The Sun.
London, England, 1807-04-09 00:00:00

AMERICA.

MESSAGE

FRO!S titE PRESIDENT 07 THE 'UNITED STATES,
TRANSMITTING FUIVFHEE. INPOIMATION TO CON
GRESS TOUCHING BURR'S CONSPIRACY.

(Concluded from our Paper of Yeilerd“:y.)

THE DEPOSITION OF W. EATON. ESQ.

" Early last winter Col. Burr, late Vice-President
of the United States, signified to me at this place;
that, under the authority of the General Govern-
ment, he was organizing a secret expedition againSt
the Spanish Provinces on the SbUth Western hot,
ders : witch expedition he was to lead, and in
' which he was authorlsed to invite me to take the
command of a diVision: I had never before been
made
,personally acquainted with Col. Burr and
having for many years been employed in foreign ser.,
vice; I knew but little about the estimation this
Gentleman now held in the opinion of his country,
Men and_ his Government ; the rank and confi-
dence by which he ha'd,lately been so distinguished
left me no right` to sweet his patrioti6m.. I knew
him a soldier. In case.of a war with the Spanish
nation, which, from the., tenor of the President's
message to both Horses of 'Congress seemed pro-
bable, I should have thought it my duty to obey so
honOurable.a call of my country; and, under that
impression I did engage to embark- in the expedi-
tion. I had frequent interyiews with Ca Barr in
thi-S city—and, for a considerable, time; his obje&
seemed to be, to instruct me by maps, and other in-'
fort nation, of the feasibility of penetrating to ;
always carrying forward the idea that the measure
was authorised by Government. At length, some
time in February, he, by degrees, began to unveil .•
hiruself—he reproached the Government with want.
of chara&er, want. of gratitude, and want of justice.'
He seemed desirous. of irritating resentment in my
breast, by dilating,on certain injuries he felt I had
suffered. from refleaions made on the floor of the
Plouse of Representatives concerning my operations
in Barbary, and from the delays of Govertnnent in
adjusting my claiMs for disbursements on that coast
during my consuldr agency at TuniS; and he said he
would point me to an hotionrable mode of indem-
nity. I now begari.toentertain a suspicion that Mr.
Burr was projecting an unauthorised military expe,
dition, which to-me was enveloped in mystery; and
desirous to draw an explanation from him, I suffer-
ed him to suppose me resigned to his counsel. He
now laid open his project of revolutionizing the
Western Country, separating it from the- Union,
establishing a Monarchy Hteie, of Which he was to
be the Sovereign; .New, Orleans to be his capital-,
organizing a forCe on the waters of the Mississippi,
and extending conquest to Mexico. I suggested a,'
number
.of. impediments to his scheme--suCh as the
republican habits -of the citizens of that country,
and their affeElion 'towards our present Administim•
tiorfof-Government ;• the .want of funds; the resist-
ance he would meet with from the regular army of
the United States on those frontiers; and the oppci7
sition of Miranda in case he shOultil succeed to re-
publicanize the Mexicans.

• " Mr. Burr found, no ditfi.cnlty in removing these
obstacles : he said he had, the preceding season;
made a tour through the country, and had secured
the attachment of the' principal citizens' of Ken-
vacky, ;Tennessee, and. Louisiana., to his person and
fits tneahures—declared he had, inexhaustible re-
sources to funds ; assured me the _regular ',army
would ad with him, and would be reinforced ,by
ten or twelve thousand men- from the above-men-
tinned States and Territories, and from other parts
of the Union ; said he had powerful, Agents in the
Spanish territory—and, as for Miranda, said Mr;
Burr we must hang • Miranda: He' 'now proposed
to give me the second roinniand in his army. I
asked him who should have the chief command ?
said General Wilkinson. r observed that it. was sin-
gular he should count on General Wilkinson r the
elevated rank and high trust- he now held as Com-
mender in Chief of •our army, and' Goveenor of a '
Province, he would hardly put at hazard for any
_precarious prospects of aggrandizement. • Mr. Burr
said, that- General Wilkinson balanced in the
cun-
fid&nce of Government, was doubtful of retaining
much longer the consideration he now enjoyed, and
was consequently prepared to secure to himself a
,permanency. •
" I asked Mr, Burr, if he knew General Within=
son ? He answered yes; and echoed the question.
I said I knew him well. " What do you know of
him ?" said Mr. Burr.—l know," replied, that Gene-
rat Wilkinson will ad as Lieutenant to no man in •
existence. "You are in an error," said Mr. Burr—
" Wilkinson will at as Lieutenant to me." Frorn
the tenor of repeated COnifersations With Lle "Bnrr,.
I was induced to believe the plan •Pf separating the
Unio',. which he had contemplated, had been cdm-
municated to and approved of by General
-son (though I now suspeet it an artful argument of
sedudion), and he often expressed a full 'confidence:
that the General's influence--the oiler of double pay
and double rations—the prospect of plunder, and the
ambition Of achievement, would draw the army into
his measures. • Mr. Burr talked of the establishment
of an independent Government west of the Ancor-
hany as a matterof inherent constitutional right of the
people; a•change which wonleUeventually take place,
and for the operations of which the present crisis
was peculiarly faVourable. There was, said he, no
energy in the Government to tie dreaded, and the di-
visions of political opinions throughout the Union
was a circumstance or which we should profit.
There were very many •enterprising men among us
who aspired to something beyond the dull pursuits
of civil life, and who would'volinifeer in this enter.:
prise, and-the vast territory-belonging to the United
States, which offered to adventurers, and the mines
of Mexico, would bring, strength to his) squadron
from all quarters.-4 listaned to the exposition of
- Colonel Burr's:, views with • seeming acquiescence.
Every interview convinced inc mere and more' that
he had, organized La deee-!aid•plot of treason in the '
West, in the accomplishment of which-he felt fully
:confident. Till at length I discovered that his atu-
bition was not bounded by the waters of the Missis-'
aippi and Mexico, but that he meditated overthrow-
ing the present Government of our .Country. He'
Said. if he could gain over the; Marine Cerps,' and se-
cure the naval commanders, Truxton; Preble, De-
catur, and others, he would turn Congress neck and
heels out ofdoors; assassinates the President, seize