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


A DEFEATED TRAITOR,
And
THE PUBLIC OFFICER 7vho defeated hia.
For gen. Wilkinson, we care no more in
am circumstance that concerns the man,
than for any unknown person but rs pub
lie man, who was placed by his station in
circumstances of the most critical and deli
cate nature-general Wilkinson is at least
entitled to the thanks ofevery man who alb
horS treason, and who wishes sincerely that
the union and peace of America may be
preserved.
The attempts to prejudice the public mind
against this man, are diSgraceful both in the
manner and the time, and the means chosen.
They are more detcstable, because they
20 TO mask the wickedness and 10 palliatc
the criminality of = great culprit.
They are more odious still, when it is
considercd--who it is that is quoted as the
accuscr of gen. Wilkinson
And
Who they are that defend Burr.
Who accuses UiikiRSon 2
Answcr-burr.
Who seek to damn Wilkinson in order to
screen Burr
The ieueralists-the abicct sycophants,
the very slaves, the janizares of Hamil-
=
fce.-whom Burr !... No....thc man who
took upon himself the gallant hazard which
enabled him to Illustrate conspiracy.
Look at this conduct towards Wilkinson
ana towards Burr in another point of view.
What do they say of Wilkinson?
They say that MIR. Somebody in 1871,
said to another body, a gentleman of res
portability, (Which may mean any body or
nobody)....that gen. Wilkinson held a com
mission as colonel in the Spanish SER
vice, and received pay as such.
80 far then we have this report of an &C
cusatlon....whch as mere matter of re-
port, must be taken, until it is placed on
more authentic and clear evidence, as a re-
port"which may or may not be true.
But this is reinforced...by another report
OF rather rumor.
This rumor gees thus" Aaron Burr is
said Ito whom is it said, is not said y to
have requested an axamin alton of his Port
Folio, said to be in his daughters posscssi-
on, in which it would incontestibly appear
gen. Wilkinson had been a Spanish pension
er, & was as deeply engaged in schemes hos
tile to his country as he (Burr) himself
could be.
Now let the candid American citizen cx-
anime this stupid SANDER. 1t is given as a
ruplor...a rumor that Aaron Burr said.
what! That if Port Folio was examined
which was in South Carolina, that Wilzin-
son would be therein proved TO be-. what !?
l. TO have been aSpanish pensioner.
2. lobe as bad as Burr himself in trea
son
Heaven and earth I....what a state must
the intellect be, which could suffer such
stuff to pass to the public as information.
or as any thing rational.
My. Nobody rumors that certain Port
Folio contains proof of certain things; and
what is the main consideration of this proof,
admitting 10 TOR moment TO be true.
Why the main consideration is that Burr
acknowledges his treason, and wishes not
to excuse himself but to make Wilkinson
greater traitor.
Does any one believe Burr will confess
his guilt--Ideots may.
If he is not likely to cenfess, what be-
comes Of the rumor.
But more, the Port Folio is in his daush
ter.s hands.
From the perhdious conduct Of Burr, in
making use of the name of commodore
FruXton after his peremptory refusal to
have any thing whatever to do with any of
his enterprises; after Burr's endeavors to
have it belicved..and after his adherent
hdair, had endeavored to have it belleved,
that the President of the United States
countenanced his designs.
When it is susceptible of proof that when
Burr proposed his project against Vera
Cruz, he being asked if the government
knew any thing Of it or countenanced it,.
that BHrr hawked up quantity Of saliva,
and in contumelous manner Indicative OF
his contempt or hatred of the president, he
replied, that the goUer711lent kne7u notHf,1p
ofit".and yet after this should dare to use
the name OF the man who spurned and re-
fused further to hear of his designs, wholly
on account Of its being unknown to the gG-
ve1nmeHt. What faith could be placed in
BuTr's assertions
But above all what confidence coxld be
placed in any thing which that man could
say, who should make use Of his own daugh-
ter's name, and the name of his respecta-
bic and noble minded son-in-law, as con-
cerncd in his treason.
These three facts alone would be sufi-
cient to stamp discredit on any assertion
he could make. One point Of consideration
only remains...that is, whether Gen. Viii
kinson was or was not in Spanish pay
This question belongs not TO Burr's trea-
son....it IS a separate question which is
TO be determined between Wilkinson and
his country on its own separate evidence.
1t should be true, it only aggravates the
guilt of Burr.
If it's not true, it ennobles Wilkinson the
more
II it were true, the accusation shouldn't
have sleDt.and those vvho t,o.a.ee,d H.