Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-10-21
OF THE UNITED STATES
FRIDAY, APRIL 9, 1908.
C.dSE OF 10 IN SDdIT1Y.
SPEECH or Mr.. GILES.
(coNrInuED.j

and let any candid mind say, circumstanced
as MT. Smith was, in relation to Burr, whe-
Their it was not perfectly natural for him to
draw the conclusions he did Whether
these sentences do communicate to Mr.. S.
any Illicit object on the part of Burr
Whether they donot contain denial OF any
intention or effort on his part to effect se-
paration of the union, To my mind they
de. am not therefore surprised that Mr.
Smith drew the inference from them which
he did: and / should have been much sur.
prised indeed, if from them alone he had
drawn any inference of improper views OH
the part OF Burr. said there were passa..
ges in this letter which furnish the strong.
est presumption, that Mr.. Burr had not
communicated his Illicit objects to Mr.. ).
Let me now call the attention of the Senate
to some of them. One has been already
mentioned. After speaking of his intention
to settle the Washita lands, Burr writes
thus: Ihave some other views which are
personal merely, and which shall have no
objection to state to you personally, cut
which do not deem it necessary to publish
1T these projects could any way affect the
interests of the United States, it would be
benehciaiiy, &c. &c" II BUR- had alrea-
dy communicated his views to Mr.. Saith.
why should he say In this letter, &C L shall
haOe no objection 20 sfdfc TO you hersonaL-
Us certainly IT he had already stated
them, this profession would not only have
been unnecessary but foolish. Burr again
writes: "This is the first letter of expla.
nation which L have ever written to any
man, and will proPabably be the last. 1t
was perhaps due TO the trankness OF YOUR
character, and 10 the friendship you once
bore me. shall regret TO see that a
friendship so greatly valued must be sa-'
crhced on the AFFAIRS OF caiumny. Be as
sured that no changes Gu your part can e.
Ven alter my desire Of being useful to on,
and pray you to accept my warmest wish.
es for your happiaess. Here follows this
postcript-"l IL may be an unnecessary eau
ton, but l never Write for publication"
From the whole tenor OF this letter, the
real connection between MIR. Smith ana
burr, may be easily -dlscerned but il Ii
particularly demonstrated by these last SEN
fences. In them the real state OF Burr's
mind may be clearly seen. They discover
= man, conscious of having abused the un-
guarded confidence and misplaced FRIEND
snip OF another, which he was about to lose
by the public exposure of his views. They
display dependency and regret at the Cir
cumstance, and attempt TO make misera-
pie ato1ement by renewal OF professions.
lhey demonstrate too, that there zvas no
PARTICIPATION IN The consfiracy.-In further
sorroboration of these Conclusions, it ought
not to escape notice, that on Burr's next
visit to Cincinnati, he looked for lodgings
at tavern and avoided Mr.. Smiths hos
pitality, which would doubtless have been
still open to him he having been more sue
cesstul in regaining Mr. Smiths confidence,
by the artfui letter written by him than he
had expected. This, believe, to be The
plain, obvious and natural import of this
letter. To suppose that it was the effect
of a preconcerted arrangement between
Burr and Mr.. Smith, and intended to dis
guise the real connection between them,
would be strained, improbable, unnatu-
raj supposition, and therefore in nv iudg-
ment, ought not TO be relied upon in any
case; but especially upon aquestion of guilt
or Innocence. The postscript of the let
ter itself, furnishes another strong presump-
ton against this conclusion.
The next circumstance in point of time.
IRON which inferences Injurious to Mr.. 6.
are drawn, happened on the 90 or Sd of De-
cem6er, at Frankfort, in Kentucky. At
this time aud place, Burr was attending on
the court upon his second trial. Mr.. S.
was drawn thither by business, when short
InterView took place between himself and
Burr, very immaterial in it's objects or corr
sequences. The ground of elimination
ldeduced from this circumstance is, that Mr.
Smith did not voluntarily attend the court
as a witness against Burr, and testify to the
disclosures which Burr had made to him
upon his last visit to Cincinnati. Mr.. S.
stated at the time his willingness to attend,
out believed he knew nothing relevant TO the
ground OF charge against Burr.
| The gentleman from Massachusetts DIFF
fers from Mr. S in opioion on this point. 8.
Iconceives that If MIR S. had attended tha,
court, and disclosed what he has since
disclosed in relation to Burr's last com.
municationsl TO him, it would have beer
sufficient for Burr's conviction. / differ
entirely from the gentleman on this point
All that we know relative to Burr's dis.
closure of his views at that time is furnish.
led by Mr. s. himself. What was disclosed
Il would probably be best to take il from
MIR Smiths own words:
"The candor discovered i'm the above re-
lcited letter (of October 90, 1867 INSPIRED
lmy confidence, and when he made his Sc.
leond visit to Cincinnati, in November last
ne disclosed his plan fully in my view. as
thought, which added strength to INV conf
Idence. He being about to take his leav,
Of me, observed-Mr. Smith, NV object !,
few months will be disclosed YOU will no
lind 1t dishonorable or inimical to this GOV
lerunent / feel euner;c. a.. a. :. - -