Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1807-02-16
RESPECTING AARON BURR.

A-tilt idIL winter, AOl. n At on
Burr, late Vice Prefdent Of the u
a'ted States, Ggniied to ne, at this
place, that under the authority of
The general government, he was or
ganizing iocret expedition againit
the SPanilh provinces On our iouth-
wettern borders which expedition
he was to lead, and il command Of
a divIi1ou. | had never before been
PerionaIly acquainted with Col.
Burr and, having for many years
been employed in foreign fervices, |
knew but little about the eltimaijOn
this gentleman now held in the O.
pinion Of his countrymeD and his
government the rank aud conf
dence by which he had 10 lately
been dIltinguilhed, left me no right
70 fuf pet his patriorfn, | knew
him . folder. In cafe Of war with
the Spaniih nation, which from the
tenor Of the Pretdent's me1dge to
both houies Of Cougreis flemed
probable, | fhould have thought Il
my duty to obey 70 honorable a
call from my country and, under
that imprelilon | did engage 70 em-
Dark n the expedition. ! had fire.
quent interviews with Col. Burr IN
this city-and for a confderable
time, ms objects feemed to be 10 IN
fruG me By maps, and other infor-
nation, tie icalibnity DC penetra-
ting to Mcxico--aiways carrying
forward the idea that the meAiures
was authorized by government
At length, iometime in February,
he began TO unveil himfelf-He re-
preached the government for want
of character, want Of gratitude, and
want of juttlce. lie feemed def
rOus OF irritating recruitment in my
breatt BY dilaling on certain injuries
he felt had fufered from reflect
ions made on the floor Ofthe FOuie
of Representatives, concerning my
operations in Barbary, and from the
delays Of government IN adJuitln8
nv claims for dliburiements Oh that
coaH during my confuiar agency at
Tunis and he iaid ne would point
me to an honorable mode of lndem-
nifty, | now began TO entertain a
fufpicion that Mr.. Burr was Projec-
ting an unauthorized military eXpe-
dItIon which, to me, was enveLoP-
ed in myGery & detirous to draw
an explanation from him, iutt1r-
ed nlm to fuppole me reigned TO
his council. He now laid open his
project Of revoutIonizing the welt
ern country, feParatlng it from the
union, etabIilhing monarchy there
Of which be was 10 be the Sover-
eIgu New-Orleans 10 De his capital;
organizing a force on the waters Of
the Mlhihppi, and extending con-
quef to Mexico. fusgetted a
number Of impedlments to his.
fcheme-iuch as the republican hab-
its Of the citizens ef that country,
and their affection towards our pre-
TENT administration Of govern nenti
the want of funds the reGttance
he would meet from the regular ar
nv of the United States on thofe
frontiers and the expedition OF Mi
randa in cafe he fhould fucoeed to
republicanife the Mexicals.
Mr.. Burr found 10 difficulty in
removing thefe obitacies-he fad
he had, the preceding iealon, made
tour through that country, and
had iecured the attachment Of the
principal citizens OF Kentucky, Ten
eiTce, and LouiGana to his perfoa,
and his Northumberland he had
IexhlutAole reiources as to funds !;
ahured me the regular army would
act with him, and would be REIN
forced by ten or twelve thoutand
r--n from the above mentioned
1ae.4 and territory, and from other
parts of the union; laid he bad
powerful agents in the Spanith ter
ri1ory-and, as for Miranda, f4id
Mr.. Burr, We mutt hang Miranda.
FI- now Propoftd to give ne the
Ielond command in his army.
a.ked him who fhoujd have the
cajef conmanI lie fid, Genera
g-Htinfn. ] obfervel that it was
fn.uar that he houId count on
C-,.,,l NV.Il;nC,D the elevated