Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-11-06
Circuit Court:
MOTION FOR COMMITMENT.
TUESDAY, October 5.
Epidenee of hlaiar Lnmes Rrua.

Il
ons with General Wilkinson about the time
of his return to St. Louis? mfr Hay re-
quested that the object for which the wit
ness was introduced should be stated. Mr.
Martin said, 1T was to prove the same as
Timothy Kibby that General Wilkinson
held out the same inducements to him TO
Joln IN an expedition against the Spaniarts.
Mr. Hay objected to the introduction of the
! testimony, on principle. He said that no
man could be presumed TO come prepared
to explain every particular act Of his life
That the general REPUTATION of witness
could alone be enquired into, in order to as
sail his character. This he held to be a
sacred rule oflaw and of Justice. Mr. Mar
tin contended, that the evidence was per-
tinent. General Wilkinson had declared
that he had no knowledge of Col Burr's
views till he received the cyphered letter.
| We viii prove that he had. He did not
mean to say, that the views of Col. Burr
were criminal, on the contrary, they were
perfectly innocent; nor would Gen. Will
kinson have been guilty if he had Joined in
them. But now General Wilkinson, in or
der to obtain favor with the government,
had tarned traitor to Col. Burr Mr. Wick
ham argued that the testimony of Major
Bruff was admissible to shew an inconsis-
i General Wilkinson. May be permitted
to make one observation / am not in the
smallest degree surprized at the language
which has upon this and several other &C
lcasions been used by the counsel of Colonel
Burr; men who are hired 20 misrepresent.
INF Wickham. l will not submit to such
language from any man in court. The {.
Justice declared the style of Gen. Wilkin-
son to be improper, and that he had heard
too much OF such language in court Gen.
Wilkinson apologi zed.-He said that it was
Impossible he could offer any intentional
, disrespect to the court, but he could not re-
main silent when he heard himself called a
traitor General Wilkinson proceeded
l am astonished at the explanation of the
objects for which this witness is called
Had known the purpose for which he 10.
lunfeered his services, (for he was no,
summoned) l should have been able to pro.
duce documents to show the long, the i'm
: placable hatred which he has borne toward.
me. Mr. Wickham said that Major Bruh
Was under the protection of the court
{ Gen Wiikinson--l pray that his testimony
may DE introduced. MrHay observed, thu
he had no dorbt of the law, as to the RICH,
toimpeach the crediblity of a witness, by
showing an inconsistency in his testimony
he admitted that ifMajor Bruf's evidence
b were introduced for that purpose, it wa:
Iproper but If for any other purpose, it was
improper. They had no right to interro
gate him for the purpose avowed by MI
: Martin; to shew that General Wilkinson
h entertained the same views as Col. Burr
y However, as General Wilkinson was con
tent that Major Bruff should proceed, he
would NOT object.
The Chief Justice declared that he wouIC
not hear the witness as TO any harficukai
!, allegations against General Wilkinson bu
!, with respect to any inconsistency in his ties
: timony he must hear him.
= -,.e.. D1gjor Brng,Freceeded.
!. My testimony will arise from uumbe,
. of conversations with General Wilkinson
n In four of these conversations genera
!. Wilkinson took me aside in three ofwhicl
=, lhe locked me up in his room. The frs
hint had of a Connection between Gene
raj Wilkinson and Colonel Burr was draw
~ from two paragraphs in Kentucky news
:, papers, in the spring 1905, before Gene
q raj Wilkinson reached St Louis; the frs
= alluded TO the old plan to form a separat
{ government west OF the Aleganv, and as
A. lcribed it to General Wilkinson and his rs
sociates, and doubtng whether that scbem
had vet been abaBdonded. The next wa
AN extract of letter from Fort Massat
published in the papers, which stated tha
= Col Burr had been several DAYS there wit
General Wilkinson, probably giving TN
general lessons On government, or digest
ihg new code or constitution for the 20,
$ eminent Of Louisiana These hints, wit
information received from Captain Stoc
dart Immediately from Fort Massac, an
who assured me that Col Burr was, or ha
been there closely engaged with Genera
Wilkinson, and that he had or was abot
70 fugn ~ him with barge and crew,
descend the Mississippi into New Orlean
tTMr WtrL You have not said when A. !
June, 1905 These circumstances put M
=, on my guard, and determined me to waite
the motions of General Wilkinson and Bur
X As the general approached Sc. Louis, a,
i'd cending the Mississippi from Fort Massa,
he dispatched light barge ahead with d
rections for me 70 meet him six or eigl
r miles below. | obeycd. We met, landc
st and assembled the bank. The general too
n. me into the woods. AS we walked on, III
he general observed, that he had been info
he med the territory was divided BIZ par.ic
q mean upper Lo1isiana} which he attr
Of buted 20 the AMERICANS, and said he w1u
p crush party, or perish iu the attempt.
~ observed, that there had been some par
~ business about the time of the convcutic
= and these memorials 10 Congress, but nor
since except the aversion the French bs
. TO the expense, delay, and uncertainty