Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1812-04-09

j.
with the following Extract OF letter from
Fredericktown, MARYLAND, containing sum-
mary.ofthe trial Gen. Wilkinson together
with the conclusion of his defence, which
we feel ii a duty we owe the public to lay
before them.
FREDERIcK7owN, 1914 Dec. 1871. E
DEAR SIR,
your last letter came. in good time to re-.
mind me of my promise of presenting tor
your information the trial gong on mere as
soon as concluded, as itreached this place the
very tay the court martial broke up-lhe OPP
portuniiy had Of knowing the whole affair,
,gidened by the generals confidential commu-
nicAtion with rue upon every topic which came
into view and my perusal of his defence be-
FORE delivery, done at his request, enables me
- dive TO YOU a rust view OF his case, which
Twill do with all possible breylty
you recollect the charges-Spanish pension
Purr,s conspiracy, and the mortality OF the
,.oons IN 1909. ascribedto his disobedience of
orders, by his occupation OF the position OF
Terre au Beauf near New Orleans instead
Of ascending the Mississippi and taxing post
on It's high grounds near Fort Adams' cohsi-
dered peculiarly saiubrlous'
With respect to the first charge, it appear
ed in evidence that the privatlons OF the mia
b;tants of Kentucky, of whom gen. Wilkinson
Was one, in consequence of the impractlcabl-
,itv Of exporting the products OF their labor,
&c the mouth of the only river leading from
their country to the ocean was shut by the
S,an;ards who possessed n. Orleans and the
sdiacent territory, ard whose government
;nterdicted trade either with themselves or
others
Insthis humilating and comfortless condi-
t;on. Cen. Wilkinson, pressed by the common
Iyan,s and urged by his high minded spirit OF
enternr,ze. determined to make an effort to
,hsnae the sore state of things. He sent
small adventure down the river--it was selz-
/. ed hy the Spanish officers on arrival at New
Orleans. He nevertheless perseverlDg IN his
Generalization, followed his boat, and by his
address and vigor contrived to gain permission
from the Spanish government to carry on
limited trade.
The Kentnckians were reloiced at the sue
cess of their fellow citizen, and the permitted
co,,,r,erce although limited, was at that juno
go most comfortable In its effects to the
newly settled district.
Wilkinson himself chiefly profted, as was
natural TO expedite proved incontestibly
thatlthis commerce gave $4,000 dollars a
much larger sum than his alledged bride and
,,ans;ons amounted to--a balance of this mo-
lev became due unexpectedly from the reco-
very of tobacco supposed to be damaged, alter
Wilkinson had qaitted the trade, and the &C.
easional payments when made gave rise TO the
fable of "pension" which the subsequent ma
lice of a few enemies aided by art & intrigue
contrived to FIX in the public mind as a fact
The attempt to convert a mere farce, into
reality, was powerfully abetted by the neces-
sarv secrecy with which all Wilkinson's ar
rangements with the Spanish officers had been
necessarily conducted. In permitting this
trade, the Spanish policy had been suspended,
and nc doubt the Spanish officers found their
interest in this. But to obtain justification
with their government many pretexts and de-
vices must be formed and rendered current,
or they would be subjected to enquiry and
3 punishment The most profound secrecy not
only then became Indispensable tor their Sc
cnlity, but ally coloring they might choose to
Give with view to their own safety to Will
Sinson's secrets and conneXion, was cheerful
~ admitted by the General, anxious only to
neruetuate the licenced trade and regardless
of idle, ard in one sense, useful hctions, the
falsehood of which he knew, and never could
suppose that even at any future period could
be turned to his injury among his own coun-
trymen.
Who could have supposed it possible that
people enjoying most desirable boon thro'
the exertions OF aD individual could ever have
become the dupes of their own credulity, by
sanetiening the perverson oftriAing attendant
circumstances when devised by malice and
art andlevelled against the fame of their bene-
factor. Yet this has taken place in the case
of Gen. Wilkinson; and had he not been bret
before military tribunal, most probably the