Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1860-10-31
MisttII Iantous.
Burr, Blennerhasset and Wilkinson.

An interesting and imp ortant chapter
Of history is about 10 be published in the
Blennerhasset papers. The revelation Of
the Burr conspiracy has never been com.
plete, and these papers-for Blennerhas
set, it is known, kept regularly journal,
viii do much towards the full exposure OF
the place and preparations of the ambit-
ious traitor. A correspondent of the New
York Times in this connexion, furnishes
the following interesting points connected
with the history of Burr's great guilt:
Before Bcnnerhasset first came to Am.
erica, and while Burr was yet young
lawyer III New York, another intriguing,
ambitious and rather brilliant man ap-
pearel on the stage of Western politics,
This man was James Wilkinson, who
commanded the American army on the st
Lawrence in 1913. and who, at the time
speak of was an officer of the army hold
ing important posts. In 1877 this man
went first to New Orleans, where he es,
tablished a commercial house, and then
returned to Kentucky. Louisiana was
then province of Spain, The Spanish
authorities formed the idea of separating
the western country from the Union, and
making a Spanish empire in the valley Of
the Mississippi. For this purpose they
interested Wilkinson, Judge Sebastian and
many other leading men in their enter
prise. The more patriotic of the commu.
nifty utterly rejected the plan but there
is no doubt that many of the leading char.
aoters of Kentucky were implicated in the
Spanish Association" which was then
formed. Judge Sebastian was tried, and
found guilty of receiving two thousand
dollars per annum from the Spanish gov.
ernment.
Wilkinson was also tried, but acquitted
for want of direct evidence. 1t was prov
4 ed, however, that he corresponded IN cy-
N phor with the Spaniards, and was amply
supplied With Spanish gold. Passing by
nearly twenty years, we find Wilkinson,
A with that singular fatuity which at that
. time marked the military appointments OF
the G government, in command Of the army
Invading Canada on the st Lawrence. He
had become dissipated and lost his ener.
gy. He was drunk in the cabin Of the
boat when the gallant Scott, commanding
the advance, was already in the precincts
Eof Montreal, which he could have easily
taken. just then Wilkinson ordered a
retreat, and the fruits of the campaign
were lost. Armstrong was then Secretary
#of War, and the disgrace of the army was
REFLECTED upon him. Half dozen years
after tie New York Review was publish
Eed, and in it, Armstrong, who held most
caustic pen, reviewed the life and con-
duct of Gen James Wilkinson. Taking
up the Spanish affair and the Burr busi-
ness, Armstrong proved incontestibly
that Wilkinson was either traitor to his
country or his friend. On his trial, how.
Pver, Wilkinson had taken the last alter.
native and excused II on the ground OF
Extraordinary patriotism {! The Spanish
Association and the proceedings at the
.lme constitute the preliminary chapter
to the Burr affair.
Burr, after the death of Hamilton, dis
graced before the public, turned his eyes
20 building up an empire on the Western
Frontier, as Houston, Walker, and others