Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-16

quired him to do so. Q. What orders were
given for the disposal of col Burr n. The
orders were that he should be put On boaro
q vessel, and sent by the way of Ncw-Or-
leans to the city of Washington. Q. We're
these orders written A. l believe they
were. Q. What orders had you from the
government, or did you do it on your own
authority 2 TGcn Wilkinson took time till
to. morrow to consider the subject and to
examine his papers ] Q. When you were
at Ncw-OyeanS, were not letters address,
cd to other persons frequently brought to
you from the post-ofFice by whose orders
were they delivered to you: were they o.
pened, snd with what view Mr. Hay
thought that they had no right to ask such
a question. 1t might be important be-
tween .he United States and General Will
knson. But it does not appear to be pro
per to interrogate him as to his conduct
any where, unless it has some bearing Oh
the cause nor can = witness be asked any
que stion, the answering of which might
subject aim to prosecution. If we had
introduced evidence on that point, they
had a right TO Cross-examine mimi MIR
| Wickham. We may suppose without I'M
! PeachIng the credit Of Gen Wilkinson that
ne viii give as favorable an account OF his
| conduct as any man standing N his stus-
! ton may be disposed to do. General VIII
klnSOn has detailed number OF facts to
account for the conduct OF col Burr he
has taken very strong ground. We wish
| to shew that The General has the strongest
J possible motive to crminate col Burr. We
were permitted to ask him about send ng
officers in disguise 10 seize col Burr we
wish now to prove some o.her seizures
! This evidence has direct reference to the
case of col Bur. II gen Wilkinson took
! all these measures, it viii surrey have d
! tendency to weaken his testimony. Mar
| 4llHr,iH. We mean TO shew that general
! Wilkinson is identified with the govern
! ment and the government had declared
! they would justify him. We have a WIT
! ness to prove the express declarations Of
( the secretary At war, that gen Wilkinson
stood low with The government till his en-
cTgetiC measures at NCw-Orleans had ri &.
sea him i'm the estimation of the President.
They can only Justify his acts by showing
an imPropriety in the conduct of col Burr.
l he more VIC shew that the constitution
has been trampled ON and the rights of the
Citizens invaded, the more Mey viii endea-
vor 20 shew the IMPROPERLY Of the conduct
Of eel Bur- in order to jnstify it. MIR LIGy.
Mr. Martin nas avowed the motives of col
Borr's counsel 70 be to identify pen Wilk-
DISCO with the Government. Admitting shat
general Eesrenrne had made the deciara-
tons ascribed to him admitting that the
PRESIDENT had formed that opinion OF zen
w iknsCu, how can his answer 10 the cues
ton propouadcd have any bearing on thus
case suppose gen Wilkinson should say,
tiiat II con eqncnce of the expected arri-
val of col Burr, the agitatcd state of the
country, and knowledge ihat he was sur
rounded by the accomplices and partizans
OF Burr in New-Oriears, he had taken let
tcrs from the post-oiIce (and no would on
~ have done what he nUrht) how cou d II
affect tire presen. case 1t is manifest that
the answer OF gen Wilkinson must leave
the question between hc United States and
col Burr exactly where it was before Mr.
Htc&ha3i. When these questions were as
ked Mr. Murray before, tncy were thought
proper, and ae was even cross. examined
by 1he counsel for the prosecution. The
gentlemen had ascfi5ed to col Burr i'm.
proper acts. Now to iiupeach zen WIKI
inson's credibil;ly, we shcw that he la.
+. been guIl,y OF violent acts Is he not inter
estcd to shew the conduct of col Burr to be
impro per, IN order TO Justify his own Nh
Baker. Suppose, SAYS Mr. HAY, this de-
ciaration Of gen Dcarborne to be true -
suppose that gen Wilkinson did not q. serve
to stand high in the confidence OF the gov.
, ernment; woud;lt not have any bearing on
the case would it net leave the question
between the United States and col Burr eX-
, actly where 1t was before At one time
the counsel on the other side seem wiliinr
To give the general up: Now they stand r.
= ward as the champions Of the worthy ren-
eral. Suppose il be proved that he has
thrust his hand, or directed others to do it,
into tire post-ofIice aud pillaged letters
J suppose 1t be proved that he has made e.
r cures in letters and then sworn that trans
lations 'fih III were true copies which were
az much like the originals as any other
thing and that he has sworn to this that
and the other, whether true or false, will
, not all these things affect his credi5ihtv ?
Mr. UfCkhaW said that it was a questio.
entirely for the consideration Of gen VII.
2 kiuson himself. If he thought proper "a
answer the question it was not the hus-
ness of the prosecution to interfere. The
b Chief Justice after making some remark.
ON the nature of the question, Observed
. that gen Wilkinson was not bound to an
. swcr any question that might criminate
b himself. Some observations were made
= as 60 the extent Of the opinion Of the court
. Mr. Writ supposed, from the decision Of the
court in.the case Of Wyllie, that genNViain
= son could not be bound to answer the ques,
ton. Mr. Wickham thought directly the
s reverse