Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1896-03-07
A ROMANCE OF THE WEST

Of the community. The leading people
Of Marietta, Belpre, near by on the
Ohio shore. and all Of Wood County. In
Virginia, made the Blenncrhasset man.
sion the center about which all things
In the fashionable world rcvolved. For
eight years they dwelt there, enter.
tanning all Corners with opcn.handed
hospitality, making frequent trips to
the East to visit friends, rs well as to
make purchases. They entertained Law.
isllly for the times and for the sur
roundings. and the fame Of their hos.
.pitality reached far and wide.
Such. was the island home. and such
were its Inhabitants, when the serpent
entered this Eden and wrought Its ruin.
Aaron Burr was one of tlic most fas.
cinatIng Of men. A graceful man. Of
handsome aqulline features. with high
mental cndowinents, and In possession
Of rare conversational powers. he had
the instincts Of a vulturc, and was
cternally scllcming for his personal
qualification and ACKNOWLEDGMENT. reck.
less Of the ruin and misery his selfish.
ness wrought. His career had been
brilliant until when. as Vice President
Of the United States during President
Jcffcrson's first term. he imbrued his
hands In the blood Of Alexander Ham.
iltOn. and brought upon himself the exc.
Grafton of his cOuntrymcn. 1t was
then he formed the Napoleonic conccp.
ton, and apparently feasible one. Of
wrestling from Spain the Empire Of
Mexico. and from the United states the
vast and almost unsettled solitudes Of
the Mississippi Valley. there to organ.
izc n magnificent empire, Of which he
was to be lmperator.
Burr had heard Of Blennerhassett. Of
his wealth. and Of his influence over
the rapidly increasing population Of
the Ohio Valley. and he resolved to on
list him In the enterprise. In the spring
Of the year 1905. Burr appeared upon
Blcnnerhassct Island. and was the re-.
clplcnt Of distinguished attentions at
the hands Of It's hospltable owners. 1t
Is not my purpose to follow In detail
the intrigues and the intrlcaclcs OF the
dealings between Burr and Blcnncr.
hassctt. Suffice It to say that both host
and hostess were charmed. He seemed
rs artlcss as child. Familiar with
the secrets Of state. he spoke Of the
prospects Of war with Spain and OF the
case with which the Mcxicnns, with a
little help, might throw or the Spanish
yoke and establish an independent gov
eminent. With great frankness hc
cxp.aincd to them an enticlng land spec.
ulatlon within the spanish territory, on
tho Red River. In which he was On.
gagged. and showed them how very prof
table It was to be.
Having taken the first step. he went
on his way. The next autumn. how.
ever. Burr aud his beautiful daughter
TheOdOsla. made a short visit to tile
island, and In the following winter Mr.,
and Mrs. Blcnnerhassctt were lured
East for the purpose Of further inter.
Views. and It Ii presumed that they
entered into sort OF partnership fOt
land speculation. Blennerhassett was
incapable Of treason, ana II cannot be
doubted. as II appeared afterward nj
the trial, that Burr adrOitly yelled his
real purpose from him by the projected
land speculation.
In the summer of 1900 Burr came
West. and active measures were takcr
to organize an expedition. The In
trlgucr had such influence with Blen
ncrlassett's wife that she readily per
suaded her husband to pledge him
self for the payment Of all expenses
Dateaux sufficient to carry five hundred
men were built and prOvisloncd ut Mar
ietta, and Colonel Burr visited many
settlements In Ohio and Virginia to cn
gage cntcrprlslng and hardy y0uni
men as recruits, and lie speedily secured
tho required number. Each emlgran
was required to bring rife and blan
ket. The little colony was organize,
with military precision, for Its lcade
was an accomplished soldier. Ever!
one was to receive the gift Of one hun
dred acres of land. Burr told them tim
President Jefferson, who was very pop
ular In the West, approved Of the expe
dition. COnfidentially he assured then
} that, while their expedition was I
peaceful one and Its object the settle
; ment Of the vast tract of land pun
chased Of Baron BastrOp. still thcr
was the certainty Of war between tn
. United states and Spain, In which even
Mexico would free herself, and his, col
Ony would have the mOldiAg Of a gram
empire on the foundations Of demo
cratic equality, and they might enrlc
themselves beyond tho dreams OF rC
nance.
Meanwhile news of Burr's dOlngs Ia
reached the East, and President Jetfel
son became alarmed. He knew AarO
Burr thoroughly, and was well awar
of his ambition and his powers OF II
trlgue. The governors Of Ohio and vi
glnia We're called upon to suppress til
expedition. The militia was called OH
and the boats and stores We're seize,
. A detachment Of militia from Woo
: County, Va, landed upon the islam,
! became drunk from the liquors In til
J cellar, and pillaged aud burned til
D house and Out.bulldlngs. Burr an
! Blennerhassett We're both arrested Il
treason, and Were tried and acquitte'
: In the next two years Blennerhassc
: lost his island home, and he found hin
!. self with family upon his hands, b,
. with Ills riches all gone, and In the
j place a mountain Of debts. HOweve
J, he learned enough To write a book,
0 which he involved not only Burr
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