The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-10-10

were reputed to be 70. Mr. Wis&bar,. What
was the itrength of the army of the United
States! A About 500 effective men. Mr.
Eiekbam. What orders did you receive from
The government in the months of December s.
February LAT A cannot FAY wha, parricu-
lar orders I received during thofe months. Ow-
ing to the frequent changes of my petition,
was tor more than Xix months without orders.
But It is i,rpoiiible for me TO anfwer the inter-
rogatory to the extent in which il il put, with
out fuhieeting myfelf to 1evere military penal
tics. Nothing can be more improper or dino
norablc than to dvulge military orders of fecret
or confidential nature.
(dfr. WTekbavs. There can be no doubt ~.
under the fane,ion of the oath which genera,
Wi'knton has taken he may he compelled TO
give teltitnony as to the points on which he has
been interoYated. In England, nothing is
more common than for the mott fecret tranfac-
tons to he difc'ofcd in court of iuitice. Con-
lderatfons of de',cacy in the witnefs have never
been permitted to have any weisht.-hIr Hay.
There is material difference. Thofe were
cafes between individuals; this is communi-
cation from the executive government. We arc
not at liberty to dive into the fecrets of the ex-
ecutive department to know what orders thcy
give to their agents, and to proclaim thofr or
ders to the world orders which were given for
the public good. There can be no doubt but
the pubic good does require that various or
ders OF the government fhould forever remain
a fecret. MIR JViak6am. The gentleman did
not underftand my queition. l aiked gen Will
k'nion what orders he had received from the 90
vernment in relation to col Burr.) Mr. ETek5aur.
Did you receive any orders to attack col Burr
and his party! A That queftion may require
fome qualification. Mr. JTiekbaor. Did You
feRd any officers in difgufc to take col Burr |!
A fcnt three. Mr. HTekb0m. Their names /.
lS1r Hay faid that he did not think gen Wi!kin.
ions was bound to anfwer fuch quetions that
he was not bound to furnifh evidence apa;plt
himtelf, or to fubjea himfelf to profecution.-
Altho' he believed that the. exigencies of the
times would juftify the meafures which general
Wiikinfon had adopted, it was left with himfef
70 determine whether he would anfwer the quef.
ton or not. Gen VIikinlon. IF the auction
goes to criminate myfelf, prefurne that I am
not bound to anfwer it. Chief 3uaiee. Would
Gen Wilkinfon be bjetted to an action for
tending to apprehend col Burr, unleis he had
been feized? Mr. Hay. 1t may go to criminate
him as a military man. He may have acted
without orders. Mr. WIekbam. / do not pre-
iame that he acted qvisboat orders but under
inc orders OF the government. The Chief TuE
fiee fad, that he could not perceive the applica.
ton OF the evidence I; but as evidence was in
troduced to ihew the fight Of col Burr from
Warrington, this, he prefumed, was intended to
account for t.J
Mr. Wiekbam. Will you fate the names of
the officers ient to apprehend col Burr A.
Captain Hook, Lieutenant Peter, Lieutenant
Muiford, Doctor Davidfon. of the army, and
Doctor Carmichael of the Mifliffippi Territory.
Mr. Wiekbam. Did you direct them to 20 with
out uniform /? A believe did. Mr. Wick
ban. Did you direct them to conceal the 90.
jeet of their milton? A feel great dclicacy
IN revea ing my orders.
(Gen. Wiikin/on'5 TeGim,ony 10 be continued.
O
.Dte0,iiion Of Cept T. b Waitaei.
Ihad the honor to become acquainted with Gene
raj James Wiknfon fome time in Auguf 1899 be-
came attached to his military family in December
lsoo-was appointed abide. camp in the fpring
following, and continued in that capacity until the
Ian of November, 800.
Daring the above period, l have witneGed that
General WiIkinion did employ eyphers of different
kinds in his correspondence, among them wa. an En-
lihh pocket dictionary. Several Of thtfe CIPHER, 1
have made myfeif, deGgRed copies OF fome of then,
are ltll in my poefion and others have recognized
Gncs my arrival at the city Of Richmond. Parties-
ly one the late General James jackfon, and ano-
Their the late Major General Alexander Hamilton,
a third to MIR. Rulings, thea at New Orleans,
fourth to Col Culhing, fifth to Mr.. Silas Dnfmore
and one to myfelf Several of thefe were projected
in 1902 and 1908, at the time the port Of New Or
leans fhut and for the purpofe of procuring and
conveying intelligence to the government.
Quehion.--Did you ever obferve in Gen. Wilkirfor.
any act, or difpoGtion, which marked in
attention to his duty, to the Jealous
and faithful dhcharge of the trun repofed
49, in him IS an officer of the United States
Anfwer.-From my own obierva,on aud experience
(beiuE now nearly twehty-hx years in mi
itary lfe) can declare thar have never
known officer more zealouly devoted
10 the ierviee in which he was engaged,
and can fsfeJ declare, that l have never
feen officer of Gen. Wilkinfon's rank,
voluntarily and cheerfully eIpofe Lmf,if
to iueh priva,ion,, fhips aud fufferirgs
in the eoutfe of his duty, as have feen
60: him meet with alaerity.
Quehion- Do you know the hand writing Of Cap
tain c. Smith
Ahfwer--I do.
QueRion--Are thcfe Hieroglyphies of his writings
Anfwer.-rheJ are.
Queaion.--Are they the fame which we're employed
by Col. Burr in his correspondence with
General Wkinfon :
Anfwer-They the fame which are employed
in Col. Burrs letters, fhewn me fnce my
arrivals at the city of Richmond, and faid
10 be delivered by MefIrs. Swartwout aud
Bollman to General Wi kinfon.
Quenion.--Do you reeollea when Capt. c. Smith
left Gen. Wilknfon's family /!
Anfwer Some time in July, lSol.
Queltiop-Do you think Gen. Wikinfon afterwards
isw or was near himi
All. r r