Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1808-09-27

J quaintance, and can therefore speak of him
only as upon the evidence exhibited here
on this occasion. He appears at least In
| the character of very ardent partizan
of Mr.. Smith. In the newspapers trans
mitted to us, see his name at the foot of
! several very violent publications, which
have not been read, but which sbew that
fifteen months ago, he had in some sort
staked his own character upon the reputa~
ton of MIR. Smith. a number of deposit
tions concur to prove that he, in company
with man who has since heen convictel
of an atrocious robbery, was at the head or
a party who burst open the doors, and broke
in upon meeting ofprivate citizens assem-
bled to pass certain resolutions unfavorable
to Mr.. Smith, and threatened them with
coat of tar and feathers. The insinuation
in his private letter to Mr.. Smith, against
the fair fame of Gen. Findley, bears no
distinguishing features of an ingenious mind.
l cannot belive that Gen. Findley, man
of honorable consideration in society, hold
F, ing an important public trust, could have
been actuated by such unworthy motives,
| IN the declining to contradict Col. Taylor's
deposition. Could he have done it, consis-
tently with truth, he had every inducement
that could operate upon generous feelings
to do it. His contradiction would not have
tuS reputation Oh SOl. Il dylOr.
1t would only have induced probability
that he was mistaken. But to Mr.. Smith
it was of the first Importance --hls reputa-
tion in the world-his seat in the councils of
the nation--the comfort of his life-the
peace and happiness of his family were all
at stake, and called in the most imperious
manner, for the testimony of man, who
| by merely declaring that he had understood
his meaning differently from the witness
appealing to him, might have removed from
him the burtheR of this imputation. 1t is
impossible to believe that he was deferred
from such an act of signal justice, by the
base and contemplate fear of losing his Of
| flee.
| The conversation to which Col. James
| Taylor attests, occurs within a very few
days after the departure Of Mr. Burr from Mr.
Smiths house, at this period. The subject
of that conversation was the separation OF
the states. Mr.. Smith takes pains to Cir
lculate that QMerist, which was to scatter
the seeds Of disunion throughout the Yves
tern country. Mr.. Smith adopts its arr
guments his own; and adds others ofthe
same tendency to assist it's effects. Mr..
lSmith contends that these doctrines howe
yer obnoxious then, ia less Than tzUo years
| Ivotfd become orthodOr. Is there no know
led, c nj particip- tion OF Burr's projects
ON the face of these expressions We are
told they are speculative opinions-an we
lhear complaints that a.man should be held
| accountable for his political Syeculations.
But when speculative opinions are associa-
lted with military preparations, and for
midable enterprise in the very process OF
execution, then, sir, they assume very
different complexion from that OF free and
legitimate discussion. Speculative opin-
ons, at all times have such az infu nee up-
on practice, that i rold it not very iustih
able IN man vested with public trust, TO
} speak IN terms of appreciation, of a dismem"
berment of this union, upon any contingent
cy, or at any distance of time We ought
to deprecate this greatest of all possible ca
iamitics, for our posterty as well as for
ourselves. Yet, l acknowledge, that even
these dangerous opinions, when merely spe-
cuatiVe may he expressed without evil in
teDtions, and ought not to draw the weight
of public censure, upon the person using
) them, IN the form of decision Of this body
II is the time, the occasion, the circumstance
upon which this speculative opinion wa.
ldlvulged, which display it as evidence Of
Mr.. Smiths participation in Burr's conspi.
racy against the Union.
We have followed the course of event.
until the close of September, about whict
ltlme Biennerhasset follows Mr.. Burr int
Kentucky. la the course of that and the
following month, the preparations and con
versations of both these personages; the
!, numbers of the Querist, and certain publ
Cations of an opposite character, which APP
peared in another Newspaper called the
l Western World, had reused the suspicious
the anxieties, the resentment Of the people
i IN that part of the Union to the highest de-
gree. About the goth of October, Mrs
Biennerhassett found it necessary to dis
patch Peter Taylor from the Island, FOL
Kentucky, for the purpose of warming Burr
that he could not with personal safety Il
himself return to the Island. Taylor wa
to go first to Chilicothe-thent to Mr. Smith =
: at Cincinnati and there he was to be tolt
where Burr and Blennerhasset were TO b,
found. At this time it was no longer SAT,
. to Inculcate the disunion of the states. Tn,
people there, thank God, were not TO BIZ
deluded by Mr.. Burr's mode or by any o
ther mode OF eiiecting a ACKNOWLEDGMENT
They were true to themselves and tbeii
country. The public odium had arrived al
such pitch, that it might not be advisa'
bic for MIR. Smith to appear so intimate
with Burr, as to know where he was to bt
found, and 1t might also De necessary foi
him TO have the ostensible object of Burr
y purposes ascertained. For although h,
says that when Burr was with him in Sep
IWa. l.. L.