The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-10-09
THE DREAM OF AARON BURR REALIZED


and ultimate abandonment Of the great
valley in which they had settled,
I heir surprise quickly grew To a muir
nnr long and loud,
II the United states government
refused Ia protect its citizens in the
pursuit OF life, liberty and happiness"
why not look elsewhere?
That was the question, and these
hardy pioneers We're not a bit senIl'
mental in its solution.
To add Ia these difficulties, Spanish
agents had been among the people
from time TO time no doubt melting
them as far as they dared To join
their fortunes with the Spanish govern
mont in the South and Southwest,
For great master spirit that could
fCmcnt dlscord in the Mississippi val
ley and Luild mp revolution in the dis
tRnt Southwest times ana coalitions
Ncre pr0p.tious. Aaron Burr saw the
opportunity and acted accordingly.
Leaving New York In the autumn
a. 1905 Burr set his face westward
and finally arrived ut the residence
az Herman Blennerhasseit. on an is
land in the Ohio river. From there heI
proceeded southwark. visiting both
Henry Clay and Gen. Jackson on the
way and ultimately arriving at the
headquarters of Gen. Wilkinson nj or
rCar New Orleans. Having held n con.
ference with Gen. Wilkinson, Burr pro-
Coeded on his return to Blennerhas'
sets island.
A short time after his arrival IL
was reported that extensive prepare.
tons were going on in the neighbOr'
hood of the Island Tor some kind of
military exploit down the river.
In the meantime Burr had purchas'
cd from Baron de Bastrop 100000
acres of land between the Quachita
and Mississippi rivers, in what is now
Morehouse, West Carroll and Richard
parishes. in North Louisiana. as a
place of rendezvous for all the i'm
mense hosts he thought to gather
around him when the proper time ar
rived to cross into the Mexican PROV
irce of Texas that lay just across
the river from the pace of rendezvous.
From certain events and circum-
stances connected with that period of
time. as well as what has since trans
PRED. it is almost certain that Gen.
Wilkinson fully understood the plans
of Burr and intended to cooperate
with him when the time arrived.
Certain events which had transpired
in East Texas just prior to the visit OF
?urr to New Orleans had served to
place the suspicious Spanish govern
CT which the garrisOns at Nacogdoches
and other points had been strengthen
ed and the commandant given strict
orders to watch every movement of the
Americans east of The SABINE river.
IN 1897 Philip ]. Nolan had organ
lied an expedition at Natchez. on the
Mississippi river. and entered Texas,
for the oStensible purpose of captur-
ing wild horses, but it was discovered |
that Nolan was making a map of the |
and collecting valuable data.
Accordingly he and his men were sur |
by the Spaniards and sum-
moned to surrender. Nolan refused, |
and in the fight that followed was kill |
cd His men were carried in chains |
to Mexico, where they all died ia |
dungeons.
The rumOr of Burr's movements hal
reached the Spanish authorities AMI,
fearing that he had designs upon
Texas, Gen. Herrera and Governor
COrdero at the head of 1,2O0 Spanish |
soldiers were dispatched to the Sabine
river with further orders to proceed
as far east as Natchitochcs. on Red
river, if necessary.
Hearing of this movement the
United states government ordered
Gen. Wilkinson at New Orleans To also
IrOcecd to the Sabine, take up his po-
sition there and repel the crossing IF
the Spaniards.
There is no doubt that the quick
action of the Spaniards in marching at
once to the threatened point, entirely
upset the possibility of Burr and VIII
kinson acting in harmony in thel
- -