 2d. Now between the time of his arrival and that of his execution, are but three days and a half; and between this last event and the final sentence of the court, we count even less than twenty-four hours! This computation of time leaves no room for Mr. Chalmers' "several days” except upon the very improbable supposition, that Washington, in his haste to insult the feelings of Andrè, had caused a gallows to be erected, before the court had decided, either the guilt of the prisoner, or the mode of his punishment.

The historical relation of the conduct of Washington, on this occasion, given in England, and at a time when every circumstance attending it, was matter both of curiosity and interest, holds a language totally different from that of Mr. Chalmers. In the An

nual Register for 1781, (Vol. 24) it is expressly stated, that "as "Major Andrè's request for a mitigation of the sentence, in rela❝tion to the mode of his punishment, could not be granted, it was "thought humane to evade giving a direct answer.” But on the supposition, that Mr. Chalmers' fiction be true, why this affectation of delicacy? Why not answer both promptly and directly?

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To the sympathy, shown for Andrè on the part of the army of the U. S., all cotemporary writers bear testimony. Gordon, (himself an Englishman,) says, "Pity and esteem wrought so powerfully with the court, that all were disposed (excepting "General Green) to commute his punishment, as he had desired." And the respectable work first quoted, in describing the last melancholy circumstance of the drama, informs us,-" that the suffer

er encountered his fate, with a composure, dignity and fortitude, "which equally excited the admiration and melted the hearts of "all the spectators." Is it probable, that a sentiment, so just and so general, should have awakened only at the moment of the execution, or that the Commander in Chief, should alone have been an exception to it?

In another relation of this affecting story, (by the late General Hamilton, who was himself a witness of the scene) we are told, that Major Andrè, "when led to the place of execution, bowed "familiarly to all those, with whom he had been acquainted in his "confinement; and that a smile of complacency expressed the se86 rene fortitude of his mind :"-but that, "arrived at the fatal spot, he asked with some emotion,- must I then die in this man"ner ?"—an expression, as well of surprise as of horror, and totally inconsistent with the belief, that the sight of the gallows, which had caused this new and increased emotion, had been familiar to him for several days preceding.

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These considerations, (unless others, of greater weight and conflicting character, are presented) cannot fail of themselves to decide the first question, between us and the British Biographer;but fortunately, the charge is made, before time has swept from the stage, all the witnesses of that interesting event; and we are accordingly able to avail ourselves of the testimony of Major Cooper, which, with much similar proof, has been carefully collected by the learned Secretary of the New-York Historical Society.

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"This is to certify that, in the Revolutionary war, I served as "Lieutenant and Adjutant in Col. Crane's 3d Battalion of Artil"lery, and that I was at Tappan on Monday, the 2d of October, "(1780) the day on which Major Andrè was executed as a spy; "that I witnessed his execution, at 12 o'clock of that day, and that "I am clearly satisfied, that the Gibbet, on which he was executed,

(a) Now Treasurer of that Institution---Mr. John Pintard.

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was erected on the morning of that day; that it was impossible for "Major Andrè to have seen the Gibbet from the quarters where "he was confined, the place of execution being at least half a "mile distant from said quarters, and any view thereof, intercept"ed by intervening objects."

2d. That on the surrender of the British army at Yorktown, General Washington, contrary to the usages of civilized war, claimed the sword from the hands of the British Commander in Chief, Lord Cornwallis.'

This assertion, is made with as little regard to truth as the former, and with much less regard to prudence;-because, in the affair of Andrè, the official documents do not reach the circumstance in controversy, and of course leave it undetermined—but here, the Biographer is confronted by articles of capitulation, signed by Lord Cornwallis himself:-the 4th of which expressly saves, to the officers surrendering, their "side arms and private property of every kind."

As the whole of this story appears to be new to Mr. Chalmers, we shall give a short sketch of it from the pen of old Marshal Rochambeau, and another from that of the late General Lee; by which it will be seen, that, so far from suffering the outrage stated by the British Biographer, Lord Cornwallis was not even present at the actual surrender, but left to the gallant O'Hara the duty of going through that necessary but unpleasant ceremony.

"On the 17th of October, the enemy began to negotiate, and "the capitulation was signed on the 19th,-by which, Lord Corn"wallis and his army became prisoners of war.

At 12 o'clock

"the Americans and French took possession of the two bastions. "The garrison marched out, at 2 o'clock, between the two armies "-with drums beating and shouldered arms, which were after"wards stacked, together with twenty stands of colours. Lord "Cornwallis, being unwell, General O'Hara marched at the head "of the garrison. When he came up, he presented to me his "sword-I pointed to General Washington who was opposite to "me and at the head of the American troops, and told him, that as the French were auxiliaries only, he must receive his orders "from the American General." a

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"At 2 o'clock," says General Lee, "the British army, led by "General O'Hara, marched out of its lines with colours cased and "drums beating a British march. When the head of the column "approached the commander in chief, O'Hara, mistaking the cir"cle, turned to that on his left, for the purpose of paying his respects and requesting further orders; when quickly discovering (a) Memoires militaires historiques et politiques de Rochambeau. Tom. Ir. p. 295.

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