Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-08-15
nIOOMsBURG, CoLUMBIA-Co, PA. WEDNESDAY

| who had neither formed nor expressed an
| opinion as to the guilt of the accused. -
! Out OF Ue1ljre of forty eight but four men
were found whose opinions were sufficiently
] undecided to permit them to act as Jurors.
There was but one juryman pre-emptorily
challenged by Burr 1t must be borne in
mind that he had, but short time before
| his trial, killed Alexander Hamilton in a
duel. A person who was being examined
as to his competency as n juror, sharply
questioned and somewhat nettled by Burr $
counsel, turning to the spectators, said =
am surprised they should be in such ter
ror of me. Perhaps it is because my
name is Hamilton. That remark" ex-
claimed Burr, " is sufficient reason for
obecting to him. Ichallenge him pre-empt-
orily." Out of second renire of forty
eight all had formed unfavorable opinions to
the accused, and matters looked so dcspe-
rate that the counsel for the defence moved
to squash the trial, for the simple reason
that no impartial jury could be obtained.
A jury was at last obtained by permitting
Burr to select eight jurors, who were added
to the uralready selected in the usual way.
The procurement of a jury had occupied
| from the 2nd to the 18th of August and on
that day the examination of witnesses for
| the government commenced. The examin-
alton of the witnesses and the argument of
counsel continued from the 18th to the 29th
of August, when Chief Justice Marshall
| virtually decided the case by that famous
| opinion, the reading Of which occupied more
than three hours No "overact of treason
| had been proved against Burr, and the deci-
! sion Of Marshall that no testimony relative
to the conduct or declarations of the prison
er, elsewhere and subsequent to the transac-
ton on Blannerhasset Island Che alleged
overt act Of treason,) can be admitted; be-
cause such testimony being in its nature cor
roboratlve, and Incompetent to prove the
overt act IN ITSELF Is prevalent until there
! can be proof Of the overt act by two witness
es. The jury with theseinstructionsr return
| ed the following qualifiedverdict Of acquittal:
1--WE Of the jury say that Aaron Burr is not
| proved to be guilty under the indictment by
any evidence submitted to US. We there
fore, find him not guilty"
| This verdict greatly excited Burr, who al
| once sprang to his feet, and with great ex-
citement Of manner protested against the
form of the Indictment, and demanded that
| it should be rendered in the regular and les
! damaging form. The verdict was finally en-
| tered on the record as mot guilty" Burr
was then admitted to bail, and tried and ac
! quilted of the charge of misdemeanor, or
| the ground that the offence was not com
mitted in Virginia Thus, eight month.
after his arrest, and six months after the com
mencement Of proceedings against him il
! Virginia, Burr was once more free.
The trials Of Calender and Burr, in theil
day and generation, enchaincd the attention
of the whole nation, but compared with the
proposed trial of the ex-President of the
| Confederate States, they shrink into abso
| lutte insignifcance. Calender wasa low, bru
tai and drunken hack writer, whose cause
was expounded by party then rising intC
power, to annihilate the Federal party
| Burr was disappointed adventurer, whose
real object must always remain question o
grave doubt
The distinguished and unfortunate states
man who is soon to be tried is the represen-
tative Of the millions who agreed with him
in sentiment and who conferred upon hin
unsolicited and dangerous honors. iii
character as man of spOtless integrity
ability and christian virtue, is not question
ed, nor is it pretended that he is the autho
and principal promoter of the late civil war
| Thousands who were far more active in ini
tiating hostilities than himself have bcel
long since pardoned. He alone, merely as
consequence of having held high Office, j
to be tried for his life
Ia this trial we recognize the arraiCnmen
and prosecution not of one man, but of Al
entire section. Hence in dignity and impor
tance it will be the most important tria
which has ever occurred.