The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-04-03

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pluuder the bank there, poti,is himfef OF ,he
naval and military Rores, aud proceed on his
expedition to Mexico"
The imprcfiions the mind OF Wilkin fon
were derived principally, as far as is known to
us, from Burr's letter to him, which announces
the following facts.
1. That Blu = had funds.
.. r!:at he had commenced the enterprife
s. That the protection OF England was lecur-
4. That Truxton had gone to Jamaica, and
would bring from thence aids from England.
I S. That the navy Of the U. S. would Join the
expedition.
Is. That on the 9Th November 500, or 900
men, the frn detachment would move down
the river.
7. That Swartwout, the bearer of the letter,
was thoroughly informed of the plans and in
tentions, and would dilclofe as far as Vilkin-
ion ihoud enquire.
8. That Boman, equally confidential, and
even better informed s. more intelligent, would
hand duplicate of the letter.
in the converiaticn, which Wilkinion DEPOT
es he had with Bollmar, he lays Boiiman " IN.
formed me that he had ften letter from col.
Burr of the 3Oth OF. in which he, (coi Burr)
gave aflurances that lie ihoul,. be At tNatchez
with 5000 men on The Goth Dee.i inf. where he
ihould wait until he heard from this place.
and that he (col. Burrl if re had chofen, could
have RATED or got $4,000 az eaiy as 6,ooc,
but that he did not think that number neceiia.
ry."
In his conversation with Swartwout, NVik;n-
ION depoes that the latter Informed him,
" That colonel Burr with the tupport of pow
erful anociation extending from New York to
New Orleans, was levyng armed BODY OF
1000 men from the fate of New-York and the
, R,t, a
carry an expedition againf the Mexican pro-
vinces and that 500 men under col. Svartwout,
and col. or major Tyler were 10 defend the
Alegany, for whole accommodation l'ght boats
haG been built and were ready" | enqured
what would be their courfe He faid "Tki5 ter
ritOrp would be revoutionized, where the peo-
pie were ready to Join them, and that there
would be fome feizing he fuppofsd al New Or
leans that they expeaee, TO b. rsady to en-
bark about the tirit of February and intended to
land at Vera Cruz, and to march from thence
to Mexico" / obferved that there were feve-
raj millions of dollars in the bank of this place,
to which he replied, eve know it full well,'
and on my remarilng that they certainly did not
mean TO violate private property, he fad "they
merely meant to borrow and w uld return it
that they mutt equip themfeves in New-Or-
leans, that they expected naval protection from
Great Brtain-That the captain - and
with the government that they were ready to
Join"
1heie appear TO have been the principal cir
cumitances that imprefied the mind of the com
marIer in chief with The danger of the criIis.
The depo!iiion of lieutenant WILTON ihews the
mpreiiion produced or the public mind at New
Orleans.
He fays, 81 left New Orleans ON nv yvay TO
this city en- the 18th of December laft at that
fiT,,a and e.
eft approximations aud belief numerically prevail
ed among the inhabitants OF that city, tia, Aa-
ron Burr and his confe6erates had prepared an
armed force, and were advancing to attack and
plumber the city in contequence OF which the
ereatet alarms prevailed, a general Gaenatiop
of bulinefs enitied, and the danger was credit.
ed there as 4 matter OF public notoriety THAT
brigadier general Wiikinfon with the army Of
the United States was at New-Orean.. occti-
P'ea IN tne hiot active military preparations
for the defence Of the place repairing The
forts, mounting cannon, collecting ano,uniti
on, &c. all under the firm perfual;on and belief
that fuch an attack was medtated, and abopt
very ipeedily to take place, by the faid Burr
and his contederates this dcponent knows that
the general was decidedly of opinion. from the
mott satisfactory information, that The faid Burr
and his contederates were advancing with an
armed force againt the place"
DNNp a. N"S lSdN'i'S ldClS OF which Gen, w.
took bis meafures. There are fcveral other af.
lidavitS which itrongly corroborate them : but
aa they all go to The fame effect, 70 far as re.
CARDS the reality or apprehension of danger a,
New Orleans, and principally differ from theft
as to the perions implicated, we lliall NOT Dartl
cuIarly notice them.
Let then any man combine all thefe facts,
and from their collective force appreciate the
degree OF danger in the territory of Orleans, and
| fay whether there was not reafon TO believe
that without ftriking dilp'ay of power, the
plan to feiZe the city, 10 plundsr the bank, and
to provide the means either of an expedition a.
gainf Mexico, or of a dfmembcrment Of the
union, or of both, might not have luccesded
! The G:ual reiult is rot here to be conGdercd.
! That could not be known to Wilbinfon. Ifbe
did confcientioufly believe the danger to be fuch
! as he reprelents it to have been, was not an
invaIion of civil rights, If juaihable in any cafe,
juaifabIe in this /?
I Suppole ample funds had been provided,
abundant magazines prepared, the American
Navy engaged, Britilh alIiaance given, and an
army of feven thoufand men marched and that
this external force had brea ai4ed By fyeaEn
7vifbia,--would not the confequenCcs have
been dreadful. At fuch crifs could the civil
authority have diicharged its ordinary funefi-
ons? Would they not have been completely
arrefed. Would not military law have been ne
ceTHily fuLAitnted?
This was exactly the Rate of things which
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