The true Democrat., 1854-06-06

one to depress an ordinary spirit. There was he, who had been alike distinguished in the field and the cabinet-who had enjoyed the highest favors of country whose institutions still bear the impress of his genius there was he, reposing beneath rude tent in the wilds of Alabama prisoner of the United States, sur- rounded by group of soldiers whose only bu- siness was to watch him, and without one friend, one congenial spirit, to console and be- friend. Apart from this, his wife had lately died, his only child was afar off, ignorant, per- haps, of his sad condition; his professional affairs disarranged, and he himself ostracized by that State with whose history his name was indisso- lubly connected and branded wherever he went as murderer and "traitor." Yet did Aaron Burr rise superior to his fallen fortunes and during the whole journey bestrode his horse with dignity of mien not unbecoming the position he had lately filled, while his keen eye flashed with the light of conscious superiori- ty upon the rude guard which adverse circum- stances had placed over him.
 While there was much of the s,aviter mo- do Ill Burrs address, there was dignity of man. ner about him, which never failed to rebuke the oftlclous and idly curious. Just after passing the Oconee rver, the party passed the night for the hrst time under the roof of house. Be- win, the landlord, was quite officious, and his loquaclty soon brought upon him a nerited re- buke. Unacquainted with the persons or the objects of the party, he yet discovered that they were from the West and began asking many questions touching "Burr's conspiracy:' asked II he had not been arrested, and made many sneerlng remarks upon his present fallen cond- ton. Perkins and his companions, much en- barrassed, tried to change the subject, and elude hls inquiries by seeming inattention; but he still persisted when Burr, rising up to his full height and fixing upon the landlord his flashing eye said, " am Aaron Burr! what is it you want With me:' Bevin as if thunderstruck, fairly crouched beneath the whitening glance; and dur
 ing the remainder of their stay could hardly summon courage to ask their commands though most obsequious in his attention.
 As the party drew near to the confines of South Carolina, Perkins caused his prisoner to be more carefully guarded. Col Aston. who had married Burr's only child, resided in this State, and Perkins feared lest some attempt at rescue should be made. Burr also evidently had some hopes of such an event. and was pre- pared at any time to take advantage of it-as was proved by an incident which we take from Mr. Pickett. In passing through the county town oi Chester district, the party passed near tavern, before which crowd of men were assembled. Seeing the collection of men so near him, Burrthrew himself from the horse and ex- claimed, in loud voice, II am Aaron Bur- undermilitary arrest, and claim the protection of the civil authorities.'' Perkins and several of his companions at once dismounted, and the former ordered the prisoner to remount. Burr. Tn most dehnant manner said, / uW n0t'' belng unwilling to shoot him, Perkins threw down his pstols-both of which he held in his hands-and seizing Burr around the waist. threw him into his saddle. Thomas Malone caught the relns of the horse, slipped them over his head, and led the animal rapidly on. The as- tonlshed citizens saw party enter their village With prisoner, heard him appeal to them for protection III the most audible and imploring manner, saw armed men immediately surround ing him and thrust him into the saddle, and then the whole party vanish from their presence before they could recover from their confusion.
 Soon after this incident Perkins obtained a gig, and in this Burr passed, without further adventure, the remainder of his journey to Fredericksburg, where dispatches from the Pre- sldent caused Perkins to take the prisoner to Richmond.
 Here he was arraigned and tried, first for high treason, then for misdemeanor, on both of which charges he was acquitted. The gravest charge proued against Burr was that he had written a letter in cypher, avowing his design of seizing Baton Rouge as preliminary measure, and tn en extending his conquests to the Spanish pro- vinces But this, be it remembered, was proved upon the evidence of Gen. Wilkinson, whose own skirts were not entirely free in this case
 We do not wish to be regarded as an advocate cd, of
 spect his genius, etind in his much private char acter to contemn. But we must believe that the severe censure which public opinion heaped upon him, was to say the least, over nasty; and has thrown too much odium upon his once fair name. There is some truth in the sayings of a great man that Republics, at best, are un- grateful "The evil that men do' is too apt "to live after them," while "the good is (too) often inferred with their bones" In contem- plating the "traitor,' and the destroyer of Ha- milton, we have forgotten the maa of distin- gushed talents and abilities--the Legislator, who has left upon the laws of our Empire State, the
 impress of mind, the useful U S. Senator and the Ece President of our Union. We have carried his virtues with his vices and consigned him to eternal obloquy. This historians motto should rather be, FSat justitia, coslum rasat."
 The conclusions of Mir. Pickett as the causes of Burr's great unpopularity, seem to us quite just and impartial, we thefore close this article with an extract from hisinteresting work:
 "One of the great secrets of his political mis- fortunes lay in the malevolence of politicians and fanatics. Somebody heard General Wash ington say "Burwas adangerous man;' there- fore the world set him down as Ca dangerous man." He killed Hamilton in duel because Hamilton abused him; thereupon the world said he was "a murderer" He was formidable rival of Jefferson's for the Presidency; there upon the majority of the republican party said he was "a political scoundrel" He had op- posed the federal party; for that reason the fe- deral party hated him with exceeding bitterness. A blundering, extravagant man, named Her. man Blannerhsett, sought Burr while he was in the West, eagerly enlisted in his schemes, and invited him to his house; thereupon Wm. Wirt said, in his prosecuting speech, that Burr was the serpent who entered the garden of Eden.-GeoTyaa U'aiversity Magazine
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