but of common honesty and honour: of belonging to that detestable gang, usually known by the name of Cow-boys. He charged them, in effect, therefore, with being the vilest of thieves and robbers; and, in doing so, represented General Washington and the Congress as bestowing the public praise and the public bounty upon wretches, utterly base and contemptible, from mere motives of policy. There was, in this attempt, an intrepidity worthy of a better cause; but, at the same time, a rashness which he will never cease to repent. Col. Tallmadge has endeavoured to tear the fairest leaf from our history, and to deprive the yeomanry of our country of a theme in which they gloried, and of an example, whose influence is not less extensive and important, than was that of the immortal William Tell. If he has done so, when there was the least possibility that he might be in an error, he could never, upon reflection, justify himself. But, if he has done so upon slight, very slight grounds, not from his own knowledge, but from the calumnies of the envious, and the mere suspicions of an enemy, he has incurred a responsibility which he must meet: a responsibility from which the personal respect with which he may have been heretofore regarded, ought not to protect him, nor general coincidence of political opinion to release him.

Upon what grounds did the colonel accuse these men of being cow-boys? of being as often in the enemy's camp as in our own? Did he know the facts? If he did, he must have seen them steal; he must have seen them in the enemy's camp: But he does not pretend this. What then is the evidence of these facts? At most,

hearsay which might indeed be true-but it might also be, as, in fact it was, false. This evidence was, assuredly, too loose for the charge he advanced-against men whose service had certainly been important; and who, absent, were not in a condition to justify themselves. The colonel is a Christian. Did he here observe the golden rule? The colonel has his enemies: how would he feel if the community should judge of his character by their calumnies?

The utmost that can be said in palliation of Col. Tallmadge's conduct is, that he believed what he said to be true. He believed them to be cow-boy plunderers, because he heard so! He believed they would have permitted Andre to proceed, if he had had more to give them, because Andre said he was of that opinion! Upon such grounds the colonel employed the weight of his character, and the authority of his place, to consign to infamy the three men who had saved West Point and the army!

There is not a court of justice in Christendom which would not spurn such evidence. There can, therefore, be no fear that it will be received by a grateful people. And, although we are fully persuaded, that nothing has appeared to put the accused upon their defence, yet we proceed, gratuitously, to lay before our readers such conclusive testimony as will satisfy the whole world.

And first, as to these men being cow-boys. Their neighbours would be, of all others, most likely to know the fact, if it were so; and the annexed certificate from men aged and venerable, will show that they were not even suspected. But the oath of Mr. Van Wart is decisive.

As to the second point, whether

the captors of Andre would have released him for a very large bribe, provided he could immediately have paid it, that is a circumstance which could be known only by themselves. And Mr. Van Wart expressly denies the imputation in the annexed affidavit.

The only possible question that can remain is, whether the witness is worthy of credit. To this point we bring men who have known him from his infancy; men, whose venerable hairs are silvered by age; they speak to us from the verge of the grave; and they unite in the declaration, that no man is more entitled to be believed than Isaac Van Wart.

The nature of the case does not admit of testimony more precise, perfect and conclusive. The refutation is solemnly sworn to, and by a man who, in moral and religious deportment, during a long life, has had no superior.

Isaac Van Wart's Affidavit.

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 three persons who arrested Major Andre, during the American revolutionary war, and conducted him to the American 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 persons 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 Andre 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 neighbour hood. 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 that he was a spy. Major Andre 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 ful- | filment 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 Andre to them, was promptly and resolutely refused. And, for himself, he solemnly declares, that he had not, aud 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 promises, 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 Andre'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.

ISAAC VAN WART. Sworn this 28th day of January, 1817, before Jacob Radcliff.

We, the subscribers, inhabitants of the county of Westchester, do certify that during the revolutionary war we were well acquainted with Isaac Van Wart,

David Williams, and John Paulding, who arrested Major Andre; and that, at no time during the revolutionary war, was any suspicion ever entertained by their neighbours or acquaintances, that they or either of them held any undue intercourse with the enemy. On the contrary, they were universally esteemed, and taken to be ardent and faithful in the cause of the country. We further certify, that the said Paulding and Williams are not now resident among us, but that Isaac Van Wart is a respectable freeholder of the town of Mount Pleasant, that we are well acquainted with him, and we do not hesitate to declare our belief, that there is not an individual in the county of Westchester, acquainted with Isaac Van Wart, who would hesitate to describe him as a man of a sober, moral, industrious, and religious life-as a man whose integrity is as unimpeachable, as his veracity is undoubted. In these respects, no man in the county of Westchester is his superior.

Jon. G. Tompkins, aged 81 yrs.
Jacob Purdy, aged 77.
John Odell, aged 60.
John Boyce, aged 72.
J. Requa, aged 57.
William Paulding, aged 81.
John Requa, aged 54.
Archer Read, aged 64.
George Comb, aged 72.
Gilbert Dean, aged 70.
Jonathan Odell, aged 87.

Corneles Vant Tassel, aged 71.

Thomas Boyce, aged 71.

Tunis Lint, aged 71.

Jacobus Dyckman, aged 68.
William Hammond.
John Romer.

THE FIRE AT NEW ORLEANS. From the Louisiana Courier of Sept. 30.-Saturday last was a day

of desolation for the city of New Orleans. Towards 12 o'clock, just when the workmen who were employed in the ball room which Mr. Davis was erecting in Orleans street, were leaving their work to go to dinner, a very dark smoke, and soon after a furious flame was perceived coming out by every opening of that building. The citizens immediately repaired to the spot, but it would have been in vain to think of stopping so dreadful a fire, which had, in an instant, caught to the whole building. To complete the evil, the I wind was blowing hard from the northward, and throwing the flames on several wooden houses situate on the opposite side of the street. The ball room was soon consumed; and the Orleans theatre which was contiguous to it, experienced the same fate. The two squares in front were destroyed; the conflagration threatened to involve a considerable part of the city, when fortunately, the wind slackened a little, which gave time to pull down a number of wooden buildings. They, by that means succeeded in stopping the progress of the dreadful element towards 3 o'clock, P. M.

The loss occasioned by that event is incalculable. The buildings destroyed may be valued at from 5 to 600,000 dollars, besides all the goods, furniture and effects, which were lost, broken, or stolen. The Orleans theatre, and Mr. Davis' ball room, were two build. ings which greatly contributed to the ornament of the city, and the neighbourhood of which gave to that part of the city a great value of which it is now deprived.

Amidst that disaster the zeal and activity displayed by a number of citizens, as well in putting VOL. II.

out the fire, as in saving the property of those whose dwellings were burning, has been remarkable. We have witnessed with admiration the courage of some officers of the navy, who, with axes in their hands and among the flames, were working with that sang froid which has distinguished them in so many circumstances. We believe no life has been lost in the awful catastrophe.

[Another account estimates the amount of loss at half a million, and the number of houses about 40.]

EXPORTS OF THE UNITED STATES.

From a statement of the secretary of the treasury to Congress, it appears that the value of the exports of the United States, for the year ending the 30th Sept. 1816, was eighty-one millions, nine hundred and twenty thousand, four hundred and fifty-two dollars, (81,920,452,) of which 64,781,896, were of domestic materials, and 17,138,556 of foreign. Of the domestic products exported, 7,293,000 were the produce of the forest; of agriculture 53,354,000; of manufactures 1,755,000;-of uncertain origin 1,049,000. The total amount exported to the possessions of foreign powers, the largest amount (39,184,558) was to those of Great Britain; the next largest (12,138,135) to those of France; the next (8,589,718) to those of Spain; to Holland and its colonies, 5,602,524; to the Hanse towns and ports of Germany, 3,534,500; to Portugal, Brazil, &c. 2,270,389 dollars. The total exports from the several states and territories during the year before mentioned, was in the following proportion:

2 H