Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-23
SATURDAY, O9ober II.

territory (who hercsofore gave in his
testimony WAS again crile,l a, the instance
OF Col Burr, and examined.
! Question by Col Burr. Mr. Henry.
were you a, The town Of Washington when
came there ! A Ye-. q Was there a
guard established in ine street and about
The house in which lodged? What mes.
sage did | send to Gowles Meade CONCERN
,7T ii? And what was his answer? A
There was j guard stationed % YOU men.
toned bu' MIR Meade said it wes intended
as MUCH Tor the protection ofynur person
rs Tor the public safety. . Did desire
J Von In demonstrate with Mr. Meade against
! "" establishment Of that guard as a viola.
, tion of oar treaty or agreement A Won
desired me 10 demonstrate with him sbor,
1t, and understood yor to complain of it
as a violation of his agreement with you.
mentioned this 20 him, and he said tina,
the guard was necessary for your protec.
ton, as we'll as for the public safety.
Mr. M'Rae. Do You know any thing
about that arnis,ice? A Only from, report.
Z Any thing Giom CowIes Meade /? A Not
at all.
Mr. Power was then introduced.
Col Burr. This witness is TO be exa.
mined Tor two purposes. First, to verify
certain papers. Secondly, to prove that
Gen Wilkinson was at certain period in
the pay Of the Spanish government; and,
then, by other witnesses, we shall prove
lha' his pay has continued and that he
has frequently been in the habit of receiy.
ing large sums of Spanish silver. The
| obJeci is to impeach his cretli6lity by
proving he falsehood Of his declaration
That he had not correspundcd with the
Baron de Carordeiet.
Mr. M'Rae sad il was not regular to
Offer proof of an particular crime 10 I'M
peach the credblity of witness. No
rule ct evidence IS more clear than that the
general character of the witness is all that
/ should be investigated for that purpose !;
since every nan ought TO have notice to
enable him 20 defend himself ag sinst any
specific charge. he observed that Gen
! Wilkinson had heretofore been SANDER
DUSTY accused of being a Pensioner of
| Spain; that being DESTROYS of giving his
! caIumn'ators an opportunity of proving
their charges against him, he had once
requested Gen Washington, when he was
president, and afterwards MIR Adams, to
d'rcH court martial for his trial: bat
thsY (satisfed of his innocence) refused
h.s request. Gen Hamilton also declared
that he thought the charge Islander, and
a trial unnecessary.
| Mr. Wickham. Receiving money from
'he king Of Spain is not an indclable Of
| fence. Our ground of defence is that Col
BurrS expedition was in concurrence with
Gen Wilkinson, against the dominions of
the king of Spain, in case of war. If
we prove that, at the time Wilkinson was
pretending to favor Burr's expedition, and
secretly determined to defeat it, he was
receiving Spanish pension, this will ex-
/ plain his conduA. He defeated the enter
prize of Burr by hatchirg charge of
treason against the United States, on pur.
pose 10 serve The king whose money he
| was receiving.
Mr.. Martin. ! am not surprized tina,
! gentlemen should have so much feeling
on this subject; especially the gentle man
who made this objection. There can be
no prosecution against man for receiv.
! ing Spanish money. Mr.. Benjamin Sc
\ Ca9NeuJ ~ htiidCkJ, was tbOSSu dCCuStu
/ OF this as an offence and it was proved
| upon him; but have not heard, though
he voluntarily resigned his Office of Judge,
! that any prosecution was instituted against
him. For my part 7eiSh there 7Uas a hf-
| f!e more Sh1Hish money 0moRg rs. Ish9uid
Ike to hare sone Of IL myselc We wish
to shew that Cen. Wilkinson is Interested
10 the destruction Of Col Borr; that he
has placed himself in such situation he
| must hang Col Burr, or be himself eler-
naIly detested. lie offered to be tried by
Court Martial, because he knew that
the only witness against him was out Of
the power Of the process Of the United
States being in the dominions Of the
King Of Spain.
Mr.. McRae. The gentlemen have
} heretofore been arguing that the United
States were in lael at war with Spain. If
so, it would have been a great crime in
| Wilkinson, an ofiicerof the United States,
To receive a pension from the King of
! Spain. jt@r
Mr. McRae also read part Of the 9th
Sec. Of Art. J., Of the Constitution Of the
United States, which declares that no
"person, holding any Office of profit or
"trust under them, shall, without the
consent Of Congress, accept Of any pre-
"sept, emoiument, Office, or tide Of any
7" kind whatever, from any king, Ptince or