Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-05-07
Ebe Constitutional csgt,ig.
From the Lynchburg Yirgintan.

,ii'iio IIn1uiiei oi the ZVt1 January, 1907,
we solicit particular attention to dS.es,1 a
paragraph from the Nashville Gazette, an
nouncing the arrival Of Col Burr, at the res
idcnce of Gen. Jackon, nine miles from
Nashville, and intimating the suspicion of the
Editor that he (Burr) was preparing for some
movemcnt''-perhaps ola ''hostue'' charac-
ter. In reference to the Appendix to Burr's
trial Up. SO, 49, the reader will see a letter
from Gen. Jackson to Governor William G..
I. Claiborne, of Louisiana, bearing date the
l2th Of .Nouember, 1906, (about two months
before Burr's arrival at the "Hern,taee.'O in
which he says, "Put your town New Or
leans IN state Of defence, organize your
militia, and defend your city as well against
internal enemies as external: niy kno;giedge
does not ertend so far as to authorize me TO 20
alto detail; bit fer you sci!J meet scith an
aft0c6 iron, quarters y0u do not ct present ec-
pect:'' &c DC. Now, we ask the questions.
and beg that they may be answered, if they
be answered at all. with fairness and candor:
How did General Jackson kao7r of the inten-
ded attach on New Orleans by Colonel Burr!
w lay, II he did know the source whence the
attack was TO proceed, was he not more de-
Unite and precise in the information he trans
united to Gov. Claiborne! Can any man be-
iIeve that the pro- cct was entrusted TO one
who had not pledged himself either by word
or deed, to promote it, and who was not to
gam by the triumph? sOr can any man be-
hcye, that, If Gen. jackson, who, we contend
was thus entrusted, had not determined to
playa double game,-to swim with Burr if
he should succeed. and help to sink him if he
should fail,-hc would have written in Ian
guage so ambiguous! Why did he not tell
him, If he k'tc1o the fact, that Burr was or
ganlzlng forces and collecting arms in the
West! that his object, was TO augment his
resources, III men, money, arms and arnmuni-
ton, by the addition of his partzans in that
city to his ranks; by Selling the banks and by
taking advantage of the corruption and dis
affection which had crcpt into the army sta
tlond at that place under Wilkinson? If he
did not know it, why create unnecessary "a
larm by his favorite system Of s'i,suendo''!
But an expression III his letter TO Gov. Clai-
borne, Immediately preceding that which we
have quoted above. will set this matter right.
Il have" (says he 'all that fric..dship for
my former friends that l ever had. and their
memory has been more endcarcd 10 me by
the treGche'Y have experienced since | saw
you, by some nearly acquired ones Indeed,
fear tredcdery has become lie order cfthe 6i1
THIS induces %1e 10 zDrite to yOu.,' In this cx-
tract. We have the whole secret OF Cen.
y.
which, however, was still partially slnothered
and kept down by his interest in the treat
expedition which was then Matching in the
bosom oI-thc Union, for purposes which will
probably never be divulged, if indeed, they
had ever been definitely fixed The new
friends alluded to- whose ':treacheYy'' thus
induced him 10 write to Gov Claiborne
were doubtless Burr and his associates For,
why should the trcachory ofany other indiyid-
ual or individuals induce such Il cotrscl
SUI, however, he went but half-Hay Tlc
had pledged himself so deeply in his connec-
ton with Burr, that he found it was as diff
ilcult to Eecede openly. as 10 90 on. And,
doubtless, he still felt lingering hope that
prosperity would attend the rash cnterprize---
and imagined that possibly he had no Just
ground Tor suspecting the friendship Of Burr
'owards hlin-and consequently, if the pos
sibli1ty should come 20 pass, and the coniec-
lures should prove true, he would not be fore
closed from his share OF the gGrY and pro-
lit by an imprudent disclosure of names; while
# defeat should attend it, or if BurE should
prove unIaithful to his bargain, lie would
bring forward this letter TO Gov. Claiborne as
evidence of his deep devotion 10 his country
and as proof of his patriotic interest in the
stability of the Union
'Ihe Derlcan qnoe scripture for bis purposo.o
Lest VIC should be considered uncharitab!c
iii our ludgment-and its deliberate conyic-
ton has been candidly stated-we must re-
Ter to q e or two other points, even at the cx-
pcnsC Of our own and the readers patience.
We have already referred to the extract
from the Nashville Gazette, announcing the
arrival Of Col. Burr at General Jackson's
residence, in the month of jan. 1907. II
viii be perceived that Jackson's letter to
Claiborne is dated in Noveo,bcr, 1906, two
months previously. Now we bring General
Jachso and his friends again to confession.
Did he, or did be not, IN Noc. 1906 know a.
ny thing of Burr's designs on New Orleans?
tdc did, what excuse, what palliation can
be found for his conduct, for afording, IN J7-
Hudrg, 1907, food and shelter to man who
he knew was preparing to commit treason a.
galnst the United Statcs-to seize on one OF
its principal cities, possibly at the ex-
4