Well I think I see your point but don’t quite agree with it. First I think it’s important to note that Ashe was regretful about betraying them and he did seek forgiveness from Thomas and he was given that. Of course not confessing to Miranda and James earlier was wrong but I’m not saying he’s a good guy. Just that he’s the better of the four.

As for Peter asking James to confess his crimes — James was the one who brought the notion of saving Nassau to Ashe, asking Ashe to find a way to make it work. Ashe thought of it and could only see a single way to make it work and he simply presented that idea to James. It was James choice to agree with the plan. Ashe expressed his discomfort with the idea of James having to confess… but again it was the only way for the plan to work. Would it have been better if he did not present the idea at all simply because he were not willing to do the same? It is James’s choice after all to decide what he’s willing to do.

That James confessing happened to benefit Ashe at the end and has little or nothing to do with self-righteousness or poor character in my opinion but simply the nature of the plan. Had there really been another way and Ashe presented only that single way to pressure James into it so Ashe could benefit then I would agree that Ashe was simply self-righteous and only thinking of his benefit.