The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-04-10
@De enquirer.
RICHMOND, 10th HPRTL.
FOR TYs ENQUIRER.
-?%3@-

iaS' "oW 700 Seheraliy notorious to be doubt
ed, that the chief jufice Marfha has dined
with Aaron Burr at Mr.. Wickhsm's. Once he
h'mtelf feemnly decided, that there was pro.
bable caHfe to believe Burr guilty of a high milf.
demeanor agantt his country. The TORY has
indeed excited fome furprfe in Richmond, but
none OF thofe feDtimen;s of lively Indignation,
which ftranger from the country would natu.
rally have expected.
AS to Burr himfelf, feel towards him the
fame fentiment feel towards every man chare
ca with crime-tbe with, that he may have a
fair and impartial trial; that if guilty, he may
oe pun'fhed, If innocent, acquitted. His eff.
forts, to whatever end directed, have not as vet
been attended with confequences, which can
excite in the bofom of patriot any thing like
per!onal recruitment. I heard with pleafure,
that Burr on his arrival in Richmond, was rea-
d'iy furniited with the fuppes neceiTary to his
comfort: thought it iigna! proof of the re-
nerohty OF my countrymen. heard with plea
fare, how zralou0y and ably his council had
defended him: thought fuch exertions honor
able to our bar. That his council flould
admit him to the freet communion of profefi.
ona! nature, and that fuch iatercourfe fhould
be conducted on their part with civility and
tenderness, even tho they may think him gull
ty, am not difpofed to deny but inlift, that
no iituation ihoud, (God forbid, that the pro-
teiiion of the law fhoud y execute man, for
wanting the ordinary feelings Of citizen to-
wards the violators of the law. And truly, nv
lurPri!e would have equalled nv indignation,
had Burr been admitted to the familiarity of
private friendihip, much more to the houfe and
table, OF any man, but Mr.. Wckham. This
gentleman (if we may fen to the once loud
peal of angry fame, which ftiIl rumbles, though
d' oiitance) was once himfcf regarded as
tort OF tate offender, as an inlidious foe to the
lttbertV 49, T
ihall not vouch for the truth of the knocking
charge allude to, nor difcufs it's probability.
! reign that talk to Mr.. Wickham, if he think
proper, or dare, to encounter it. But if it be
true, no woHder Burr's fituation hould excite
bis fympathy. / will not prefs the f1b;ea
Yet Mr.. Wickhaan ihould have remembered.
and having forgotten, ifloud be publicly in
'truc,ed, that as the people of Virginia have
generouiiy forgiven the errors of his youth, q
chooie the mildcft phrase, for too have joined
in the Pardon) he fhoud modeRlv have refrain.
ed from recalling to our recollection. by enter
tanning fufpettad traitor to the union as his
gueit' report 10 darGnatory to his own fame.
| nave never had any, the leaf confidence ia
the political principles of the chief jufice. !
have never difcovered in his public (for am
ignorant OF his private) character, any of that
noble candor, which his friends have made fhe
theme of fuch extravagant euloeium. cannot
dIicern in him, for my foul, thofe fpendid and
even godhke talents, which many of all parties
afcribe to him his book certainly dfpIays none
iuch. But have always been informed, and
t'i now nave believed, that he was man of
excellent judgement, mott confummate pru
dence, and of a department highly decorous
and dignified. I took his merits upon truft,
and beautifully gave him credit for good quail
| ties find he does not pofTtfs.
Let me inform the confidence of the chief
jdftice, that the public do not view his dining
with Burr, asa circnmfance 70 trivial as he
himfe!f may incline to coniider it. tits impof-
iIble to ieParate the judge from the man. We
regard fuch conduet as a willful proitration of
the dignity OF his own character, and wanton
iniut ne might have fpared his country. How
has Burr entitled himfelf to be the {ocjaI COM
panion Of the chief juftcc Is he not ftill fuf.
peessd of the blackef crimes How has he
m.nIfefted his innocence Has he even thrown
| OF that cloak of myfery, which truth, limo.
ceBce, and virtue were never known to wear,
and in which all his words and actions have been
| developed?
What will the people of Virginia, who vet
| regard the name of John Mariiail with kind
| OF parental fondnefs. and too family condemn
| the fatal errors, or impious ambition, that led
him TO deftrt them-what will the people OF
| the union, who look up TO the chief iuitice, as
tue hS"1 Vi tuiTO great coordinate branch
| of government, too high to be ambitious, and
| fupported againft any fall from dignity by his
| very elevation, (for fuch is the impraSticaLle
theory Of oar independent iudciary(--wha,
will they think, how will they feel, when thew
learn, that the chief jutice has feaaed at the
fame conyivial board with Aaron Burr with
| whom with the very man, of whom that
very chief jutce has declared, that there is pro.
bable caufe To believe him guilty of high milf
demeaoor agsinf the U. States; at whole trial
| the chiefjuftice is bmfef to prefide who is
futpeeied to have plotted fchemes hottie TO the
happiness, the liberty and integrity of the uni
on, ichemes which would have rendered the
chiet jutice an alien to his own father who
is charged on the evidence of gentleman, on
whom his country have beloved many tefti.
monies oi eiteem, mean Mr.. Eaton--with ba-
wing entertainedthe abominabIe defign, or at leaf
Imagination, OF alafiinating the prefident, dif
fuIv'ng the congrefs, difrobing the chief iuitice
himieif OF his ermine, overturning all our facred
inllitu,ions, Rate and federal, and erecting an
execra5Ie defpotlfm on the ruins of freedom
Whether Burr will be able to rcpell thefc char
ges or not, ihall not pretend to decide for
do not mean to PREJUDICE him; but do fay,
that the evidence they reH on, is fufficient TO
render him an unRt companion for the chief
juRire.
have fearched in vain in my own mind. for
fome apology for conduit 70 grofsIy indecent.
P,rhaps, il may be thought that my under
luffs linz, 70 net t1..I,,