Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-06-03

this mournful tale of preiudices and the
Likelihood OF their being excited b. this mo-
ton. Sir, II Aaron Burr be innocent, in
stead OF resisting this motion he ought to
haL 1t with triumph and eXu tation. What
rs 1t that we propose TO introduce! Not the
rumors which are floating thro' the world.
not the talk of the multitude---nor the spe-
culations OF newspapers: but fhe evidence
| u fdcfS we propose th-r the whole evil
dcnce eXculpatory as well as accuSative
shall come before you---instead of exciting,
this is the true mode of correcting pre;udi-
ces---the world which it is sad has been
mised and mlameti by falshood, w,:inow
hear the truth---lct the case come out---
let us know how much of what we have.
heard is false, how much of it true---how
much 4 what we feel is prejudice how
much of it is justified by fact who ever
| before heard of such an apprehension AS
that winch is proicsScd on the oiher side,
| Prejudice ercitcd 6D evidence Evidence.
SIR, Is the great corrector OF prejudice.
J why then does Aaron Burr shrink from il?
1t Is strange TO ne that Il man who COM
/ PLAINS So much OF being without cause ille
galiy seized and transported by military
officer, should be afraid TO confront this evil
dence. Evidence can he prumotive oniy Of
! truth repeat II then, sir---why does lie
| shrink---why does he shrink from the evil
dencc The gentlemen on the ether side
! can give the answer. On our part we are
| READY To Introduce thdt evidence
Permit me now, sir, 10 tprn to The act of
assembly which has been read by Mr..
! w ckham. Into what embarrassment must
the ingenious ard vigorous mind of that
| gentleman have been driven, before lie
would have taken refuge under this act ef
assembly 1t is but TO read it, to see that
! n hDS up ,,f,
to this motion that it applies to the case
OF person already OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
that such herson shall be bailed if not in,
'iicted at the first term after his commit
| ment and discharged If not indicted at
the second term. Revised Code, pa. 100,
| sec. X
"When any person committed for trea-
son"-Now, Sir, is Aaron Burr committed
tor treason If not it is obvious that the
Clause hasno manner of application to him.
! Why, Sir, the object of dis motion is to-
commit him. Gentlemen must have been
In strange confusion when they I,sorted To
this law.
Nh. Wfckham asks if general Wilkinson
be material witness, why he is NOT here
"Who is general Wilkinson,' SAYS chat
gentleman is he net the instrum, nj ofthe
government, bound to blind obed once 2"
D.
matory remarks which have been unneces-
sarily and Improperly iutroduccd-but the
gentleman assures US that no imputa ticn is
meant against the goyc'nment-Oh, no Sir.
col. Burr, indeed, has been oppressed-has
| been persecuted-but far Je it from Che.
! gentleman TO charge the government with
! it-Col. Burr, indeed, has been haIrassed
| by military tyrant who is "the instrr-
ment OF the government, bound to blind
obSdience"-but the gentleman could not
| by any means be understood as Intending
to inslnuate aught to the prejudice Of the
! government. The gentleman ~ under
stood, sir: his object is correctly UNDER
stood. He would direct The public mind
from Aaron Burr and point it to another
quarter. He weuld too, if he could, shift
the popular dispieasure which he has spo-
| ken OF, from Aaron Burr to another quar-
ter. Ihese remarks were not intended
| tor your ear, slr; they were intended for
| the people who surround us-they can have
no effect upon the mind of the court-Iam
too well acquainted with the dignity. the
| hrmRess, the illumination of this bench TO
apprehend any such consequence. But the
: gentlemen would balance the account of
! popular prejud'ces-they would convert
tins Judicial enquiry into political ques-
: tlon-thcy would make 1T question be-
/ tween / homas Jefferson and Aaron Burr.
! ! he purpose is well understood. sir, but it
I shall not be served. will not degrade the
! administration OF this country ~ entering
/ upon Their defence. Besides, sir, this is
| not our business-at present we have an
account to settle mot between A. Burr and
| Thomas Jefferson-but) between "A. burr
and the la7ys Of his country. Let us finish
his trial first. The administration too
viii be tried before their country-belore
/ the world--they, sir, believe, will never
| shrink either from the evidence or the
! verdict. Let us return to A. Burr -
"Wly is not gen. Wilkinson here - Be.
cause, SIR, il was impossible in the nature
of things for hm to be here by this time.
| II was OF the first Of April, sir, thai YOU
decided on the commitment Of A. Burr for
/ the misdemeanoT until that decision was
known. the necessity Of summonirg witness
! SEES could not be ascertained gen WilkiB-
| son IS the commander in CHI Ct of the Ame-
rican troops in quarter where his pre-
! sencc is rendered important by the temper
of the neighborhood TO summon him on
the mere possibility ofcommitment. would
have afforded "A ground Of ClamOr, perhaps
a just one, against the administration. -
/ The certainty that a. Rurr would be put
upon his trial, could not have been known
at Washington til the 5th or 9th OF April.
| Now, sir, ct the gentlemen on the cher
! side make a slight calculation; Orleans is