them the same truthful statement of facts which he gave in his letter to Washington, and remarked, "I leave them to operate with the board, persuaded that you will do me justice." He was remanded to prison ; and after long and careful deliberation, the board reported " That Major Andre, adjutant-general of the British army, ought to be considered as a spy from the enemy, and that agreeably to ^he law and usage of nations,

) th^

it i^ their opinion he ought to suffer death.

/Washington approved the sentence on the 30th, and ordered his execution the next day at five o'clock in the afternoon. The youth, candour,

THE HUDSON. 337

gentleness, and honourable bearing of the prisoner made a deep impression on the court and the commander-in-chief. Had their decision been in coilsonance with their feelings instead of their judgments and the stern necessities of war, he would never have suffered death. There was a general desire on the part of the Americans to save him. The only mode was to exchange him for Arnold, and hold the traitor responsible for all the acts of his victim. *^ Sir Henry Clinton was a man of nice honour, and would not be likely to exhibit such bad faith towards Arnold, even to save his beloved adjutant-general. [Nor would Washington make such a proposition. He, however, respited the prisoner for a day, and gave others an opportunity to lay an informal proposition of that kind before Clinton. A subaltern went to the nearest British outpost with a letter from AVashington to Clinton, containing the official proceedings of the court-martial, and Andre's letter to the Ameiican commander. That subaltern, as instructed, informed the messenger who was to bear the packet to Sir Henry, that he believed Andre might be exchanged for Arnold.