The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-05-01


globe.
GENERAL WILKINSON.-Weh have re.
ceived New Orleans papers down ~ the 2sd
of March. The NOT intereRing articles they
contain, are memorial to Congrefs introduced
into the Houfe of Representatives of that ter
ritory, complaining of Gen. WIS conduit and
part of he debate which was p, oduced by this
location.
The memorial is diitinguifhed byits ingenuity
& INTERPRETATIONS. 1t is faid to be the pro-
du6tion of the celebrated Edward Livingston {;
to whom alto is attributed the very able and
eloquent fpeech Of Mr.. Parrot the repre- tentative
from the county of Opeloufas. All the exer-
tions of thefe malcontents, however, were un-
availing; for the memorial was rejected by the
Legislature II againit Ton the other hand,
the following memorial addref1ed to General
Wilkinfon, was figned by the mott Respectable
men in New Orleans
MEMORIAL.
SIR,
The recent arren of Aaron Burr has, we hope,
dDipated the dangers which have menaced the peace
and iafety Of this city therefore beg leave to
congratulate you on the dconfture of the wicked
plot and to preienr you acknowledgements for the
protection you have afforded us.
Specfatorsof the difficulties and embarralinents by
which we have feen you encompafIed, we believe that
knowledge of facts and circumGa nces as they have
really occurred, will fatsfy every unprecedented per-
fon that the deciive fteps to which you refored in
critical moment only juaifable, by the ex
tremity OF the cafe but eental to our prefer
walton.
We are not furprifed at the alarm, nor do we
condemn the fenfbilities whick were excited by the
extraordinary meaiures, which fenfe of public dam
ger comPeiiedyou to adopt, becaufe the rights and
liberties of American citizen cannot be too fedu
louiiy guarded. But we perfuaded that in the
insnce, which has given origin to this address, your
conduct has been loyal du,ful and patriotic and that
when your motives made manifen by fair de-
veopement of the tranfaaions which have engaged
your attention in this city, the impartial and enght-
ened part of the world will with us in acknow-
le1ging your a,erits and lervees
We lament the domellic affiliations which prefs up
on you and beg you accept belt wies for your
future fame. PROPERTY and happinefs.
lSigned by fevera hundred of the moa opulent and
respectable inhabitants, French and Ameriean1
Gen. WIS conduct divides itfrlf into two diff
tinet auctions: 1T. How far has he been iufti-
habie IN difregardng the privileges of the Writ
OF HabeaJ CorpnJ, and in his other meafures at
N. Orleans and end Whether he was ever
really and fncerry connected with A. Burr.
On the dicuiiion of the firlt point, the pub
lie prints have been for fome Months generally
& ANTIQUITY engaged. 1t is not our intention to
open u mp anew il is fufficient for us TO oh
ferve, that the plea of necefIi,y would iuftify
many OF the acts which he committed and
that the Plea of necefiity did actually feem in
this particular inllance to EXIT in fufficient
force.--On one point however, we fhall make
more particular remark. Cen. Wikinfon
has been much abufrd by his enemies for evad-
ing the Writ of HabeaJ Corpus.
In times OF tuch great public peril, two ar
gurnents feem to iuItify 4 temporary difpenfa-
ton with the E0beaJ Cor6ns. 1T. IF q Enge
Judge is to grant it !; to have the writ returnabie
to him and to have the power of dir:harging
the accufed, it is always eafy for the confpira
tor 10 enlilt fome plant magistrates like Judge
Workman, under his canfe, who may of courfe
dliinhs the criminal. Even if the criminal be
again taken in confinement by the executive
power, the lame judge may again ifIue his
writ and have hin dfcharged. 1t follows that
a conipirator need only buy up fome one msgif-
trate in place like New Orleans, who will of
courie protect his emillares from the arm of
the executive power, aud thus enable them to
carry on their treaionable projects.
2nd' hnd this difadvanIdgc is peculiarly con-
hrmed IN iuch large country as cur own by the
difficulty of having sdduced at the place,
where criminal may be spprchendcd, the ne.
ceilary teaimony for delivering him over to his
trial. Prifoner for inftance is apprehended
at New Orleans: the teRimony necenary to
conine hmis in the Gate Of Ohio: Some plant
magiRrate, like Workman, may in the mean
time difmiis him, to prowl in fearch of his
prey.
The fecond qreAion is, however, much
more difficult than this.
Has WilkinfOn ever been connected with
Burr On this point we are free to confers,
that there exiIt al prefent certain myferiors
crcumhances, which the honor of Gen. Will
kinion requires to be elucidated. 1t is our fncere
with, that he may appear on the trial of Burr,
to give this efentiaj information, and indeed
we under fand thu he Attorney. General of the
u. s. has fpared 40 effort TO have him here,
The fri difficulty which occurs, relates to
the letter Of the 9Th OF September liz eybber5.
The queltion upon this udturailyis, how came
the hey 10 ii in the ponclion Of gen. Wikinfon |?
was 1t delivered to him by the mefTenger who
bore the letter, or bad it been previouny agreed
upon between him and Burr! If the object, OF
which they we're to correfpond, WIRE purely
innocent, why wrap It up in cyphers Let us
even admit, however, that thefe qu .ftons are
f'tisfattorily aufwered by laying that it was on
iome innocent iuhieG fuch a, fettling the
Wafhiia grant; then this other difficulty oc-
cure:
Did not this corrcfpondence, at length, ex-
tead to lcfs inofenfve object fuch as the one
mentioned in the cyphered letter WAS the