(Vol. ix., p. 111.)
On the 13th of January, 1817, Mr. Chappell made a report unfavourable to
the petition of John Paulding (one of the citizens who captured Major
André), who prays for an increase of the pension allowed to him by the
government in consequence of that service. On the question to reverse this
report, an interesting debate followed.
We copy the following from the _National Intelligencer_, January 14, 1817:
"What gave interest principally to the debate, was the disclosure by
Mr. Tallmadge of Connecticut (an officer at the time, and commanding
the advance guard when Major André was brought in) of his view of the
merit of this transaction, with which history and the records of the
country have made every man familiar. The value of the service he did
not deny; but on the authority of the declaration of Major André (made
while in the custody of Colonel Tallmadge), he gave it as his opinion
that, if Major André could have given to these men the amount they
demanded for his release, he never would have been hung as a spy, nor
in captivity on that occasion. Mr. T.'s statement was minutely
circumstantial, and given with expressions of his individual confidence
in its correctness. Among other circumstances he stated, that when
Major André's boots were taken off by them, it was to search for
plunder, and not to detect treason. These persons, indeed, he said,
were of that class of people who passed between both armies, as often
in one camp as the other, and whom, he said, if he had met with them,
he should probably as soon have apprehended as Major André, as he had
always made it a rule to do with these suspicious persons. The
conclusion to be drawn from the whole of Mr. Tallmadge's statement, of
which this is a brief abstract, was, that these persons had brought in
Major André only because they should probably get more for his
apprehension than for his release."
The question on reversing the report was decided in the negative:--Ayes,
53; Noes, 80 or 90.
It is proper to say that the question was decided on the ground taken in
the report, viz. on the injustice of legislating on a single case of
pension, whilst there were many survivors of the Revolution whom the favour
of the government had not distinguished.
From _The Gleaner_, published at Wilkesbury, Pennsylvania (copied into the
_National Intelligencer_ of Washington, March 4, 1817):
"The disclosure recently made by Colonel Tallmadge in the House of
Representatives, relative to the capture of Major André, seems to have
been received in every instance with the confidence to which it was
certainly entitled. That gentleman related what he saw and knew; and
those who are attempting to dispute him, relate only what they had been
informed of. To those of our readers who may not have seen the report
of Colonel Tallmadge's remarks, it may be proper to observe, that those
three men who captured Major André, applied to Congress for an increase
of pension settled on them by the government, and that when this
application was under consideration, Colonel Tallmadge (a member for
Connecticut) rose and stated, that having been the officer to whom the
care of André was entrusted, he had heard André declare that those men
robbed him, and upon his offer to reward them for taking him to the
British lines, he believes they declined only from the impossibility of
giving them sufficient security, &c., and that it was not patriotism
but the hope of gain which induced them to deliver him to the
Americans. To this declaration of Colonel Tallmadge, and in support of
his opinion, we are happy to have it in our power to offer the
following corroborating testimony.
"There is now living in this town a gentleman who was an officer in the
Massachusets line, and who was particularly conversant in all the
circumstances of that transaction. It was this gentleman who, in
company with Captain Hughes, composed the special guard of André's
person, was with him during the last twenty-four hours of his life, and
supported him to the place of execution. From him we have received the
following particulars: it is needless to say we give them our implicit
belief, since to those who are acquainted with the person to whom we
allude, no other testimony is ever necessary than his simple
declaration.
"To this gentleman André himself related that he was passing down a
hill, at the foot of which, under a tree, playing cards, were the three
men who took him. {521} They were close by the road side, and he had
approached very near them before either party discovered the other;
upon seeing him they instantly rose and seized their rifles. They
approached him and demanded who he was; he immediately answered that he
was a British officer, supposing, from their being so near the British
lines, that they belonged to that party. They then seized him, robbed
him of the few guineas which he had with him, and the two watches which
he then wore, one of gold and the other of silver. He offered to reward
them if they would take him to New York; they hesitated, and in his
(André's) opinion, the reason why they did not do so, was the
impossibility on his part to secure to them the performance of the
promise.
"He informs also that it was an opinion too prevalent to admit of any
doubt, that these men were of that description of persons called 'cow
boys,' or those who, without being considered as belonging to either
party, made it a business to pillage from both. He has frequently heard
this opinion expressed at that time by several officers who were
personally acquainted with all these men, and who could not have been
mistaken in their general characters.
"André frequently spoke of the kindness of the American officers, and
particularly of the attention of Major Tallmadge; and on the way to the
place of execution sent for that officer to come near him, that he
might learn the manner in which he was to die."
Statement of Van Wart (from the _National Intelligencer_ of Feb. 25, 1817):
"Isaac Van Wart, of the town of Mount Pleasant, in the county of
Westchester, being duly sworn, doth depose and say, that he is one of
the three persons who arrested Major André during the American
revolutionary war, and conducted him to the American camp. That he,
this deponent, together with David Williams and John Paulding, had
secreted themselves at the side of the highway, for the purpose of
detecting any person coming from, or having unlawful intercourse with,
the enemy, being between the two armies; a service not uncommon in
those times. That this deponent and his companions were armed with
muskets, and upon seeing Major André approach the place where they were
concealed, they rose and presented their muskets at him, and required
him to stop, which he did. He then asked them whether they belonged to
his party, and then they asked him which was his party? to which he
replied the lower party. Upon which they, deeming a little stratagem
under such circumstances not only justifiable but necessary, gave him
to understand that they were of his party, upon which he joyfully
declared himself to be a British officer, and told them that he had
been out upon very particular business. Having ascertained thus much,
this deponent and his companions undeceived him as to their characters,
declaring themselves to be Americans, and that he must consider himself
their prisoner. Upon this, with seeming unconcern, he said he had a
pass from General Arnold, which he exhibited, and then insisted on
their permitting him to proceed. But they told him that, as he had
confessed himself to be a British officer, they deemed it to be their
duty to convey him to the American camp; and then took him into a wood,
a short distance from the highway, in order to guard against being
surprised by parties of the enemy, who were frequently reconnoitering
in that neighbourhood. That when they had him in the wood they
proceeded to search him, for the purpose of ascertaining who and what
he was, and found inside of his stockings and boots, next to his bare
feet, papers which satisfied them he was a spy. Major André now showed
them his gold watch, and remarked that it was evidence of his being a
gentleman, and also promised to make them any reward they might name,
if they would but permit him to proceed, which they refused. He then
told them that if they doubted the fulfilment of his promise, they
might conceal him in some secret place, and keep him there until they
could send to New York and receive their reward. And this deponent
expressly declares, that every offer made by Major André to them was
promptly and resolutely refused. And, for himself, he solemnly declares
that he had not, and he does most sincerely believe that Paulding and
Williams had not, any intention of plundering their prisoner; nor did
they confer with each other, or even hesitate whether they should
accept his promise, but, on the contrary, they were, in the opinion of
this deponent, governed, like himself, by a deep interest in the cause
of the country, and a strong sense of duty. And this deponent further
says that he never visited the British camp, nor does he believe or
suspect that either Paulding or Williams ever did, except that Paulding
was, once before André's capture, and once afterwards, made a prisoner
by the British, as this deponent has been informed and believes. And
this deponent, for himself, expressly denies that he ever held any
unlawful traffic or any intercourse whatever with the enemy. And,
appealing solemnly to that omniscient Being, at whose tribunal he must
soon appear, he doth expressly declare that all accusations, charging
him therewith, are utterly untrue.