Beschreibung:

(Arnold, Benedict)Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council. In Council. Philadelphia, February 3rd, 1779. Present His Excellency Joseph Reed Esq. President, Hon. George Bryan Esq [and six others]. This board having considered the general tenor and course of the military command of Major General Arnold, in this City and State. … Philadelphia: Printed by Francis Bailey, [1779] (bound with:) Pennsylvania Supreme Executive Council. Proceedings of the Supreme Executive Council of the State of Pennsylvania in the Case of Major General Arnold (caption title). [Philadelphia:] Printed by Hall and Sellers, 1779 Broadside (390 x 215 mm, irregular) sewn into a 4to pamphlet (244 x 202 mm); some minor marginal loss to broadside, some light foxing to pamphlet. Disbound. Housed in a custom-fitted oatmeal buckram folding-case, printed paper label. Two extremely rare documents relating to the court martial of Benedict Arnold for his conduct as military governor of Philadelphia—an event that likely contributed to his treason. After being wounded at Saratoga and unable to resume a field command, Arnold was appointed governor of Philadelphia by George Washington after the Continental Army had pushed out the British and imposed martial law. Arnold quickly antagonized the Patriot citizenry by socializing with the Loyalists who remained in the city; he eventually married Peggy Shippen, the daughter of a wealthy Loyalist merchant. He was also evidently involved in black marketeering. Arnold was eventually formally accused "with respect to the appropriation of the public waggons of this state to private use," among other charges. The broadside report of the state's Supreme Executive Council prints two resolves and eight articles enumerating and explaining the charges of "illegal and oppressive conduct" levelled against Arnold, and the order that the state attorney general prosecute him for the same. This appears to be the proof copy of the broadside, as the articles are misnumbered as being nine, rather than eight, as well as a holograph emendation by Timothy Matlack, the Secretary of the Council. The pamphlet of the Council's Proceedings includes the complete exhibit of letters and affidavits in the case. Arnold was eventually convicted of just two minor charges, and retained his command, but he was left embittered. He had opened a correspondence with British Major John André even before the trial was completed and was well positioned to betray his country when Washington appointed him the commander of West Point in June 1780. Both of these printings are exceptionally scarce: the last copy of the In Council broadside cited on Rare Book Hub was in the Anderson Galleries auction of the collection of Col. James H. Manning in 1926, while the last copy of the Proceedings was in the Anderson sale of Americana Rarities from the collection of Mrs. Walter M. Brickner in 1921. REFERENCECelebration of My Country 82; ESTC W35015, W23553; Evans 16439, 16448; Hildeburn 3889, 3935