_October 24th, 1842."_
We do not approve of this course of procedure on the part of Valley Forge,
nor do we think it a proper one. We think he ought to have met Mr. Smith
and the Messrs. Reed at the place and time appointed, and made the
explanation in person. Under any circumstances, we think it was due to them
as well as to ourselves. The proposition which was made by Valley Forge
having been accepted by the above-named gentlemen, what reason can there be
for longer preserving his incognito? Indeed he expressed his willingness,
in one of his notes, which we publish below, to unveil himself as soon as
the proposition he made was accepted.
We had, from the first, as we have now, the fullest confidence that the
letters purporting to be from the late General S. Smith were genuine, as
well as that the intentions of Valley Forge, so far as concerned ourselves,
were fair, and that he would establish the authenticity of those letters,
and the other documents contained in his communications.
Our belief in the genuineness of the letters of General Smith, was
strengthened by the perusal of a letter which we now have before us,
addressed to General Joseph Reed, by General John Cadwalader, in 1783,
which corroborates what those letters contain. In that letter the latter
gentleman says, "Having fully stated the temper of men's minds at this
alarming period, and the situation of public affairs, I shall now recite
the conversation and circumstances relating thereto, which I have avowed in
my letter to you of the 10th September, as having passed between us at
Bristol.
"I had occasion to speak with you, a few days before the intended attack on
the 20th December, 1776, and requested you to retire with me to a private
room at my quarters; the business related to intelligence--a general
conversation, however, soon took place concerning the state of public
affairs, and after running over a number of topics, in an agony of mind,
and despair strongly expressed on your countenance, and tone of voice, you
spoke your apprehensions concerning the event of the contest; that our
affairs looked very desperate, and we were only making a sacrifice of
ourselves; that the time Gen. Howe's offering pardon and protection to
persons who should come in before the 1st January, 1777, was nearly
expired; and that Galloway, the Allens, and others, had gone over and
availed themselves of that pardon and protection offered by said
proclamation; that you had a family, and ought to take care of them, and
that you did not understand following the wretched remains (or remnants) of
a broken army; that your brother (then Colonel or Lieutenant Colonel of the
militia--but you say of the five month's men, which is not material) was
then at Burlington with his family, and that you had ordered him to remain
there, and if the enemy took possession of the town, to take a protection
and swear allegiance--and in so doing he would be perfectly justifiable.
"This was the substance, and I think nearly the very words; but that, "_you
did not understand following the wretched remains (or remnants) of a broken
army_! I perfectly remember to be the _very words_!"
The letter of General Cadwalader contains the letters of P. Dickinson, John
Nixon, Benjamin Rush, David Lenox[TN], A. Hamilton, and a numbers of other
persons, confirming what we have quoted.
The subjoined notes from Valley Forge gave us confidence in the fairness of
his intentions.
R. M. WHITNEY, Esq: Dear Sir--I observe an invitation in
yesterday's Journal, for me to call at, or send to, your
office, for some information which you have to impart. For
reasons which I shall have the pleasure of expressing to you
hereafter in person, I am anxious to preserve my _incognito_,
for the present, even with my nearest friends; and this
consideration will prevent my _calling_. I am also at a loss
to know how to _send_; but if you will drop me a few lines in
the letter box of the Post-office, I shall not fail to receive
them.
Very truly, &c.,
VALLEY FORGE.
_September 23d, 1842._