Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-08-13

ii this manner a kind OF crisis has been
produced, BY means Of which the federal
government will not dare to diminish ms
forcesby drawing them to other points. !.
6 From all this it results that the small
effective force OF the United States, viii, IN
fact, be of no use to them to prevent or
scounteract the movements OF Burr, and that
he will have free scope for all his opera
tons at the. outset, Aattering himself, no
doubt, that he viii, by the influence Of the
commander il, CHIEF, and by the offers which
he may make to the troops OF double RAJ
tons, grants of land, and other tempta-
tons of the same nature, to bring them
over to their party. By this means, we
NAV perceive the motives which may have
induced Burrto levy a considerable armed
force, to purchase provisions, and, in one
word. we find a key to all the apparently
Inconsistent movements OF general Wilkln-
son.
Thus it appears, that brig. gen. James
Wilkinson, commander in chief Of the army
of the u. States, the proven. pensioncr Of
Spain, well known to the Spanish court IN
der the appellation of Humber IS, and lately
acquitted by court of enquiry, composed
of coils. Bunbeck, Williams and Cushing,
j been acting in concert with Aaron Burr,
10 sever the. Western from the Atlantic
states, and rob his country of those Liberties
which he was entrusted with the sacred
charge of protecting and defending.
On perusing this interesting and conaden-
tial dispatch from the Marquis to his Court,
it can no longer be doubted by even thenost
obstinate sceptic in Wilkinson's inhdelitv,
that had Burr succeeded in collecting 2 or
5000 men, and descending the Mississippi,
the predictions Of the Marquis would have
been amply and fatally verified, and the os-
tsntatious farce OF patriotism, acted bv the
commander in chief on the Sabine, would
have been succeeded by the tragical catas-
trophe Of his junction with Burr, and the
successful accomplishment of all their ute
rior views. It wotlld surely be an insuIton
common sense, and degrading slander on
the subtle genius of gen. Wilkinson, to at
tempt to prove what IS so obvious and self
evident, to Wit, that the course he pursued
CATER learning from Swartwout, holman,
and through ether channels, # the probable
failure OF Burr's plan, and the irnpossibility
Of his efficient cooperation from the want
Of resources was the only ore which could
possibly extricate him from lis critical di-
lemma, and save him from detection and IN
evitable destruction. With that crafty YER
satility which has heretofore enabled him 20
accommodate himself to various parties,
countries and emergencies, we here witness
the general accomplishing with admirable
dexterlty tUo toM object,by ]zfrst persuasi-
ing the Spanish commander Herrara, that
he had saved his masters possessions from
the overwhelming torrent of Bur.'s ann1,o,e
ra5le force, and secondly, by assuming the
merit OF defeating conspiracy, suddenly
descending to and fortii.~ g New Orleans,
Though as secure from any danger but him
self, as the city OF Philadelphia, for the pub |
lie must recollsct, that Cowlss Meade. with
ahandiul Of militia & volunteers, arrested the |
miserable fugitive arr AT Bay Pierre, while
Wilkinson was CONFUSING all Lower LOU
siana by cOndennaticns, seizures and trans |
portation, the better to disguise his own !
character Gas the Marquis says) by playing
the part OF a Jealous and outrageous patriot. |
Thus on the one hand, the faithful pension |
er saves the. Spanisl, provinces from the al
iedgrd hostility Of Burr, and obtains fresh
favor with his master. On the other, the
patriotic general rescues his own country I
from the impending danger Of plot, s,sg-
gcsted by himself and organizcd CONFORMITY
with col. Burr. History cannot furnish anil
example Of a double game better played, nor
of a country more dellded, deceived and
dcbased than the Z. States hava been by this