Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-10-10

men, his business. Could he then have h.""
stranger to their intelligence, their sense Of
their habits Of calculation, and their love
their republican institutions Could he ,,,.s
to transform at once the habits, feelings. ,,,..
and morals Of people conspicuous for their ~
rage aud political integrity?-for such are Il. +
people Of the western states. 1t has been sS'
posed, and with some plausibiIity, tia, 1.
hopes were founded on the dissatisfaction e,;,.
ed by the western people at the time If The di.,r.
sion Of our right, TO navigate the Mississippi,
1t is true that the rude and unprovoked v,.
ton of our privileges On that river, by Spain .. +
cited an universal burst Of indignation throusS
out the Uain,, Ii II also true, that this fell.
was warmly displayed in the west Ia The 4,
lant,c states. the insult was felt as inpc,,r,
our national honor; in the west it was mat,
of vital importance tn oil. aud of personal IN,
rest to every indt dual, and as such il car,
home TO mems BUSINESS and bosoms The N,
sissppI was the natural outlet and Ne. Ore,,,
the mart for the prcduce Of the west; and Nh.
that market, to which they believed they had y
indefeasbIe right of access. was barred to Thea
it was but the natural and common impuls
the human mind which induced people, al Al
times proud, lmpetuous and tenacious. to call
vengeance and redress. with sternness and i,
patience commemorate with their injure. :
The conciiatory spirit and tardy policy If N,
Jefferson, neither satisfied their feelings, nor s.r
ed their exisenoies; aud they were wiling 10 IN.
pute to tameness in the executive. tia, wSla
might have been the result nf parental soyitu.b
Believing themselves 10 be abandoned By the %. |
neral government, they iei! it a duty to prOr,
their own invaded right; and if the soverams2
had not interposed with effect, they would duc5;
less have drawn the sword--against whom; Il, |
government: No, h~t against the common en-. f.
N.Y. In this there was no treason nor dsaGt, |
tion-no arrangement from their sister Stale.
no breach of faith with the government. nor ys
lalion of the compact Ii was saving only
their federal head" Defend u, Or We viii de-
fend ourselves
II Col. Burr expected to fan these feelings To-
to rebellion. he had either more bodness or e,,
wisdom than has commonly been placed to lis !
credit: and had be openly avowed this proec, /
he would have called down upon his head the In I
precautions OF the people, who, if they had spar
ed his life, would not have forgiven 50 foul an N
suit to their virtue and undersl andDg. But H.
Us ask who were the adherents of Col Burr
Who were they who were TO share his fortunes
to reap with him the proud aurels of successIg
valor, or the infamy of foul rebellion Wn
they persons of obscure name and desperate iOr
tune, or we're they men of good blood and far
fame" the darlings OF the nation" 1bes
questions are embarrassed with some uncernIr
ty, because most of the gentlemen who have beer
accused Of adhering to Colonel Burr, "gnins
him aid and comfort" have denied the fat; aud
as am writing only for amusement, and specg
Iating on events gone by, for speculation's SAKE
wish not TO assume any thing as fact on this
delicate subject, which is, or has been contrOs,t
ed. But it is not denied that many "prosperoH
gentlemen" were engaged in this enterprise; and
many others suspected, with belief 50 srOrs
as to amount almost to certainty; and among
these were men whom the people have since ~ |
allied to the most important trusts, and conhdd
with the most implicit reliance. Among then
were men of high standing, who had regulations
to be furnished, fortunes to be lost, and lamhIc /
to be embarrassed; and many high soulcd youth; /
whose proud aspirings after fame could new
have been gratitied amid the horrors Of d'a
war. and the guilty scenes of rebellion.
II is argued against these gentlemen, that Ties
have uniformly denied their connection with Baf
which it is supposed they would not hayedonr
had thew known his designs to be innocent Bli
this | do not conceive to be fair argumen'-
The united voice Of the whole nation has del.r
ed Burr to be a traitor, and his adheren,s SHARED
the ohnqny which was heaped upon their nj"
guided leader. Even admitting their nnoceDc'
or their own belief OF it, still it aOuId have ben
a hopeless task for this handful of men toopp1''
their feeble asseverations to the "vocr p"tea
tial' of a whole people. Many of them, a.'o'
were candidates for office, and they found tbs
avenues to prefsrment closed by the anaile"i'
pronounced by the people against all who acre
concerned in what they believed TO have ber4
rank conspiracy. They might, therefore, ha''
bent to the current which they could not s'en
The apostle Peter denied his master three
but was, never heless, a good honest apostle d.
ter all.
But know that you are, BY this time, rsad'
ty ask me. whether am serinusly endeavonh;
to convince you that Burr was true and o'
subject to the sovereign people Of these Un'ed
States! have 40 such design; though ~"
confess, that If had the power to execute -
difficult a project, l would with pleasure emP''!
1t. should be happy to Obliterate STAN ''r"
the annals OF my country, and blot Iron :"
fame Of a fellOw.citizen. should be glad a's
to De always victorious 10 argument. II } eoaa
admit that success was the test OF truth But ths