the power of Congress, and the revolutionary army was stationed at no great distance in New Jersey, in a winter encampment of wooden huts.

"The party that should undertake this enterprise would have to embark in boats for the Jersey shore; and it was essential that the whole affair should be accomplished between sun and sun.

"The following is the plan intended to be observed, copied literally from the original, in the handwriting of Colonel Ogden :

"It will be necessary to have four whale-boats, (which can be procured without cause for suspicion ;) they must be well manned by their respective crews, including guides, &c.; besides these, one captain, one subaltern, three sergeants, and thirtysix men, with whom the boats can row with ease.-N.B. It is known where the boats are, and that they can be collected without suspicion, with their oars-men; and it is taken for granted the owners will not object; though, for fear of giving the least cause of alarm, nothing has yet been said to them.

"The time of embarkation must be the first wet night after we are prepared. The place is not yet agreed on, as it will be necessary to consult those skilled in the tides, previous to dedetermining, which must be put off until we are as nearly prepared as possible, for fear of inferences being drawn from our inquiries. We must, however, set off from such part of the Jersey shore as will give us time to be in the city by half-past nine. The men must be embarked in the order of debarkation.

"The Prince quarters in Hanover-square, and has two sentinels from the 40th British regiment, that are quartered in Lord Stirling's old quarters in Broad-street, 200 yards from the scene of action. The main guard, consisting of a captain and forty men, is posted at the City Hall-a sergeant and twelve, at the head of the old slip-a sergeant and twelve, opposite the coffeehouse: these are troops we may be in danger from, and must be guarded against. The place of

landing, at Coenties Market, between the two sergeants' guards, at the head of the old slip, and opposite the coffee-house.

"The order of debarkation to agree with the mode of attack, as follows:

"First-Two men with a guide, seconded by two others, for the purpose of seizing the sentinels, these men to be armed with naked bayonets, and dressed in sailors' habits: they are not to wait for anything, but immediately execute their orders.

"Second-Eight men, including guides, with myself, preceded by two men with each a crow-bar, and two with each an axe -these for the purpose of forcing the doors, should they be fast-and followed by four men entering the house, and seizing the young Prince, the Admiral, the young noblemen, aides, &c.

“Third—A captain and eighteen to follow briskly, form, and defend the house, until the business is finished, and retreat a half gun-shot in our rear.

"Fourth-A subaltern and fourteen, with half of the remaining of the boat's crew, to form on the right and left of the boats, and defend them until we return: the remainder of the crews to hold the boats in the best possible position for embarking. "Necessary-Two crow-bars, two axes, four dark lanterns, and four large oil-clothes.

"The manner of returning as follows:

"Six men with guns and bayonets, with those unemployed in carrying off the prisoners, to precede those engaged in that business, followed by the captain (joined by the four men from the sentry) at a half gun-shot distance, who are to halt and give a front to the enemy, until the whole are embarked in the following order:

"First-The prisoners, with those preceding them.

"Second-The guides and boatmen.

"Third-The subalterns and fourteen.

"Fourth the rear."

That Washington not only abetted but approved of his plan, is evident from several letters of his which were written about

this time. That Washington was in many respects a great man cannot be disputed, nor can it be disputed also, that in many instances, he was a very little man indeed. It was the opinion of many of the people of America, and the sentiment has been echoed in this country, that there have appeared in the world only four truly great men, namely, MOSES, Gustavus, KING ALFRED, and GEORGE WASHINGTON, ESQUIRE, for so the Americans themselves, though averse to all titles and distinctions, dubbed their General. In the office, in the conduct, and in the achievements of the three first, we do, indeed, perceive a striking resemblance. Moses, though not a king like Alfred and Gustavus, was a ruler appointed by God, and like the two monarchs, he rescued his countrymen from the degrading and painful yoke of a foreign power; but we can scarcely find words to express our indignation at the impudence and ignorance of those, who in defiance of notorious facts, have placed Washington on a footing with those illustrious and wonderful men. Washington was not a king, as Gustavus and Alfred were, neither was he like Moses, a ruler appointed by God, but a ringleader first appointed by a miserable rabble for the paltry consideration of fifty pounds, given by him to a committee of safety in Virginia. Washington, so far from rescuing his countrymen from a foreign yoke, invited foreigners to invade his native country, and actually did, with the assistance of those foreigners, subdue the loyal subjects of his sovereign, and compel them to submit to a yoke, which they hated, and under which they now groan.

We are, however, not going to enter into an analysis of the character of Washington, no further than it is connected with the infamous attempt on the liberty, and perhaps the life of the illustrious subject of these memoirs. The following extract from his letter will shew the interest he took in the conspiracy, and that he had emissaries in New York, who forwarded to him the most correct information on the subject. In one of his letters, he quotes a paragraph from a secret despatch, dated March 23d, which had been transmitted to him by one of the New York spies :-

"Great seems to be their apprehension here. About a fortnight ago a great number of flat boats were discovered by a sentinel from the bank of the river (Hudson's), which are said to have been intended to fire the suburbs, and in the height of the conflagration to make a descent on the lower part of the city, and wrest from our embraces his Excellency Sir H. Clinton, Prince William Henry, and several other illustrious personages, since which great precautions have been taken for the security of those gentlemen, by augmenting the guards, and to render their persons as little exposed as possible.”

In another letter, dated Newburgh, April 2d, 1782, General Washington observes-" After I wrote to you from Morris Town, I received information that the sentries at the door of Sir Henry Clinton were doubled at eight o'clock every night, from an apprehension of "an attempt to surprise him in them. If this be true, it is more than probable the same precaution extends to other personages in the city of New York, a circumstance I thought it proper for you to be advised upon."

The murder of Major Andre will always remain a blot upon the character of Washington, and the part which he took in the kidnapping of Prince William will always stand in record against him, as one of the most despicable acts of his life. That the capture of Prince William would have been advantageous to the Americans there is no doubt, but on the other hand, the hazard with which the undertaking was attended, was perhaps greater than the advantage which would have been derived from the possession of his person. It is certain that Washington had instructed Colonel Ogden, if he succeeded in his enterprise, to treat his prisoners with all becoming respect; but even this stretch of clemency did not take away the sting from the transaction, it was no more than every person was entitled to, who might be taken in honourable warfare. It was his duty, as belonging to a civilized nation, to treat his prisoners with mercy and respect; and, therefore, his show of clemency towards Prince William, as contained in his orders to Colonel Ogden, was nothing more than pretence and hypocrisy.

It is a singular feature in the character of man, that with the noblest actions is generally allied a certain portion of weakness and inconsistency. No one will deny that Buonaparte was one of the greatest men which this age, or any other, has produced, and yet with all the greatness of his exploits, there was often mingled a littleness of character, which on the casual observer could not fail to make an unfavourable impression. Man is not like the albatross, whose wings never tire, and which preserves its altitude above the earth, as if it scorned to tread upon it; man in the grandeur of his actions, may soar for a time into the heaven of heavens, but the tension of his mind becomes too powerful for him, and he sinks at last to the lowliness and humility of the mere common character. Newton was a great man, and yet few men committed more childish actions. Montaigne, who knew every recess of the human heart, and whose mind was a matchless example of intellectual power, was continually committing some foolish action, which involved him in difficulties and embarrasments. The virtues and vices of an individual generally appear in an equal proportion of strength-where the former are strong, the latter will be strong also; wisdom and folly are frequently allied in the same person, and whether he be a Washington or a Gustavus, a Newton or a Napoleon, we shall still in the midst of the most shining virtues, discover those defects and blemishes, which belong to the mediocre character, and which are always considered as its decided criterion.

The service in which Prince William was now engaged, was rather of a severe nature, for Admiral Digby had not his flag flying upon any particular ship, but moved it as the occasion required, he having a considerable number of small vessels under his command, which were employed as cruisers against the enemy's privateers, which swarmed in those seas, and which carried on a kind of piratical war against the commerce of this country. These cruisers were in general very successful, and some very distinguished actions were fought; but, it was not a kind a warfare which suited the taste of Prince William, and he, therefore, requested leave of Admiral Digby