Morning journal and courier., 1888-11-13
THE TRAITOR OF 17ss.


 An Interesting Paper Read by MT. y. R. Gilmore Before the Historical Society Showing she TreasOnable Plots of James VEIIk1nsOn in 17SS- Efforts of Spain GO Sever Ghe West From tho UnIOn-A Valuable Hfstor1- cal Paper.
 Mir. J. R. Gilmore, familiar to all lovers of literature as "Edmund Kirke," read paper before the Historical society last evening en- titled '.How the Union was saved in 1788." MT. Gilmore opened his address by humor- ous reference to the sign of Benedict Arnold, which hangs in the rooms of the Historical society, and stating that he had
 been assured by one of the oldest inhabitants that Arnold's physic was undoubtedly not the worst that had been taken by the good people of New Haven, and he proposed to convince his hearers that Arnold was not the worst traitor that this country produced during it's early history. worse traitor was James Wilkinson, who, while holding chief command of the armies of the United States during more than ten years, plotted to dismember his country by seVering the Ale ghany region from the Union. He then gave a rapid sketch of Wilkinson's earlier career, showing that treachery had been his charac- | Ueristic trait from the beginning. Wilkinson ! settled in Kentucky in 1784, and then the speaker, after giving a general view of the condition of the West at that time and the complications of the government with Spain ' in reference to the navigation of the Missis- sippi, he gave in detail the plot which was coneocted between Wilkinson and the Span- ] ish governor of New Orleans and the wrest- ] ing Of the western territory of the United States.
 The treaty of peace of September, 17ss, was no sooner known to Alexander. the Gill livray, a half breed chief of the Creek nation, than he wrote to the Spanish governor of Pensacola, proposing treaty of alliance and | commerce with Spain. In this letter he ! adroitly alluded to the western settlers, and \ spoke of their rapid increase and progress toward the Mississippi, where, if they once formed settlements, it would require ''much time, trouble and expense to dis1odge them" He also stated that the settlers were employ ing every means to make his nation their friends and that if our alliance were not af- fected between himself and the Spaniards, ! the Greeks might become dangerous neigh bors by assisting the Americans in their hos- tile designs upon Mobile, Pensacola and the other Spanish possessions.
 This threat was not needed to bring the Spaniards into the savage coalition, for both they and McGilliVrsy had the same object. A treaty was accordingly made that looked - the extermination of all the American set- tiers beyond the Alleghanies. As the Spanish government was not ready for open hostilities with the newly formed United States at that
 time, it was kept secret, but the Spanish king announced to Congress that under no circum- stances would he consent to the navigation of the Mississippi by Americans.
 A bloody Indian war followed, but this was not so oppressive to the infant settlers as the policy of Spain. They were cut of, with all their western commerce, from the outer world as completely as if tenants of an island I in the Pacific ocean. They petitioned Con- gress to>open the river and the government attempted it, but Spain refused all overtures. Diego Gardoqui, an envoy to conclude I treaty, presented his credentials on the 2d of July, 1785, but by that time the western pro- ' duets were already drug fer want of mar ket.
 Public meetings were held everywhere strongly denouncing any treaty that closed I the great river and made Americans vassals 10 the mefeiless Spaniards. Sentiments were on account of the intricacies springing up everywhere that the west should be swung from the Union and created into an indepen- dent republic. This was golden opportuni- ty for an ambitious man, interruptions and I unrestrained by love of country to put him. self at the head of such movement and un- fortunately such man was General James Wilkinson, who addressed himself to the ob- ject with consummate ability. He saw the
 Spanish aim and attempted to capture their trade by systematic approaches. He person. ally visited Don Goyoso de Samos, the Span- ish commandant at Natchez, and through
 him nurtured the hopes of the Spanish government for great empire in the valley
 of the Mississippi. Don Miro, governor of
 Louisiana, hoping to make Wilkison a serv-
 icesble instrument, bought @ great quantity
 of Kentucky tobacco Of him. But Wilkin-
 son had higher aims. The delegates were
 then assembling at Philadelphia Ito form a
 more perfect union" and he hoped to found
 power in the west to overladen the eastern
 weakling. The Spanish government smiled
 upon his schemes, for they hoped to succeed
 with him where they had failed with Mo-
 Gillinroy in 1764 He made a written re-
 port to the government, picturing vividly
 the growing power of the west. This made & deep impression, and Spain actively enea0- ed in the corrupt intrigues by which it was hoped to draw the west out of the Union
 Spanish concessions enabled Wilkinson to open the rivers to his Kentucky fellow coun- trymen and the pioneers of the West saw that what the government could not do the influence of Wilkinson had affected. This was the state of the western mind when he crossed the Alleghanies in 1788 and entered Lexington, Ky, where he was received with all the pomp and honor of one who had achieved great triumph in diplomacy. Measures were then taken for the separation of Kentucky from Virginia. To this Virginia agreed with the proviso that Kentucky should be admitted as State. A conver- ton was called for the ensuing July to frame State constitu- tion and this instrument Wilkinson thought, would be decisive of the destiny of I the West; for Kentucky once separated from Virginia, he intended that no action on the I part of Congress should induce her to join I the Union. All wanting was to win the politi- | cal leaders to his views and to this he active | ly turned himself. He earnestly hoped to be | strong enough to control the convention
 By far the most influential man in Ken f lucky at this time was IssAc Shelby, the N hero of Kentueky's greatest battle6elds and | power-silent, reticent, seldom speaking and | thoroughly imbued with the spirit of his \ countrymen. Strange to say Wilkinson | made no mention of him in his letters to | Miro, and it is we'll nigh certain that Shelby | was ignorant of the reasonable conspiracy until shortly before it's intended execution. | Another powerful man was John Sevier, who | had turned the tide of battle at Kings | Mountain. He was 8 brilliant man, who | could sway masses by mere force of personal | magnetism. He, too, was engaged by Will kinson. He was at this time with 500 men struggling to defend the settlers at French | Brood river against 10, 900 Greeks and Chero- kees, and had before been outlawed by North Carolina for political reasons How could these two grand men affect Wilkinson's trea- souable projectl Nevertheless, the Spanish minister, Don Gardoqui, approached Sevier with friendly overture. The Spanish mes- senger found him without a round of ammu- milton, almost prepared for death. The en- voy assured him if he would write to Don Gardoqui, the Spanish minister, would aid him, and incidentally added that Spain was about to extend her sheltering wing over the entire Mississippi valley, and that on John Seviers the Watauga and James Wilkinson in Kentucky would be showed distinguished favors.
 This mention of Kentucky and Wilkinson |. aroused the patriot, and he gradually dis- covered the whole Spanish conspiracy. As the messenger lay asleep that night Sevier penned the letter to Don Gardoqui and also on the fly leaf of Bible, another to Shelby, accounting the whole plot. He then hasten ed to Major Nathaniel Evans, trusted of- 6cer, told him the contents of the paper. Only six weeks remained before the as- sembling of the convention, and the fate of the West hung upon the noble steed of the major. Where is Q more magnificent spec tacle2 An outlawed man who has lost every ! thing that most men value saving an empire. l
 The rest is soon told. The convention met on the 18th of July, 17s8. Wilkinson and his followers proposed declaring the iudanen |