The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1865-08-08
9nw's Conspiracy,
AARON BURR'S CONSPIRACY AND
TRIAL FOR TREASON.

"Burrs Conspiracy" as it is known in
history, led to the most remarkable series
of State trials in the annals OF our judicial
history. The following is concise account
of the reasonable scheme of Aaron Burr,
together with the charges and proof brought
against that arch-traitor and the result of
the trial, which will be read with much in.
terest in view of the trial pending against
that greater criminal and traitor, now CON
fined at Fortress Monroe:
In the fifth year of Jeifcrson's admins.
tration. in the 50th year of Durrs age,
when his term as Vice President had Just
expired, year after his duel with lIamil
ton-a man ostracised and Stunned, a lu.
crative law practice annhilated, over
whelmed in debt in word, man without
a future-he entered upon his diabolical
scheme of n separation OF the Western
country and an invasion of Mexico. During
tho year 1905, Burr travelled through the
West and South, revolving in his mind a
dozen different schemes of speculation he
visited Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville
New Orleans and st. Louis, everywhere
throwing out hints of some splenIid enter,
10 the East, he sought to engage leading
officers OF the army and navy in his
schemes. Among the officers whom Burr
thus approached were Wilkinson, Eaton,
Decatur. Preblo and Truxton. To Eaton he
developed his plan, which was to establish
an independent government west of the
Alleghanics, organize an expedition against
the Spanish provinces of Mexico and Texas
and held out visions of high command and
bOundless wealth. New Orleans was to bc
the capital and Burr was to be sovereign,
for he appears to have imbibed in his later
wears a great contempt for democratic
forms of government 70 tho suggestions
of Eaton that such an usurpaii0n would be
speedily suppressed by the strong arm of
the Federal Government, Burr retOrted that
if he could only secure the marine corps
and gain over the naval officers, he would
turn Congress out of doors into the Puto.
mac, assassinate the President, seize on the
Treasury, and declare himself the protector
OF an " "cnergetic government" This pro-
gramme was Bpieed with much abuse of
Jefferson and the weakness of the Govern
nent. The only officer who appears to
have lent a willing car to Burr's scheme
was General Wilkinson, then Commander
iu-Chief of the United States Army, a man
of great ambition, egTeglOus vanity and di-
lapidated fortane, who afterwards deserted
Burr, aud was the cbol instrument in bring
ing him to justice.
Burr's chief oonfederates were Blcnner-
hassett Swartwout, Bollman, Dayton, Tyler
and Floyd. About five hundred persons in
all had engaged 90 cooperate in his scheme,
and these were scattered all over the Union,
and he expected to enlist from 5000 10
10000 more.
In August, 1906, he departed on another
Western tour, purchased 100000 acres Of
land on the Washita River, mostly on
credit, as "a nucleus for his scheme, lie
next contracted for the building Of fifteen
boats, of a model something between a
ilatboat aud gunboat, on the Muskingum,
near Marietta, Ohio. There young men
were enlisted, provisions gathered, and a
large amount Of arms and ammunition pur.
chased aud provided for at various points.
81 the saue time ~ elaborate series Of arti.