The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-29

| Western Australia ....... 1873
New Holland, parts unsettled. .......... 3,0OO,OO0
| REcApIruLArIoN.
| Square miles
British acquisition by seizures from other
| nations. l,02U, o9l
British acquisition by peaceful settlements l35, 007
British acquisition by claim without set -
| Communicated.
Extract from an unpublished "IRsio,y Of Florida
| louisiana and Teas, from their discovery TO their
| incorporation ,ciih The United Siaies: by Il. G."
BuRR's CONSPIRACY.
| After relating the circumstances attending the
conclusion of the provisional agreement between
General Wilkinson and the Spanish commander
Herrera, respecting the boundary of the Sabine, in
October 1906 the author proceeds;
In the mean ,ime occurrences of an extraordinary
nature taking place in another portion Of the
Mississippi regions, of which a brief sketch will be
| here presented
| When Mr. Jefferson was elected to the presidency
of the United States, in 1901 Col. Aaron Burr OF
| New York, who had received the next highest
number votes, became the Vice President, accord
ing to the federal constitution as II then stood. Cir
cumstances which il would be unnecessary here to
relate connected with this election, produced disa-
! greement between these two high officers Of the
| American government; and Burr, from a combina-
ton Of causes, rapidly sunk in the opinion of the
| public; whilst every act of Mr.. Jeferson's admins
tration contributed to raise him in the estimation of
! his countrymen. In 1904, the latter elected
to the presidency by large majority over his OPP
ponents, and Col. Burr's political career seemed to
be eifectualy arrested
| Burr was however, not the man to submit in
quiet TO this exclusion from the of public
honors. He was in the prime of life-brave, am
bilious, sanguine to a folly fond of pleasure and
display, and (there need be hesitation the pres
ent day in asserting t) utterly unprncipIed; and he
resolved TO SEEK by violent and Illegal means, the
qualification Of his desires for wealth and power,
which daniel in the regular and peaceful routine
then established in his country. lie turned his
eyes towards the Mississippi regions, where dis
| content with the existing system Of government
still prevailed, and the presence of large number
OF adventures seemed 10 offer materials which a
skllfnl man might use to advantage; and there lie
directed his efforts either TO separate those coun-
tries from the Union, or to employ their people in
the conquest revolution of the golden provinces of
Mexico. II IS certain that he entered into comnlu-
nications, on the subject of separation of the Uni
on, with the Marquis de Casa lrujo, the Spanish
minister at Washington, who ever ready to
forward my plan for the subyersion of the American
republics but whether he sincere in the views
then exposed by him, to that envoy or only wished
to quiet the suspicious of the Spaniard or 10 obtain
| information from him cannot now he determined
Burr began his operations in the summer Of 1905,
| every part of which he was received with curiosity,
If not with INTEREST," and he conferred with many
OF the most influential persons whom he sounded
as to their opinions the subsistence of the Union
and on the practicabiity Of the conquest of Mexi-
| co. He spoke openly of the separation Of the
western States, as event which must soon occur;
and to the active and ambitious men, he enlarged
in private upon the great resources Of those coun-
tries, and the vast field which they would, in case
OF separation present to enterprise and talent, if
directed by proper leader. In his communications
with General Wilkinson, he seems to have confined
himself to the scheme for invading Mexico, which
| he asserted was approved by many persons of high
official standing, and even by the President and his
cabine though, for obvious reasons they could not
appear to favor II during peace with Spain, which
was, however, daily expected to end. In the same
object, General Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee, af
forwards President Of the United States, was also
undoubtedly ready to cooperate, so far as the ex
petition could be conducted conformably with the
laws of the republic. Il is net probable that Burr
would have ventured to propose to him ANYTHING
inconsistent with that consideration. In New Or.
| leans numerous individuals of various nations were
| found ready for any movement calculated TO adj
vance their own fortunes, at any hazard to the
Union; and among them the protector made devoted
partisans In order, finally, to have on ostensible
motive for his operations he, though not then pos
| sessing dollar, entered into negotiation for the
purchase of large portion of the tract of land on
| the Washita, granted by the Spanish government
in 1895, TO Baron dc Bastrop; and having complied
with some OF the conditions required, he announced
his intention TO proceed TO that territory in the fol-
loving year, with number of settlers from the
Ohio.
On his return to the Atlantic States, Burr con-
| ceived his prospects sufficient to warrant him in
communicating this scheme TO the British envoy Mr.
Merry, who made il known to MIR. Pitt; and he en-
| tered into correspondence with Don Francisco Mi
randa, who, in 1906, sailed from New York with
party OF adventurers, on expedition for the pu-
pose OF revoutonlzlng the province Of Caraccas
lie then went so far to state his views to General
William Eaton and Commodore Thomas Truxton,
each of whom was supposed to be dissatisfied with
the administration on account Of its conduct towards
them; but they both positively refused To engage in
any way in the projects General Eaton, moreover,
considering himself bound by duty to his country,
drew from Burr a more complete DEVELOPMENT az
his views, and Immediately gave information of
what he had learncd,io Mr.. Jefferson c commend
ing that Burr should be removed from the United
States for the time by appointing him a minister to
some European court. But the wntchfu and
cautious though energetic President had, from tho
commencement, observed Burrs movements and
was already preparede, defeat them, whenever the
proper time should arrive.
In August, Burr, having succeeded in attaching to
himself several persons, for the most part thought
less young men, or needy adyenturers, again pro-
ceeded 10 the West, and established himself for
some time in the family of Hermann Blannerhasset
-an Irishman, who occupied small island in the
Ohio, about fifteen miles above the town Of Marietta
and had entered fully into the scheme. AT this
place. as his headquarters, Burr began his prepara-
tons for action. He dispatched his agents in va
rious directions, summonng all his friends 10 be |
ready with their forces; boats were built on the Mus
kingum river, and men were enlisted in the sur
rounding countres-some being informed that the
object was to COLOMBO the lands Of the Basrop grant
on the Washa, whilst few were made to under
stand in confidence, that the expedition was in
tended for the conquest OF Mexico Among his nmil-
lar associates, Burr, however, threw or all reserve
lie denounced the federal government, which he de-
cieted that he could easily expel from Washington
with three hundred mem he asserted that the Union
would be dissolved in few months; and he assured
his adherents that many Of the principal officers Of