Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-01-27
Nj I. 5 S 4 O. 7,
PROM THE
PRESIDENT op the u. STATES
TpASSMITTINC
INFORM ALTON
TOUCHING

IMPORTATION
TOUCHING
Nv ILLEG.dL COAIBLMdTIO.W
OF PRIVATE IEDIvIoUALs
.EraiGss the heace and safety Of the Union,
and a Military EXPEDITION, planned by
them against tbc territories of hover
in aDntyf Nth the United StGfes Syith
tde ,gcaJpres hHrsucd for suistressins
she saz,e, IL, pursuance Of q resolution Of
she house Of the sixteenth instant.
-
Referred to Messrs. J. Randolph, Boyle,
:-er. Morrow, Campbell, r. Nelson, Clinton
and Ridwcll.
70 tie Senate and House Of Retresenfe-
tues Of The United States.
AGRJIEABLY TO the request of the House
or Representatives, communicated in their reso.
luton of the sixteenth instant, proceed state.
amder the reserve therein expressed. information
received touching an illegal combination Of pri-
vIse individuals against the peace and safety of
rhe micn, and military expedition planned by
chen. against the territories Of power in amity
with the United States, with the measures have
pursued for suppressing the same.
had, for some line, been in the constant ex,
nects,ion of receiving such further information
IS would have enabled me 10 l1y before the lie.
eisiatare the termination, as we!l as the Begin
hlag, and progress of this scene of depravi:y, so
far as 1t has been acted on the Ohio and its wa
tiers From, shs tue state of safety of the lover
country might have been estimated on probable
grounds and tine delay was INDUCED the rather,
because no circumstance had yet made it neces-
ss-yto call in the aid Of the legislative functions
Information, now recently communicated, has
brought us nearly to the period contemplated
The mass of what have received. in the ceursa
of these transactions, is vouminous /; but little
has been given under the sanction OF oath,
so rs 70 constitute formal and legal evidence. II
is chiefly in the form OF letters, often con.
taizing such mixture of rumors. conjectures
aud suspicious, as renders IL difficult to sift QUE
the real facts, and unadvisaDle to hazard more
than general outlines, strengthened by concur
rent informatiou, or the particular credibility Of
the relator. In this state of the evidence, deli.
vered sometimes too under the restriction of pri
~ate confidence, neither safety nor justice will
permit The exposing names, except that of the
principal actor, whose guilt is placed beyond
question.
Some time in the latter part of September.
received iutmatioas that designs were in agitat
Oil in fSe western country, unlawful, aud IN
friendly to the peace of the union; and that the
prime mover in these was Aaron Burr, hereto
fore distinguished by the favor of his country
The grounds ct these intimat;ons being incon
elusive, the objects uncertain, and the 6deity o
that Country known 70 be firm. the only rea
sure taken, to urge the iufo-mants to uG
their best endeayorS 10 get further insight init
the designs and proceedings of the suspected per
sons, and 10 communicate them 10 me.
II was no, til the latter part of October, aha
lhe objects of the conspiracy began to be per
stived bit still so blended and involved in mys
te;y ihat iothing distinct could be singled on
for puFyut. In this state of uncertainty, a
20 ;he crime contemplated, the acts done, an,
the itss' course 10 be pursued, thought il bes
TO send the scene, where these things wer
principally in tTansacti9R, person IN whose in
tegTity, understanding anu discretion, entire con
Edenee could he TepoSed, with Instructions to in
Vestigate the plots going on, to enter INTO confer
ence (for which he har SUFFICIENT credeu,ia S
with tie governors and all othsr officers civil AM
military, and with their aid. to do on the spo
whatever should be necessary to discover the de
signs Of the conspiyators, arrest their means
bring their persona 20 punishment, and to ca
our tins force OF the country TO suppress any un
lawful enterpr,Ie. in which il should be foua
they were en5ng,d. BY this time it was know
that many boaIs were unGcr preparation, stare
Of provisions collecting, and an unusual nu'G6e
of suspicious characters ia motion on the Chic
It's waters. Besides digpatching the copEdenIia
ag,nt 20 tsa; quarter, orders were at the sam
Ii~Ge ssnt 20 the governors OF the Orleans an
S-issiS5ippi territories, and 20 the commander
Of the land and naval forces there, 70 be o
1heir guard against surprise, aud IN constant rec
dircss 20 YeE'.t any enterprise which might b
attempted Gu inc vessels, posts, or other object
under their caye and the eighth &c Foyeu
bsg, instructions were forwarded 20 general Wi
kinson, 10 haeica an accommodation with "a
Spanish c0r1Dandant on TIC Sabine, nd as 500
rs that was effected, to fall back with MS prime
nal lOtce TO the hitber bank OF the mississipp
for the defence Of the interesting points on ths
river. BY letter received from thSt ofHoer .
the twenty fifth Of November. but d-;sd Oci;
Der twenty first, we learnt that ccnhdent
zIcut Of Aaron Burr, had been deputed 10 hin
with corUunicatio paTtly written IN cyphe
and partly oral, explaining hia designs sNagcs
stirE his resources, and making such offers
eulounent and command, - engage him and u
army IN his Unlawful enterprises as he had IA
tered hrmseif wouidbe successful. The genera
with the honor OF soldier and fidelity
good oitizen, Immediately dispatched trus
officer TO me, with information Of what ha
,assed, proceeded 10 establish such an unde
Standing with the Spanish connandaut on Il
Sabine, 90 permitted him TO Withdraw his fore
acfoss the Mississippi. and 20 enter on measure
for opposing the projected enterprise
The generals letter, which came TO hand {
the tweniy-6lh Of November, as has been me
toncd, and come other information, received
fcw days earlier, when brought together, dev
loped Rurr's general designs, different parts
which only had been revealed TO different inc
uan.s !, appeared that he contemplated "
cistncf oblcc.s, which might be carried on
tber Jointly or separsreiy and either the one