Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-09-27
f12 1-2 Gents Singled

! VIZ.
il breckenridge, Adair, and 10 wler. have sep.
arately told me that il was the strong desire of
the administration that American settlers
should go INTO that quarter, aud that could
not do thing more grateful 10 the government.
| nave some other views which are personal
merely, and which shall have no objection to
state 20 you personally but which onot deem
1t necessary to publish if these projects could
any way affect the interest fthe United States
| It would be benetcially. vet / acknowledge
mat no public considerations have led me TO
TINS speculation, but merely the interest and
comfort OF myself and my friends
And finally. there is the following marginal
edmonton ~" 1t may be an unnecessary cauti-
on but never write for publications.
Thus, you see, sir. tina; the design ofse-
parating the States is denied in terms as
explicit, as Mr.. Smiih's letter had desir.
ed; out with hew much regard for truth,
this volume Of evidence at Richmond, has
sufficiently proved. The purchase of the
Washita lands is announced TO have been
completed. Thus far The answer is pre-,
ciseiy such as the letter seemed 20 ask.
But all the rest is darkness and oblicui,y.
The caution against publication was itseIf
not naturally suited 10 inspire confidence.
IL seems to say, you may shew this let.
tier, but you must no. publish it. The
lo'her illusions are so obscure, so uninteI-
Ihgioie, that Mr.. Smith has found il ne.
lcessary tn make them clear by explana.
lIory notes.-l here is a reference To- for.
mer conversations on the subject of a Sc.
Paraiion of the States; in which Mr..
smith is reminded that he concurred,
with the Sentiment, which Burr had ex.
pressed. Mr.. Smiths note intimates that
this refers to opinions about the separation
lot the Union in some hfty or hundred
years. But it Burr's speculations in pub.
tic companies, postponed 10 so distant a
date The event, which he was Protecting,
to Eaton, to the Morgans, to Blennerhas.
lse,t, 10 M'Farland and Glover, he had
lbeen urging the propriety of their accom-.
Piishment at much earlier dsv-and
from the testimony of col. James Tavlor.
would seem that the concurrence of
sentiment for which MIR Burr refers 10 the
CONSCIOUSNESS of Mr.. Smith, extended no
less 10 the practical projects than to the
speculative opinions Of Burr. To the sc.
lparaion of the states within five or two
years rather than the dismembermcn of
the next century. The mode saws, Mr..
SUR, tor promoting such measure would
be by operating on the minds Of the Deo-
pie' and demonstrating TO be their inter.
lres''--Now this was the very mode in
which Mr.. Burr and Blennerhassett IN.
der HIM had been attempting TO promote
The measure. Burr had been so opera.
lilng at Cincinnati the year before this.
And William MFsrland At least had
bsen persuaded, that Cincinnati was TO
be the Capitol Of the projected Western
| m ire 10 haI
the way at least from Pitsburg 10 Au-
gust and until he left Cincinnati in Sep.
TENDER, only six weeks before these let.
ters were written. The Querist was one
OF these instruments of the mode for q.
peratiDg upon the minds of the people.
! And when the Querist first appeared.
Mr.. Smith had expressed his approbati.
on OF its contents. Is not this the sort
OF concurrence to which Mr.. Burr al.
Iudes, rather than that of specializing up-
on The deslinies of future age. The
rest OF the letter is equally obscure.
Mr. Burr's abandonment of proie6 for
settling in Tennessee requires the expls.
nanlion OF note from Mr.. Smith; and
That note is conJectured. Mr.. Burr has
some other views merely personal, which
! ne can only communicate personally. IL
they could affect the interests of the II
niled States, it would only be beneficial.
~; but they were promoted by no public
considerations, but merely for the interest
and comfort of himself and his friends.
Mr.. President, ask again the a,,en,i-
on OF the Senate to this remarkable SEN
tence. Did Mr.. Smith on receiving the
letter understand this sentence, or did me
i not If he did, where is the whole de
: fence which he has now set UNI If he
did not, was this paragraph calculated To
inspire his confidence Was it calcuIa.
ted TO remove suspicious! Projects which
might afiecl the interests of the United
States! ProjeGs prompted by no public
considerations bot merely by personal
interest for himself and his friends And
was this to remove suspicion from the
mind OF a Senator Of the United States
Was this an answer to claim aDxieties
and restore confidence Is not the very
language of it suspiciousl Equivocali
Ambiguousl ask every member ofthis
Senate to put the question to himself.
Had you been al that time in the midst of
the scene OF Burr's operations, and had
you received such an answer to letter of