The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-01-03

"" VII 'iiV WI IAN, diu was oi''' '''h W
o SO when walking over the rm,and fence S;
anne in the way Of her progress. 1t was per- "
ormed with such graceful movement, and so t
title effort as to call forth the wonder and ad-
niration of the beholder." s
Their life on the Island passed very quiet
v. Bennerhasset found all the repose that ,
he had longed for, and his wife urged him in 5
vain to practice in the neishboring courts of I
law. Superintending his improvements, read 4;
ing, experimenting in his laboratory. and fir
ing his gun when some one had aimed it,form-
ed his only occupation. This mode Of life
was varied with balls at Marietta and his own
house, visiting, still more with receiving Wis
its from his neighbors. together with an occa-
sional visit from a cultivated cmigrant, who
weary with floating down the river, hundreds
of miles between its uninhabited banks, was
rciored to find this Western Eden. They
had lived here eight wears. and two children
were added to their other blessings, when they
saw Aaron Burr the first time.
What the plans of Burr were. it is imros-
siblc now to determine with certainty. ltSeemS
however, that he intended to colonize 50 much
of the tract of land on the Washita. called
Bastrop'S Grant, as he lad purchased. The
grant was to he void unless settled in speci-
fed time, which had nearly elapsed. \ more
important part of his plan was the conquest
of Mexico. The diSmcmhermcnt of the Tn
ion was alleged at the time to he the main end
of his design. But no proof has been brought
to establish it as fact: such project was so
hopeless that we cannot believe even Aaron
Burr should have entertained il: and more
over. on his dcath-bcd. he solcmnlv. and with
great emphasis, denied it. The invasion of
Mexico had been suggested hv Miranda on
his visit to the l'nitcd States. during the Adj
mini>tration Of John Adams. The most prom
inrnt men in the country approved it: moth
inc was wanting hut the sanction of the Gov
ernment TO carry it into cxecution Under
the Presidency of Jefferson. when war with
Spain seemed imminent. Burr revived the
project. The leading men in the West took
part in it; the partizanS of the AdminiStra
tion throughout the West favored il Moth
ing was wanted hut declaration of War a
gainSt Snain 70 set an invading army in mo-
tion. Wien it hrcamn known that there
would he no war, most of Burr'S adhcrcntS 4
handoncd the scheme nut f5v, however
continued firm, rarrlv through hrs persuasion
partly from a hclefthat the president srcrctl,
approved it.
Inthc Spring Of 1905. before the plot was
ripe. Burr sailed down the Ohio and Mi-<i>>-
ippi rivers. (" New Orleans TO perfect it, He
landed at Blcnnerha>sct Island, and ~trolef
: over the grounds, without approaching the
house 4 servant being sent to invite the
| stranger in, he spent the evening with tn,
> family. The visit was only such one As NJ
BlcnnerhasSct commonly received from mel
. Of education who passed down the river. y,
allusion was made to the matter with which
Burr was already busy. On his return in O.,
, tobcr. he again called at the Island, but tn,
; host was not at home.
4 BlcnnerhaSSet spent the winter in New
York. where he went chiefly 10 meet his ol,
: fellow student, Emmett. who had Just left Ire
land on account of the political troubles Ii
n the beginning of December he received lr'
+ ter from Burr, rr"rcttinc that they had No
t met on the Island in the previous October
Flattercd bv the interest taken in him lv tn
5 ex-Nicc-President, he wrote back in rcpl,
O expressing hope that he might be honore
/ with share in any speculation which miyh
IS during his tour of the country, have present
n ed itself to Burr's lud gment as WI rthy to el
It gage his talents. In making tl.is advanc,
l. not merely a commercial or land entcrpris
@ was contemplated, hut military advcntur
1t was mentioned. He supposed the Goverr
n mcnt was indignant at the aggres>ions of SpaI
e ish troops upon the American borlcrs,as we
Is as the conduct of the Spanish Minister
e; Washington. Under this impression, he SUI
E. posed speedy war with Spain was inevit
lc ble and he offered, if a Spanish war shou
at induce the Government to call on Burr,
le engage with him in any enterprise to be III
ly dertaken for the conquest Of any of the Spa
d, ish dominions. In the following April, $50
is Burr wrote highly complimentary letter
II; reply. He stated that he had projected su,
ID a speculation as BlennerhasSet had mentiont
ID and which he would have suggested, had
found Blennerhasset at home in the previo
Mt Autumn. He added that it could not be b
It. gun before December if ever; that, as it cou
l. not be explained by letter, an explanatic
w would be deferred until an interview could
A. had and that there would be no war unle
re the country should be actually invaded
C, Spain.
he In August, 1906, Burr visited the Islal
i'd again with his daughter, Mrs Alston, ,arrivil
he at noon, and leaving next morning. VIII
. on the Island, he had an hours private co
IS versation with Blcnnerhasset; and the ne
or day, at Marietta at snatched intervals, Il
e- conversation was renewed. Blennerhass
Mt was assured that the expulsion of the Spani
e from the American territory then violated
tn them, or even an invasion of Mexico, wou
ne be pleasing to the Administration, if it cou
&C. be done without declaring war with Spai