Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-03-13

From tOG source whence II comes, ana the
pargicularity of the statement, it is sCppos-
cd 20 DC the most correct memorandum of
the address of General Wilkins IL to the
Supreme Court OF the Territory of Orleans
upon the arrest of Erick Bol.man, hitherto
published.
Extract Of a letter from Ne7v Orleans.
"The 18th of December was q day of So
Tenn interest and streng emotion in this CT
". General Wilkinson was on that dav
called upon to answer to the Supreme Court
for having arrested and sent oil DIR. BDllman,
who was not only the bearer of a trcasona-
bic letter from Col. Burr to the General, III
which he proposed 10 scducc the General
and the corps under his command, from
their fidelity, by the pToffcr of the second
place in command, and high hpuors and re-
wards; but was actually the prime agent
OF Col. Burr in this city, to propagate il 5
reIoutionIry projects, and to keep aim adj
vised by express or 9th rwise, Of every oc-
currence that might tranSpirc. Various
were the opinions and conjeCtures on the
occasion-somc were hardy enough to as
sert that the general would Slight the writ
which had been issued for bringingup Boil
man, while others contended that il was
such an act of violence against the consti-
tuition of the United States, to resist an Ha-
beas Corpus, that disobcdience would be
ultimately punished by a jail. At length
the hour arrived which was to decide this
Important question. The General appear
cd before the court Invested of the appen-
dages of an Oil GER with neither the usual
guard for his person nor an advocate for his
cause. When the General advanced TO the
bar, notwithstanding the deep solicitude of
the croud who filed the courthouse, the
most perfect stiffness and silence prevailed.
After short pause the General addressed
the court in the following manner
Summoned by the highest authority
known to the constitution OF the country, l
cheeriully obey the mandate, and present
myself before this honorable court TO await
their will and pleasure.
~ hold in my hand the writ Of habeas
corpus, commanding me to produce the bo-
dy OF EriCk Boilman before you. This is
impossible, because he is ont ofmy power;
but have attached to the writ my answer,
containing the charge against Bollman, and
the cause of my c0ndEct on this extraordi-
nary case, which / shall beg leave to read"
Here the general read his return to the
writ, which has been already submitted to
the public. He then proceeded
"Unskilled in the forms of courts, in
terms OF law, or technical phraseologv,
ment OF facts, and shall with confidence rest
the justification Of the steps have taken.
on the motives and principles by which
was governed. Although this enlightened
court may be satisfied, the ignorant, the idle
and the curious may not therefore, if in
the places OF common and general resort,
1t be demanded, "why was BolIman arrest
ed by ARBITRARY hOzuer ?' The answer is
brief, "to prevent the effect of this very at
tempt to rescue him, and thus reinstate him
In the sinister correspondence which he had
established with the conspirators in Ten.
ncssee and Kentucky that this measure Of
necessity was understood by the Governor
and Judges Hall and Matthews, and that the
release OF a conspiratOr Yesterday by Judge
below (Workman) who was sent abroad 70
machinate afresh and with impunity, foul
plans against the United States, serves to
illustrate the grounds of the precaution
which has been taken
81 am in possession of much information
which cannot be safely impaired at this mo-
ment-letit be sufficient to say, that know
our pubic affairs are approaching rapidly
to threatening crisis-and let the infor-
nation which | may with propriety give,
suffice to warn the faithful citizens OF the
impending danger. l will appeal to any ca
sust, whether in extreme cases the rene
dy should not be correspondent, and whe-
ther the lenity Of our laws is not danger
ously applied, where it is employed to screen
the guilty, and 20 arm the traitor for the
subversicn of the very constitution OH which
they rest. To save the body we amputate
a limb-to stop conhagration we demo-
lish an ediiice, and 70 arrest reasonable
designs it has been found salutary to dis
pense with the tardy forms Of justice.
Your honorS willpardon me for impos- /
ing these reflections OH your time ] offer !
them to explain the purity of my intentions |
and should my zeal have beguiled my judg- |
IL, Mt, 20 eXtenuatc the crrcr.
Arraigned as | am for an act in which /
judge Sprigg interrupted the /
general, and observed that nc had employ /
ed an improper term i'm the word "arraign- /
ed" and explained the nature of the writ 1
OF habeas corpus,) the general replied, |
The error originated in my ignorance of !
terms in law, and forms Of proceedings"-
then continucd--' Called upon to account
for an act in which lIglory, I'd for which I .
trust shall receive the thanks of my coun-
try, ! shall at all events meet the conse-
quences with the internal satisfaction Of an
approving heart, which value beyond the
hozannahs of thousands, or the popularity
OF the whole world. But when / cast nv
eyes On the agents or movers of this trans
action, There the general turned round and /
asked is James Alexander, esq. in
court 81 On being answered in the mega