On the appearances of the first volume, a number of errors were noticed by
the press, which were subsequently corrected. The most important one, that
in relation to Major Stobo, we are glad to see fully explained and
corrected in a note at the end of the second volume. In the early part of
the second volume, however, a far graver error occurs, we mean Mr. Irving's
estimate of the conduct and character of Gen. Reed, and is it mainly the
object of this communication to set that matter in its true light.
Who can read without emotion of the trials and difficulties that beset
Washington throughout the whole of his career? A Congress so corrupt, that
Livingston writes, 'I am so discouraged by our public mismanagement, and
the additional load of business thrown upon me by the villainy of those who
pursue nothing but accumulating fortunes, to the ruin of their country,
that I almost sink under it.' False friends and traitors intrigue against
him--even Gen. Reed, the very man Mr. Irving so delighted to honor, and an
inmate of his household, writes a letter to Gen. Lee, the aspiring rival of
Washington, reflecting, with harsh severity, on the conduct and character
of his commander and benefactor. Lee's answer fell into the hands of
Washington, and was read by him during the absence of Reed, who made no
attempt at an explanation until Lee was taken prisoner. He then endeavored
to explain the delay, by saying that he had been in the meantime
endeavoring to get possession of his letter, in order that he might 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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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