Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-27


concerned in The conspiracy.
But the very wiidness and cx,raya-
Gance OF 6u'r's design, VIII CHI induced
Wilkinson to doubt its existence is a rea.
son with some for SURPRISING that he par.
,icipa!ed in it. "Colonel Burr, say they,
could never have engaged in this scheme
" had he no; been assured of the co'opera.
",ion of General Wilkinson" 1t must
be admitted TO be truly astonishing that
he should have done so, without such an
ASSURANCE but it evidently appears hat,
SO prodigious was his folly, SO re mote
was he from really possessing the mpst
important attribute of a. man OF genius,
[taat OF proportionng his means 10 his
ends,) that he actually undertook this dar-
! ing and hazardous enterprise, on The un-
CERTAIN hop. that Wilkinson * The army
would be seducei, by his visionary allure
meGts of wealth & empire, TO follow him
10 VI ,;jco
The admission that such was the fact, on
/ ly leads 20 cnnclu,ioB that -4aron Burr is
M, really The great man that his ardent adj
mirers have supposed; but merely san
guine, iInpruden. and unprincipled adYen-
turer a conclusion iortih.d by multi
tude Of other circumstances, which recent
| events have brought Ioii light. Bu. The con
trary supposition involves the cDnduct Of
Gen. dickinson, in manifest absurdiiy. add
imputes TO him actions and motives Of
which scarcely any human beng ever was
J guilty.
Ii the accusations &C his enemies are
true, We behold IN him The strange char
acter of general who engaged IN a trea-
scnable pio, against his own government.
or liz AN enterprise which IL did not Sane
ton, and yet defeated that plot himself al
the moment when he IN ght have gwen ).
ruCcesS, and when no lesson existed Tor
de>er my those with whom he hsd COO
spiFed, which would not have opera ed wi !,
equal force to prevent his emterng origi
nai.y in,o the conspiracy; oil persistence
OF the Spanish goveInment, ~hu, new r
lhcless, formed plan TOR invading the 90
rninions of Spain, and then, in considera
ton of his regard for The king whose mo-
ney he had received, opposed himself, s.
overture his own designs.
Such is The strange AID homogeneous
picture OF genera! Wilkinson, drawn by
the malice and inc ISIS ( cy of Aaron
Burr and his friends Surely no ratiora
: man Can believe tha, he has acted IN TIN,
manner.
p ia the next Afgns this subject shall! be
farther Considered, and some other Cur
cumsia"ces which may have operated IN
; juriousiy the character Of The genera
shall be examined.
The following affidavit contains the sub
stance OF the testimony delivered by- the
witness in court, Oh Monday the 18th of OcI
except thar he was not Intercepted rs Il
the paper found in The cape Of The boys coat
in the hand writing Of col Burr, that fac
having been previously established as far
as Mr.. Henry's know edge extended, by the
evidence of Mr. Poindexter.
The evidence OF Lemuel Henry, resi-
5 dent of Washington county, in the Missis
S ppi territory.
The said Henry being at the town O
, Washington IN the Mississippi territory at
tending his duty as member of the iegis
lltive council, was introduced to col Burr
; by col. M Kee, on the FIRST evening OF tn
arrival OF COL Burr at rnat place alter Il!
submission to the civil power.
: Col. Burr, Coz. M'Kee, James Caller,
= the said Henry were alone present, when
! IN the course OF conversation IL WAS uentj
oned by the said Caller or Henry thdt ii h
(col. Burr) had gone over 90 WdshlBgtU
county, on the Mobile, and impressed up
: on the minds of the people there that hi
= ehterpriZe was q secret one against III
u Spaniards and with the sanction ut Our gC
Il vernmenti he might nave procured men {
E nough TO nave taken Mobile, Z which III &C
& he would have got suiiic.enCy vi arms al
i ammunition, 5, armed vCsseis 30 convey .
q troops 10 Whatever place he pleased, Co
Burr then began 10 enquire into the sita.
ton OF the Mobile, and Of Washington coui
. ~. In the course OF the cuu,ersatio
i the difficulties to which ,hr Poop
e OF Washington county were su2jecsC
d from the cXactions of the Spauiatds al
the unfJTendly disposition towards Ii
y were mentioned. Col. Burr observed, TIL
r he had seen with regret, the memorials
d. those people treated with contempt or ~
glsctin Congress, that while thcy were re.
ding the members would be scraping tine
' feet, and would pay 10 attention TO ther
' and that they were to sooner read than Il
le house passed ON TO some other subject. j
IT was surprised, he said, that the people
ID that country had not made some EXERT,
Ne to release themselves from the dieicu,ti
.o under which they laborcd; Ihat the COVER
~ ment having neglected them, it was a n
= tural right and engrafted in the conStitui
:" on, for people when the government do
not secure t. them those rights TO whi'