The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1807-03-05 00:00:00, page 3

if told Col. Burr he deceived himself in
presuming that he, or any other man,
could excite a party in this country who
would countenance him in such a plot
of desperation, murder and treason. He
replied, that he, perhaps, knew better
the dispositions of the influential citi
zens of this country than I ciid» I told
him, one solitary word would destroy
him. He asked what word. I answer
ed, Usurper. He smiled at my hesita
tion, and quoted some great examples
in his favour. I observed to him, that
l had lately travelled from one extreme
of the Union, and though I found a di
versity of political opinion among the
people, they appeared united at the most
distant aspect of national danger; that
for the section of the Union to which I
belonged, I would vouch, should he suc
ceed in the first instance here, he would
within six weeks afterwards have his
throat cut bv Yankee militia.
Though wild and extravagant Mr.
Burr’s last project, and though fraught
with premeditated slaughter, I felt very
tasy on the subject, because its defeat
he had deposited in my own hands. I
did not Ictl so secure concerning that
of disjointing the Union. But the very
interesting and embarrassing situation
in which his communications placed me,
lelt me, I conJess, at a stand to know how
to conduct myself with propriety. He
had committed no overt act of aggres
sion against law. I could draw nothing
from him in writing; nor could I learn
that he had disclosed his plans to anv
person near me, by whom mv testimony
could be supported. He had mentioned
to me no persons who were principally
rind decidedly engaged w ith him, except
Gen. Wilkinson—a Mr. Alston, who I
found was his son-in-law—and a Mr.
hphraim Kibby, late a captain oi ran
gers in Gen. Wayne’s armv. Satisfied
tiint r. Burr was resolute in pushing
his project of rebellion in the west of
the Allegheny, and apprehensive that it
w»is too well and too extensivelv organ
ized to be easily suppressed, though I
dreaded the weight of his characterwhen
l.ud in the balance against my solitary
assertion, I brought myself to'the reso
lution to endeavour to defeat it by get
ting him removed from amongst us ot
to expose myself to all consequences by
a disclosure of his intentions. Accor*
dinglv I waited on the Piesidcnt of the
United States, and after some desultory
conversation, in which I aimed to draw
his view to the westward, ? used the
freed Jin to say to the President, I tho’t
' i
Mr. Burr should be sent out of this
country, and gave for reason, that I be
lieved him dangerous in it. The Pre
sident asked where he should be sent.
I mentioned London and Madrid. The
President thought the trust too impor
tant, and seemed to entertain a doubt of
Mr. Burr’s integrity. I intimated that
no one, perhaps, had stronger grounds to
mistrust Mr. Burr’s moral integrity than
myself, yet I believed ambition so much
predominated over him, that when pla
ced on an eminence and put on his ho
nour, respect to himself tvould insure
his fidelity——his talents were unques
tionable* I perceived the subject was
disagreeable to the President, and to
give it the shortest course to the point,
declared my concern, that if Mr. Burr
were not in some way disposed of, we
should within eighteen months have an
insurrection, ir net a revolution, on the
waters of the Mississippi. The Presi
dent answered, that he had too much
confidence in the information, the inte
grity,* and the attachment to the Union.
ol the citizens of that country, to admit
an apprehension of the kind. " I am hap
py that events prove this confidence 'well
placed. As no interrogatories followed
my expressions of alarm, I thought si
lence on the subject, at that time and
place, became me : but I detailed, about
the srme time, the whole project of Mr.
burr to certain members ol Congress.
1 hey believed Col. Burr capable of any
thing, and agreed that the l'cllow ought
to be hanged, but thought bis projects
too chimerical, and his circumstances
too desperate, to give the subject the
merit of serious consideration. The to
tal security of feeling in those to whom
I bad rung the tocsin, induced me to sus
pect my own apprehensions unseasona
ble, or at least too deeply admited-; and
ol course I grew indifferent about the
subie-ct.
IM r. Burr’s visits to me became less
frequent, and his conversation less fa
miliar. He appeared to have abandoned
the idea of a general revolution, but
seemed determined on that of the Mis- I
sissippi; and although 1 could perceive
symptoms of distrust in him towards
me, fa* manifested great solickute toen
eage me with him in the enterprise._
W- ary of his importunity, and at once
to com infc him ol n>v serious attach
ments, I gave the following toast to tin
public: “ The United Stales—Palsey to
the brain that would plot to dismember,
and leprosy to the hand that would not
draw ia defence of, our union
I doubt whether, dw^^atimcnt %-as
better und« stood by any of my acquain
tances than by Cot. Burr. Our inter
course ended here. We met bit seldom
afterwards. I returned to my farm in
Massachusetts, and thought no iruarcU'
ot Mr. Burr, nor his empire, till some
time late in September or beginning of
October, when a letter from Morris
Belknap, of Marietta, to Timothy E.
-Danielson, fell into my hands at Brim
field, which satisfied me that Mr. Bun
had actually commences his preparatory .
operations on the Ohio. I now spoke
publicly of the fact—transmitted a copy
ot the letter from Belknap to the de
partment ot state, and about the same
time torwarded, through the hands of
the Post-master-general, to the Presi
dent ot the United States, a statement
in substance what is here above detailed
concerning the Mississippi conspiracy
ol the said Col. Aaron Burr—which is
said to have been die first formal intel
ligence received by the executive on the
subject ol the conspirator being in mo
tion.
I know not whether my country will
allow me the merit ot correctness of
conduct in this affair. The novelty of
the duty might, perhaps, have embar
rassed stronger minds than mine. The:
uprightness of my intentions I hope will
not be questioned.
T. he interviews between Col. Burr
and myself, from which the foregoing
state m< it has resulted, were chiefly in
this city, in the months of February and
March, last year.
WILLIAM EATON.
Washington City, Jan. 26, 1807.
Sworn to in open court, this 26th day of
January, 1807. Wm. BRENT, Clk.
WHEELING,
Thursday, March 5, 1807.
Extract of a letter from Mr. William
Chap line, noiv at Natchez, to a gentle
man in this place,dated fan. 23d,1807.
“ 1 ha> e been at Washington, the seat '
of government for this territory, where
Col. IJurr is waiting for his trial. It has
been rumoured that some of the people
in the neighbourhood, were unfriendly
to him, in consequence of which there
is a guard stationed at Washington to
protect his person. The troop also pa
rade every day.1'
Doctor Trick llollman, and Messrs.
Samuel Swartwout ai*d Peter V-. Ogden>