Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03

AARON RURR. a statesman of the period
ANTHONY MERRY. envoy from Great Brit
THEoDosIA ASTON. daughter of Aaron
Burr and wife Of wealthy citizen OF
Continued from Yesterdays starr
Divide and conquer?" Burr went
on, looking at them, and raising an
eyebrow in query.
They nodded, both Of them. Burr
looked around. His daughter and
Meriwether Lewis were oblivious. He
saw the young mans eyes, somber,
deep, fixed on hers; saw her gazing
in return, silent, troubled, fascinated.
One presumes that 1t was at this
moment-at the instant when Aaron
burr. seeing the power of his daughter
held over young Meriwether Lewis, and
the interest he held for her, turned
TO these foreign officials at his left
at that moment, let us say, the Burr
conspiracy began.
divide that unknown country, the
west. and how long would this re-
public endure?" said Aaron Burr.
The noise of the banquet now rose
laughter; the wine was passing:
awkwardness and restraint had given
way to good cheer. In a manner they
WHAT" demanded Aaron Burr
once more. Gould a Jews franc
transfer all that marvellous country
from Spain to France? That were
absurd. BY what possible title could
republic? 1t is still more absurd to
think that. Civilization does not
leap across great river valleys. 1t
follows them. You have said rightly,
Britain has laid fair grasp upon the
upper west, and Spain holds the
lower west. with which our states.
late. By all the rights of conquest.
discovery and use, gentlemen. Great
Britain's traders have gained for her
reached on their western trading
routes. 1 go with you that far"
Merry turned upon Burr suddenly
deep and estimating eye.
II begin to see" said he, that you
are open to conviction, Mr.. Burr
Not open to conviction said
Aaron Burr, but already convinced:
What do YOU mean, Col. Burr?"
The Englishman bent toward him,
frowning in intentness.
Il mean that perhaps l have some
thing to say to You two gentlemen OF
the foreign courts which will be Of
interest and Importance to YOU.
Where, then, could we meet after
this is over?'
The minister from Great Britain
surely was not beyond close and
ready estimate of. events.
AT my residence, after this din
ner,' rejoined Aaron Burr instantly.
His eye did not WAIVER as it look ed
into the others, but blazed with all
the fire of his own soul. ACROSS the
Aleghanies, along the great river,
there is a land waiting, ready for
strong men. Are we such men, gem
1lemen? And can we talk freely as
such among ourSelveS?"
Their conversation, carried on in
ordinary tones. had not been marked
by any. Their brows, drawn sharp
in sudden resolution, their glance
20 9th hni rot a.
cation of this extraordinary speech.
They had no time for anything fur
Their at the moment. A sound came
10 their ears. and they turned toward
tall figure of the President of the
United States was rising In his place.
The dinner had drawn toward Its
close
Mr. jefferson now stood gravely
regarding those before him, his keen
eye losing no detail OF the strange
scene. He knew the place of every
man and woman at that board-per-
reception he once had had at Lon
DON But at last he spoke.
Il have news for you all, my
friends, today; news which applies
not to one man nor to one woman
of this or any country more than to
another, but news which belongs to
all the world"
He paused for a moment. and held
up in his right hand a tiny scrap Of
paper, thin. crumpled. None could
guess what significance it had.
May God in His own power punish
me-" said he, solemnly, III ever l halt
or falter in what / believe to be my
duty. I place no bounds to the flu
ture of this republic-based, as 1
firmly believe it to be, upon the en-
during principle of the just and even
rights of mankind
Our country to the west always
has inspired me with the EXTREMIST
curiosity, and animated me with the
Hottest hopes. Since the year 1888
that great river, the Missouri, empty
ing into the Mississippi, has been
looked upon as the way to the Pacific
ocean. One hundred years from that
time-that is to say. In 1851 my
self asked one of the ablest of our
westerners, none other than Gen.
George Rogers Clark, to undertake a
journey of exploration up that west
years later, when accredited to the
court at Paris. l met a Mr. Ledya.d,
an American then abroad. l desired
him to cross Russia, Siberia and the
Pacific ocean, and then to journey
eastward over the Stony mountains
to find if he could the head of that
Missouri river of which we know so
little. But Ledyard failed. for rea-
sons best known. perhaps, to the
monarch of Russia.
Later than that, and long before
! had the power which now Is mine
TO order matters Of the SArt, the Bos-
ton sailor. Capt. Grey. in 1892. as you
know. found the mouth Of the Co.
lumbia river. The very next year
after that 1 engaged the scientist
Michaux to explore in that direction,
but he likewise failed.
All my life have seen what great
opportunities. would be ours If once
we owned that vast country yonder
AS q private citizen 1 planned that
we should at least explore it-always
it was my dream to know more Of It.
1t being clear to me that the future
of our republic lay not to the east
but to the west Of the Alleghanies-
indeed, to the west Of the Mississippi
itself-never have 1 relinquished the
ambition that I have so long enter
tanned. Never have I forgotten the
dream which animated ,he even in
to announce to you. so tha. you may
announce to all the world, certain
news which 1 have here regarding
that western region, which never was
ours, but which / always wished
might be ours"
hand the President flicked at the
mysterious bit Of crumpled paper still
held aloft in his right There was
silence all down the long table.
More than year ago I once more
chose MESSENGER into that country"
went on Thorn. ) Jefferson. II chose
a leader of exploration of discovery.
trust in his loyalty. in his Judgment,
in his courage. Well and thoroughly
he has fitted himself for that leader
ship
He turned his gaze contemplatively
down the long table. The gaze of
IL