The Republican ; and Savannah evening ledger. (Savannah, Ga.) 1807-1816, April 11, 1807, Image 2

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BURR’S CONSPIRACY. rROM THE N'A’l ION VI. IWi ni.LIOF.KtEn. Concluded fi r :r, our h'ft. To determine whether • measures pi?r ucd at Nf■•.'/-( Irfeans a:: it • is ncccr.- p<*ry to consider how f-rgcr.t r.-.i Vv ’ kmxot) had It M(;il lit 1)1.>1 e Iliat I C I I U lie. < > .;v 1 ‘IL.-ch, •> required an invasion ot tin; w.il authority. The most obvious ton . .'.on il.r.t pit- Bents itself on-this subject is the scene t> uc lion, wl.i< Ii differed from the other parts ofthe niiefi Kanes, in two material rcspcct-i ; irom its being tin; theatre of menaced hostilities on the part of Spain, and from the < irtumt.U'. t .-a tiuit naturall) flowed lro.ii its recent acquisi tion. The whole tenor of general Wilkinson’s disp.m lies and measure* slit w tliat I'.;; coiisid t-rc I tli IVoi.tti ;• ct.pov dtoi. c greatest dang er ; uml that lie douh’cd the ctmpclcncy of hi . fofc< sto defend it i ainst the supeiiur for ces tint Snail) either had, .r eot.K-.inplated to .lit in motion against him. He knew that if he should be detcaled, Neiv-t irli .ms must fail. While under these apprehensions, the cinina- Ticsol Hnrr appear in t!ie mi:b.t of i.is atiny, and attempt to cot v.pt him. i lad he not suffi cient reason to he alarmed at the audacity and profligacy of sucii an attempt? Ilad lie not reason to apprehend tint the same motives that led to :Hi i attempt would extend h . It to •efforts to seduce hi. officers end men < lie could fully appreciate the elfect on gallant or Mierc.cmiry minds of the proposition ol a pro j- whii h held out the promise of reward in the mines of Mexico, and distinction, in the foundation of anew empire. Had the least < neouragement, negative or positive, been giv en to such views, he might have justly trem bled for the fidelity of Ids army. Ibid they proved f idiic s to their country, the Spaniards might have Miuck a blow, that would have de prived the United States for a time, of New- Orlratis; and which would inevitably have pi o duced a bloody war between the two nations. Take in connection with lids view of the‘sub ject the circiunstaiu es naturally arising from tlu recent acquisition of that country. Without intending in the least to derogate from the virtues of the people of the Orleans territory, it must be acknowledged that i.ias intlt It as the major population consists of per sons of foreign birth, spa ..king a different lan guage, accustomed to different hal its,and lion) under a different governm nt, there was reas on to apprehend that disaffection to the union would, in such a place, naturally find friends and advor tes. When added to this, it is known tube the resort of adventurers from all parts ofthe United States, many of whom repaired them lor the purpose of retrieving their bro ken fortunes, under the hope of rapidly acquir ing wealth, and that of this description were some gi eat dcl’.uiltct , to the government of the l uitc.l States, it must be allowed that there was reason to dread the influence of such al luring hopes as were lu ld out ; and that there Was likewise reason to believe that unless strongmeasures were taken, treason might at tain tv height that would enable it successfully to accomplish its destructive piirp...acs. There is one further consider..dun well fit ted to excite extreme solicitude—the distance oi’the scene from tin- seat of government, and the total inability in case of danger, to w ait for instructions from the supreme executive au thority. Tltis i ircumst n.t c would neer- • rri'v tend to give confidence l<> men who had form ed unlawful pi ejects. Confiding in the difli drnce ol the subordinate officers to call forth Hie public energies they would take their steps with an assurance that they would not he coun tervailed by any measures of sufficient vigor to i heck them. Such, in fact, appears to have been the impression, in this very ease. Holding tin r considerations stedfastly in view, id us e nebciy notice the facts, as stat ed i her bv Wilkinson or other persons. , hatever suspicions may be afloat as to the hr; pin or credibility of Wilkinson, for the le -■ ■ wlnrh have been air. idv assigned, they rr ■ be received towards the invalidation of i.. vi ouiiy in this instance. There has not i. :> itimirrd a shadow of proof of his want of Ii ■ lily, lie lias been, it is true, accused of i N.yvesty Its th - charged with guilt, with t tin ot it .. on ; but, is not this the first ti oe nr have ever heard ofthe veracity of lite i.r. jvt being invalidated by the testimony of t..e au'tr.cil. while the latter remained unac pa.'u and ; Wc must then, on the question now it it vice rocfoi. fetation. cot:-.-dor Wilkinson’s *1 )*rtivts. ivs well asthma e*f every other ctv d~ie• vvcr.lv"Vo trot, vn.k ,s they possess in ib r'v*elws grounds. toe disbelief. I la\ ,t ni-'t I‘i ‘X'iv uuderstood that we mean to desrj'-fe *J) ry of the vague charges siilodg td Arit-it the. •Ccvmn.mder inch. f. They ns .*• wf <■* e, i;u: wjwjiher true, or not, they a i >;. in this -'-.v. lb .g-,u!t, on a f.v/w-i >nt i -row. ,*t)!vot itv.-.he liis pv\s.: xt acta < wb I *.?•(<.: ■ ‘ -g, .v <;Yturpitude may an r h former, w Utter rs-vv le in the b-yW'.'i’ .-.i t.uc ;iK.c. Nordu we mean ■ “.•r.etm ivxvi .'j •••:• vivo motives of Avesrtil rV.,I hi dtis biuu-v ss. l.et tivst* ‘ !, *c ’.’ - \t : fcr*. p; uiejpated v*.:a -•■>■ r. i . fa Jujrlv sti;\ iuhv sv.s ----tr-i. St';! s. ’ :-j dM y arc, w - can only jadge o:i yit, i: ‘ rmre -v. fare lie V* li.f is >he .ItlKMltU r'e.'x s.xfr- ,an > • The y e.shiec.t, iu his eoraintmication to cok p vi * i'.y ■, 1-* fee n*i civf.(s ftv.m that otrK'ev W'ii iha n;nß V 1: th V#n mU r, be.. <;.••. u Ocio h.-rt -r, .carat, that a * nnldientiid . s r a,vf \ rv*. 1 bcEfx iJrjxatesi :u hua evJv comm uni-1 . eacpartly viitten in cypher and partly i I oral, explaining his designs, exaggerating his I resources, and making such oilers .of etuolu- I roent and command, to engage him and the I* the army in his unlawful cnlcrpi izc, as he flair let td him sell would be success! ul. The genc { rai, vvi.ii the honor of a soldier, and fidelity of a • t oo:! citizen, immediately dispatched a trusty j of’ er to me with information of what had pas sed, proceeded to establish such an understand ing v.iili the Spanish commandant on the Sa bine ~s permitted him to withdraw his ibices across tiie Mississippi, and to cuter on measuics for opposing the projected enterprise. “ The general’s letter which came to hand on the k :th of .November, as has been men tioned, and some other information, received a • few days earlier, when brought together deve loped Burr’s general designs, different pahs of which only had been revealed by different information. It appeared that he contemplat ed two distinct objects, which night be carried on, cither jointly or separately, and either the one or the other first as circumstances should direct. One of these was the severance of tic union of these stales by the Allegany mom tain:;, the other an attack on Mexico. A tbrd object was provided, nearly ostensible, to nil, the settlement ofthe pretended purchase of a tract of country on the Vv'ashitta, claimed by a baron Bastrop. This was to serve as the pre text for till his preparations, an allurement for such follower , as really wished to acquirer set tlements in that country, and a cover under which to retreat in the event of a final discom fiture of both branches of his teal design. Ile found at once that the attachment of the western country to the union vas not to be sha ken ; that its dissolution could not be effected with the consent ofils inhabitants ; and that r.is resources were inadequate, as vet to effect it by force, lie took his course then at once, deter mined to seize on New-Orleuns, plunder ttie bank there, possess himself of the military and naval stores, and proceed on his expedition to Mexico, and to this object all his means and preparations were now directed. He collected from all the quarters where himself, cr his a gents possessed influence, all the ardent, rest less, desperate and disaffected persons who were ready for any enterprizc analogous to their characters, lie seduced good and veil meaning citizens, some by assurance that he possessed the confidence of the government, and were acting under its secret patronage ; a pretence which procured sonic credit from the state of our differences with Spain, and others by offers of land in Bastrop’s claim on the Washitta.” In consequence of this information, a large armed force was either held in readiness or called out in the several states, and ten holies, and vigorous measures pursued for iletending Ncw-()rleans. His other projects having proved abortive, “he determined to seize on Nevv-Oileans, plunder the bank there, possess hiiuscii or the naval and military stores, and proceed on liis expedition to Mexico.” The impressions on the mind of Wilkinson, were derived principally, as far as is known to us, from Burr’s letter to him, which announ ces the following facts: 1. That Burr had funds. I’hat he had commenced the enterprise. 3. That the protection of England was se cured. ■l. That Truxton had gone to Jamaica, and would bring from thence aids from England. 5. That the navy of the U. S. would join the expedition. 6. That, on the 15th Nov. 500, or 1,000 men, the first detachment, would move down the river. 7, That Swart wout, the bearer of the letter, was .thoroughly informed of the plans and in tentions, and would disclose as far as Wilkin son should enquire. 8 1 hat Dollman, equally confidential, and even belter informed, and” more intelligent, would hand a duplicate of the letter. In the conversation, which Wilkinson depos es he had with Bollman, he says, Bollman “in formed me, that he he had seen a letter from colonel Burr ofthe 30th of October, in which he, (colonel Burr) gave assurances that lie should he at Natchez with 2000 men, on the tli ot December last, where he should wait until he’ heard from this place. That he would be followed by 1000 men more, and that he (colonel Burr) if he had chosen, could have raised or got 12,000 as easy as 6,000, but that he did not think that number necessary.” In his coma rsation with Swartwout, Wilkin son deposes, that the latter informed, -“that colonel Burr, with the support of a powerful as*relation, extending from .New-York to New- Orleans, was levying an armed body of 7,000 men, from the state of New-York, and the western states, and territories, with a view to • . rry on an expedition against the Mexican provinces, and dial 500 men under colonel Svt r.rlwout, and a colonel or major Tyler were to dt: ccr.d the Allegany, for whose accommo elation,’ light boats had” been built, and were read.;.-. I enquired what would be theircoursc. lie said, *• this territory would be revolution ised, w here the people were ready to join them, os. tout there would lie some seizing he sup no-cd at Ncvv-Orleans—that they expected to be ready tut embark a’oout die first ofFeb t\ia\ . am; intended to laud at X era Cruz, and to march from thence to Mexico. I observed, that invr. w ere several millions cd dollars in die bank of this place, to which he replied, ” sv, ‘ know it full welt,” and cn my remarking, that, tlicy did not mean to violate private pro-’ p rtv. h said, “they merely meant to borrow nud would return A—that they must equip tkemselvos in Xew-Orleails, that they expect ed to*’ ul protection iruin Grcat-Brifkin—- that i the captain r.nd the Cii.CC of our nary, i were so- disgusted with the government that they were rc„dy to join.** These appear to have been the principal circumstance , that impressed the mind c. the commander in chief, with the danger of ti.c crisis. The deposition oflieut. Wilson, shews the impression produced on the public mind at Ncw-Orleaiis. fie says, “ I left Ncw-Orlcans on my way to this city, on the 15th of Dccemrer last; at that time, and for some time ’ preceding, the strongest apprehensions and belief unit,u:ally prevailed among the inhabitants of that ci:v, that Aaron Burr and his confederates lad p t pared an armed force, and were advancing to attack and plunder the city ; in consequence of which, the greatest alarms prevail- <l, a gen eral stagnation of business ensued, and die dan ger was credited there, as a matter of public notariety :—That brigadier general Wilki.xon with the army ofthe United States ww, al.New- Orieans, occupied in the most active military preparations for the defence of the place ; re pairing the forts, mounting cannon, collecting ammunition, See. all under the firm persuasion and belief that such an attack v. as meditated, and tho’t very speedily to take place, by the said Burr and Jus confederates ; tins deponent knows,that the general was decidedly of (.pin ion, from the most salisiaclory information, that the said Burr, and his confederates were advancing with an armed force against the place.” Such arc the leading facts on which general Wilkinson took his measures. There are sev eral other affidavits w hich strongly corroborate them; but as they align to the same c Sleet, so lar as regards the reality or apprehensiotr of danger at c\v-Orleans, and principally dif fer from these as to the persons implicated, we shall not particularly notice them. Let then any man combine all these facts, and from their collective force appreciate the degree of danger in the territory of Orleans, and say whether there was not reason to be lieve that without a striking display of power, the plan to seize the city, to plunder the bank, and to provide the means either of an expedi tion against .Mexico, or of a disemlwrsement ofthe union, or of both, might not have suc ceeded l The actual result is not here to he considered. That could not be known to Wil kinson. If he did conscientiously believe the danger to be such as he represents it to have been; was not an invasion of civil rights, if jus tifiable in any case, justifiable in this ? Suppose ample funds had been provided, a bundaiit inugazil es prepared, the American Navy engaged, British .assistance given, and an at my of seven thousand men marched, and that this external force had been aided by trea son wiikin; would not the consequences have been dreadful 1 At such a crisis cuukl tire civil authority have discharged its oidinary func tions ? Would they not have been completely arrested ?—Would not military law have been necessarily substituted ? This was exactly the state cf things which Wilkinson must have expected, if iris repre- j sentations arc honest. It was, then, to save the territory from the dreadful scenes which might! have ensued from temporising with men he i deemed traitors, that he arrested them, and j assumed the high responsibility of doing that i which notiiingshort of imperious necessity,! lie knew, could justify ? It was to diminiah that ! danger which menaced die territory with ruin, < that lie took this step ; to render it possible by ! combining in one solid column ail the inferior j force, to meet the external assault. lie had S reason to dread the influence of intrigue, and j to fear that emissaries of Burr would raise a j party against him, perhaps in his very army, paralise every measure of defence taken by him. Acting, therefore, on the necessity of the case, he tit-rested them, and removed them from the scene of action. We shall not attempt any enquiry into the sufficiency of his reasons for all the arrests made by him. The materials for forming a judgment are not before us. Whether they were equally strong in the cases of Adair, Alexander and Ogden, as in those of Bollman and Swartwout, cannot be ascertained, as the affidavits in the former cases have not been published. Common justice, however, requires us to avoid a precipitate judgment. If these men are innocent, as they say they are, jus tice will not he denied them. The courts of law and an impartial jury of their country, will vindicate their violated lights. Union Society. THE Members of the Union Society are desired to convene at the City-Hall, on THURSDAY, die 2;lii inftsnt, precisely at nine o’clock in the forenoon, in order to tranfaiil the usual buhneis of the du), and ce lebrate the anniversary. A SERMON will be preached before the Society by the Rev. Mr, Kolcock, at twelve o’Jock, in the New Brelbyterian Church, St. James’ Square. Peter ,S. Laffitte, .secretary. _, April 9 33 COURT OF ORDIN A BY. Georgia, Chatham County, April f>, 1807. Present — Their Honors, Edward Telfair, William Smith and John 11. .Morel. Ordered , That in future all CITATIONS for ADMINISTR VTION, and qll other Or ders appertaining to the Court of Ordinary, he published in The Georgia Republican, uad Even ing Ledger. Ordered , That the abote order !>c published three Lyues. Extract from the Minutes, Edwahd White, Clerk. EUROPEAN POLITICS. VI • Al TIIF AURORA. • “ j The ship Packet, has arrived at Horten In j 26 davs irom 1 ; ;; Si brinu-a Lonuon ne-.a iodic i-kh I ciiuxvv and Il'ich Lufleiii.s U No. 52. The gttrll accounts of the French b* : l!e tins arc given in -ur preccdii.;-; coltir.;: as v. e found them in the Boston Ceminc—and as v.c give lire former Luiictihs c. ti.c bat.k-s of Pultu.sk and (jolvmin—leseVving to ourselves the p.hii. gc cl printing thermite bulletins, as soon us British or French papei s conu.ining them shelf foil into the hands e: a more imp. i tiul editor than major Kum.c’—we hope to be able to give them entire, when our readers will find,. > the Ccniinrl rcirsaiks, that -wind it has now givi :i has been nut bled, and “ misers bl, tr.,n k.‘.; cl indeed.-” ‘J ho Centind, howev er, took • ur to publi h at full ktig'll the Eus ,ian account, and v.v. arc glad of it, fa-even that gives sorrowful evidence against the re port oitkc French defeat. ‘Eliodefeat of the Ei -ndi, with ti.e loss of 100,09") men, turns nut ju-t us vve expected--, it wasaiiother Auslt riiiz More. < >ur loaders must, t-membcr the Bur ian accounts of the halt c of Austc.i Biz, the French wore rijml.ed as they arc now said to be, but sonic how. oj* other the ‘Russians u u .1 .0 pieces of cannon sticking in the mud, which the French tcok post cm:,ion of-—the French were defeated but the Russians remitted —and far enough God knows. ‘j lie Russian official account, cf the battle.of Pukusk, is that upon which vc- now lav the most stress —they happily succeeded ir, repul sing the French but they had to lan;ex|‘.hat the total v ant of provisions and forage obliged them to retir. —just as they did at the battle of Austcrlitz. ; Now the Russians were ■at Fultusk, thev were at Golymie, and at Osttolir.ka—The 1 rench are now at all those places which is certainly a very singular evidence of their hav ing !>een repulsed and beaten. 1 hese beatings, indeed, are something in the style oi the tiuke of York’s victories—t;7. vro,? never beaten. But, says a warm federalist at the coffee-house, the French head quarters h a\c retregadetf to Warsaw. 1* ranee has so long been accustomed to per form such prodigies to annihilate armies by 50 v 100,000, that ii the bad roads- prevent their artillery from being brought into action, and a single man ot tlveir opponents escapes, the vie mi y is claimed by their friends. Do they know how highly they raise the French by such futile exultation ? “ Excepting the capitulation cf lire slave, c tie: vo ini!i‘(ivy nunl <J vote has occurredl’ ■ Excepting the capitulation’ of Breslav.—and pray v hut is Btcslaw ;—what i.- ltrcig ? is tne surrender oi all the strong fortresses-of Silesia, v .c alter the other :—what is- the sei zv: e, in these fortresses, of amis and an:niu aifioii sufficient to equip the Polish at-.xi'.iiuies J j.hing, \V hy co tneu- friends catch at such y tints deceive the n . elves ? j Do. they recollect that the. campaign only v commenced on the lOih of Octoher—a time of c the year vvben armies formerly went into win -1 ers—i nd, that, in tl t spaqe of > three months, Boiiap. iie has annihilated what I it took those, who were accounted the. greatest • wai l iors t/1 the age, 100 years to consolidate. IA . .to.c ato the gica, victGii;-s c*, Aiai iho— rottg and I .ugene, ev en those of Frederick the gtc_t c*l -1 ussia—they appear now onlv as skirmishes. Bonaparte has retreated to Warsaw—but the French army has not retreated —thev iiold all the positions before held by the ” Russians, i when the French were defeated. To use the j official account cf the Russian general— !£ I j have fiirtlier to lament, that the total want of ; provision and forage obliges me to retire.” Let us comfort their friends, we wish not to deprive them of it—but we care not what con struclion they put on this retiring. “Whether they y ere beaten by the French; cr, as the Ruasian general says, were compelled to retreat , from want of provisions, they acknowledge that they did retire, and that the Trench occupied their positions. “ Bonaparte has retreated to Warsaw** hut it is only till the host sets in, and enables him. to use his artillery with more advantage than in the recent engagements, when it-was not much cmplowed, owing to the thaws and bad ness ofthe roads. At Warsaw, he i, cn /.lov ed in organizing the polish army and the con scripts : his army maintains the positions a bandoaed. By the victorious Russians. It is not, as before represented, in a. state i fcisg.;.se, but in the best condition and supplied \rj#h a buadam e of provisions. Those who do not find consolation in tiie re treal ofthe I-rench, and the glorious victory ol the Rtx-'-i.-.-.js, endeavor to comfort then*- selves with the e'uxctaiion ol tiie Russians spec xy acting on t!ic ot’c.i-ivc, but .a tl is they v.ill be as miicii mistaken.as ever; tiie Russians .J ;,k 1 civ.ployment ruough., and mot e th. u tlu y can su r tiu, m defending them selves and tacir couiiti v. ‘i he siege of Colburn.-, of Dantr.jc, and the flight of the king of Prussia, from are also, we suppose, evidences of defeat. — ” - ■ ~~~ =r=^-—===r Prime Slaves. 54 Men, Women, Boys o: Girls, FOR SALE. Apply to, • cr* ry dft do r r?p nr/• - and. f4k/ a ■ /7 * J JJSI t 0 (_4 / March to. i-# qt. jj.