“’You will remember, gentlemen, that Captain Asgill, who was a prisoner, and sentenced, by lot, to die, in retaliation for the coldblooded murder of Captain Hale, by the orders of a British officer.  You, and many of the officers of the army, interceded to save his life.  His execution was, in consequence, respited.  The heart-rending appeal of his mother and sisters, communicated to me in letters from those high-bred and accomplished women, determined me to lenity in his case, and he was pardoned.  Immediately upon the heels of this pardon comes an intrigue to seduce from his duty and allegiance a major-general, distinguished for services and capacity; and Major Andre is the instrument to carry out this intrigue—­to communicate their plans to the traitor, and to consummate the arrangement.  These plans were to seize, treacherously, the person of the general commanding the American forces, and carry him a prisoner to the enemy’s headquarters.  Lenity to this man would have been a high crime against Congress, the army, and the country, which could not have been justified.  I regretted the necessity as much as any of you; but mine was the responsibility, not yours.  Its being a painful duty did not make it less a duty.  Not mine alone, but the safety of the army depended upon the discharge of this duty—­a duty recognized by all nations in civilized warfare.  I felt it such; I discharged it, and am satisfied with it.  I hope I am superior to any apprehension of future censure for a faithful discharge of an imperative duty.’  Waving his hand, he bade us ‘Good evening.’

“General Washington, upon all important movements, sought the opinions of his staff, as well as those of the general officers of his command.  This was not for want of reliance upon his own judgment, but from a desire to see the matter through every light in which it could be presented.  These opinions were not unfrequently asked in writing.  They were always carefully studied, and due weight given to them, especially when they differed from his own.  His mind was eminently analytical, and always free from prejudice, and to these facts is to be attributed the almost universal correctness of his judgment upon all subjects which he had examined.  With regard to men, I never knew him to ask another’s opinion; nor was he ever the man to give utterance to his own, unless it became necessary as a duty.  I knew, from the time I entered his military family, of his high appreciation of Hamilton’s abilities; and the frequent concurrence of opinion between them sometimes (and especially with those not entirely acquainted with him) induced a belief that Hamilton formed his opinions, or, as Arnold once expressed it, was his thinker.  Yet there were many occasions upon which they differed, and widely differed; and never did Washington surrender his own opinion and adopt that of Hamilton.  I never thought the feelings of Washington toward him were more than respect for his exalted abilities.  I do not believe a kinder or more social attachment ever was felt by him, and I am positively sure these were the feelings of Hamilton for Washington.