t show to
Washington that it contained nothing to call forth the violent answer of
Gen. Lee, and, 'In the meantime,' writes Reed, 'I most solemnly assure you,
that you would see in it nothing inconsistent with that respect and
affection which I have, and ever shall bear to your person and character.'
Who can read this without being shocked at the falsehood of the man!

It was, indeed, fortunate for Reed, that Washington never saw that letter.
But how could Mr. Irving quote a portion of so important a document, while
he suppressed the material part? Indeed, we are tempted to believe that
some other hand had supervised those pages, before they were presented to
the public.

We conceive it to be the duty of an impartial historian to collect facts,
and present them to his readers, and he is guilty of falsifying history who
suppresses them. His readers have the same right to _all_ the evidence that
bears upon important occurrence that he has, and though the author may give
his views and conclusions, the reader is not of necessity compelled to
agree with him. We for one, must beg leave to differ from Mr. Irving in his
estimate of Reed's character, and we doubt not that every one reading his
letter will sustain us in our opinion, that his conduct was false and
treacherous in the extreme.

In order properly to appreciate the baseness of Reed's conduct, it is
necessary to consider the circumstances under which it occurred. It was
immediately after Washington had experienced the most trying reverses. Fort
Washington had just been captured; over two thousand men had been taken
prisoners, and his own eyes had beheld his men, partners of his toil,
bayoneted and cut down while they begged for quarter. The Jerseys were
overrun, and Philadelphia threatened by the enemy. Add to this, the
accounts he received from Congress of the state of affairs at home, and it
wanted but the discovery of such treachery to crush a spirit less mighty
than his.

It appears strange that Mr. Irving should form such an undue estimate of
Reed's character, nor can we believe him to be ignorant of what was his
real position and standing among his brother officers. As early as 1776,
when Reed contemplated resigning his commission as Adjutant General, the
announcement was hailed with pleasure, for Reed had few friends. Col.
Trumbull, writing to a member of Congress on the subject, says, "I heard
Jos. Reed had sent his resignation some time ago; in the name of