death.

Andre met the result with manly firmness. Even in this situation of
gathering horrors, he thought of others more than of himself. "There
is only one thing that disturbs my tranquillity," said he to Hamilton.
"Sir Henry Clinton has been too good to me; he has been lavish of his
kindness. I am bound to him by too many obligations, and love him too
well, to bear the thought that he should reproach himself, or others
should reproach him, on the supposition of my having conceived myself
obliged, by his instructions, to run the risk I did. I would not for
the world leave a sting in his mind that should embitter his future
days." He could scarce finish the sentence; bursting into tears, in
spite of his efforts to suppress them, and with difficulty collected
himself enough afterwards to add, "I wish to be permitted to assure
him that I did not act under this impression, but submitted to a
necessity imposed upon me, as contrary to my own inclination as to his
wishes." His request was complied with, and he wrote a letter to Sir
Henry Clinton to the above purport. He made mention also of his mother
and three sisters, to whom the value of his commission would be an
object. "It is needless," said he, "to be more explicit on this
subject; I am persuaded of your Excellency's goodness."

This letter accompanied one from Washington to Sir Henry Clinton,
stating the report of the board of inquiry, omitting the sentence.
Captain Aaron Ogden, a worthy officer of the New Jersey line, was
selected by Washington to bear these despatches to the enemy's post at
Paulus Hook, thence to be conveyed across the Hudson to New York.
Before his departure, he called by Washington's request on the Marquis
Lafayette, who gave him instructions to sound the officer commanding
at that post whether Sir Henry Clinton might not be willing to deliver
up Arnold in exchange for Andre. Ogden arrived at Paulus Hook in the
evening, and made the suggestion, as if incidentally, in the course of
conversation. The officer crossed the river before morning, and
communicated the matter to Sir Henry Clinton, but the latter instantly
rejected the expedient as incompatible with honor and military
principle.

The execution was to have taken place on the 1st of October, at five
o'clock in the afternoon; but in the interim Washington received a
second letter from Sir Henry Clinton, dated September 30th, expressing
an opinion that the board of inquiry had not been righ