Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1807-02-27
VIRGINIA ARGUS.
RI c H M o N d:
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 81, 1907.

THE circumstances attending the cap
ture of Col. Burr, stated in the letter from
Cewles Mead, secretary and acting Cover
nor of the Mississippi Territory, to the de-
partment of War, are such as must natu-
rally give rise to many reflections. 1t APP
pears indeed very extraordinary Gfin fact
Mr.. Mead is in the right that "this NIGH
"ty alarm, with all its cXaggerationS has
eventuated IN nine boats and one hundred
men, and the major part Of them BOYS or
"young lust from school" Bat, chow
ever consistent It is with the nature of ru-
NOR 10 magnify whatever it represents, cs-
peciallv at Il distance) we may be excused
tor dcubting the correctness Of Mr.. Mead's
conclusion that the one hundred men who
had surrendered to him were all who were
concerned in Burr's expedition. We can
not believe that the mighty preparations
which have rung so long in Our cars, not
withstanding their size may have been
swelled by the breath Of fame, were in re-
ality not more extensive than he appears
prccipitately tohave supposed. The great
abilities OF Aaron Burr must have proauc-
ed more powerful effect and grey Boards
as well as bows were certainly led astray
by his Vaccinations. A man of his sense
would not have embarked in such peri
lous enterprise, unless his means had been
somewhat better proportional to the end
In view. The large sums of money which
he contriVed tn get from the people of X en-
lucky, his opulent correspondents and CO.
adjutors at Ncw-York, and in other COM
mercial cities, the cooperation of Gen. A
dair, a character lately so highly trusted
and respected as to have been one of the
Senator's from Kentucky in the Congress Of
the United States, together with his own
engaging manners and unrivalled talent for
intrigue; all prove irresistibly that his con-
spiracy was widely extended, and that null
titudes were involved in it. True it is that
his forces have now dwindled into a small
and contemplate band: but the cause of
this is very evident; aFordingan additional
and ever-memorablc proof of the strength
OF government which leservedy depends
on the affection of the people. No doubt,
the Presidents proclamation dissipa;cd the
storm which was gathering. The misled
and deluded individuals, who were flocking
70 the standard of a traitor, without know
ing his real intentions, but who, in their
hearts, were attached TO the union, were
no sooner informed that his object was hos
tile to their country, than they forsook him !;
every man returning with ioy to his own
house, and blessing heaven, and the wisdom
of the President, which had saved him from
the guilt of being concerned in a civil war.
And this, We trust, will always be the case,
in this free and happy country, on similar
occasions. No vile Conspirator or amhiti-
olsspolitician can ever raise force suffci-
ent to accomplish his purposes among a re-
publican people, who have none to Cypress
or to make them afraid, and whose interests
nre the same with that OF their govern
nent. How happy was it for America that
a John Adams, with . Congress Of staunch
federaliStS at his heels, was not al the head
of our administration, when the report of
this conspiracy WAS heard What armies
would have been vaised, and what enor-
nous sums of money squandered in crush
ing tiff we may Judge from the expense
OF the famous hot-water Campaign i'll Penn
sylvania, when few poor ignorant Ger
mans were drsgOoncd BY large army, to
suppress An imaginary insurrcction, We may
conclude that on this occasion federal Pre-
sident and Congress- would have wasted a.
least whole years revenue Of the United
States in making war on Burr and his adhc-
rents--What q fine pretence too they would
have had for raising and keeping on foot
largestanding army But, heaven be prai-
sed We had a republican President; and
behold the danger is removed, without
"i'~NANAiitJ ~ VI w VI bLO'A- WIN NGIN liNNtC
expense, and without producing any stand
ing Army.
THE happy event, that our differences
with Great Britain have been adjusted, is
at last officially confirmed. The treaty has
not yet been received, but we trust from
the characters OF those by whom it was ne
gociated, that it's principles are very diff
ferent from those Of the treaty which the
goisdom OF John Jay engendcred. We fat
ter ourselves that a solemn recognition of
the grand principles that free ships shall
make free goods, and that the American
flag shall protect the seamen sailing under
it, has been obtained by Messrs. Monroe
and Pinckney. The desperate situation of
Great Britain in consequence of the victo-
ries of Bonaparte, afforded certainly mo-
tives sufficiently cogent 10 compel her to.
accede to a treaty on those principles and
such treaty we therefore expect has been
obtained.
With respect to the situation of our affairs
in relationto France, " confess ourselves not
entirely satisfied with the explanations given
by Mons Dccres 20 Gen. Armstrong. The
dark and equivocal terms Of the Enpcror's
decree ofb!ockade, and the want of infor-
nation on the subject which Decres ac-
knowledges, must make the assurances re-
ceived from him not so certainly correct as
70 be implicitly relied upon. The captains