Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-10-23

4
Mr.. WIckhdm TO GEN. Wilkinson, after
MS return to court. Can you ascertain
twhen the hierogliphic CIPHER was made
4. The arbitrary characters were design.
ed, l think. in 1874 but do not say it was
| given to col Burr at that time. Mr. Wick-
IAN. Will you give me leave to ask upon
what occasion it was formed? Gen Wiikiri-
son. l will with pleasure. Pending the
indian war, we had unhappily much dis
sention in the army. felt myself extreme
lily oppressed and prosecuted, and | had
reason to believe that every artifce was
| put in operation to iniurc my standing with
| the government. and to have me removed
from service if possible and there were
many vino shared my persecution. In the
autumn * winter of the year alluded TO, a
number of officers retired from the army ell
Their on furlough or by resignation, among
whom was that most gallant officer captain
Leonard Covington, since Il member of Con-
gresS. At this time my quarters were en-
bosomed in n wilderness, and remote from
any post-ofFice, and we had no regular mail.
The CIPHER was therefore designed to Sc
cure safety to a free correspondence and
an unrcserved interchange of sentiment
respecting public men and public measures,
| particularly such as related to the army.
| Mr. HickfanL | think you say it was for
} med in 1884 A Yes. and will give you
my reasons. have another cypher in which
, the hie"oglyphics representing the Presi-
dent and Weep President arc the same as in
! that now before the court, which was de-
! signed by capt. Smith for capt. Covington
| in the year 1794? ut the time he retired
| from the army. See an extract Of a let
ter from capt. Covington to Gen. Wiikin-
son. Note Y
Mr. Wickhq1,. observe the word retu6-
lean is repreScn'edin the hicrcglyDhie by
| 70, 0riStocyGtic by 80, napy by '96, City
| Of Washington by single mouse and that
an indifferent orc. Pray why was that, as
| the seat OF government was not removed till
many years afterwards /. J observe rhe city
OF Washington, but not Philadelphia, non
any place mentioned as the scat ofgovern-
ment? a TIE cypher was formed by ny
ali-tie-Cgmp, c PIT. Smith and the desig-
nations originated IN his caprice, without
my privity or participation. MIR WIck&=m
Do YOU recoiicCt for what purpose New
/ Orleans was designated IN the ficroglyphic
A l can probably account for it. If you
VIII refer to those periods, you will DISCO
yer that we were III an elmyocal situation
with all the maritime powers, more parti-
cniarIy Wit, England and Spain. The ma
vigation ofthe Mlssissip poi had heena sub;ec,
/ OF nnch discussion, and one IN which the
western people felt = considerable degree
of interest. The Ohio is also de- ana L.
That is probably confined TO mere locality
We were then engaged in a war with the
Indians, and were in the woods on tic wa
ters of the Ohio. I have before said, that
/ could not account for the various desig-
nations; but ofcr these as circumstances
which may have Influenced capt Smith in
forming them. Mr. Wickhan. Dovou re-
collect when the alphabet in cypher was
put on this paper, (aIudirg 20 a paper or
which the hicroglyphics were written
which he then held in his hand y a Las
winter, believe, they we're put on 20 pre-
vent them from being lost. Mr. Wickanm
Have YOU brought up the letter or coTGmu
cation from the government, which we wish
ed TO have here to look at! A 1 have
not.
Mr. Hay. think you said there was M
military post between Pi,tsburg and New
Orleans, hut Fort Massac, the Chickasav
Bluffs and one at Cincinnati. A Yes. Tina
at Cincinnati was established by the govern
mcnt after the flight of Blenncrhasset. NJ
Bay. Was there none at Eatchez!
There were only lieutenant Peter and a fe1
men left at that place TO keep look out
and give me regular Information.
: Mr. Hay then begged leave to introduce
r the testimony OF George Poindexter, esq
, vino was accordingly examined.
, GEORGE PoINDEzTER, Esq
, MIR Hay. Is this the original agreemen
, entered into between Cowles Meade, act
} ing governor Of the Mississippi Territory
and Aaron Burr A Yes. II it is pro
: per, SIR, / viii state the circumstance
S which led to the agreement, and colone
S Burr's surrender to the civil aulhorit
0 lofChe Mississippi Territory. CHef JuStjc,
r | Proceed, sir. Wifueas. On the dav pre-
G ceding the date of this agreement, I wa
20 appointed by the Hon. Cowles Meade, the
: the acting governor the Mississippi Fer
+ ritory, an honorary aid-de-camp, for III
leXpress purpose of visiting col. Burr a, th
: boats near the mouth Of Bayou Pierre Q
c the western margin Of the river Mississip
{ Ipi which / did in company with majc
c William Is. Shields. The object Of this "
C sit was to gain correct information as I
h the situation Of Burr, to ast ertaiu his view
j so far as lie would communicate them, an
c 70 procure his pacific surrender to the civ
Il authority. We were accompanied by a N
d Ralston, one of Burr's party, who had ca
r led on Judge Rodney 20 give his deposition
II We arrived that night at Judge Bruin'
e whoresidcs near the mouth Of Bayou PIER
l. The next morning we proceeded down Il
e river I'LL we came opposite to col. Bnrr
Is boats, and Raiston gave signal for boa
$ which was Immediately sent over tor u