The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-09-09

-. IL inal trial in American history and
~ WI one of the notable trials in the an
mails of the law" No less person
than Aaron Burr, but lately Vice
President of the United States was
on trial for his life and the charge against him
was that of committing crime which was
threat to the safety of not just one person or
group of persons but to the safety of the whole
nation, the crime Of high treason
: Although Burr was acquitted by what was
substantially a Scotch verdict Of mot proven,
my lord" and historians are still doubtful as to
whether or not the famous Burr Conspiracy"
was actually reasonable scheme, the name Of
Aaron Burr has come down in popular belief
among our galaxy of scoundrels" second only
to Benedict Arnold. Whether or not he has been
assigned such place justly or unjustly is a
matter over which again historians disagree
In the Presidential election Of 1900 Burr and
Thomas Jefferson, the DemOcratic-R republican
candidates, each received 70 electoral votes a
tie which threw the election into the house Of
representatives, which was strongly Federalist
After balloting for week, ten votes were cast
for Jefferson and four for Burr, and under the
Constitution as it stood then this made Jeffer-
son President and Burr, Vice President. Be-
cause of political jobbery with the Federalists,
Burr lost whatever regard the leaders among
the new party held for him. Then he became
involved in bitter struggle for supremacy in
New York politics and because Of the antagon-
ism Of Jefferson all the patronage was thrown
to Burr's rivals, the Clintons and the Living
stons. Accordingly he accepted Federalist sup
port in the gubernatorial race of 1904, an alli-
ance which was fought bitterly by Alexander
Hamilton. The result was the defeat of Burr,
who held Hamilton chiefly responsible for his
humiliation. Then followed the famous Burr
Hamilton duel in which Burr's pistols ended the
great career of Washington's secretary of the
treasury and made Burr political and social
pariah.
Discredited in the East where he had been
a leader, Burr turned to the West to recoup
his fortunes, hoping to capitalize on the unrest
among the Westerners where talk of disunion
was rife. Crossing the Alleghenies he arrived
at Blennerhassett's island in the Ohio river
where lived Hartman Blennerhassett, wealthy
Irishman, who had settled there in 1898. To
BlennerhaSSett Burr proposed wild scheme Of
raising an armed force in the Old Southwest,
driving the Spaniards out of Mexico and estab-
fishing great southern confederacy composed
of these conquered Mexican possessions and
the American territory west of the Alleghenies
where the sentiment for disunion seemed so
strong.
Blennerhassett was enough impressed BY
Burrs scheme to mortgage his vast possessions
to furnish the necessary money. They also
hoped to gain the aid of Great Britain in car
rying out their scheme and, further to insure
the success Of the plan, Burr won the support
Of General Wilkinson then governor of Louisi-
ana territory. commander of the United States
army and ''as twO-faced villain as ever served
the United States government"
Throughout 1905 and 1906 Burr developed his
plot which became well known throughout the
West. The federal authorities however, seem
to have been strangely blind to what was TAX
ing place until at last Wilkinson betrayed the
scheme to Jefferson who on November %, 1906.
issued Presidential proclamation calling for
thy arrest of all those involved. Wilkinson and
the others, to save their own skins, deserted
Burr and in the modern parlance, he was made
the goat of the whole affair. Attempting to flee,
Burr was arrested In Alabama and brought
back to Virginia for trial on the charge Of trea-
son.
= His case was tried in the United States cir
cult court sitting at Richmond and never, per
haps In American history has there been gath
cred together in a courtroom such a galaxy of
notables as assembled in that little room in