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THE 
 
 BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS, 
 
 EMBODYING THE 
 
 PRIVATE JOURNAL OF HARMAN BLENNERH ASSKTT, 
 
 AND THE HITHERTO UNPUBLISHED CORRESPONDENCE OF 
 
 BURR, ALSTON, COMFORT TYLER, DEVEREAUX, DAYTON. 
 
 ADAIR, MIRO, EMMETT, THEODOSIA BURR 
 
 ALSTON, MRS. BLENNERHASSETT, 
 
 AMD OTHERS, THEIR CONTEMPORARIES ; DEVELOPING THE PURPOSES AND 
 AIMS OF THOSE ENGAGED IN THE ATTEMPTED 
 
 WILKINSON AND BURR REVOLUTION; 
 
 EMBRACING ALSO THE FIRST ACCOUNT OF THE 
 
 "SPANISH ASSOCIATION OF KENTUCKY," 
 
 AND A 
 
 MEMOIR OF BLENNERHASSETT, 
 
 BY WILLIAM H. SAFFOKD. 
 
 CINCINNATI: 
 MOORE, WILSTACH & BALDWIN, 
 
 25 WEST FOURTH STREET, 
 1 864. 
 
 
H 
 
 Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, 
 
 By MOORE, WILSTACH & BALDWIN. 
 
 In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States, for the 
 Southern District of Ohio. 
 
T MY FRIEND, 
 
 SENECA W. ELY, Esq., 
 
 THIS VOLUME 
 IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 
 
 Tanglewood, November 19th, 
 
PREFACE. 
 
 In the year 1850, the author published a small volume, enti- 
 tled " The Life of Blennerhassett," which has passed through 
 several editions. While collecting the material for it, he learned 
 of the existence of the Blennerhassett manuscripts, and made an 
 ineffectual effort to secure them. They were then in the cus- 
 tody of B.'s invalid son, in the city of New York, who could 
 not be prevailed upon to submit them to the author's inspec- 
 tion. The latter was, consequently, compelled to send the work 
 to the press, with such limited information as could be gathered 
 from contemporaneous history and the personal reminiscences 
 of friends. On the death of this son, in 1854, the papers 
 passed into the possession of Joseph Lewis Blennerhassett, 
 the youngest surviving child of the family, from whom they 
 were obtained in the spring of 1859. 
 
 Upon an examination, the author was gratified to find that 
 his former publication, although written upon such unsatisfac- 
 tory data, so far as it professed to relate the life of Blenner- 
 hassett, was in every material particular correct. But the addi- 
 tional fund of interesting and important information which was 
 disclosed — particularly with reference to this most romantic epi- 
 sode of American history — seemed to impose the necessity of an 
 entire revision of his work. In the performance of this duty, 
 so much new material has been added from the private mem- 
 oranda, journals and correspondence of Blennerhassett, that he 
 has thought it advisable to change its title. Hence he has 
 adopted that of "The Blennerhassett Papers;" and so nu- 
 
6 PREFACE. 
 
 merous have been the changes, that it may now be regarded as 
 a separate and independent publication. 
 
 In the selection and arrangement of the materials, he has 
 endeavored, impartially, to place before the public every im- 
 portant fact connected with the subject. Having no object to 
 conceal the faults or infirmities, nor inclination to apologize for 
 the acts, of Blennerhassett, the author has been careful to sup- 
 press nothing to shield him from censure, nor has he invented 
 excuses to extenuate his conduct. Wherever and whenever it 
 has been necessary, for the interest of the work and the inform- 
 ation of the reader, that the motives by which Blennerhassett 
 was actuated should be disclosed, he has not hesitated to reveal 
 them, even though it involved the invasion of private corres- 
 pondence. 
 
 It is possible, nay, probable, that much is here presented which, 
 could it have passed under the personal supervision of Mr. 
 Blennerhassett, would have been materially modified, or entirely 
 withheld ; particularly after time had smoothed the asperities 
 of personal rancor, and obliterated the memory of private wrongs. 
 But this is certainly not the province of the impartial biogra- 
 pher, whose paramount aim is the verity of history, and not 
 the unwarranted aggrandizement of individual character. 
 
 These remarks apply more appropriately to the observations 
 on men and measures, contained in the journal and private 
 correspondence of Blennerhassett, The scathing criticisms, and, 
 in many instances, unmerited censure, with which its pages are 
 replete, can only be extenuated by the smarting sense of per- 
 sonal injustice to which he deemed himself subjected. It is to 
 be borne in mind, however, that none of his notes were ever 
 intended for the public eye : that they were written exclusively 
 for the entertainment of his wife and friends, at a time when 
 party spirit ran high, and the jealous rivalries of leading poli- 
 ticians had discarded the amenities of social intercourse: when 
 
PREFACE. 7 
 
 Colonel Burr himself strove to give a partisan bias to the pros- 
 ecution for treason, by charging Mr. Jefferson with political 
 malevolence and private revenge. Under such considerations, 
 we are prepared, at least, to excuse the warmth of his invec- 
 tives, however much we may dissent from his conclusions. 
 Time has demonstrated, that whatever personal inconvenience 
 and sacrifice of private interest the arrest of the Burr Expedi- 
 tion occasioned the parties immediately involved ; whatever mo- 
 tives may have influenced the action of the executive in the 
 prosecution of its leader, it is certainly now clear, that it main- 
 tained the integrity of the Union, and re-established the confi- 
 dence of the world in the power and perpetuity of the govern- 
 ment. 
 
 The chapter devoted to the Spanish intrigues in Kentucky, 
 seemed necessary to a proper understanding of the causes which 
 induced, and the parties who influenced and projected, this 
 noted undertaking. If the remarks upon the conduct of Gene- 
 ral Wilkinson should seem severe, the author can only say that 
 they have been prompted through no feeling of personal en- 
 mity, but in justice, merely, to those who were the victims of 
 his duplicity and bold breach of faith. 
 
 He has to regret the haste with which the necessities of the 
 case have compelled him to prepare the work for the press. It 
 has been completed in exactly one year from the time the 
 papers were submitted to his inspection, and at such intervals 
 of leisure, only, as he could appropriate from the duties of an 
 arduous profession. He can not, therefore, flatter himself that, 
 it is free from occasional errors, or that it will successfully 
 escape the criticism of cultivated and correct taste. But how- 
 ever numerous may be its faults, he can only hope that he may 
 in some measure elude criticism through the interest which the 
 subject it self creates- 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 CH'APTBR I . 
 
 Lineage of Blennerhassett; Placed at Westminster to school; Grad- 
 uates at Trinity College; The Irish Bar; Preferences, by the Irish 
 gentry, for the legal profession ; Studies at the King's Inns ; Called 
 to the degree of Barrister ; Determines to travel ; Sets out for the 
 Continent; France; Witnesses the adoption of the new Constitu- 
 tion ; Returns ; Irish Revolutionists, John and Henry Sheares ; Dis- 
 content of Ireland ; Monopoly of England ; English tyranny ; Effect 
 of American Revolution on Ireland ; On Europe ; Repeal of Stat- 
 ute Sixth of George First; Blennerhassett determines on removal; 
 Starts for Kingsale ; Proceeds to England ; Miss Agnew ; Marriage 
 and Migration 19 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Ships for New York ; Letter to Lord Kingsale ; Ohio and Mississippi 
 Valleys; Sets out for the West; Arrives at Pittsburg; Takes pas- 
 sage for Marietta; Population of the village; Resolves to locate; 
 Selecting a site for a residence ; The Island ; Moves to a block- 
 house, and commences improvements; Simplicity not consulted in 
 the construction of the mansion; Description; Domesticity. ... 29 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 Personal appearance of Blennerhassett; Anecdote of; Experiment; 
 Proficiency in music ; simplicity of character; Anecdote of; Afraid 
 of earthquakes and thunder-storms ; Mrs. Blennerhassett 50 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 Character of the early settlers of Western Virginia ; Variety ; Social 
 distinctions abolished; Amusements; Feats of strength; Chivalry; 
 Patriotism; Washington's compliment; Early settlers of Belpre; 
 New England origin ; Puritanical practices; Bravery; Patriotism; 
 Education ; Comparison of the two types of character 56 
 
10 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Difficulties attending the early colonization of the Mississippi Valley ; 
 Navigation of the river cause of discontent; Tardiness of Congress 
 in asserting the rights of the people; Murmurings of discontent; 
 Want of unanimity of the people on the subject of redress of griev- 
 ances; Disunion advocated; Intrigues of the Spanish Crown ; Gen- 
 eral James Wilkinson ; Endeavors to secure the free navigation of 
 the Mississippi; Arrested by order of the Governor of Louisiana; 
 Released; Entertainment; Permission to trade; Suspicious inti- 
 macy ; Gardoqui and Miro without concert of plan ; Gardoqui ap- 
 points Pierre d'Arges to execute scheme; D'Arges' movements; 
 Plans of Spanish agents threaten collision ; Dispatch of Miro to 
 Valdes; Wilkinson sails from New Orleans to Philadelphia; Pro- 
 ceeds to Richmond ; Addresses a letter to Gardoqui ; Colonel George 
 Morgan ; Efforts at Colonization ; Wilkinson returns across the 
 mountains ; His splendid equipage creates suspicion ; Enters into 
 large contracts for tobacco ; Communicates with Miro by special 
 messengers ; Advises him of the disaffection of the Kentucky people, 
 and the probable success of their plans ; Wilkinson suspicioned by 
 Miro as working for pecuniary advancement; Dispatch of Miro; 
 Major Dunn sent by Wilkinson as supercargo; Is introduced by 
 letter to Miro ; Wilkinson communicates further intelligence of the 
 disposition of the Kentuckians ; Major Dunn corroborates his state- 
 ments; Dispatch from McGillivray, the half-breed chief; Miro elated ; 
 Wilkinson still ignorant of Gardoqui's plans; Diplomacy; AVilkin- 
 son on a wrong scent; Wilkinson sowing the seeds of dissension 
 in Kentucky; Constant agitations; Wilkinson's success animates 
 others; A new cause of excitement; The new Constitution of the 
 United States; Convention of Virginia called to meet at Eichmond; 
 A District Convention called to meet at Danville to frame a Consti- 
 tution for the new State; Wilkinson chosen as a member; Sudden 
 termination of its deliberations; Letter on the subject from Wilkin- 
 son to Miro; South-Western feeling; Wilkinson still suspicioned; 
 General Morgan's movements; Wilkinson's distrust of Morgan; 
 Sordid desires; British intrigue; Connally deputed by Dorchester; 
 . Visits Kentucky ; Propositions; Interview with Wilkinson; Coun- 
 terplotting; Spain consents to the navigation of the Mississippi on 
 terms; Effect of the measure; AVilkinson discouraged; Apprehen- 
 sions for his own safety excited; Desires to become a Spanish sub- 
 ject; Is dissuaded by Miro; Miro's hopes dampened; Proposes to 
 pension Wilkinson to guard the interest of Spain, and Sebastian to 
 guard Wilkinson; Kentucky admitted ; Wilkinson commissioned as 
 Lieutenant-Colonel; Reason therefor; Discontent still prevailing; 
 Genet's intrigue; Jacobin Clubs; Address of the Society at Philadel 
 
CONTENTS. 
 
 11 
 
 phia; General George Rogers Clark commissioned a Major-General 
 in the French Revolutionary Legions; Washington embarrassed: 
 Demands the recall of Genet; General Wayne ordered to repair to 
 Massac ; Tranquillity, for a time, restored 63 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Clouds gathering; Burr visits the West; Object; Visits the Island ; 
 Interview with Wilkinson; Blennerhassett on a visit to Emmett ; 
 Duped by Harte ; Letter to James Brown, Esq. ; Despondent ; Pro- 
 poses to change his residence; Letter to Devereux ; Burr's first com- 
 munication to Blennerhassett ; Answer to Burr ; Burr to Blenner- 
 hassett; Burr's third letter; Burr's fourth and fifth letters ; Arrival 
 at the Island; Interview; Projects; Wirt's description; Burr con- 
 tinues recruiting; Tempting inducements held out 105 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 Preparations ; Burr visits Chillicothe, Cincinnati, Kentucky ; Terms 
 of enlistment; "Querist;" Lexington, Kentucky; Mrs. Alston joined 
 by her husband at the Island, in company with Blennerhassett; visit 
 Lexington; Reception; Ruse; Col. Alston; Letter of Blennerhassett 
 to Jos. S. Lewis & Co.; Apprehensions of the public mind; Retro- 
 spect; Rumors of the Expedition; Graham appointed a secret agent 
 to investigate its object; Instructions to Wilkinson; Marches "to- 
 ward Natchitoches; Orders the fortification of New Orleans; Re- 
 fused forces by the Executive of Mississippi Territory; Sends Bur- 
 ling to Mexico to apprise the Viceroy; Meeting at New Orleans; 
 Preparations for resistance; Mutiny in Wood county, Va. ; Mrs. 
 Blennerhassett alarmed ; Dispatches a messenger to Blennerhassett; 
 He retains from Lexington; Dr. Bennett ; Letter to Colonel Phelps; 
 Reply; Interview; Letter from Devereux; Burr's arrest in Ken- 
 tucky; Advises Blennerhassett; Discharge; Graham visits Mari- 
 etta; Interview with Blennerhassett; Visits the Governor of Ohio 
 at Chillicothe; Act of the Ohio Legislature; Militia of the State 
 called out; Anecdotes; Comfort Tyler; Tyler to Blennerhassett; 
 Hon. Charles Fenton Mercer; Interview; Reflections; Arrival of 
 Tyler at the Island ; Blennerhassett disheartened; Persuaded by his 
 wife to proceed; Boats guarded by the militia; Young recruits 
 attempt a rescue 131 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Burr dispatches communication in cipher to Wilkinson; Revelations; 
 Evidences of Wilkinson's complicity ; Wilkinson's treachery; Com- 
 municates with the President; Proclamation of the President; 
 
12 CONTENTS. 
 
 Blennerhassett alarmed; Preparations; Mrs. Blennerhassett; Es- 
 cape of the Expedition from the Island ; Col. Phelps with his forces; 
 Ineffectual attempt to arrest Blennerhassett at Point Pleasant; 
 Instructions sent to Tennessee; Graham leaves Frankfort for Nash- 
 ville; The movements of Burr; Kentucky militia ordered out; 
 Burr's flotilla; Burr leaves the Cumberland ; Lands at Fort Massac; 
 Is visited by the Commander, Captain Bissel; Supplies Burr -with a 
 messenger to convey a letter to the Lead Mines in Missouri; His 
 wife presents Burr with provisions; Burr and his party proceed to 
 Chickasaw Bluffs; Has an interview with the Commandei*, Lieuten- 
 ant Jacob Jackson; Fails in his designs; Communication of the 
 President to Wilkinson; Burr supplies himself with lead, toma- 
 hawks, etc., and proceeds to Palmyra, and thence to Bayou Pierre; 
 Blennerhassett's Journal of the voyage down the river 167 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Morgan Neville, and William Robinson, Junior; Embark from Pitts- 
 burg in a flatboat ; Espied by the Wood county militia, and arrested ; 
 Escorted to the Island to await the return of Colonel Phelps; Diffi- 
 culties with the militia; Trial of the young men; Conduct of the 
 militia on the Island; Mrs. Blennerhassett's return from Marietta; 
 Her fortitude on the occasion; Embarrassed situation; Accepts the 
 offer of the young men to convey her to her husband; Colonel 
 Phelps's return to the Island; Young men embarrassed at the 
 announcement of his arrival; Character and description of Colonel 
 Phelps ; Rebukes the militia for their riotous conduct ; His politeness 
 to the young men; Proffers his services in accelerating Mrs. Blen- 
 nerhassett's arrangement to go to her husband; Apologizes for the 
 misbehavior of his men; Mrs. Blennerhassett prepares to depart; 
 Leaves the Island in company with the young men; Passes the 
 mouth of the Cumberland; Disappointed in not finding her hus- 
 band; Arrives at Bayou Pierre, and is restored to Blennerhassett; 
 Painful situation of Burr and Blennerhassett; Burr sinks the arms 
 for the Expedition, in the Mississippi 193 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Proclamation of Cowles Mead in Mississippi; Burr visited at his boats 
 by George Poindexter, Attorney-General; Letter from Cowles Mead; 
 Surrender ; Examination before Rodney ; Jury called ; Refuse to find 
 a liill of Indictment; Censure the arrest; Burr resolves to escape; 
 Letter to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Makes flight ; Burr's forces arrested ; 
 Other seizures at New Orleans ; Habeas corpus granted by Workman : 
 Wilkinson refuses to surrender his prisoners; Workman resigns; 
 
CONTENTS. 13 
 
 Burling returns from Mexico; Wilkinson and Admiral Drake; 
 Trial and discharge of Bollman, Swartwout, Ogden and Alexander; 
 Letter of Blennerhassett to Graham ; Blennerhassett arrested, and 
 released on bail 199 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Burr's arrival in the village of Wakefield, Alabama; Inquires for 
 Colonel Hinson's ; His conduct excites suspicion ; He is pursued by 
 Nicholas Perkins and Brightwell, the Sheriff; Is found at Hinson's; 
 His agreeableness; Suspicions of the Sheriff; Mrs. Hinson's inquis- 
 itiveness ; His departure from Hinson's ; Delinquency of Brightwell ; 
 Perkins sets out for Fort Stoddard, to procure assistance of Lieuten- 
 ant Edmund P. Gaines; They start in pursuit; Burr is arrested; 
 His imprisonment at the Fort; Kindness to George S. Gaines; 
 Amusements at the Fort; Burr's traveling companion, Major Ash- 
 ley, arrested, and escapes ; Difficulties in procuring a guard to con- 
 vey Burr to Richmond ; Burr leaves the Fort under guard; Sympa- 
 thy of the ladies ; Guard ; Perkins fears the influence of Burr ; Par- 
 ticulars of the journey; Burr attempts to escape at Chester; Is 
 unsuccessful ; Arrives at Richmond, Virginia ; Letter of Alston to 
 Governor Pinkney, of South Carolina 214 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Blennerhassett leaves Natchez for the Island ; Letter of Blennerhas- 
 sett to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Same to same; Travel's history ; Letter 
 from Mrs. Blennerhassett to Mr. Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett to 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett; Another; Letter from D. Woodbridge to Blen- 
 nerhassett; From Mrs, to Mr. Blennerhassett; Burr to Blennerhas- 
 sett; Alston to Blennerhassett; From Mrs. Theodosia Burr Alston; 
 From Burr to Blennerhassett; Arrest of Blennerhassett at Lexing- 
 ton ; Advises Mrs. Blennerhassett by letter ; Narrative of the events 
 by himself; Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Account of the 
 arrest from the " Western World;" Letter from Henry Clay; Letter 
 from Mrs. Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett, 
 from the Penitentiary; Account of the journey and incidents at 
 Richmond; Burr to Blennerhassett; Same to same; Blennerhassett 
 to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Burr to Blennerhassett; Mrs. Blennerhas- 
 sett to Mr. Blennerhassett; Same to same; Burr to Blennerhassett; 
 Same to same; Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Same to 
 same; Devereux to Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blenner- 
 hassett; Trial of Burr commenced; Counsel engaged; Verdict of 
 acquittal; Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett 231 
 
14 CONTENTS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 Blennerhassett's Private Journal 30! 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Letter from Blennerliassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Same to same; 
 Letter from Luther Martin to Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett to 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett to Colonel Burr; Blennerhas- 
 sett to Mrs. Blennerhassett ; Same to same; Same to same ; Returns 
 to Natchez; Pecuniary distress; Purchases a cotton plantation; 
 Finds a home; Mrs. Blennerhassett's management; Devereux to 
 Blennerhassett; A small remittance; Joseph S. Lewis to Blenner- 
 hassett; Thomas Addis Emmet t to Blennerhassett; Joseph S.Lewis 
 to same; From the same; From the same; Blennerhassett to Gov- 
 ernor Alston; Effect of the embargo; Island Mansion destroyed by 
 fire; Letter from Joseph S.Lewis; From the same; From the same; 
 From the same ; From the house of Joseph S. Lewis & Co. ; From 
 Joseph S. Lewis ; From the same ; From Joseph S. Lewis & Co. ; Burr 
 in Europe; Suspected in England; Visits Edinburg; Returns to 
 London, and is imprisoned ; Set at large, and ordered to quit the 
 kingdom ; His subsequent movements ; Returns to New York ; Letter 
 from to Blennerhassett; Blennerhassett to Burr; Letter from Mr. 
 Emmett 508 
 
 CHAPTER X V. 
 
 Origin of the Burr Expedition ; History of events preceding ; Gayoso's 
 intrigues; Power dispatched to Wilkinson; Plan for dismembering 
 Kentucky; AVilkinson's complicity; Powei"'s second mission; In- 
 structions; Wilkinson's reply; Spanish-American settlers; United 
 States tardy in taking possession of Spanish forts under the treaty 
 of 1783; Spain is jealous of her American possessions; Memoir of 
 the First Consul of France; Advises that AVilkinson be enlisted in 
 the service of France; AVilkinson the author of the Burr Expedi- 
 tion ; Burr's project not a new one ; Miranda's Expedition ; Extent 
 of Burr's intrigues ; Misrepresentations ; Wilkinson's complicity 
 and treachery ; Jefferson accused 55J 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Blennerhassett unsuccessful; Disposes of his Mississippi estate, and 
 removes to New York; Removes to Canada in hopes of obtaining a 
 Judgeship; Unsuccessful; " The Deserted Isle;" Sails for Ireland ; 
 Disappointed in recovering estates; Letter from Mrs. Blennerhas- 
 aett; Distress of Mrs. Blennerhassett; Letter to Blennerhassett; 
 
CONTENTS. 15 
 
 Colonel Archibald Henderson to Mrs. Blennerhassett; Same to the 
 same ; Blennerhassett seeks office in England ; Letter to the Marquis 
 of Anglesey; Letter from Mrs. Blennerhassett; Letter to Nev.de 
 Courcy; To Lord Courtney; From Mrs. Blennerhassett; From the 
 same; To General Devereux; To J. Kingdom; To Devereux; To the 
 Marquis of Wellesley ; His history; Marries Mrs. Patterson, of Bal- 
 timore, formerly Miss Eaton ; The Tabinet Ball ; Reverses of fortune ; 
 Letter from the poet Campbell; Blennerhassett returns to Canada, 
 to remove permanently to England; Mrs. Blennerhassett's health 
 declining; Letter to Lord Anglesey ; Answer; To Harman Blenner- 
 hassett; Premonition of death ; Removes to Guernsey; Death; Re- 
 flections; Mrs. Blennerhassett visits the United States; Presents 
 her memorial to Congress; Claim reported favorably upon ; Death 
 of Mrs. Blennerhassett.. 682 
 
 V 
 
 APPENDIX. 
 
 I. Secret Correspondence 657 
 
 II. The Battle of Muskingum, or Defeat of the Bursites. . . 661 
 
INTRODUCTION. 
 
 More than fifty years since, the inhabitants of the 
 West were gratified by the intelligence that an indi- 
 vidual of rank and fortune had renounced allegiance 
 to his father-la. d, to take up his abode among them. 
 In those primitive days, every addition to the little 
 band of early pioneers was deemed of some import- 
 ance ; but the accession of one whose manners and 
 customs differed so widely from their own, who could 
 build and adorn a palace in the western wilds, was 
 considered an event of wonderful magnitude. 
 
 "With satisfaction they beheld the first germs of civi- 
 lization springing from beneath the plastic hand of 
 taste, and bursting into full maturity through the gen- 
 ial influence of wealth. This western Eden, while it 
 captivated their eyes with its beauty, amazed their 
 minds with the resources of its possessor. They wit- 
 nessed the accomplishment of his ends in the subjuga- 
 tion of nature to his will; saw "the desert bloom and 
 blossom as the rose;" stood as anxious spectators 
 when the whirlwind of popular prejudice prostrated 
 the hopes of his household; and wept for the desola- 
 tion which succeeded. 
 
 Since the celebrated expedition of Aaron Burr, the 
 earlier fortunes of Blennerhassett have been the sub- 
 ject of singular curiosity. Many have been the sur- 
 mises as to the causes which led this scion of Euro- 
 2 
 
1 8 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 pean aristocracy to renounce the hereditary honors 
 consequent upon family, for the secluded life of an 
 unpretending republican. Some attribute it to an 
 early alliance with a lady whose fortune and rank 
 were unequal to those of his own; others, to a want 
 of success as a member of the Irish bar; while the 
 uncharitable are anxious to throw around the subject 
 conjectures of the darkest character. 
 
 The mystery which surrounds him and his " island 
 home 7 ' has served, for more than fifty years, to enter- 
 tain the passing traveler, as he glides by the spot 
 where once stood the American Alhambra. The mar- 
 velous stories of Spain, of Moslem enchantment and 
 Moorish gold, are scarcely less credible than the tales at 
 such times repeated to the attentive ear of the listener. 
 
 Memory reverts with fond delight to the earlier days 
 of our youthful pastimes, when, strolling through the 
 embowered coppices of the isle, or seated beneath the 
 vine-clad cotton tree, the stern realities of life were 
 forgotten, in the tragic narratives of by-gone years. 
 Around the name of Blennerhassett, and every thing 
 connected with it, was waved the enchanting wand of 
 romance ; and tales of beauty, of splendor, and of crime, 
 while they fascinated us with their witchery, startled 
 us with his deep and dark designs. 
 
 Who Blennerhassett truly was, and what his origin 
 and destiny, it is our object to disclose; — to strip the 
 subject of that mysteriousness which ignorance, wilful 
 prejudice, or a love of the marvelous has thrown 
 around it, and reveal to the inquiring reader the acts 
 and character of the man. 
 
THE 
 
 BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 
 Little of incident is anywhere related of the early 
 life of Blennerhassett. He was the youngest son of a 
 distinguished family, which could trace its lineage from 
 the time of King John. His grandfather, Robert, 
 having emigrated from Cumberland in the reign of Eli- 
 zabeth, became the head of three highly respectable 
 branches of Irish gentry. 
 
 The first son was the proprietor of Ballyseedy ; the 
 second of Conway Castle, Killorglin, both in the county 
 of Kerry; and the third established himself at Riddles- 
 town, in the county of Limerick. 
 
 The subject of this memoir was of the Castle Conway, 
 or Killorglin line. He was born in Hampshire, on the 
 8th of October, in the year 1761 or 1765, while his parents 
 were on a temporary visit to England. A younger son, 
 and by the laws of primogeniture, destined to a profes- 
 sion, lie was placed by his father at an early age, in the 
 celebrated school of "Westminster. He was afterward 
 
20 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 entered at Trinity College, Dublin, where it is said he 
 graduated with honor to himself and credit to his pro- 
 fessors. 
 
 At that time the Irish bar — a body formidable to the 
 then existing government — comprised many sons of the 
 noblemen and commoners of Ireland. The legal science 
 was not then a mere trade, but a profession, requiring 
 both learnins: and time to master its abstruse truths. 
 
 Eloquence was looked upon as a qualification for the 
 Senate, and almost every peer and commoner had a 
 relative among its members. 
 
 This inordinate preference for the legal profession is 
 said to have arisen from numerous causes. Chief 
 among these was the ambition of their gentry, and their 
 family pride. The first anxiety of a parent was to secure 
 for his son a calling befitting, in every particular, the 
 dignity of the ancient name. In this respect the bar 
 has at all times proved the highway to fortune and 
 political preferment. But the consideration of wealth, or, 
 perhaps, a seat in the Privy Council, were not the only 
 inducements to such a selection. Although they were 
 not to be regarded with indifference, yet there' has also 
 been an adventitious dignity conferred upon the profes- 
 sion, by the political circumstances of the country, and 
 the individual influence of many of its illustrious names. 
 Until 1792, no Catholic could be admitted to the pri- 
 vileges of a barrister, and the dignities of the profession 
 were confined to a favored few. The highest • families 
 were anxious to secure positions, which stamped an 
 aristocratic character upon the importance of the calling; 
 and. to be a counsellor in those days was to be no ordi- 
 
IN FRANCE. 21 
 
 nary personage; the title was an indisputable passport 
 to aristocratic society and intellectual association. 
 
 Blennerhassett having, therefore, selected the law as 
 the surest road to preferment and wealth, was placed 
 at the King's Inns, as an entered apprentice; and at 
 Michaelmas term, 1790, at the age of twenty-five, was 
 generally admitted into the "Honorable Society," and 
 called to the degree of Barrister therein. 
 
 Having now successfully accomplished a severe course 
 of study in which, in a few years, he had passed through 
 the first literary, scientific and legal institutions of Great 
 Britain ; and, by the death of his eldest brother, having 
 but recently succeeded to the family estates, rendering 
 exertion in his profession unnecessary as a means of sub- 
 sistence, he determined before entering upon its duties, 
 to indulge himself for a time in the recreation of foreign 
 travel. 
 
 Accordingly, in company with one of his companions, 
 he set out for a tour upon the continent. France, both 
 then as now, was the center of interest for all the world. 
 For the philosopher, statesman, or man of pleasure, she 
 has long possessed, and still presents, superior attractions 
 over any of her sister Kingdoms. At the period of 
 Blennerhassett's visit, she had been rocked by the whirl- 
 wind of revolution ; and the established despotism of her 
 military monarchs had been crumbled into atoms. The 
 massive structure of the Bastile, every stone of which 
 echoed the groans of four centuries of oppression, had 
 been torn from its summit to its foundation, by the infu- 
 riated advocates of popular freedom. On the anniver- 
 sary of its destruction, Louis Sixteenth, with thirty 
 
22 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 thousand delegates from the confederated National 
 Guards of the kingdom, in the presence of five hun- 
 dred thousand of their countrymen, had taken the oath 
 of fidelity to the nation, to the Constitution, and, all 
 save the monarch himself, to the king. But France was 
 still trembling from the convulsions of her people. Her 
 recuperative energies were starting afresh, on a new sys- 
 tem of government, which lacked all the great elements 
 of success. To one who had been familiar with the 
 daily complainings of an oppressed nation, who, although 
 himself but upon the verge of manhood, had already 
 been strongly suspected of a secret league with the revo- 
 lutionary spirits of Ireland, thoroughly read in the poli- 
 tical writings of Voltaire, and a disciple of Rosseau, 
 a more interesting and opportune period could not have 
 presented itself. 
 
 He was still an unwilling witness to the murmurs 
 of the people. Confidence in the permanency of the 
 government had not been secured by the affections of 
 its subjects, and society had received a shock from 
 which it had seemed impossible to recover. 
 
 Having remained long enough to witness the adop- 
 tion of this new measure, Blennerhassett returned to 
 his own country, in time to escape the storm, which 
 prostrated the hopes of its friends, and destroyed the 
 life of the unfortunate Louis. There were quite a 
 number of the young men of Ireland in France at 
 the time of the emeute. Many of them entered into 
 the spirit of the Revolution with great zest, and 
 endeavored to enlist the sympathies of the insurgents 
 in their cause against the oppression of England. 
 
DISAFFECTED IRELAND. 23 
 
 Among the more noted of these for their subsequent 
 misfortunes, were John and Henry Sheares. They 
 were natives of Cork, well educated, Loth lawyers, 
 and of respectable parentage. They were present at 
 the taking of the Bastilc, and John was seen, on his 
 return to Ireland, to nourish with exultation a hand- 
 kerchief stained with the blood of Louis XVI. They 
 subsequently became involved in the outbreak in 
 1798, for which they were prosecuted for treason. 
 Although they were ably defended by Curran, the) 
 were, nevertheless, convicted, and suffered the extreme 
 penalty of the law. Much dissatisfaction was after- 
 wards expressed on account of the character of the 
 evidence upon which they were found guilty. There 
 was but one witness, and he a government decoy, 
 who had himself counseled more treason than either 
 had ever conceived. 
 
 But the same spirit of discontent which prevailed 
 in France had extended to Ireland. For centuries 
 had she groaned under the oppression of England. 
 Her submission to the sceptres of Henry and of 
 Richard had been construed into the right of con- 
 quest; and they sought to crush the native spirit 
 of her people, by fomenting discord and exercising 
 tyranny. Ireland had beeu blessed with a genial soil. 
 Nature had lavished her brightest gifts upon her. 
 The native character of her population was not infe- 
 rior to that of other nations. But of what avail were 
 fertile fields, or gigantic intellects, when national dis- 
 organization and political faction perverted the gifts 
 of Providence to selfish purposes, or destroyed their 
 
24 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 usefulness in the general wreck of distracted govern- 
 ments and divided subjects? Her manufacturing inter- 
 est and commercial enterprise struggled long against 
 the monopoly of England; but the superior power of 
 her ruler enabled her to check their prosperity, by the 
 heavy hand of arbitrary restraint. A deplorable want 
 of union of sentiment, and firmness of purpose, at all 
 times prevented a successful separation from her 
 powerful oppressor ; and every attempt to claim her 
 independence proved vain and abortive. 
 
 England, fearful of her growing strength, sought to 
 subdue her spirit, by onerous exactions, and denying 
 her the privilege of a free legislature. Not only against 
 Ireland had she exercised her arbitrary will, but also 
 against the colonies of her planting in North America. 
 Vain in the conceit of her imperial power, she dared 
 to exact obedience from peoples separated by the wide 
 Atlantic, and command the same submission with which 
 the oppressed subjects of Ireland had yielded. "While 
 her experimental philosophy had taught her that to 
 retain her authority she must exercise tyranny, she had 
 not reflected that there was a point in the system of her 
 oppression, where submission ceased to be a virtue. 
 
 The spirit of independence was hovering over the 
 bloody altar of the American Revolution, when Ire- 
 land again awoke to a sense of her own condition. She 
 gazed with animated delight at the increasing success of 
 American arms. Every new victory found a sympathetic 
 influence, responding with joy, in the recesses of her own 
 bosom. The feeble colonies of America, spread over a 
 vast extent of territory, with but few facilities for con- 
 
LIBERAL PRINCIPLES SPREADING. 25 
 
 ducting a war, with a hostile Indian enemy in their rear, 
 and the boasted chivalry of England at their front ; 
 undismayed by difficulty or the fear of defeat, after seven 
 years of war, were finally victorious. The arrogance of 
 England bowed its proud head to the shrine of liberty ; 
 and Lord Cornwallis, her favorite general, led back the 
 relics of her conquered army, to commemorate, in the 
 mother country, the impotence of her power and the 
 emancipation of her colonies. 
 
 Before they had well considered the reason of their 
 solicitude, the same spirit of independence had animated 
 the Irish bosom; and, in every corner of her territory, 
 the fire of liberty burst forth, in a blaze that threatened 
 equal destruction to British usurpation and kingly gov- 
 ernment. The nation became aroused. English influ- 
 ence and English interests secured partizans in church 
 and state ; and opposing factions, from their intolerance 
 and party animosity, had already commenced the Irish 
 revolution. 
 
 The success of the cause of liberty in the American 
 colonies affected, most sensibly, the whole of Europe. 
 It appeared, indeed, as though the fiat had gone forth, 
 that monarchies and despotisms were for ever to cease 
 from among men. " Strange and unforeseen events 
 were crowding the annals of the world; the established 
 axioms of general polity began to lose their weight 
 among nations ; and governments, widely wandering 
 from the fundamental principles of their own con- 
 stitutions, appeared carelessly traveling the road to 
 ruin." 
 
 Such was the State of Europe; presenting an aspect 
 
26 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 not unlike that upon which we, of later days, have 
 gazed (and to which we still look, with feelings of 
 solicitude and hope), when Blennerhassett left the 
 unhappy shores of France for those, not less discon- 
 tented, of his native country. 
 
 Ireland, it is true, from the helpless situation of 
 England, at a time when her foreign wars and hapless 
 defeats had exhausted the resources of that powerful 
 nation, had successfully demanded the repeal of stat- 
 ute sixth of George First, entitled "An Act for the 
 better securing the dependency of the kingdom of Ire- 
 land upon the crown of Great Britain ; " hut her situa- 
 tion was not less distracted than before. 
 
 Although it was difficult to keep aloof from the entan- 
 gling snares of party strife, Blennerhassett chose rather 
 to pursue the more flowery paths of literature than the 
 sterner and more rugged way of political preferment. 
 To a mind which sought within itself for sources of 
 enjoyment, the bustle and hurricane which reigned 
 around served to distract his meditations, and inter- 
 rupt the pleasure which, in seclusion, he had hoped to 
 find. 
 
 Being the possessor of an estate, with considerable 
 additional fortune inherited at the death of his father, 
 he determined no longer to remain in Ireland, subjected 
 to the inconvenience and danger which usually attend 
 the feuds of faction; but, in some more remote ami 
 peaceful region, where the infuriated mob and the 
 clamor of war were never heard, he hoped to spend a 
 life of repose. 
 
 He accordingly disposed of his lands to his relative, 
 
MARRIAGE AND MIGRATION. 27 
 
 Mr. Mullius, afterward Baron Vintry, and made immedi- 
 ate preparation for departing. Having closed his busi- 
 ness he started for Kingsale, a seaport in the county of 
 Cork, where his sister, the consort of Lord Kingsale 
 (Baron de Courcey), at that time resided. 
 
 His estates had yielded him an ample fortune of one 
 hundred thousand dollars. From Kingsale he proceeded 
 to England, to complete his arrangements for transmit- 
 ting it to America, and supplying himself with his 
 necessary outfits. 
 
 "While here he frequently met with, and finally became 
 affianced to, a Miss Agnew, daughter of the Lieutenant- 
 Governor of the Isle of Man, and grand-daughter of the 
 celebrated General of that name, who fell at the battle 
 of Germantown. She was young, intelligent, and beau- 
 tiful. Possessed of an uncommon degree of energy, 
 coupled with a temperament of romantic ardor, she lis- 
 tened, with captivated delight, to the fairy stories he 
 repeated of the far-off land in the "Western world. She 
 did not, therefore, hesitate to consummate the nuptials, 
 and link her destinies with his in that rural paradise 
 which his imagination had so vividly depicted. 
 
 Upon the precarious sea of life, almost without com- 
 pass or chart, Blennerhassett had now launched his 
 adventurous barque. The sudden truth flashed across 
 his mind, that he, too, was an adventurer ; not, how- 
 ever, for the gold of Peru, for discoveries in the material 
 world, or the subjugation of a foreign power. Gold 
 and honor were already his ; but these, compared to the 
 revelation of truth in the great, volume of nature, to 
 the inquiring mind, which sought to unfold her hidden 
 
28 THE BLEXNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 mysteries, were but as " sounding- brass and tinkling 
 cymbal." 
 
 To him, that sea appeared serene and safe, with no 
 adverse winds to interrupt his onward course ; while, 
 in the dim distance of imagination, he descried that 
 shore of sweet repose, where the deceit and treachery 
 of man should never disturb the quietude of a mind at 
 peace. 
 
IN AMERICA, AT LAST. 29 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Having supplied himself, in London, with an extensive 
 library and a philosophical apparatus, together with 
 other materials deemed necessary for future use, Blenn- 
 erhassett shipped for New York in 1796, whene he 
 remained for several months, to study the topography 
 of the country and the character of its inhabitants. 
 
 An account of the voyage, and description of the 
 country, are entertainingly given in the following letter, 
 addressed to his nephew, the Hon. Thomas de Courcey, 
 afterward Lord Ivingsale : 
 
 Neav Utrecht, Long Island, 
 August 18th, 1796. 
 My Dear Tom: — Although I feel that your anxiety 
 and my own wishes equally urge the dispatch of this let- 
 ter, yet that its end should not be altogether unattained, 
 I have not only deferred beginning it since my landing 
 on the 1st instant, but shall probably conclude with a 
 date considerably distant from that with which I have 
 commenced; for I shall sooner depend upon your rely- 
 ing on the chances in favor of the safe issue t)f my voy- 
 age, than merely send you an account of it such a 
 distance as divides every thing but our hearts, unaccom- 
 panied with some account of things as they shall strike 
 me in this country from time to time, which, as they 
 
SO THE BLEXNEPJIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 will necessarily aft'ect my interests, will, I know, on that 
 account, be more than entertaining to you. As to our 
 passage, as nothing very material happened in the course 
 of it, I shall only tell you that we made it very tediously, 
 that is, in seventy-three days from our sailing from 
 Oravesend, till we landed at ISTew York. During our 
 vicissitudes of calms and adverse winds, which, instead 
 of the direct distance, compelled us to submit to a tra- 
 verse sailing of, I suppose, not less than ten thousand 
 miles, I was relieved from any sense whatever of confine- 
 ment by the variety and awful ness of nature in the 
 Western Ocean, and particularly in what is called the 
 Florida Gulf Stream, together with the almost daily 
 occupation of examining, and finally, when we made the 
 land, correcting the dead reckoning of the ship by means 
 of two excellent instruments, with which, among others, 
 I provided myself in London ; the one a Hadley's sex- 
 tant, the other a chronometer watch, made by the maker 
 to the British Board of Longitude. 
 
 On first setting my foot on American soil, I was visited 
 with sensations which I certainly never experienced in 
 the old country. With any particular description of 
 these I shall not trouble you, but while they excited 
 severe regrets, as I cast my eyes back on the sea that 
 interposed so wide a space between me and the many 
 dear ties I left behind, they soon after inspired more self- 
 ish reflections to cheer me with the contemplation of so 
 grand a barrier between me and the malevolence of my 
 enemies, while it seemed, at the same time, the only 
 limit of my natural and political independence. But 
 these prospects, I must admit, merely dawn at present; 
 
NEW YORK IN '90. 31 
 
 and my expectations will not ripen under their meridian 
 heat till I shall have acquired a landed property equal 
 to that with which I have parted. 
 
 The climate, as well as the voyage, which Maggie has 
 home well, has received us kindly, and still continues to 
 treat us with benignity. The situation of New York, 
 with which I know Morse has acquainted you, save in 
 the lower parts of the town, where, from its rapid 
 increase in trade, and I may say, the almost insular situ- 
 ation of the city, the inhabitants have, for some time, 
 been making new ground for docks, and building lots, 
 with bad and filthy stuff; its situation, I say, is provided 
 with almost every requisite to check, if not destroy, the 
 tendency of the climate (which in spring and summer is 
 damp, and suddenl} 7 and violently variable), to produce 
 the intermittent very general here, and known by the 
 name of the fever and ague, which, to all appearance, is 
 the same complaint with the ague in Europe. But the 
 severe heat generally prevalent in the months of July 
 and August, raising the thermometer some days to 96°; 
 by its pernicious influence on the docks, and new low 
 grounds, renders it advisable for foreigners to retire to 
 the country. Principally upon this account, added to a 
 severe handling from the musketoes, which, during our 
 stay in town, used to come over from the Jersey shore, 
 opposite to which we lodged upon the Hudson, I removed 
 to this place last Saturday, where we have joined a 
 tolerably pleasant party, chiefly of subscribers, who have 
 built a handsome house, with a large room and balcony 
 in front, of near seventy feet in length, and other apart- 
 ments, containing about thirty good bed-rooms. The 
 
32 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 situation is pleasant and cool upon the shore, compared 
 with the town, from which it is distant about twelve 
 miles. Here we shall remain till the latter end of the 
 month, when the heat will moderate, and I shall pass 
 through Jersey on my way to Philadelphia. In the 
 meantime, I shall further explore this Island, having as 
 yet, from the heat of the weather, done almost nothing 
 in that way. But in two or three rides I have witnessed 
 the general poverty of the soil which, though extremely 
 shallow and sandy, exhibits a beautiful diversity of cul- 
 tivated country, in the appearance of large and well 
 fenced fields of cucumbers, musk and water-melons, with 
 plenty of apple and peach orchards. The peaches, 
 though no more attended to than your wildings in 
 Kerry, have as good a flavor as the best ever produced 
 at Reen. Judge then what a garden I look to in a better 
 soil and climate. Grapes are universal, but seem totally 
 neglected except for pies, though I am persuaded they 
 might even here be brought to perfection. Indian corn 
 is so much the staple of consumption on this island, that 
 it alone is called corn, every other species of grain being 
 distinguished by its proper name. The farmers, nine 
 out of ten Dutch, or their descendants, are not only 
 comfortable but rich. And though the state of agri- 
 culture among them is ridiculed by the Anglo-Americans 
 for its backwardness, there is not an acre of land 
 between this place and New York (from the easy vent 
 which the latter offers for the above-mentioned produce, 
 with garden stuff, and perhaps a few other articles), that 
 does not annually bring in from £25 to <£30 of this 
 currency, the dollar being eight shillings here. Hence 
 
EARLY POLITICS. 33 
 
 I need scarcely tell you that land is extremely dear. I 
 have it from good authority, that, in the back parts 
 of the State, capital has been, within these five years 
 past, uniformly doubled every two years by the purchase 
 and re-sale of small lots of military lands. 
 
 You remember the advantages this State possesses in 
 being the best watered in the Union, both by nature and 
 art, and, accordingly, all its waste lands are settling with 
 surprising rapidity, chiefly from New England. These 
 accounts, nevertheless, shall not, at present, seduce me 
 into any purchases here, because the British funds have 
 fallen considerably since I purchased into them, and 
 there is now less than a twelvemonth to run of the pres- 
 ent Presidency. 
 
 It seems to be the general opinion of the few informed 
 acquaintances I have yet been able to make (most of the 
 persons to whom I am here addressed having retreated 
 for the summer in different directions, into the country), 
 that Washington will not stand as candidate again, and 
 that there will be a severe contest between the North 
 and the South ; the former straining every nerve to elect 
 Adams, the latter making equal exertions in behalf of 
 Jefferson. The expected struggle is regarded by both 
 sides with eager anxiety, while maneuvering is practiced 
 by both parties to the degree even of multiplying the 
 States. To explain this : — You will probably have seen, 
 by the papers, that a sixteenth State, viz., that part of 
 the territory South- West of the Ohio, called the Tennes- 
 see country, has, in the last session of Congress, been 
 admitted, by virtue of the amount of its population, 
 into the Union. Now it is insinuated in the Northern 
 3 
 
34 THE BLE5TNEED ',,;•-; 'IT PAPERS. 
 
 and Middle States, where Adams is the favorite, and by 
 whoso preponderancy he would probably succeed, that 
 the admission of Tennessee was obtained through a false 
 census. However, this objection, whether true or not, 
 now comes too late. The business is done. But, in order 
 to effect a counterpoise, the District of Maine is to be 
 separated from Massachusetts. So when you see this 
 event also in the papers, you will know how to construe 
 the real motives for erecting the district of Maine into a 
 separate State, out of the ostensible reasons set forth for 
 the measure. 
 
 In the midst of these transactions I have had an 
 opportunity of witnessing the attachment of both par- 
 ties to the real interests of the country, though they 
 reciprocally launch the imputations of aristocracy and 
 democracy against each other; and the candor on the 
 one side in allowing the superiority of Jefferson's tal- 
 ents, is equalled by the honesty on the other in admit- 
 ting that Adams has done more for America than his 
 opponent. Still, the administration of the new Presi- 
 dent, if not his election, will, in my opinion, as seems 
 granted indeed, operate as a test of the constitution, to 
 confound or confirm the idea in Europe, that Mr. "Wash- 
 ington is, alone, in America, the preserving cement of 
 order and good government ; and, at all events, the 
 period will operate a crisis which I shall in prudence 
 abide, before I settle the whole of my property on this 
 side of the Atlantic. 
 
 Upon this account, alone, I have said so much upon 
 general politics ; from which, however, you must not 
 infer that I do not see more than equal security of pri- 
 
EARLY TRADE. 35 
 
 vate property with any that can be boasted in Europe, 
 where the many have nothing to lose, compared with 
 the proprietary interest; but, in this country, there is 
 no peasantry. 
 
 In the meantime speculations of every possible sort 
 are driven forward daily, I think, so far, unhappily, as 
 they induce a species of gambling; for one-half must 
 ever lose, at every sort of play, while the advantages of 
 regular trade, being reciprocal, all parties are benefited. 
 These speculations are commercial, properly so called — 
 and landed. I shall give you an example or two of 
 each. ~Ro adventures in the former line have been 
 more weighty or enterprising than in the article of 
 flour. This I call a speculation, because flour is no 
 natural subject of trade between America and Europe, 
 since the latter can always raise enough for consump- 
 tion; but ideas of its partial scarcity in England and 
 France, during the war, have so engaged the merchant 
 and farmer, that both have for the most part been ruined 
 within these last eight months, the former on his disas- 
 trous returns at a full third below first cost, having only 
 to condole with the latter still keeping his granaries shut 
 up, for he has now no market but the home ; the arti- 
 cle having there too fallen near six dollars in the barrel. 
 Hence you will not be surprised to learn the extravagant 
 prices of the necessaries of life, and the high rates of 
 wages, which have not yet come down in proportion to 
 the wholesale fall. Men-servants still have twelve dol- 
 lars a month. Masons, at New York and Philadelphia, 
 from sixteen to twenty shillings a day ; carpenters, a shil- 
 ling less, and both, in country situations, according to 
 
36 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the distance from these cities, may be had from one to 
 five or six shillings less. House-rent, also, still keeps up 
 enormously ; a two-roomed house, according to its situa- 
 tion, fetching from £150 to £250 in these towns, of New 
 York currency. To estimate the rate of other necessa- 
 ries, I shall send you a price current, which you must 
 understand by adding about a third to every article for 
 each hand through which it passes before it reaches the 
 consumer. "While the above speculations in grain and 
 flour have been going forward, latterly, with such ill 
 success, others have distinguished this country. Of these 
 the East India trade is the most considerable ; commenced 
 under every disadvantage to be apprehended from the 
 great capitals, and old companies of Europe. Yet, has it 
 grown to a size that now begins to alarm men's minds, 
 for the great draught of specie it drains from America, 
 and a conviction of the inferiority, notwithstanding the 
 cheapness of the India returns, except sugar and nan- 
 keens, compared with the linen articles of wear, which 
 were more in use before from Europe. But adventure 
 has not stopped here. Some time last summer, a Yankee, 
 at a little town in the State of Massachusetts, learning 
 the times were mortally sickly at Port au Prince, con- 
 ceived a scheme of sending there a cargo of — coffins. 
 Those commodities were made up in nests of sizes, from 
 the largest to those for infants ; and, that no room should 
 be lost, the inner coffin of the nest was packed with 
 cakes of — gingerbread. I have only to add, that the 
 speculation turned out a capital hit, — our Yankee having 
 actually returned full freighted with the best West India 
 produce, in return for his timber. 
 
LAND SPECULATIONS. 37 
 
 Now for the land hits. These are going on every day, 
 not only in England, hut even in America, on principles 
 no better than horse-jockeying. In this play, also, many 
 fortunes are made and lost, the adventurers purchasing 
 on credit, and a presumption of re-selling within a certain 
 time their former acquisitions, at an advance equivalent 
 to enable them to make good their former en«;ae:ements. 
 But they have found their calculations to exceed dread- 
 fully the capital settling this country from Europe, and 
 now the paper of a Mr. Morris, of Philadelphia, who, in 
 the last war, had more credit than the Union altogether, 
 is selling at 4s. 6d. in the pound, though he still con- 
 tinues proceeding with a house that can not cost less 
 than £200,000. There is not one cipher too many. 
 Hence, you'll perceive, there is yet no bankruptcy sys- 
 tem established. Congress yet fear to cramp industry 
 and enterprise in the young country for which they legis- 
 late, or to open a door to commercial fraud by any 
 attempt of that sort, which, in the present state of the 
 community, they wisely imagine would prove upon trial 
 too lax or too rigid. And for my part, from the little I 
 have yet seen, I can not but approve of their wisdom in 
 leaving the creditor in a situation to see his debtor's 
 knees begin to tremble, rather than run the risk of 
 bringing both to the ground together. 
 
 You must perceive then from what has been said, that 
 there must be an infinity of land of every quality and 
 situation in the market, and yet Congress have adver- 
 tised some townships to be sold at auction next January, 
 which, upon full deliberation, they have resolved shall 
 not be put up at less than two dollars an acre. There is 
 
38 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 however, an increase of wealth annually flowing into 
 the country, unequaled in the annals of any other, from 
 emigrations. These I can not now exactly estimate, but 
 their effects are visible, in the increase of settlements in 
 every direction, from the Atlantic to the Ohio and 
 Mississippi. Witness the population of Kentucky (now 
 considered almost an old country), swollen to 73,677, and 
 even of Tennessee, to 77,262. In this track I am now 
 preparing to set forward, but can not say how long I 
 shall be anywhere stationary for a month before the next 
 fall, at which time, after having explored Kentucky, 
 Tennessee, and the Miami country, concerning all of 
 which you shall hear the particulars in due time. I 
 shall return through the wilderness by Virginia, if a 
 settlement does not arrest me in the way. But I must 
 postpone for the present any further particulars of my 
 route to the West, on account of the remaining remarks 
 I have to make on those parts of the country which I 
 have seen since I began this letter, with which I am now 
 proceeding at Philadelphia. 
 
 On our return from Long Island, we were received 
 at Xew York, as well by the acquaintances we made 
 without as by those to whom we had introductions from 
 England, more in a parental and brotherly way than 
 in a manner you would call polite or elegant. European 
 etiquette is not yet prevalent, or it is that which reigned 
 on the other side of the water, at least half a century 
 back, but toward the particular style of English dress, 
 both sexes have made greater advances. But these 
 matters, with the state of domestic economy, I shall 
 leave for Maggie to describe. After some days stay in 
 
TOURING IN "JERSEY."' 39 
 
 •and about New York, we set out for Newark, in New 
 Jersey. On our way two objects were conspicuously 
 impressive in a distance of only ten miles from our 
 outset. The first, a swamp, through which we passed, 
 three miles in a direct line over a well-made new road. 
 This swamp was not merely remarkable from its being' 
 the first I had seen, but from a hill of solid land, called 
 Snake-hill, thickly wooded, which rises with almost 
 perpendicular declivity to a bight in the center, that in 
 an Englishman's eyes, would merit the name of a moun- 
 tain. When I say that the moment you could reach the 
 base of this mount, in descending toward the plain, you 
 would find far less footing than in an Irish shaking-bog. 
 Snake-hill will be regarded by you, as it has been by me, 
 a lusus naturce of no small magnitude. 
 
 The next object, a production of art, was the bridge 
 over the Hackinsack, to which may be added that over 
 the Passaic river, both about three hundred yards in 
 length, which unite neatness and strength of work- 
 manship to an extent in timber that might well invite an 
 European ten miles out of his road. The expense of 
 erecting each of these, I conclude, from the account 
 I have had of a similar one I have since crossed at 
 Brunswick, over the Raritan, to be £30,000 Pennsylvania 
 currency. Newark possessed sufficient attractions within 
 itself to induce me to tarry there for some days, even 
 if I had not resolved to do so for the- sake of visiting the 
 Passaic Falls, about fifteen miles off the main road. 
 
 Newark, if considered as a village, which it more 
 resembles than a town, is perhaps the handsomest in the 
 world. Of extent, nearly three miles ; it is seated in a 
 
40 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 plain, clear and level as a parlor floor, on the banks 
 of the Passaic, in an amphitheater environed by gently 
 swelling hills. Its Academy, Court-house, and two neat 
 buildings for public worship, added to nine stages, 
 which, besides an infinity of wagons, every day pass 
 through it between New York and Philadelphia, give 
 an air of business and gaiety to the place. It is also the 
 residence of many private families of respectability, 
 with some of whom we were previously well enough 
 acquainted to be entertained longer than we chose to 
 remain there. Land is here, within five miles round, 
 from £30 to £40 an acre, New York currency. 
 
 The Passaic Falls, as they differ, I fancy, from all 
 others in America, will always invite and entertain the 
 naturalist. Their peculiarity arises from a fissure in the 
 bed of the river, which is of solid rock, cleft in an 
 oblique direction to a depth of eighty feet. The river 
 meanders a considerable way in a serene current without 
 a murmur, till it reaches the chasm where it falls with 
 the majesty of thunder, and forever throws up a spray 
 that, when interposed between the eye and the sun, 
 exhibits an assemblage of rainbows of the most fantastic 
 beauty. 
 
 From Newark to Philadelphia, I have only to remark 
 the general sandy and poor appearance of the soil 
 through Jersey State, which, however, is regarded as 
 one of the best cultivated in the Union, and this indeed 
 appears in the large extent of its corn country, and other 
 agricultural improvements which, by trimming its tim- 
 ber, have rendered it sufficiently champaign to have 
 caused it, during the late war, to be exposed to the 
 
AMATEUR IMPRESSIONS. 41 
 
 constant harrassings of the British. In this route I 
 passed, with pleasing reflections, over the memorable 
 grounds of Brunswick, Princeton and Trenton. At the 
 latter place I crossed the Delaware, in sight of the spot 
 where Providence, or his happy fortune, gave the Presi- 
 dent and America that confidence in the issue of the 
 contest, wherein the Hessians were surprised, which, to 
 save the country, could not have been delayed for a day. 
 On this side of the Delaware industry seemed to stride, 
 rather than to saunter, as she did, comparatively speak- 
 ing, in the States of Jersey and New York. Here, after 
 traveling in every direction over the soil, which yet she 
 has not deserted, you may trace her footsteps not only 
 under, the earth, but from thence upward through all 
 the stages of manufacture wood has yet passed in any 
 country, and iron full one-half as far as it has reached in 
 England. Of the extent of cotton, linen and wool, 
 throughout the country, I can not yet positively speak. 
 A considerable capital has been embarked at Patterson, 
 near the Passaic Falls, in the cotton line ; but it has 
 altogether failed from a variety of causes, which, I think, 
 independent of the long credits given in Europe, and 
 the vast wilds here doomed for half a century yet to 
 howl for population, will so long, at least, frustrate all 
 attempts at adventure in the three last mentioned 
 branches of trade. 
 
 The approach to Philadelphia, in this line, announces 
 more a large busy city to which it leads, than any of 
 those that surround New York ; yet, from the detail of 
 business I have before and since seen in both, assisted by 
 a commercial view of the continent, it is pretty apparent 
 
42 THE r.LENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 that the latter place is treacling hard on the heels of the 
 former already, and will soon step it by. At present, 
 however, you see more stir at Philadelphia, more hustle 
 in the streets, and far more English activity in both sexes. 
 I inclose you a plan of the city, which, with fewer defects 
 than any I know of, seems to have been conceived by 
 Penn, upon the best principles to suit the climate, and 
 provide, for the health, while it accommodates the busi- 
 ness, of the inhabitants. So much for Philadelphia. 
 
 The only great person I regret not having become 
 acquainted with is the President. He unfortunately set 
 off for home two days after my arrival, which prevented 
 my attending his leve'e ; but the day before his departure 
 we were so .fortunate as to be seated at church in the pew 
 opposite to him. Adieu, my dear nephew, and believe me, 
 Your ever affectionate uncle, 
 
 H. Blennerhassett. 
 
 P. S. — Maggie will speak for herself. 
 
 At that time, the territory west of the Alleghanies, 
 particularly the valley of the Ohio and Mississippi, was 
 comparatively a wilderness. The enterprise of the pio- 
 neer had driven, to more distant regions, the aborigines 
 of the "West. The occasional hamlet, with its few 
 acres of cultivated ground, interrupted, at intervals, the 
 " boundless contiguity of shade," and marked the abode 
 of civilized and associated man. Villages, with rude 
 habitations, here and there, broke the silence of the 
 forest, and presented the cheering signs of dawning civi- 
 lization. Through this vast solitude, the silvery current 
 of the Ohio wended its way to the " father of waters." 
 
IN THE WEST. 4o 
 
 The innovating steamer had never yet ruffled its bosom, 
 nor startled its inhabitants with the sound of its machin- 
 ery. The deer browsed among the thick undergrowth of 
 its bottoms; the fox sought shelter in its caves; and the 
 wail of the wolf was heard from the adjacent hills. 
 Lands of almost inexhaustible fertility skirted its mar- 
 gin, and isles of peculiar beauty decked its surface. 
 
 Captivated with various descriptions of the country, in 
 company with his wife, Blennerhassett set out to seek 
 this delightful land. Crossing the rugged barriers of the 
 Alleghanies, then a tedious and difficult undertaking, 
 they arrived at Pittsburgh in the fall of 1796. Here they 
 obtained passage on a keel-boat, in those' days the most 
 comfortable mode of traveling on the western waters, 
 and shortly arrived at Marietta, a town of greater 
 importance than any other in the State of Ohio. 
 
 The population of this pleasantly-situated village was 
 unusually intelligent and moral. The puritanical charac- 
 ter of its earlier inhabitants gave a tone to society, which 
 identifies the present generation with their fathers who 
 repose in their beautiful cemetery. 
 
 Fully satisfied with the attractiveness of the country, 
 Blennerhassett abandoned his contemplated explorations 
 of Kentucky and Tennessee, and resolved to locate in 
 this enterprising settlement. 
 
 During the winter his time was pleasantly occupied 
 in visiting the various families, and making occasional 
 excursions through the neighborhood, to select a site for 
 a residence. Above the village, and within a convenient 
 distance, is an eminence of considerable height, com- 
 manding an extensive view of the river and surrounding 
 
44 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 scenery. With this situation he was much pleased, and 
 had almost determined to erect on its summit a castle, 
 after the manner of many in his native country ; but the 
 ascent being difficult, and the declivities too precipitous, 
 he abandoned the idea, and sought a situation more easy 
 of access. 
 
 The following spring, he purchased an island in 
 the Ohio river, about two miles below Parkersburg, or 
 the mouth of the Little Kanawha, which, to his pecu- 
 liar mind, possessed superior advantages to the adja- 
 cent farm. To one of romantic temperament, its locality 
 was truly delightful. Upon its sloping banks waved the 
 branches of the willow, and laved their foliage in the 
 passing stream. The majestic forest trees, untouched by 
 the hand of civilization, reared their trunks, as monarchs 
 of the land ; while the wild-brier and woodbine, blending 
 in promiscuous profusion, entwined their tendrils around 
 the shrubbery of the wild- wood. Flowers of rare beauty 
 burst spontaneously from the soil, and mingled their fra- 
 grance with the passing breeze. The feathery songsters 
 warbled their notes in the secluded groves, making vocal 
 each branch with nature's music. 
 
 Could the mind, in pursuit of seclusion and repose, 
 picture to its imagination a situation more desirable? 
 Here might his cultivated taste adorn, to every extent, 
 the ruder touches of nature, and mellow into softer 
 shades the harsher outlines of her pencil; here might 
 the mind, unfettered from worldly cares, drink deeper 
 draughts from Truth's ever-flowing fountain; here, 
 
 " At the shadowy close of day, 
 When the hushed grove has sung its parting lay; 
 
ON THE ISLAND. 45 
 
 When pensive Twilight, in her dusty car, 
 
 Comes slowly on, to meet the evening star, 
 
 Above, below, aerial murmurs swell, 
 
 From hanging wood, brown heath, and bushy dell 
 
 A thousand nameless rills that shun the light; 
 
 Stealing soft music on the ear of night; 
 
 So oft the finer movements of the soul, 
 
 That shun the sphere of pleasure's gay control, 
 
 In the still shades of calm seclusion rise, 
 
 And breathe their sweet, seraphic harmonies." 
 
 When fatigued with the severer studies of science, he 
 could amuse himself with the traditions and stories of 
 several intelligent revolutionary soldiers who resided on 
 the Belpre shore ; or, as game abounded, might engage 
 in the delightful sports of hunting and fishing. 
 
 That portion of the island purchased by Blennerhas- 
 sett, was known by the familiar cognomen of " Backus's 
 Island," and contained about one hundred and seventy 
 acres. General Washington, it is said, embraced this 
 gem of nature, in the many valuable tracts of land 
 entered by him on the bottoms of the Ohio. 
 
 In 1798, Blennerhassett, having purchased the upper 
 portion of the island, at a cost of four thousand five 
 hundred dollars, moved into a block-house situated near 
 the head. This, to those who had enjoyed the splendor 
 of palaces, with the many conveniences which the arts 
 of civilization afford, was a sorrowful exchange which 
 few could desire, and fewer still would have made. He 
 energetically commenced clearing the grounds of the 
 thick growth of timber and underwood, for a site upon 
 which to erect a dwelling. Many hands were requisite, 
 in addition to the slaves he had recently purchased, for 
 
46 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the laborious task. The forest trees were uprooted, and 
 their houghs and trunks conveyed away. The small 
 inequalities, not suiting his fastidiousness, were smoothed 
 and regulated as fancy dictated. 
 
 Vainly ambitious to excel any private residence west 
 of the mountains, and to fashion it after those of his 
 own country, economy and simplicity were not consulted 
 in its construction. " The house and offices I occupy," 
 he writes Devereux, the Irish patriot refugee, " stand me 
 in upward of thirty thousand dollars, not mentioning 
 gardens and shrubbery, in the English style, hedges, post 
 fences, and complete farm-yards, containing barns, sta- 
 bles, overseers' and negro houses," etc. 
 
 To the mind of the voyager descending the river, as 
 the edifice rose majestically in the distance, spreading its 
 wings to either shore, the effect was magical ; and 
 emotions were produced, not unlike those experienced 
 in gazing on the Moorish palaces of Andalusia. There 
 was a spell of enchantment around it, which would fain 
 induce the credulous to believe that it had been created 
 by magic, and consecrated to the gods. On a nearer 
 approach, was observed the beautifully graded lawn, 
 decked with tasteful shrubbery, and interspersed with 
 showy flowers ; while, a little in the distance, the elm 
 threw its dark branches over a carpet of most beautiful 
 green sward. Beyond these, the forest trees were inter- 
 mingled with copse-wood, so closely as to exclude the 
 noon-day sun ; and, in other places, they formed those 
 long sweeping vistas, in the intricacies of which the eye 
 delights to lose itself; while the imagination conceives 
 them as the paths of wilder scenes of sylvan solitude. 
 
blennerhassett's seat. 47 
 
 Tlie space immediately in the rear of the dwelling was 
 assigned to fruits and flowers ; of which the varieties 
 were rare, excellent and beautiful; and the manner in 
 which they were disposed over the surface, unique, ele- 
 gant and tasteful. Espaliers of peach, apricot, quince 
 and pear trees, extended along the exterior, confined to a 
 picket fence; while, in the middle space, wound laby- 
 rinthine walks, skirted with flowering shrubs, and the 
 eglantine and honey-suckle flung their melliferous blos- 
 soms over bowers of various forms. 
 
 On the south was the vegetable garden, and adjoining 
 this, a thrifty young orchard, embracing many varieties 
 of fruit, promising abundant supplies for future use. 
 ^ot entirely neglecting the useful for the ornamental, a 
 hundred acres had been cleared where were cultivated 
 the various crops adapted to the soil.* 
 
 *The Lower Kanawha is one hundred ami fifty yards wide at its mouth. 
 Opposite to this river is the town of Belpre, three miles from which is 
 Backus's Island. On leaving Marietta, a lady and gentleman, who had 
 been on a visit there, desired a passage to the island. This request was. 
 with much pleasure, granted; and I had only to lament that the voyage 
 was so short, which was to terminate my acquaintance with persons so 
 truly interesting and amiable. The island hove in sight to great advan- 
 tage from the middle of the river, from which point of view little more 
 appeared than the simple decorations of nature — trees, shrubs, and flowers 
 of every perfume and kind. The next point of view, on running with the 
 current, on the right hand side, varied to a scene of enchantment; a lawn 
 in the form of a fan inverted presented itself, the nut forming the center 
 and summit of the island, and the broad segment the borders of the water. 
 The lawn contained one hundred acres of the best pasture, interspersed 
 with flowering shrubs and clumps of trees, in a manner that conveyed 
 a strong conviction of the taste and judgment of the proprietor. The 
 house came into view at the instant I was signifying a wish that such a 
 lawn had a mansion. It stands on the immediate summit of the island, 
 whose ascent is very gradual, is snow white, two stories high, and fur- 
 nished with wings which interlock the adjoining trees, confine the 
 
48 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Such was the residence of Blennerhassett, after he had 
 expended much labor and money to render it the reality 
 of what before was but ideal, an image of which had 
 long haunted his dreams of youthful fancy, as the picture 
 of sylvan beauty, of peaceful solitude, and of calm 
 repose. How marked the mutations of a few short 
 years ! Ireland, but as yesterday, claimed him as a 
 representative of one of her great families, and the 
 uncompromising advocate of her long neglected rights. 
 The deference, due alike to rank and birth, in a monarch- 
 ical government, was his by inheritance ; and the favor 
 
 prospect, and intercept the sight of barns, stables, and out-houses, which 
 are so often suffered to destroy the effect of the noblest views in England. 
 The full front of the house, being the signal for pulling in for the island, 
 we did so immediately, and fell below a small wharf that covered an eddy, 
 and made the landing both easy and secure. There was no resisting the 
 friendly importunity of my passengers ; no excuse would be taken ; to 
 stop the night at least was insisted upon, and with a convincing expression 
 that the desire flowed from hearts desirous not to be refused. There is 
 something so irresistible in invitations of such a nature, that they can not 
 be denied. I gave instructions respecting my boat; and giving the lady 
 my arm, we walked up the beautiful lawn, through which a winding path 
 led to the house. It was tea-time; that refreshment was served and con- 
 ducted with a propriety and elegance which I never witnessed out of 
 Britain. The conversation was chaste and general, and the manners of 
 the lady and gentleman were refined, without being frigid ; distinguished, 
 without being ostentatious; and familiar, without being vulgar, importu- 
 nate, or absurd. Before the entire decline of day, we walked in the gar- 
 dens, which were elegantly laid out in your country's style, produced 
 remarkably fine vegetables, and had a very favorable show of standard 
 peaches and other fruits. We next turned into the woods. I soon per- 
 ceived why the island was named Bacchus. The island took its cognomen 
 from the gentleman of whom it was purchased. It abounds with vines 
 which grow to great hight and strength, but never produce to any perfec- 
 tion. The path we had taken led to the water, the border of which brought 
 us to the boat, where, it seems, all the servants of the family had assem- 
 bled to hear what news my people might have brought into their little 
 world. We found them seated on the green around Mindeth, who, proud 
 
DOMESTICITY. 49 
 
 of courts and of coronets was obtained without an effort, 
 and resigned without control. Around him, a restless 
 and distracted population were daily enacting scenes of 
 outrage and oppression ; and the hand of civilization, 
 while it gave energy to intellect, and advanced the arts 
 and sciences, proved a powerful auxiliary in aggravating 
 the causes, and perpetuating the scenes of the revolution. 
 To-day we view him as the retired citizen of a republic, 
 in the bosom of the forest of the Western world, with 
 no tie of kindred, save the faithful companion of his 
 bosom, and the two little sons, Dommick and Ilarman, 
 who had been added to his household. Quietly retired 
 from the busy haunts of man, his hours of study were 
 only intruded upon by the friendly visits of his neigh- 
 bors, to whose natures, dissimulation and flattery were 
 alike unknown, and whose society and attachment he 
 cherished by reciprocal attentions. 
 
 to be their historian, related tales of such peril, that they gazed on him 
 with sensations of wonder and astonishment. I saw the lady so pleased 
 with this scene, and so delighted in particular with Cuffee's truly rural 
 establishment, that I proposed supping on the shore. My proposition was 
 joyfully acceded to, and instructions given accordingly. After chatting 
 some time on subjects immediately rising out of occurring incidents, and 
 admiring the versatility of mind which one time finds felicity in towns, 
 and midnight masquerades at another, acknowledges happiness on the con- 
 trasted theater of the rivers and wildernesses, we sat down to our repast, 
 and in a short time paid it the strong encomium of a satiated appetite. 
 Nest morning I with difficulty tore myself away from this interesting 
 family. You will excuse me for omitting the names of this amiable couple. 
 They were emigrants of the first distinction from Ireland. — Aches Travels 
 in America, a series of letters addressed to a friend in England in 180G. 
 
 4 
 
50 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 '. CHAPTER III. 
 
 Blenneriiassett was about six feet in stature, of slen- 
 der proportions, and slightly stooping. He was entirely 
 devoid of that suaviter in modo, which is so attractive to 
 the gentler sex, and not unfrequently captivates the 
 minds of firmer mold, in society at large. His forehead 
 was prominent, and claimed for its possessor an intelli- 
 gence above the ordinary capacity of mankind. His 
 nose was the distinguishing feature of a face which wore 
 an aspect of seriousness and thought, almost amounting 
 to cold reserve. Like many of the nobility, he was 
 extremely near-sighted ; and, unlike many of the pres- 
 ent age, who ape this defect of nature, he found it a 
 matter of serious inconvenience. In gunning, particu- 
 larly (an amusement of which he was passionately fond), 
 he had usually to be accompanied by his wife, or some 
 one of his servants, who levelled his fowling-piece and 
 brought it to bear on the game. Peter, a domestic, who 
 sometimes attended him, was in the habit of taking 
 his station at a short distance, and giving directions 
 after the following manner : 
 
 " Now, level, Mr. Blenneriiassett, A little to the left ! 
 Now to the right ! — there ! — steady \—firc ! " — Oft' would 
 go the gun, and not unfrequently the game. 
 
 His usual dress was of the " old English style, with 
 
EXPERIMENT. 51 
 
 scarlet, or buff-colored, small-clothes and silk stockings ; 
 shoes, with silver buckles ; and a coat generally of bine 
 broad-cloth. When at home, his dress was rather care- 
 less ; often, in warm weather, in his shirt sleeves, with- 
 out coat or waistcoat ; and, in winter, he wore a thick 
 woollen roundabout or jacket."* 
 
 Retiring in disposition, his life was sedentary and 
 studious ; books and philosophical experiments possess- 
 ing greater attractions than the gay and fashionable 
 assemblies of the ball-room. Always entertaining, he 
 never indulged in trivial conversation, but interested his 
 audience in something calculated more to instruct the 
 understanding than to amuse their fancy. 
 
 His scientific studies, which were much facilitated by 
 means of his various apparatus, included chemistry, elec- 
 tricity, galvanism, and astronomy. By the aid of a tele- 
 scope and solar microscope, it was with much satisfaction 
 that he could demonstrate the truth of his theories by 
 practical observation, and acquaint himself more fully 
 with the motions and positions of the planets, as well as 
 the minuter bodies of the earth. AVhile experimenting 
 in chemistry, he had conceived the idea that animal sub- 
 stance might be so adipocerated as to subserve the use of 
 spermaceti for light. He accordingly placed pieces of 
 meat in a small inlet from the river, to undergo a chemi- 
 cal change. When the proper time had elapsed, as he 
 supposed, to test the truth of his theory, on visiting the 
 cove he found the tinny tribes of the water had antici- 
 pated his experiment by converting the meat into food. 
 
 * Hildreth— " American Review," 1848. 
 
52 TIIE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The act was not repeated, and his theory remained unde- 
 monstrated. 
 
 He was a connoisseur in music, and performed admir- 
 ably upon the violin and violincello. Many of his hours 
 of recreation were whiled away with this delightful 
 amusement ; and, being an adept, pieces of his own 
 composition were played with animating effect. 
 
 Of an unsuspecting disposition, he was easily imposed 
 upon by the misrepresentations of others. Not unfre- 
 quently had he to pay enormously for his practical know- 
 ledge of life and human nature. It is reported of him 
 that, on one occasion, having employed an individual to 
 collect muscle shells from the beach, on which they were 
 scattered in great profusion, when the laborer came to 
 receive his pay, Blennerhassett inquired the reason of 
 his high charge. 
 
 " The diving's so deep, and the shells are so scarce." 
 
 " But," replied Blennerhassett, " you do not dive, do 
 you?" 
 
 " Ay, indeed ! In fifteen feet water." 
 
 Believing there was no occasion for misrepresenting a 
 fact, which could be readily ascertained by a short walk 
 to the river, Blennerhassett paid the man his money — a 
 sum equal to five times the real value of the shells. 
 
 Of a nervous temperament, he not unfrequently 
 imagined objects which had no existence in nature, 
 and apprehended evils that were never to be realized. 
 Earthquakes and thunder-storms, to him, were intensely 
 alarming; and such was his timidity on the approach of 
 a threatening cloud, that it was his usual custom to close 
 the doors and windows of his house, and place himself 
 
THE LADY. 53 
 
 in the centre of a bed, to avoid the accidental effects of 
 the electric fluid. 
 
 Of his forensic talents, or legal ability, he never, 
 in this country, gave evidence. He was not deficient, 
 however, in either. The county court of Wood county 
 recommended him to the Governor of Virginia for the 
 magistracy ; and by his Excellency he was duly commis- 
 sioned : but presuming it a condescension for which he 
 should be poorly paid, and still less respected, he mod- 
 estly declined to " qualify," and remained a private 
 citizen. 
 
 Let us turn, for a time, from the man, to contem- 
 plate the person and character of his. companion. 
 History affords but few instances where so much 
 feminine beauty, physical endurance, and many social 
 virtues, were combined with so brilliant a mind, in 
 the person of a female. 
 
 Her stature was above the ordinary bight of her sex ; 
 her form well proportioned and beautifully symmetrical ; 
 her manners of the most captivating gracefulness, with 
 sufficient dignity to repel familiarity and command 
 respect. Her dark-blue eyes, beaming with love and 
 affection, and " sparkling with life and intelligence," 
 looked forth from beneath the long brown lashes, which 
 hung as curtains to conceal their charms. Features of 
 Grecian mold, embellished by a complexion whose car- 
 nation hue health and the hand of nature alone had 
 painted. Her hair, which was of a dark-brown color, 
 was usually concealed beneath a head-dress of rich- 
 colored silk worn after the manner of the Turkish 
 turban. 
 
54 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Her mind was not less polished than her manners; 
 and the fluency with which she wrote and spoke the 
 French and Italian languages, indicated a high degree 
 of cultivation, to which few, even in this golden age of 
 science and letters, have ever attained. Her taste for 
 dramatic composition led her to adopt, as a favorite pas- 
 time, the rehearsal of Shakspearc's plays. These were 
 usually executed with an effect which would have done 
 honor to more professed connoisseurs, and exhibited a 
 talent which needed only cultivation to have won lau- 
 rels of lasting freshness in the theatrical world. Her 
 familiarity with various French and English authors ren- 
 dered her an agreeable companion for the man of letters, 
 and proved a valuable assistant to her husband in recal- 
 ling to mind some opinion or expresion of an author 
 which had escaped his memory. 
 
 She cultivated, to some extent, a taste for poetry, and 
 produced several pieces which are still in existence. As 
 we are enabled to offer a specimen of her powers in this 
 flowery department of literature, we forbear an expres- 
 sion of opinion, but leave the lines to represent their 
 authoress. 
 
 But it is only in the e very-day affairs of life that we 
 can gain a perfect knowledge of the true character of 
 individuals. It was in this peculiar sphere that Mrs. 
 Blennerhassett exhibited an uncommon degree of excel- 
 lence, and won the affection of all within her influence. 
 She adapted her customs to the society around her, and 
 joined in their amusements and festivities with all the 
 spirit of one accustomed to frontier life from earliest 
 infancy. Riding on horseback was a delightful and 
 
THE HOUSEWIFE. 55 
 
 healthy exercise, in which she frequently participated. 
 At such times, she was usually habited in a fine cloth 
 riding-dress, of scarlet color, richly bespangled with gold 
 lace and glittering buttons. From her downy hat waved 
 " the graceful plume of the ostrich," and the rich folds 
 of her drapery fell gaily over the flanks of her noble 
 steed. Over hill and through dale, with the fleetness 
 of the deer, she took her course, and seldom did her 
 attendant get a glimpse of his sprightly charge until 
 she checked her speed to await his coming. 
 
 That she was capable of extraordinary physical endur- 
 ance was frequently demonstrated by the long and speeds- 
 walks she performed, whether on business or visiting- 
 some favorite friend. She has been known to accom- 
 plish a pedestrian tour, of from ten to twenty miles, 
 with as much ease as other ladies would make their 
 usual calls among city or village acquaintances. Fences 
 or fallen timbers were no impediments. Bounding over 
 them with astonishing agility, she carelessly pursued her 
 Way, as though tracing the more familiar paths of the 
 wild woods. 
 
 Although she participated in the various amusements 
 through the country, and was the ruling spirit of every 
 assembly, she never neglected the ordinary duties of her 
 household ; every apartment received her personal atten- 
 tion, from the kitchen to the chambers, and was duly 
 cleansed and arranged according to her direction. By 
 her were the daily tasks of the servants assigned, while 
 she performed with cheerfulness the duties devolving 
 upon herself. 
 
56 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 The character and habits of life of the early settlers 
 of Western Virginia, are topics which have engaged the 
 labors of but few pens ; but they are not the less inter- 
 esting on that account. 
 
 Many of the inhabitants of this new, and hitherto 
 uncultivated, portion of the State, were intelligent sons 
 of families of distinction in the " Old Dominion." The 
 great abundance of game of nearly every variety, the 
 free and exciting sports of a life in the Western wilds, 
 devoid of care and free from the conventional restraints 
 of society; the health-invigorating glorious fun of fol- 
 lowing 
 
 " The stag to the slippery crag, 
 And chasing the bounding roe," 
 
 combined to allure the ardent and pleasure-loving youths 
 from the tamer scenes of their childhood to those bound- 
 less fields of new and ever-changing excitement. Others 
 enjoying smaller patrimonies, hearing of the rich allu- 
 vial bottoms of the Ohio and its tributaries, and the 
 low price at which land could be procured, deserted their 
 less inviting homesteads to seek new sources of wealth 
 beyond those blue peaks which many regarded as the 
 Western limit of civilization. Penury, and the exhaust- 
 ed lands of other portions of the State, drove no incon- 
 
FRONTIER LIFE. 57 
 
 siclerable number in search of genial soil, where the 
 hand of man might realize rich returns from the toil 
 bestowed upon it ; or the abounding game should furnish 
 supplies without the effort which nature requires of 
 those who seek her bounties. 
 
 Populated by these various classes, enticed thither 
 through considerations as different as the dispositions 
 and circumstances of the individuals themselves, that 
 love of society which is seldom lost in man served to 
 banish distinctions of rank, and render an absolute 
 equality essentially necessary to their social existence. 
 Around the blazing fire, the son of the wide-famed 
 statesman tripped merrily in the mazes of the dance 
 with the daughter of the unknown peasant. The 
 scholar, orator and divine strove, in eager emulation, 
 to plant their rifle-balls as near the center of the target 
 as that of the uncultivated woodsman. 
 
 Remote from friends, from society, and the pleasing- 
 associations of earlier years, they devised amusements in 
 every thing, and made frolic of labor itself. A house- 
 raising, or log'-rolling, was as cheerfully attended as the 
 wedding of a favorite friend ; and a corn-husking col- 
 lected the inhabitants from several miles around. The 
 almost daily interchange of civilities, and constant asso- 
 ciation of the various classes, as well for the purpose of 
 joint protection against the deadly rifle of the savage, 
 as the innate love of company, served to mold the 
 general character of the population into a distinct type-, 
 peculiar to themselves, and stamped their virtues with 
 an originality which the mutations of time have failed 
 to change. 
 
58 TUE BLBNNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The Virginian, thus re-molded (if we may he allowed 
 the expression), from his active habits of life, was capable 
 of extraordinary feats of strength and astonishing agility 
 of limb. For a wrestle or a foot-race, he was always 
 ready, and never refused a challenge to take a trial at 
 cither. While, to gratify his revenge, he would have 
 grappled with Apollo for the tripod of the temple; yet 
 the overflowing fountains of his heart gushed forth, in 
 streams of sympathy, for the misfortunes of his fellow- 
 men. Chivalrous, brave, and independent, " he would 
 not have courted Neptune for his trident, nor Jove for 
 his power to thunder." With a generosity bordering on 
 extravagance, his house, his horse, his gun — yea, every 
 thing but the sacredness of virtue — were at the disposal 
 of his friends. Clad in the buck-skin moccasin, with a 
 hunting-shirt of linsey-woolsey, his rifle on his shoulder, 
 and a butcher-knife at his side, he never changed his 
 apparel to suit the circumstances under which he was 
 placed ; and, whether pursuing the fleeting game, visit- 
 ing a neighbor, or attending the services of the church, 
 the same attire was suitable both to the day and the 
 occasion. 
 
 The deer hunt, the horse-race, and ever-glorious fox- 
 chase, were the usual sources of amusement among the 
 men ; while the women found enjoyment at the various 
 wool-pickings and quiltings throughout the neighbor- 
 hood. The circumstance of their spending so much 
 time in the enjoyment of lawful amusements, is to be 
 accounted for in the fact, that, at that early period, they 
 had but few desires to be satisfied, and fewer wants to 
 be supplied. There being then but little, if any, demand 
 
WESTERN PATRIOTISM. 59 
 
 for agricultural produce, it was unnecessary to raise 
 more than the consumption of the immediate vicinity 
 required. Remotely situated from the extravagance and 
 luxury of more cultivated society, there was no need of 
 mahogany sideboards, groaning with champagne, nor 
 of Brussels nor Turkey carpets to decorate their floors. 
 
 Their unflinching patriotism w T as repeatedly tested in 
 the Revolution, and in various engagements with the 
 Indians. At the first call of their country's voice, the 
 animated response was heard in every hamlet. When 
 they had neither the soldier's uniform, nor equipages, 
 nor arms, they seized their trusty rifles ; and, from their 
 smiling fields of toil, from the pleasant scenes of their 
 sportive pastimes, they flew to win a soldier's name or a 
 soldier's grave. The result of their efforts shall glow 
 beneath the pencil and the pen — shall live in national 
 song, and survive in the spirit-stirring anthem, till none 
 are worthy to repeat the strain, or to paint the scenes of 
 their country's glory ! When the question of the pur- 
 chase of Louisiana was first mooted in our national 
 councils, and it was then urged that the inhabitants of 
 that territory would prevent a free and easy navigation 
 of the Mississippi river; — " Give me," said Washington, 
 " three hundred picked men, well-tried and true, of old 
 West Augusta,* and I will carve my way to the Gulf." 
 What higher compliment could have been paid to the 
 patriotism and bravery of the original settlers of the 
 
 * This was the term applied to all the territory west of the Allegha- 
 nies, known as the North-West Territory. Augusta County then com- 
 prising the whole. 
 
60 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 trans-Alleghany country, of whom a few still remain, 
 as land-marks by which to trace the characters of the 
 departed ? 
 
 While this type of character occupied the Eastern 
 shore of the Ohio, that of the "West contained another, 
 as marked and distinct as that of the Cavalier from the 
 Roundhead. Many revolutionary officers and soldiers of 
 the Northern States, who had exhausted their resources 
 in fighting the battles of their country, and who, from 
 the depleted state of the national finances had to 
 remain for a time without indemnity, either for their 
 services or losses, sought this new land, where they 
 could recuperate their shattered fortunes by economy 
 and industry. Others, too, of the sons of New England, 
 attracted also by the fruitful valleys of this beautiful and 
 majestic river, bade farewell to the rocky and ungrateful 
 soil of their birth, and, with a plow and a bed, a Bible 
 and a wife, set out for the West. Here, hundreds of 
 miles from father Aminidab and mother Patience, they 
 set themselves industriously to work, clearing up farms, 
 from which to realize fortunes, as soon as the circum- 
 stances of the country would permit. That their most 
 sanguine expectations have been fully realized, is hap- 
 pily demonstrated by the fields waving with grain, val- 
 leys filled with herds, and hills covered with flocks, 
 which meet the eye of the traveler as he passes along 
 the stream. While the meed of praise lias been awarded 
 them for their indefatigable industry, they have not been 
 regarded as possessing that generous hospitality which 
 is characteristic of their neighbors of Virginia. Edu- 
 cated to believe there was no product without labor, no 
 
blennerhassett's neighbors. 61 
 
 wealth without economy, they indulged but little in 
 amusements, and were careful against expense. In their 
 moral and religious observances, they were rigidly aus- 
 tere. Like the Puritans of Plymouth Pock, from whom 
 they were descended, the Bible formed the chief rule of 
 their conduct. Their family government was based upon 
 its precepts, and its holy teachings were listened to, each 
 Sabbath, in the " forest sanctuary." True, some there 
 were who occasionally broke over the more austere les- 
 sons which had been taught them by their parents, but 
 the exceptions, " like angels' visits, were few and far 
 between." If their liberality at any time exhibited 
 itself, it was usually toward objects of charity, or to 
 spread the teachings of that gospel which they had been 
 taught ever to revere. For bravery and devotion to the 
 welfare of their country, they were justly regarded the 
 equals of their neighbors ; and acts of Indian cruelty 
 were jointly revenged by the two. Having enjoyed 
 early advantages in the best schools and academies of 
 their native States, they were fully informed upon the 
 subjects usually taught at such institutions, and many 
 possessed talents of superior brilliancy. 
 
 Such were the men with whom Blennerhassett had 
 east his fortunes. The variety of characters, perhaps, 
 was as great, if the number of persons was far less, as 
 that of the society he had recently abandoned. There 
 was the hospitable Virginian, who, though he neither 
 claimed nor desired the titular dignity of a nobleman, 
 exhibited a generosity equal to that of its proudest 
 possessor, — a generosity which knew no bounds, and 
 awaited no emergency for its exercise. With a reckless 
 
62 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 profligacy, lie scattered his bounties broadcast; threw 
 open the doors of hospitality ; lavishing, with an 
 unsparing hand, the gifts which fortune had bestowed 
 upon him. There was the high-toned chivalry of the 
 Crusades, which stooped to no baseness ; cringed to no 
 superior ; nor was intimidated by menace ; performing 
 kindnesses, without ostentation, acts of daring, without 
 boasting, and relieving the wants of the distressed, 
 without the hope of reward. There was the zealous 
 Puritan, acknowledging no superior but God; no law 
 binding on the moral man but the Bible ; no religion 
 but that of Calvin; rejecting the unmeaning forms of 
 Popery; combating the doctrine of apostolic success- 
 sion ; and discarding, in his worship, the use of the 
 gown, the surplice, and the prayer-book. There, the 
 meek and pious Christian, dispensing charities without 
 parsimony ; visiting the sick and the afflicted, and min- 
 gling the comforts of religion with the sad and agoniz- 
 ing scenes of death. And there, too, alas ! — the crafty 
 and wily miscreant, making promises never to be ful- 
 filled ; taking advantages in trade ; regarding neither 
 the teachings of Holy Writ, nor the precepts of moral- 
 ity ; but ever faithless, ever insincere, prostrating virtue 
 without compunction, and indulging in every lawless 
 vice. 
 
TROUBLE BREWING. 63 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Before entering upon the more important incidents 
 in the life of Blennerhassett, a preliminary view of 
 Western history is necessary to a knowledge of subse- 
 quent events. 
 
 But few of the millions who now populate the valley 
 of the Mississippi, are familiar, even by tradition, with 
 the difficulties which attended its early colonization. 
 While the States of the Atlantic had engaged the 
 energies of the government, the pioneers of the wilder- 
 ness had been seriously neglected. That young and 
 fertile region lay yet an unbroken forest, but sparsely 
 inhabited, and separated from the sea-board by inter- 
 minable mountains and boundless solitudes. Shut out 
 from the avenues of trade, it contributed nothing to the 
 resources of the government, then much reduced by the 
 Revolution, and the demands of its citizens were regard- 
 ed as burthens to the State, and useless exactions from 
 the public treasury. Nature, it is true, had supplied 
 it with those noble rivers, now the great arteries of 
 trade, but the arbitrary interdict of Spain had closed 
 them against the enterprise and energy of the people. 
 
 The navigation of the Mississippi had been a fruitful 
 source of complaint almost from the first occupation 
 of the territory. Favorites had been rewarded by the 
 
64 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 authorities of Louisiana, but even these had been com- 
 pelled to contribute to the Spanish Crown. Congress 
 had been frequently solicited to assert the rights of the 
 people, whose prosperity was retarded by the restrictive 
 intercourse of trade, yet such was the embarrassment 
 of the government, they could but faintly hope for relief, 
 and that, if at all, at a distant day, and under many 
 disabilities. 
 
 The murmurings of discontent which thus far had been 
 comparatively, but faintly, heard, began now to assume 
 a more threatening tone. Those who had been most 
 loyal in their affection for the Republic, faltered in their 
 allegiance to the confederation. The Government had 
 been admonished of a rupture of the Union, and a forci- 
 ble alliance with a rival power. Measures of relief had 
 been seriously determined on, but the manner of their 
 accomplishment was a subject of no little diversity of 
 opinion. While some advocated the separate organiza- 
 tion of a new Republic, independent of the United 
 States, and closely allied with Spain, others desired 
 annexation to Louisiana, and submission to Spanish 
 domination. Some there were who advised a war with 
 Spain, as affording a pretext for seizing on Xew Orleans : 
 while a fourth suggested that Congress should be pre- 
 vailed on to show preparation for war, and by alarming 
 their apprehensions, " extort from the Cabinet of Madrid 
 what it persisted in refusing." The fifth and last sug- 
 gested, that France should be solicited to procure a 
 retrocession of Louisiana, and to extend her protection 
 to the inhabitants of Kentucky.* 
 
 Martins History c>:' Kentucky, Vol. II, p. 101. 
 
GEN. WILKINSON. 65 
 
 The extension of its American possessions, and the 
 control of trade, had long been the desire of the Span- 
 ish Crown. The occasion was opportune, and did not 
 • ■scape the superior vigilance of its public servant. The 
 obstruction to navigation, which had been purposely 
 thrown in the way of the inhabitants of the upper 
 country, seemed now to have produced the desired 
 result; and Miro, the Governor of Louisiana, flattered 
 himself, from the discontent which appeared every where 
 prevailing, that at no distant day he could report to the 
 Cabinet the dismemberment of Kentucky from the 
 Union, and its voluntary acknowledgement of Spanish 
 domination. 
 
 General James Wilkinson was at that time one of the 
 leading; men of the district. He had been a successful 
 soldier in the Revolution, and greatly distinguished him- 
 self by his unflinching courage and superior military 
 tact. Like many of his compatriots, at the close of the 
 war, he had been left with limited pecuniary resources, 
 and found it necessary to turn his attention to other 
 pursuits. Still comparatively young, with a vigorous 
 constitution, and superior intellectual attainments, he 
 hoped soon to establish an independence of fortune, and 
 elevate himself to distinguished civic position. With a 
 remarkably discriminating judgment, few men better 
 understood the motives which influence human action, 
 and none more successful in wielding that knowledge 
 to his own advantage. 
 
 In the fall of 1787, having laden a boat with tobacco 
 and flour, he descended to New Orleans, with the osten- 
 sible purpose of making arrangements with the Spanish 
 
03 THE BLENNERE LSSETT PAPERS. 
 
 authorities, by which to secure to the inhabitants of the 
 upper waters the free navigation of the river, and a 
 market for their products. Scarcely had he landed, 
 however, before he found himself surrounded by a 
 retinue of officers, who informed him that they were 
 directed to seize upon his cargo, which had been confis- 
 cated to the Government, and that he himself was 
 required to appear before the Governor. Miro soon dis- 
 covered that the individual, of all others, whom he could 
 have most desired for the furtherance of his objects, was 
 then in his presence, a suppliant for his favor. He 
 found in Wilkinson a man of ripe experience and exten- 
 sive influence. Insinuating in address, bold but reserved. 
 with a ready familiarity in the passing atiairs of foreign 
 governments, not less than in those of his own, he pos- 
 sessed in an eminent degree many of the higher cpuilities 
 of an accomplished diplomatist. Hence, it was of the 
 first importance that his services should be secured to the 
 interest of the crown, which might thus, by the efficient 
 aid of an emissary in disguise, perfect its plans without 
 the hazard of detection. At the close of the interview, 
 the boats were released, and permission granted to 
 dispose of the cargo. A generous display of hospitality, 
 on the part of the Governor and citizens, soon succeeded. 
 Costly feasts and brilliant assemblages became the daily 
 entertainment, to which Wilkinson was invited. Per- 
 mission was also granted him to ''introduce into Louis 
 iana, free of duty, many Western articles of trade which 
 were adapted to the market." 
 
 The sudden and growing intimacy between the Span- 
 ish Governor and American planter had been marked b} 
 
SPANISH INTRIGUE. 67 
 
 many, and excited a suspicion of intrigue between the 
 two. It was slyly insinuated that something beyond 
 commercial privileges was in negotiation ; but with its 
 objects and entire extent they were, as yet, imperfectly 
 acquainted. Nothing was at that time disclosed further 
 than that Wilkinson had written a dissertation " respect- 
 ing the political interests of Spain and the inhabitants 
 of the United States, dwelling in the regions upon the 
 Western waters." This was addressed to Miro, to be 
 forwarded to the King of Spain, with whom he desired 
 it to be known that he was then negotiating for the free 
 navigation of the Mississippi. But it has been asserted, 
 and certainly not without proof, that this communica- 
 tion was intended by Wilkinson to conceal a different 
 design, indorsed by Miro, and to which but few others 
 were privy. 
 
 Garcloqui, the Spanish minister in Philadelphia, with- 
 out the knowledge of Miro, and, therefore, without con- 
 cert of plan, had conceived the project of settling 
 Louisiana by emigration from the United States. By 
 this means he hoped to draw to the interest of the 
 Spanish Crown the people of Kentucky, which should 
 result in her secession from the Union, with other dis- 
 tricts then similarly disaffected. 
 
 To Pierre cTArges, Gardocpri committed the execution 
 of his scheme. By authority of the Cabinet at Madrid, 
 he invited the inhabitants of Kentucky, and those dwell- 
 ing along the Cumberland, to remove to West Florida, 
 and the Florida district of Lower Louisiana, and place 
 themselves under the protection of Spain. Liberal 
 grants of land, with extensive privileges, were offered to 
 
68 THE ELENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 all who desired to better their condition ; and as a greater 
 inducement to those owning property, slaves, stock, 
 farming utensils, and provisions for two years, were to be 
 admitted free; while a duty of twenty-five per cent, was 
 levied upon property imported into the colony for trade 
 or consumption. 
 
 But the plan of the Spanish representative threatened 
 a collision with that of Miro. Both were ambitious of 
 the favor at court, with which the success of their under- 
 takings would be rewarded; and hence they desired to 
 keep as a secret the means by which the object was to be 
 effected. 
 
 In a dispatch addressed by Miro on the 8th of January, 
 1788, to Valdes, the Minister and Secretary of State for 
 the department of the Indies, writing of the plans of 
 D'Arges, he says: "I fear that they may clash with 
 Wilkinson's principal object. In the first place, .D'Arges 
 having presented himself here with very little pru- 
 dence and concealment, it may turn out, that Wilkin- 
 son, in Kentucky, being made aware of the mission of 
 this agent, may think we are not sincere, and that, 
 endeavoring to realize his project without him, we use 
 him merely as a tool to facilitate the operations of 
 D'Arges. Under the impression that D'Arges may reap 
 the whole credit of the undertaking, in case of success, 
 it may happen that he will counteract them ; for this 
 reason I have been reflecting for many days, whether it 
 would not be proper to communicate to D'Arges Wilkin- 
 son's plans, and to Wilkinson the mission of D'Arges, in 
 order to unite them, and to dispose them to work in 
 concert. But I dare not do so, because D'Arges may 
 
Wilkinson's movements. 69 
 
 consider that the great projects of Wilkinson may destroy 
 the merit of his own, and he may communicate them to 
 some one who might cause Wilkinson to be arrested as 
 a criminal ; and, also, because Wilkinson may take 
 offense at another being admitted to participate in con- 
 fidential proceedings upon which depended his life and 
 honor, as he expresses himself in his memoir."* 
 
 In the same dispatch he continues: "The delivering 
 up of Kentucky into his Majesty's hands, which is the 
 main object to which Wilkinson has promised to devote 
 himself entirely, would forever constitute this province 
 
 a rampart for the protection of New Spain. 
 
 *. * * * * * * * 
 
 The Western people would no longer have any induce- 
 ment to emigrate, if they were put in possession of a 
 free trade with us. This is the reason why this privilege 
 should be granted only to a few individuals having influ- 
 ence among them, as is suggested in Wilkinson's memo- 
 rial, because, in their seeing the advantages bestowed on 
 the few, they might be easily persuaded to acquire the 
 like by becoming Spanish subjects.". 
 
 Wilkinson, having remained several months at New 
 Orleans, instead of returning to Kentucky by way of the 
 river, sailed for Philadelphia, from whence he proceeded 
 
 * This official dispatch of Miro's reveals the fact of what had before vested 
 only on suspicion, that Wilkinson prepared two memorials to the king — one 
 for the eye of the public, particularly the people of the West, asserting their 
 rights and the importance of their trade to Louisiana and to Spain, anil ex- 
 pressing his fears, in the meantime, lest the English should intervene, and, 
 by joining with the disaffected portion of the western districts, wrest from 
 the Spanish crown its possessions in Louisiana ; the other, intended only 
 for the Cabinet at Madrid, disclosing a plan for the acquisition of Ken- 
 tucky, by her separation from the Union and attachment to Louisiana. 
 
70 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to Richmond, Virginia, then the seat of Government for 
 the Kentucky District. From this point he addressed a 
 letter to Gardoqui, relative to the affairs of Louisiana, 
 and, as he subsequently informed Miro, to sound him 
 upon his plans, and to divert his attention from himself, 
 as he had been informed that his own reception at New 
 Orleans had been the subject of comment by the Span- 
 ish Minister. 
 
 Gardoqui, in the meantime, was busily engaged in car- 
 rying forward his scheme of colonization. Col. George 
 Morgan, a soldier of the Revolution, had conceived 
 himself greatly injured by the Government, in rejecting 
 what he believed a meritorious claim, and smarting 
 under his disappointment, resolved to avail himself of 
 the opportunit} 7 of placing himself beyond the limits of 
 the United States, and, by securing a liberal grant of the 
 Spanish Crown, to restore his broken fortunes in the 
 fertile valley of the Mississippi. Having applied to Gar- 
 doqui, he obtained the conveyance of a vast tract of 
 land, situated some seventy miles below the mouth of 
 the Ohio, upon which he stipulated to place a large num- 
 ber of families, and subsequently laid out the town of 
 New Madrid. D'Arg&s had already informed Charles de 
 Grandpre, Governor of batches, to have preparation 
 made for the reception of fifteen hundred and eighty-two 
 families, which were expected soon to arrive from Ken- 
 tucky to take possession of their promised bounties.* 
 
 *To each family not owning negroes was granted six arpens of land, 
 fronting a bayou or water-course, with forty in depth, making a total of 
 two hundred and forty arpens; to such as had two, three, or four slaves, 
 or had a family composed of four or six adult unmarried sons capable of 
 working, ten arpens in front by forty in depth ; to such as had from ten 
 
Wilkinson's movements. 71 
 
 During the month of February, 1788, Wilkinson re- 
 turned across the mountains to Kentucky. His splendid 
 equipage and numerous servants attracted the attention 
 and excited the wonder of his old companions, while 
 rumors were freely circulated, that his sudden exhibition 
 of wealth was to be attributed to something beyond the 
 profits on his Southern cargo. It was suggested that 
 others, who should follow his example, might discover 
 the source from whence it sprung, and that the philoso- 
 pher's stone, which was to turn every thing it touched 
 into gold, lay within the limits of the Spanish dominion. 
 On the subject of the navigation of the Mississippi he 
 grew quite enthusiastic, demonstrating in glowing lan- 
 guage the benefits to be derived from direct commercial 
 relations with New Orleans, and at the same time inform- 
 ing his friends of the exclusive privileges which had 
 been granted him by the Spanish Governor. He entered 
 into large contracts for tobacco, and at once excited the 
 jealousy of his rivals by the liberal prices offered for 
 western products.* 
 
 Soon after his return he dispatched a pirogue, with two 
 oarsmen, to New Orleans, conveying a communicationf 
 
 to twenty negroes, fifteen arpens by forty; and to those owning more than 
 twenty negroes, twenty arpens by forty. 
 
 * Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I, p. 283. 
 
 t Most of these dispatches, if not all, were originally in cypher; they 
 are to be found at length, and in Spanish, in the archives of Spain. Copies 
 made in compliance with a resolution of the Legislature of the State of 
 Louisiana, under the supervision of M. de Gayangos, a gentleman distin- 
 guished for his learning and literary works; and also under the direction 
 of his Excellency Romulus Saunders, who was then the United States Min- 
 ister Plenipotentiary at Madrid, are d< posited in the office of the Secretary 
 Of State at Baton Rouge.— Gayarrcs History of Louisiana, Vol. Ill, j>. 211. 
 
72 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to Miro, informing the latter of his safe return across 
 the mountains, and assuring him that their joint de- 
 sign was soon to be accomplished, as Kentucky had 
 separated herself from Virginia, and the rest, as Spain 
 desired, must inevitably follow. " I have," he says, " col- 
 lected much European and American news, and have 
 made various interesting observations for our political 
 designs. It would take a volume to contain all that I 
 have to communicate to you. But I dispatch this letter 
 with such haste, and its fate is so uncertain, that I hope 
 you will excuse me for not saying more until the arrival 
 of my boats, and, in the meantime, I pray you to content 
 yourself with this assurance, all my predictions are verify- 
 ing themselves, and not a measure is taken on both sides of 
 the mountains which does not conspire to favor ours. * * * 
 I beg you to be easy, and to be satisfied that nothing 
 shall deter me from attending exclusively to the object 
 we have in hand, and I am convinced that the success 
 of our plan will depend on the disposition of the court." 
 
 Whether Wilkinson was really in earnest in carry- 
 ing into execution the designs of the Spanish Gov- 
 ernor, may, by some, be regarded as a matter of con- 
 jecture; but that he was, nevertheless, using him for 
 pecuniary gain, is clearly established by Miro's frequent 
 dispatches to the home government, recommending the 
 purchase of increased amounts of tobacco, in which it 
 was known that Wilkinson was then dealing. 
 
 " There is no means," he writes, " more powerful to 
 accomplish the principal object we have in view, in the 
 memorial which has been laid before his Majesty, than 
 the promise, that the government will take as much as 
 
MAJOR DUNN. 73 
 
 six millions of their tobacco, instead of the two millions 
 which are now bought from them." 
 
 In a subsequent dispatch, after the arrival of several 
 flat-boats, owned by Wilkinson, and under charge of 
 Major Dunn, which the Governor was assured cost seven 
 thousand dollars in Kentucky, Miro says, that, from the 
 beginning, Wilkinson had informed him that he was not 
 possessed of any pecuniary resources ; that on the recom- 
 mendation of the Intendant, he had obtained a loan 
 of three thousand dollars from a gentleman in ]STew 
 Orleans, and, therefore, recpuested that his cargo should 
 not be seized, as he had pledged the product of its sale 
 to refund the sum, and to pay his crew, and the amount 
 due on the tobacco, which had been purchased on credit. 
 The balance was to enable him to support himself with- 
 out embarrassment, and to contribute to preserve and 
 increase his influence in his own State. "Although his 
 candor," he continues, " and the information which I 
 have sought from many who know him well, seem to 
 assure us that he is working in good earnest, yet I am 
 aware it may be possible that his intention is to enrich 
 himself at our expense, by inflating us with hopes and 
 promises which he knows to be vain. Nevertheless, I 
 have determined to humor him on this occasion." 
 
 Dunn had left Kentucky, in charge of the boats and 
 cargo, on the 15th of May, bearing with him a letter of 
 introduction from Wilkinson. He informed the Gov- 
 ernor and Intendant that the Major was an old military 
 companion, who had come to settle in the country during 
 his absence. The reliance which he placed in his houor, 
 his discretion, and his talents, had induced him, after 
 
74 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 sounding his disposition "with proper caution, to choose 
 him as a fit auxiliary in the execution of their political 
 designs, which he had embraced with credulity. Dunn, 
 he said, would, therefore, present himself in order to 
 confer with them on those points which would require 
 more examination, and to concert with them those 
 measures which they might deem necessary to expe- 
 dite " our'''' plan, and that, through him, he, "Wilkinson, 
 might be able to receive the new instructions which they 
 might deem expedient to send him. "I have also chosen 
 him, he continues, "to bring back the product of the 
 present cargo of my boats." 
 
 For these reasons, he wished to recommend him as one 
 worthy of their entire confidence, and as a safe and saga- 
 cious man, who was properly acquainted with the poli- 
 tical state of the American Union, and with the circum- 
 stances of the Western country. 
 
 He further informed them, that on the first day of 
 January of the next year (1789), by mutual consent, the 
 district of Kentucky would cease to be subject to the 
 jurisdiction of Virginia. That while it was true it had 
 been stipulated, as a necessary condition of their inde- 
 pendence, that Kentucky should be acknowledged as an 
 independent State by Congress, and be admitted, as such, 
 into the Federal Union, yet a convention had already 
 been called to form the constitution of that district, and 
 he felt persuaded that no action on the part of Congress 
 would ever induce the people to abandon the plan which 
 they had adopted, although he had received recent intel- 
 ligence that that body would, beyond a doubt, recognize 
 Kentucky as a sovereign State. 
 
PROJECTING. 75 
 
 The convention was to meet in July; and in the mean- 
 time ho would inquire into the prevailing opinions, and 
 should thereby he able to ascertain the extent of the 
 influence of the members elected. When that was done, 
 after having previously come to an understanding with 
 two or three individuals capable of assisting him, he 
 should disclose so much of their great scheme as might 
 appear appropriate. He, as yet, had been communicative 
 but to two individuals; he, however, had sounded many: 
 and wherever he had made known to any of them Miro's 
 answer to his memorial, it had given the greatest satis- 
 faction. Col. Alexander Leatt Bullitt, and Harry Innis, 
 the Attorney-General, were the only persons to whom 
 he had fully communicated ; and should any mishap 
 befall him before the accomplishment of their ends, he 
 desired the Spanish authorities to address themselves to 
 these gentlemen, whose political designs, he asserted, 
 agreed with their own. An early organization of the 
 State government was anticipated, at which time it was 
 intended to appoint an agent to treat with Spain ; and as 
 for Congress opposing any obstacle to the measure, it 
 was ridiculously absurd ; for under the federal compact, 
 that body could neither furnish men nor money; and, as 
 to the new government, should it ever establish itself, it 
 would have to encounter difficulties which would keep it 
 weak for three or four years, before the expiration of 
 which, he had good reason for believing, that himself 
 and Miro would complete their negotiations, and would 
 become too strong for any force that could be sent 
 against them. 
 
 Urging upon the authorities the great importance of 
 
76 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 permitting him to trade unmolested, and allowing but 
 few individuals to pass duty free, he says : u The only 
 tie which can preserve the connection of the Western 
 country with the Atlantic States, is the necessity of 
 reiving on them altogether for their supplies of such 
 articles as are not manufactured by the people; and as 
 soon as they ascertain that these can be procured 
 through the river, their dependent state will cease, 
 and with it all motives of connection with the other 
 side of the Apalachian mountains." 
 
 Major Dunn confirmed the statement of Wilkinson, 
 and assured Miro that the next year after the meeting 
 of the first assembly, in which Kentucky would act as 
 an independent State, she would separate from the Fed- 
 eral Union. He further assured the Governor, that 
 many of the most distinguished citizens of the State 
 had expressed themselves to that effect, and that the 
 direction of the current of the rivers, which washes in 
 front of their dwellings, pointed clearly to the power to 
 which they should ally themselves. 
 
 About this time Miro was much gratified at the receipt 
 of a copy of a dispatch from McGillivray, the half-breed 
 Chief of the Salapouches, to the Governor of Pensacola, 
 in which he informed the Spanish official that the settlers 
 in the Cumberland and Kentucky districts, against whom 
 he had committed many atrocities, had sued for peace ; 
 and, as an inducement to a cessation of hostilities, had 
 assured him that they would throw themselves into the 
 arms of his Majesty, as subjects, and were determined 
 to free themselves from their dependence on Congress, 
 because that body could not protect either their persons 
 
DIPLOMACY. 77 
 
 or tlieir property, nor, by favoring commerce, promote 
 their prosperity: hence they owed no obedience to a 
 power which was incapable of benefiting them. 
 
 Elated with the prospects of success, Miro's dispatches 
 to the King spoke so encouragingly, and with such confi- 
 dence, that they did not fail to create high hopes in the 
 breast of the Cabinet as to the favorable result of his 
 plans. Martin Navarro, his associate, had left the prov- 
 ince for Spain, and Miro exercised in his own person the 
 two offices of Intendant and Governor. No other person 
 had been sent to supply his place ; it being deemed best 
 to leave negotiations entirely with the few who had been 
 admitted to the secret, lest Wilkinson and his associates 
 might be exposed. 
 
 Until now, Gardoqui and the Governor had been act- 
 ing separate parts. Both were ambitious to accomplish 
 their projects, and both were emulous of the rewards 
 which were to follow. Neither had communicated his 
 secrets to the other, while both were struggling for a 
 common design. "With such privacy had they conducted 
 their several schemes, that even Wilkinson was as yet 
 uninformed of the secret agency of D'ArgSs. Miro had 
 failed to apprise him of it for fear of the displeasure it 
 might occasion him and Gardoqui, through a distrust 
 of the General, and a desire to accomplish his object 
 without his co-operation. 
 
 The diplomacy displayed by these two officials of his 
 Majesty evinces talents of no ordinary ability. Both 
 were dealing with an experienced tactician, who prided 
 himself upon his superior sagacity. He had, as yet, 
 gained neither the affection of the one, nor the confi- 
 
78 TIIE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 dence of the other. Both had read their antagonist, 
 and conceived thoy knew the individual with whom they 
 confederated. Miro had, therefore, to suppress a smile at 
 Wilkinson's ingenuousness in communicating the fact 
 that he had been approached by both French and Eng- 
 lish emissaries, who were busily engaged in enlisting, 
 each in his own behalf, the interests of Kentucky. 
 
 "It is to my knowledge," writes Wilkinson, "that the 
 Court of Versailles has, for years past, been collecting 
 every sort of information with reference to this district, 
 and that it would give a great deal to recover its posses- 
 sions on the Mississippi. In the year 1785, a knight of 
 St. Louis, named D'Arg&s, arrived at the falls of the 
 Ohio, gave himself out for a naturalist, and pretended 
 that his object was to inquire into the curious produc- 
 tions of this country, but his manner of living contra- 
 dicted his assertion. He made few acquaintances, lived 
 very retired, and during one year that he remained here 
 he never went out. of Louisville, where he resided, fur- 
 ther than six miles. On his perusing the first memorial 
 which the people of this district presented to the Legis- 
 lature of Virginia, on the question of separation, he 
 expressed his admiration that there should be in so new 
 a country, a writer capable of framing such a composi- 
 tion ; then, after having made some reflections on the 
 progressive importance of our settlement, he exclaimed 
 with enthusiasm, "Good God! my country has been 
 blind, but its eyes shall be opened.' The confidential 
 friend of this gentleman was a Mr. Tardiveau, who had 
 resided many years in Kentucky. D'Arges used to draw 
 drafts on M. de Marbois, then Consul of France, at iSTew 
 
RUMORED TREATY.. 79 
 
 York; and, finally, lie lived as one who belonged to the 
 family of Count de Moustier, the French Minister; and 
 I am informed, from a good source, that he presented to 
 this same Count de Moustier, a very elaborate memorial 
 on these settlements, which was forwarded to the Court 
 of France. 
 
 "Perhaps, sir," he continues, "you will think this 
 information frivolous, but I am sure you will believe that 
 it proceeds from my devoted zeal for the interests of 
 Spain. Please remember that trifles light as air, fre- 
 quently are, for the faithful and the zealous, proofs as 
 strong as those of Holy Writ." * This same D'Arges 
 was then in the actual service of Gardoqui, under 
 instructions from the Court of Madrid, and in conference 
 with Miro. 
 
 Wilkinson had been actively engaged in sowing the 
 seeds of dissension in Kentucky. George Muter, Harry 
 Innis, John Brown and Benjamin Sebastian, conspicuous 
 and influential men, had been admitted to the secret, and 
 were fully committed to the enterprise. Possessing 
 talents of marked ability themselves, they, nevertheless, 
 looked to Wilkinson for counsel and direction. The 
 people were kept in constant agitation by conventions 
 and meetings on the subject of their grievances. The 
 Secretary of State, Mr. Jay, it was asserted, had formed, 
 or was about to form, a treaty with Spain, by which the 
 exclusive right to navigate the Mississippi for twenty-five 
 years, on the part of his Majesty, was to be recognized 
 by the United States Government. Delegates had been 
 
 *Gayarre, Vol. Ill, p. 238. 
 
80 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 assembled from the principal counties of Kentucky, had 
 discussed their grievances, and had separated without 
 any organized plan. The people became distracted, their 
 burthens became more and more intolerable ; and many 
 seemed willing to resort to any thing that promised a 
 present relief. It was true that not a few of the evils of 
 which they complained were imaginary — some unavoid- 
 able — perhaps all, in time, would have been satisfactorily 
 adjusted ; yet they conceived themselves aggrieved, and 
 it was the policy of their leaders to cultivate such a 
 belief. 
 
 Wilkinson had returned in February, 1788. He had 
 sailed from ±sTew Orleans to Philadelphia ; visited Rich- 
 mond, Virginia ; was present in the Assembly when the 
 separation of Kentucky was voted on, and was greatly 
 gratified when the result was announced. His entrance 
 into Lexington was grand and imposing. He had left 
 there poor and in debt, only the summer before, but now 
 flourished in splendid chariot, drawn by four richly- 
 caparisoned horses, and attended by several slaves.* 
 Unfavorable rumors were freely circulated. By some, it 
 was hinted that at ITew Orleans he had sold both his 
 cargo and himself; that, in fact, he had taken the oath 
 of allegiance, and had already become a subject of Spain. 
 He informed them, himself, of the exclusive privileges 
 granted him by the Governor, by which he could ship 
 tobacco, and deposit it at the king's store at ten dollars 
 the hundred, which was a privilege allowed only to his 
 Majesty's subjects. He advocated the right to navigate 
 
 * Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I, p. 263. 
 
OBNOXIOUS FEDERALISM. 81 
 
 the Mississippi, urged the great importance of a com- 
 mercial connection of the two countries, and insinuated 
 that it might all be effected by a separation from the 
 Union and the independence of Kentucky. Many were 
 already convinced ; others felt that their prosperity had 
 been too long retarded by the inactivity of the Govern- 
 ment. " What has been accomplished by Wilkinson," 
 they argued, " may also be effected for ourselves." As 
 yet they had derived no benefits from the Union ; but as 
 an independent State they could form an alliance with 
 Spain, and reap the advantages of her liberal patronage. 
 The incredulous, of whom there were many, were reluct- 
 ant to move. Although they divined the object of Wil- 
 kinson's mission, still he stood high in popular favor, 
 and they were cautious of giving offense. Some there 
 were, who would have openly denounced him, but the 
 facts upon which to base an accusation had been care- 
 fully concealed. By the multitude, however, his acts 
 were highly extolled, and he was flattered by the 
 acknowledgement that to him alone were the citizens 
 of the West indebted for opening that navigation, which 
 Mr. Jay had offered to surrender, and of realizing that 
 commerce which Congress had failed to secure. 
 
 But there was a new cause of excitement which 
 promised to facilitate his design. The merits of the new 
 Constitution of the United States, which had been 
 recently adopted by eleven States of the Union, was the 
 subject of universal interest. The policy of its accept- 
 ance was daily discussed in bar-rooms, at the hust- 
 ings, and in social assemblies. Many of its provisions 
 
 were known to be unpopular with a majority of the 
 6 
 
82 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 citizens of Kentucky, yet it was Loped that the objec- 
 tions might all be obviated by subsequent amendment. 
 The people of the Kentucky district had been called 
 upon to send delegates to Richmond, to meet in Conven- 
 tion in the month of June, at which time it was expected 
 that Virginia would declare her sentiments upon the 
 subject. The session was protracted for three weeks. 
 At length a vote was taken, on the 20th of June, and 
 the instrument ratified by a vote of eighty-eight to 
 seventy-eight ; but three of the Kentucky members vot- 
 ing for it, while eleven declared against it. 
 
 While the preliminary elections were being held, for 
 members of the Convention at Richmond, the people 
 were also required to select delegates to a District Con- 
 vention, to assemble at Danville, charged with the 
 important trust of framing a Constitution for the new 
 State. Wilkinson was chosen a member of that body. 
 It convened on the 28th of July, and proceeded to 
 organize. Its deliberations, however, were suddenly 
 terminated, by the announcement of its president, that 
 he had received a dispatch stating that Congress had 
 declined any further action on the subject of Kentucky ; 
 had, in fact, adjourned without having passed an act for 
 her admission into the Confederation, and leaving the de- 
 cision, on that important question, to the Congress about 
 to be formed under the recently-adopted Constitution.* 
 
 " From this proceeding of Congress," writes Wilkin- 
 son to Miro, " it resulted that the Convention was of 
 opinion that our proposed independence and separation 
 
 * Marshall's History of Kentucky. Vol. I, p. 228. 
 
SOUTH-WESTERN FEELING. 83 
 
 from Virginia, not being ratified, its mission and powers 
 were at an end, arid we found ourselves in the alternative, 
 either of proceeding to declare our independence, or of 
 waiting according to the recommendation of Congress. 
 This was the state of affairs when the Honorable Caleb 
 Wallace, one of our Supreme Judges, the Attorney Gen- 
 eral, Innis, and Benjamin Sebastian, proposed a prompt 
 separation from the American Union, and advocated, 
 with intrepidity, the necessity of the measure. The arti- 
 fice of Congress was exposed, its proceedings reprobated, 
 the consecpicnces of depending on a body whose interests 
 were opposed to ours, were depicted in the most vivid 
 colors, and the strongest motives were set forth to 
 justify the separation. The arguments used were un- 
 answerable, and no opposition was manifested in the 
 course of the debates. It was conceded, unanimously, 
 that the present connection was injurious to our interests, 
 and that it could not last any length of time. Never- 
 theless, sir, when the epiestion was finally taken, fear and 
 folly prevailed against reason and judgment. It was 
 thought safer and more convenient to adhere to the 
 recommendation of Congress, and, in consequence, it was 
 decided that the people be advised to elect a new Con- 
 vention, which should meet in the month of November."* 
 "To consolidate the interest and confirm the confi- 
 dence of our friends ; to try our strength: to familiarize 
 the people with what we aim at ; to dissipate the appre- 
 hension which important innovations generally produce, 
 and to provoke the resentment of Congress, with a view 
 
 * Gayarre's History of Louisiana, Vol. III., p. 227. 
 
84 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to stimulate that body into some invidious political act 
 which might excite the passions of the people ; these are 
 the motives which influence me, and on which I rely for 
 my justification." 
 
 Wilkinson's solicitude for the measure at length 
 became so apparent, that it excited the suspicions of 
 the people. But, judicious in selection of his agents — 
 adroit in pushing others forward, while he, the arch 
 mover, concealed himself behind the screen of secrecy, 
 corresponding monthly with the Spanish authorities, and 
 forwarding volumes of plans and information respecting 
 affairs, not onl} 7 in Kentucky, but throughout the United 
 States, he presents an unparalleled success in the art of 
 traitorous diplomacy. 
 
 General Morgan was now actually in league with the 
 Spanish authorities. He had accepted his grant ; had 
 surveyed the land, and laid out the town of New Madrid. 
 It was a princely donation, extending from the mouth 
 of the St. Francis to point Cinque Hommes, embracing 
 from twelve to fifteen million of acres. Already had 
 fifty adventurous settlers planted themselves in this 
 garden of the Western wilderness. But the settlement 
 presented a serious impediment to Wilkinson's progress. 
 It was too near the scene of his own operations not to 
 become familiar with his intrigues ; besides, it was 
 known that the town had been purposely established to 
 intercept descending trade, for which reason it had been 
 declared a free port of entry. "Probably," says Wil- 
 kinson to Miro,* "it will destroy the noble fabric of 
 
 * Gayarre's History of Louisiana, Vol. III., p. 244. 
 
SATAN REPROVING SIN. 85 
 
 which we have laid out the foundation, and which we 
 are endeavoring to complete." 
 
 " I am informed," he continues, " that Morgan intends 
 visiting you as soon as he shall have finished the survey 
 of the lands conceded to him. Permit me to supplicate 
 you, my esteemed friends, not to give him any knowl- 
 edge of my plans, sentiments, or designs. It is long- 
 since he has become jealous of me ; and you may rest 
 assured that, in reality, he is not well affected toward 
 our cause, but that he allows himself to he entirely 
 ruled by motives of the vilest self-interest, and, there- 
 fore, that he will not scruple on his return to destroy 
 me." 
 
 That Morgan was prompted by the incentive with 
 which he had been charged, Miro did not feel disposed 
 to question. Men were only to be influenced in such an 
 undertaking by the strongest considerations of private 
 advantage. In fact, it was to that interest only he 
 appealed, and by it alone he could hope for success. 
 But, emanating from such a source, it was Satan reprov- 
 ing sin. Himself a soldier and officer of the Revolution, 
 who had passed successfully through many a scene of 
 doubtful conflict ; who, at the sacrifice of his private for- 
 tune, and at the imminent peril of his life, had aided 
 in effecting the independence of that country he now 
 secretly conspired against. ; who had received her honors, 
 her confidence, and her gratitude ; — was not he himself 
 now seeking, for Spanish influence and Spanish gold, to 
 tear down the noble fabric he had helped to rear, and 
 transfer to Spanish despotism those liberties for which so 
 gallantly he had fought ? " It is not necessary," says 
 
86 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Wilkinson to Gardoqui,* "to suggest to a gentleman of 
 your experience and knowledge that man throughout the 
 world is governed by private interest, however variously 
 modified it may be. Some men are avaricious, some are 
 vain, some are ambitious. To detect the predominant 
 passion, — to lay hold, and to make the most of it, — is 
 the most profound secret of political science/' 
 
 Wilkinson's object was too transparent not to be 
 detected by the penetration of Miro. "Some men are 
 avaricious, some are vain, some ambitious." Wilkinson, 
 he knew, combined the whole. " Hundreds," says he in 
 a subsequent letter,f "have applied to me on this subject 
 avIio are determined to follow my example ; and I do 
 not deceive myself, nor do I deceive 3-011, sir, when I 
 affirm that it is in my power to lead a large body of 
 the most opulent and most respectable of my fellow- 
 citizens whither I shall go myself at their head ; and I 
 flatter myself that, after the dangers I have run, and 
 the sacrifices which I have made — after having put my 
 honor and my life in your hands — you can have no 
 doubt of my favorable disposition toward the interests 
 of his Catholic Majesty, so long as my poor services 
 may be necessary." 
 
 "After having read these remarks, you will be sur- 
 prised at being informed that, lately, I have, jointly 
 with several gentlemen of this country, applied to Don 
 Diego Gardoqui for a concession of land, in order to 
 form a settlement on the Yazoo. The motive of this 
 
 *1 Jan'y, 1789; Gayarre, Vol. Ill, p. 247. 
 tGayarre, Vol. III. p. 233, Feb. 12, 1789. 
 
BRITISH [NTRIGUE. 87 
 
 application is to provide a place of refuge for myself and 
 my adherents, in ease it should become necessary for us 
 to retire from this country in order to avoid the resent- 
 ment of Congress." 
 
 In the meantime, the attention of the representatives 
 of the British Government had been attracted toward 
 the intrigues of the Spanish authorities with some of 
 the more influential citizens of the West. It had been 
 currently reported, that a severance from the Union had 
 been determined on, and that the people were ready to 
 throw themselves into the arms of am- power which 
 would protect them from Indian hostilities, and guai*- 
 antee the free navigation of the Mississippi. 
 
 A Doctor Connally was deputed by Dorchester, Gov- 
 ernor of Canada, to visit Kentucky and ascertain the 
 disposition of the people. He arrived at Louisville in 
 the month of October, 1788, having traveled through 
 the wilderness from Detroit to the Great Miami, and 
 thence down the Ohio. He gave attentive audience to 
 the numerous complaints of the citizens, and suggested 
 a plan by which they could relieve themselves from 
 the embarrassments which the neglect of Congress had 
 thrown around them. Great Britain, lie asserted, was 
 desirous to assist American settlers in their claim to the 
 free navigation of the river. She would join them, with 
 zeal, to open up this avenue of trade, and arrest from the 
 Spanish Crown the Territory of Louisiana. Although 
 the forces in Canada were too few to allow of any dimi- 
 nution of their number, yet Dorchester stood ready to 
 supply the implements of war, and would equip ten 
 thousand men with money, provisions and clothing. 
 
88 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 As soon as the plan of action should be agreed upon, 
 these articles would be forwarded from Detroit, through 
 Lake Erie, to the Miami, and thence to the Wabash, to 
 be transported to any point on the Ohio where the neces- 
 sities of the case might require. A fleet of light vessels 
 would be ready at Jamaica, to take possession of the 
 Balize, simultaneously with an attack to be made by the 
 upper settlements. He desired to raise two regiments in 
 Kentucky, and was authorized by Dorchester to confer 
 rewards and honors on the men of influence who might 
 desire to join him. Officers of the late Continental 
 army who would take command, should rank the same 
 in grade with the officers of Great Britain.* 
 
 The proposition of Connally met with little encour- 
 ao'ement. Dorchester had incited the hostilities of 
 Indians against the Government of the United States, 
 and the inhabitants of the West had been the chief 
 sufferers. Their desolated homes were yet draped in 
 mourning for the victims of savage barbarity. Their 
 wounds were too fresh, and their resentment too impla- 
 cable, easily to forget the sanguinary authors of their 
 sorrow, or to forgive their not less cruel abettors. Wil- 
 kinson had heard of Connally's arrival, and wrote him, 
 requesting an interview. His object was to penetrate his 
 designs, that they might be communicated to the Span- 
 ish Governor. Connally was unsuspecting, and revealed 
 his plans without reserve. Wilkinson listened atten- 
 tively, and was surprised at the boldness of his measures 
 and the extent of his ambition. Great Britain was not 
 
 * Marshall's History of Kentucky, Vol. I, p. 348. 
 
COUNTERPLOTTING. 89 
 
 only contemplating a recovery of her American possess- 
 ions, lost to her at the conventions of Utrecht and Aix 
 la Chapelle, but, also, the extension of their limits to 
 the Gulf of Mexico. His own interests were not less 
 involved in the scheme than those of Spain ; for with 
 the loss of Spanish empire followed the loss, to him, of 
 Spanish favor and contemplated fortune. It was import- 
 ant to check the enterprise ; but it was equally import- 
 ant to avoid suspicion, and give no offence to Connally. 
 He desired to impress him with the implacability of pri- 
 vate resentment, and the impossibility of an English 
 alliance. The manner of its accomplishment is com- 
 municated to Miro in his letter of the 12th of Feb- 
 ruary, 1789 * 
 
 " In order to justify this opiuion of mine, and to 
 induce him to go back, I employed a hunter, who 
 feigned attempting his life. The pretext assumed by 
 the hunter was the avenging of the death of his som, 
 murdered by the Indians at the supposed instigation of 
 the English. As I hold the commission of a civil judge, 
 it was, of course, to be my duty to protect him against 
 the pretended murderer, whom I caused to be arrested 
 and held in custody. I availed myself of this circum- 
 stance to communicate to Connally my fear of not 
 being able to answer for the security of his person, and 
 I expressed my doubts whether he could escape with his 
 life. It alarmed him so much, that he begged me to 
 give him an escort to conduct him out of our territory^ 
 which I readily assented to ; and on the 20th of Novem- 
 
 *Gayarre Vol. III., p. 237 
 
90 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ber lie rc*crossed the Ohio on his way back to Detroit. I 
 did not dismiss him without having previously impressed 
 upon him the propriety of informing me, in as short a 
 time as possible, of the ultimate designs of Lord Dor- 
 chester." 
 
 To induce emigration and trade, the Spanish Gov- 
 ernment, contrary to the remonstrances of Wilkinson, 
 finally consented that the products of the upper coun- 
 try might pass through the Mississippi on the payment 
 of a duty of fifteen per cent. This, as he had foretold, 
 operated to retard the progress of his plans. With the 
 prospect of a ready market, labor resumed its wonted 
 activity, and the murmurs of the people were silenced. 
 Lands rose rapidly in value, wages were increased, and 
 the pursuits of agriculture promised an adequate return 
 for the capital employed. Apprehensive of having it 
 perish on their hands, they had heretofore been deterred 
 from raising more than the consumption of the imme- 
 diate neighborhood demanded; "but now," said Wil- 
 kinson,* "they have no longer any such fears, on 
 account of the ready outlet they find, at New Orleans, 
 for the fruits of their labor." 
 
 Other circumstances, too, were rapidly combining to 
 allay the public discontent. As a measure of policy, the 
 President had distributed a few of the public offices 
 among those who were regarded as disaffected toward 
 the Government, and whose loyalty might be purchased 
 as readily by the bestowal of executive favor as by tjie 
 tempting promises of Spanish gold. "On my arrival 
 
 * Gayarre, Vol. III., p. 277. 
 
COVERING RETREAT. 91 
 
 here," writes Wilkinson to Miro,* " I discovered a great 
 change in those who had been so far our warmest friends. 
 Many who loudly repudiated all connection with the 
 Union, now remain silent. I attribute this to the hope 
 of promotion, or to the fear of punishment. According 
 to my prognostic, Washington has begun to operate on 
 the chief heads of this district. Innis has been appointed 
 a Federal Judge, with an annual salary of one thousand 
 dollars; George Nicholas, District Attorney; Samuel 
 AIcDowel, son of the President of the Convention, and 
 Marshall, to offices somewhat resembling that of Alguazil 
 Mayor; and Peyton Short, the brother of our charge 
 d'affaires at Versailles, is made a Custom-house officer; 
 but lie has resigned, and will probably visit you next 
 spring. I do not place much reliance on George Nicholas 
 and Samuel McDowel. But I know Harry Innis is 
 favorable to Spain and hostile to Congress, and I am 
 authorized to say, that he would prefer receiving a pen- 
 sion from New Orleans than from New York. Should 
 the king approve our design, on this point, it will have 
 to be broached with much delicacy, caution and judg- 
 ment/' He adds : " I fear that we can rely on a few 
 only of my countrymen, if we can not make use of 
 liberal donations." 
 
 But Wilkinson's apprehensions began now to be 
 excited for his own safety. If he was to be thus aban- 
 doned by his associates, and his plans defeated by the 
 admission of Kentucky into the Union, some provision 
 was necessary by which to escape the odium of defeat. 
 
 *26th January, 1790. Gayarre, Vol. Ill, p. 278. 
 
92 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The monopoly of the upper trade had been swept from 
 his grasp by the last act of the Court at Madrid. It had 
 placed on terms of equality all who possessed the capital 
 and energy to compete for the patronage of the Spanish 
 Government. Scores of boats, laden with the products 
 of the country, were pouring their commerce into the 
 lap of New Orleans. The new Constitution proved much 
 more popular than was generally anticipated, and was, 
 day by day, increasing in favor with the people. Wash- 
 ington, too, the illustrious commander in the Revolution, 
 was now the chosen chief of the Union, and his selection 
 had inspired a spirit of loyalty which it was difficult, 
 nay, dangerous to tamper with. Already had "Wilkinson 
 been marked as a traitor, and spies were vigilant in seek- 
 ing the evidences of his intrigue. " My situation," says 
 he,* " is mortally painful ; because, while I abhor du- 
 plicity, I am obliged to dissemble. This makes me 
 extremely desirous of resorting to some contrivance 
 that will put me in a position in which I natter myself 
 to be able to profess myself publicly the vassal of his 
 Catholic Majesty, and, therefore, to claim his protection 
 in whatever public or private measures I may devise to 
 promote the interest of the Crown." " You may rest 
 assured," he adds, " that the constant persecutions of 
 Congress can not produce the slightest impression on my 
 attachment and zeal for the interests of Spain, which I 
 shall always be ready to defend with my tongue, my pen 
 and my sword" 
 
 It would be presumed that Miro would gladly have 
 
 * Gayarre, Vol. III. p. 280. 
 
MIRO'S DISTRUST. 93 
 
 assented to the proposition, and suggested the " contriv- 
 ance " by which to have secured him " a vassal of Spain," 
 but the Spanish Governor knew too well that Wilkin- 
 son's power to subserve his Majesty's interest, lay in his 
 connection with the people of Kentucky, and his intimate 
 knowledge of the affairs of the Federal Government. 
 For were it once understood he had become a subject 
 of Spain, he would, of necessity, be excluded from par- 
 ticipation in their affairs, and his influence lost to the 
 interest of Louisiana. 
 
 " I much regret," replied Miro,* " that General Wash- 
 ington and Congress suspect your connection with me, 
 but it does not appear to me opportune that you declare 
 yourself a Spaniard, for the reason which you state. I 
 am of opinion that this idea of yours is not convenient, 
 and that, on the contrary, it might have prejudicial results. 
 Therefore, continue to dissemble, and to work as you 
 promise, and as I have above indicated. 
 
 Miro now began to feel gloomy forebodings of the 
 result. Wilkinson's late communication had dampened 
 his hopes, and rendered him suspicious even of the Gen- 
 eral himself. He was either the victim of punic faith, or 
 his American emissary had been himself deceived. Yet 
 he was reluctant to believe that Wilkinson, although 
 willing to become a traitor to the Uuion, could also 
 prove a traitor to Spain. Perhaps an over-weaning con- 
 fidence had induced him to promise what he never could 
 perform. It might be that, full of zeal, and persuaded, 
 from the experience of the past, that he could bring 
 
 *Gayarre, Vol. Ill, p. 284. 
 
94 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 round to his own opinions the chief men of Kentucky, 
 he had declared in anticipation that he had won over 
 many of them. But still, it was a fact, that he had never 
 once approached them on the main question, and now 
 that encountering invincible obstacles and, above all, 
 personal risks, it might be his desire to avail himself of 
 the motive set forth in his letter to cover his precipitation. 
 
 "Nevertheless," said Miro, " I am of the opinion that 
 said Brigadier-General ought to be retained in the service 
 of his Majesty, with an annual 'pension of tiro thousand 
 dollars, which I have already proposed in my confidential 
 dispatch, No. 46,* because the inhabitants of Kentucky, 
 and of the other establishments on the Ohio, will not be 
 able to undertake any thing against this province with- 
 out his communicating it to us, and without his making, 
 at the same time, all possible efforts to drive them from 
 any had designs against us, as he has already done re- 
 cently. Miro concludes, by recommending that a pension 
 be granted to Sebastian, "because I think it proper," said 
 he, " to treat with this individual who will be able to enlighten 
 me on the conduct of Wilkinson, <m<l on what we hare to- 
 expect from the plans of the said BriyaJicr-Gencra!." 
 
 We have at length arrived at a point in the history of 
 this intrigue which renders it unnecessary to pursue it 
 further. The key is disclosed which unlocks the door 
 of mystery, and reveals other truths which for half a 
 century have been enveloped in darkness and in doubt; 
 Wilkinson pensioned to guard the interests of Spain, and 
 Sebastian to betray his coif ale rate Wilkinson. 
 
 Gayarre, Vol. ITT, p. 286. 
 
STILL TROUBLED. 95 
 
 Time rolled on. Kentucky had been admitted into 
 the Union, as an independent State. Wilkinson bore 
 the commission of a Lieutenant-Colonel, signed by 
 George Washington, and was in actual command of the 
 American forces. The announcement of his appoint- 
 ment spread consternation among his enemies, and elated 
 his confederates. The question was repeatedly asked, 
 "By whom was he recommended?'' "By myself," 
 replied Col. Marshall, who had been his most formida- 
 ble opponent. He considered Wilkinson, he said, well 
 qualified for the commission he bore; that while he 
 remained unemployed by Government, he regarded him 
 as dangerous to the tranquillity of Kentucky, perhaps to 
 her absolute safety. If his commission did not secure 
 his fidelity, it would place him under control, in the 
 midst of faithful officers, whose vigilance would make 
 him harmless, if it did not make him honest. Wilkin- 
 son would not be permitted to command the army while 
 there existed a doubt of his integrity, and General 
 Washington remained as President of the Republic. At 
 all events, he could see no good reason for not putting 
 the lion in the toils which he himself had solicited.* 
 
 Although the admission of Kentucky into the Union 
 for a time silenced the complaints of the people, yet it 
 failed to restore a unity of sentiment and concert of action. 
 The navigation of the Mississippi was still the subject of 
 discord, not only between the authorities of Louisiana, 
 and the western inhabitants of the States, but also 
 between the mother country and the American Repub- 
 
 :: Marshall's History of Kentucky. Vol. II, p. 391 
 
96 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 He. Negotiations had been protracted, misunderstandings 
 had ensued, and an imbittered diplomatic controversy 
 threatened a collision of arms between the contending 
 countries. Miro, after a service of twenty years, had 
 been recalled to Spain, at his own request, and the gov- 
 ernment of the province committed to the Baron de 
 Carondolet. Louis Sixteenth had perished on the scaf- 
 fold, and Charles the Third, as the avenger of his death, 
 bad declared war against his ruthless executioners. The 
 astounding news of the French Revolution had crossed 
 the Atlantic and penetrated the forests of the western 
 hemisphere. It gave new hopes to the friends of free- 
 dom in Europe, and fresh impetus to the cause of liberty 
 throughout the civilized world. 
 
 Genet, the representative of the French Republic, had 
 not been a disinterested spectator of the intrigues of 
 Spain. His mind involuntarily reverted to that unfortu- 
 nate day when the King of France, grown disgusted 
 with a possession which, for more than half a century, 
 had been the cause of heavy expense, without giving 
 even a faint promise of adequate compensation in the 
 future, ceded to his cousin the King of Spain, without 
 any remuneration whatever, but merely from the pure 
 impulses of his generous heart, and from a sense of the 
 affection and friendship which existed between them, all 
 the country known under the name of Louisiana ; thus, 
 by one stroke of the pen, stripping France " of those 
 boundless possessions which she had acquired at the cost 
 of so much heroic blood and so much treasure, and 
 which extended in one proud, uninterrupted line from 
 the mouth of the St. Lnwrence to that of the Mississippi ; 
 
BIENVILLE. 97 
 
 the adventurous and much-enduring population which 
 had settled there, and had overcome so many perils, 
 under the flag of France, coldly delivered over to the 
 yoke of foreign masters." He heard yet the prayerful 
 remonstrance of the citizens of New Orleans against the 
 impolitic and ungrateful usurpation. In a retrospect of 
 the past he saw the venerable Bienville, with a body bent 
 by the infirmities of eighty-six years, yet with his intel- 
 lectual faculties unimpaired, with the tears gushing from 
 his eyes, prostrate before the Duke de Choiseul, in hum- 
 ble supplication, pleading the cause of that country for 
 whose welfare and prosperity he had spent a life of toil 
 and self-denial. " Was France now to give up the last 
 inch of that territory which he had acquired for her at 
 the cost of so many perils, and so much endurance? 
 Was it for the Spaniards he had called New Orleans into 
 life ? Were the Louisianians ; were the numerous mem- 
 bers of his own family, whose homes he had selected in 
 the cradle of his future fame ; were his many friends 
 and the old companions of his labors, to be no longer his 
 countrymen?"* He recalled also the indignation of 
 those Acadians who, under the humiliating treaty 
 between England and France, had been thrust out 
 by British force from their quiet and happy habita- 
 tions, where 
 
 " Blemidon rose, and the forests of old, and 
 Aloft on the mountains 
 
 *Gayarre's History of Louisiana, Vol. II, p. 129. 
 
 7 
 
98 TIIE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Sea-fogs pitched their tents, and mists 
 
 From the mighty Atlantic 
 Looked on the happy valley," 
 
 and who had, 
 
 " Friendless, homeless, hopeless, wandered from 
 
 City to city ; 
 From the cold lakes of the North to 
 
 Sultry savannas ; 
 From the bleak shores of the sea, to the land 
 
 Where the Father of Waters 
 Seizes the hills in his hands, and 
 
 Drags them down to the ocean." 
 
 How they wept on the receipt of the intelligence that 
 they were again transferred to a foreign power against 
 their consent and without their knowledge ; how Lafre- 
 niere and his followers had defied the authorities of 
 Spain, and declared never to acknowledge any domin- 
 ion but that of their own beloved France ; how they 
 took possession of the government, and were only sub- 
 dued by the appearance at the Balize of a Spanish 
 Armada under the renowned O'Reiley. He had reason 
 for believing that a remnant of that feeling still existed 
 among the French settlers in Louisiana ; and although 
 years had elapsed, and most, if not all, who had been 
 the actors in those scenes had passed away, yet it was 
 believed that their recollections were still green by tra- 
 dition, and their descendants still cherished an affection 
 for the land of their forefathers ; and now that France 
 had become the champion of her governments and 
 republican liberty, more than ever would they long for 
 her dominion, or seek her protection in any effort they 
 
GENET. 99 
 
 might make to secure a like government for them- 
 selves. 
 
 Genet, therefore, set himself privately to work to 
 etfect a revolution in Louisiana ; hoping, with the aid 
 of the western settlers, to establish an independent 
 government under the protection of France. At his 
 instance, Jacobin clubs were formed in many of the 
 principal cities of the United States, which were to be 
 the active agencies for effecting this purpose. The 
 society at Philadelphia, in the beginning of the year 
 1794, had caused to be printed and circulated an address 
 from the freemen of France to their brothers in Louisi- 
 ana. In this they declared that the moment had arrived 
 when despotism must disappear from the earth ; that 
 France, having obtained her freedom, and constituted 
 herself into a Eepublic, after having made known to 
 mankind their rights, after having achieved the most 
 glorious victories over her enemies, was not satisfied 
 with success, by which she alone would profit, but 
 declared to all nations that she was ready to give her 
 powerful assistance to those that might desire to follow 
 her example ; that the French nation, knowing their sen- 
 timents, and indignant at seeing them the victims of 
 the tyrants by whom they had been so long oppressed, 
 could and would avenge their wrongs. " Now is the 
 time," continues the address, " to cease being slaves of a 
 government to which you were shamefully sold, and no 
 longer to be led on, like a herd of cattle, by men who, 
 with one word, can strip you of what you hold most 
 dear — liberty and property." 
 
 Recapitulating a long catalogue of grievances to 
 
100 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 which their brothers had been subjected, they say: 
 " You quiver, no doubt, with indignation. You feel 
 in your hearts the desire of deserving the honorable 
 appellation of freemen ; but the fear of not having 
 assistance, and of failing in your attempt, deadens your 
 zeal. Dismiss your apprehensions ; and know ye that 
 your brethren, the French, who have attacked with 
 success the Spanish Government in Europe, will in a 
 short time present themselves on your coast with naval 
 forces ; that the republicans of the western portion of 
 the United States are ready to come down the Ohio 
 and Mississippi, in company with a considerable num- 
 ber of French republicans, and to rush to your assist- 
 ance, under the banners of France and Liberty, and 
 that you have every assurance of success. Therefore, 
 inhabitants of Louisiana, show who you are; prove 
 that you have not been stupefied by despotism, and 
 that you have retained in your breasts French valor 
 and intrepidity. Demonstrate that you are worthy of 
 being free and independent, because we do not solicit 
 you to unite yourselves with us, but to seek your own 
 freedom. When you shall have the sole control of your 
 own actions, you will be able to adopt a republican con- 
 stitution, and, being assisted by France, as long as your 
 weakness will not permit you to protect or defend your- 
 selves, it will be in your power to unite voluntarily with 
 her and your neighbors, the United States, forming with 
 these two Republics an alliance which will be the liberal 
 basis on which, henceforth, shall stand our mutual politi- 
 cal and commercial interests. Your country will derive 
 the greatest advantages from so auspicious a revolution; 
 
G. ROGERS CLARK. 101 
 
 and the glory with which you will cover yourselves, will 
 equal the prosperity which you will secure for the coun- 
 try and for posterity. Away with pusillanimity ; Ca ira! 
 ca ira! audaces fortuna juvat." 
 
 Genet also dispatched Lachaise and Michaux to Ken- 
 tucky, to organize a force which was to descend the 
 Mississippi to JSTew Orleans, and act in concert with the 
 French inhabitants. The time of their arrival in the 
 country was peculiarly propitious. They found the peo- 
 ple divided in political sentiment, but all insisting on free 
 navigation. Jacobin clubs were organized, and inflam- 
 matory appeals were issued, setting forth the grievous 
 burthens under which they continued to labor. Too 
 long, they asserted, had the citizens of the West placed 
 implicit dependence on the impartiality and virtue of 
 the General Government. Patient under the ungener- 
 ous local policy by which that government had been 
 uniformly actuated ; patient under the delays which it 
 had feigned, and the obstacles which it had opposed to 
 the procurement of their rights ; patient under the for- 
 ever-to-be-detested attempt to barter away that right ; 
 they had hitherto submitted to the oppressive exactions 
 of the jealous Spaniards, and had not even raised their 
 faltering voices to say to the arbiters of their fate : " You 
 have done amiss." " Awake," they exclaimed, " from 
 your lethargy ! think and act for yourselves. Let the 
 example of France and her glorious success animate 
 you in the pursuit of those advantages which nature 
 has bestowed upon your country." 
 
 General George Rogers Clark, a man of distinguished 
 military merit, then a prominent citizen of Kentucky, 
 
102 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 had been commissioned, by Genet, a Major- General in 
 the French Revolutionary Legions on the Mississippi, 
 with power to name and commission other officers, and 
 to raise a military force for the reduction of the Spanish 
 posts on that river ; to open its trade, and give Freedom 
 to its inhabitants. 
 
 All persons serving the expedition were to receive one 
 thousand acres of land ; those engaging for one year, two 
 thousand ; and an enlistment of two years, or during the 
 war with France, three thousand acres. Officers were 
 to receive in proportion to other French troops ; lawful 
 plunder was to be equally divided according to the cus- 
 toms of war, and every precaution taken to secure the 
 safe return of those who might wish to quit the service. 
 France was to supply the munitions of war, and commis- 
 sions to grade according to the number that each could 
 bring into the service. 
 
 Genet had also sent his emissaries to other States in 
 the South and West, who had been successful in stimu- 
 lating a spirit of adventure among many of the inhabi- 
 tants. In Tennessee, and on the frontiers of Georgia, it 
 was reported that large forces were being assembled, 
 who, it was expected, -would act in concert with the 
 Creek warriors, in a descent upon the Spanish dominions. 
 
 Thus, through the energy of the. French plenipoten- 
 tiary, had a formidable expedition been set on foot for 
 the subjugation of Louisiana, with the declared purpose 
 of revolutionizing her institutions, and rendering her an 
 independent Republic, with Genet as its recognized head. 
 
 Of this new enterprise against the interests of Spain, 
 Wilkinson and his adherents were silent, but not careless, 
 
WASHINGTON EMBARRASSED. 103 
 
 observers. Although then holding the commission of a 
 lieutenant-colonel in the army of the United States, and, 
 as was surmised, a secret pensioner of his Catholic 
 Majesty, he neither openly encouraged nor publicly con- 
 demned the contemplated expedition. The terms of the 
 address, the grievances enumerated, and the measures 
 of relief proposed, were almost in the exact language 
 with which it had been his custom to inflame the peo- 
 ple, except the new idea of wresting from Spain her 
 possessions in Louisiana. 
 
 In the mean time, rumors of the projected design hav- 
 ing reached the ears of the President, General Washing- 
 ton issued his instructions to Generals Wayne and St. 
 Clair, as also the Governor Shelby, of Kentucky, com- 
 manding them immediately to suppress any movement 
 having for its aim any attack against the Spanish domin- 
 ions. The reply of the latter caused the executive and 
 his cabinet much concern. They feared that Shelby 
 himself had either given in his adhesion to the cause, or 
 was privately disposed to countenance his execution. 
 
 The great sympathy which was manifested for Un- 
 friends of liberty in France— a deep sense of gratitude for 
 her generous aid in the American Revolution, together 
 with a lawless spirit of adventure in many of the more 
 restless and discontented leaders of the country, rendered 
 the extent of Genet's influence among the people a matter 
 of painful uncertainty to the President. He felt his situa- 
 tion to be one of embarrassment. While he conceived 
 it to be the true policy of the Government to observe a 
 strict neutrality between the contending powers of Europe, 
 there was, nevertheless, a large party, with powerful 
 
104 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 leaders at their head, who differed from him in opinion, 
 and who openly declared their sympathy for the masses 
 contending against despotism in the old world. Again, 
 it was a fact, that having successfully thrown off the 
 authority of Great Britain, many were impatient of 
 restraint, and yielded, at most, a reluctant obedience to 
 the power of the new Government. Yet, while these 
 symptoms of revolt were manifesting themselves in 
 several parts of the country, and seemed to threaten 
 the stability and security of the Union, they stimulated 
 Washington to stricter vigilance and more decisive 
 action. He feared the influence of Genet's rash and 
 revolutionary design, condemned his interference with 
 the peaceful relations of the United States, and demanded 
 his recall. Anxious to harmonize the interests of every 
 section of the confederacy, he considered that amicable 
 relations with European powers were indispensable to 
 the prosperity, if not to the existence, of the Union itself. 
 General Wayne was therefore ordered to repair immedi- 
 ately to Massac, on the Ohio, to construct a military fort 
 and intercept any descending force hostile to Louisiana. 
 
 These and other effective measures on the part of the 
 executive, together with the condemnation and recall of 
 the French minister, served to disband the enterprise, 
 and, for a time, restore tranquillity to the country. Thus 
 were the citizens of the West, for a period of several 
 years, kept in constant agitation by the intrigues of 
 foreign powers, aided by the disaffection of a few ambi- 
 tious spirits, who, for personal aggrandizement, were 
 willing to sacrifice their own integrity, and their coun- 
 try's welfare. 
 
' 
 
 2£^> 
 
CLOUDS GATHERING. 105 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Eight years had already elapsed since Blennerha.ssett 
 bad made the island his residence. The flowers and 
 shrubbery planted by his hands had now sprung up in 
 luxuriant perfection, and regaled the senses with their 
 fragrance. The products of his husbandry secured at 
 least a comfortable supply of all the necessaries of life, 
 and more than this would have been superfluous. The 
 independence of his situation enabled him to procure any 
 or all of the delicacies which a more epicurean taste 
 might have desired ; but these had been resigned, with 
 the pomp and glitter of his former station. Around him 
 he viewed a contented family, rejoicing in the buoyancy 
 of health, and with the sprightliness of youthful vivacity. 
 The returning seasons brought with them returning 
 pleasures. New scenes of interest, new engagements, 
 and wider fields of usefulness, daily presented themselves 
 to his awakening impulses ; but, in the midst of all this 
 peace and cheerfulness — this " constant sunshine of the 
 soul" — a dark and portentous cloud gathered in the hori- 
 zon of his effulgent future, destined soon to burst with 
 sad fatality upon the unsuspecting circle of his house- 
 hold. 
 
 In the spring of 1805, Aaron Burr, late Vice-President 
 of the United States, after the closing of the session of 
 
106 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Congress, set out on a journey through the Western 
 States. The object of this tour, although never definitively 
 declared, was doubtless three-fold : 
 
 First. To ascertain the sentiments of the people of 
 the West upon the subject of a separation from the At- 
 lantic States. 
 
 Secondly. To enlist recruits, and make arrangements 
 for a private expedition against Mexico and the Spanish 
 provinces, in the event of a war between the United 
 States and Spain, which at that time seemed inevitable. 
 
 Thirdly. In the event of a failure of both of these 
 measures, to purchase a tract of land of Baron Bastrop, 
 lying in the Territory of Louisiana, on the Washita river. 
 Upon this, he contemplated the establishment of a colony 
 of intelligent and wealthy individuals, where he might 
 rear around him a society remarkable for its refinement 
 in civil and social life. That each of these stupendous 
 enterprises was determined on, is clearly inferable from 
 the evidence afterward adduced against him. 
 
 With a mind tortured by remorse for the unfortunate 
 duel with Hamilton, sickened by disappointment in polit- 
 ical preferment, disgusted with the more pacific measures 
 of Jefferson, he could only direct his thoughts in scenes 
 of outward conflict, and bury the disquietudes which 
 were tearing his soul, by plunging into deeds of wonder- 
 ful magnitude. 
 
 Knowing full well the advantages which wealth and 
 influence would add to either undertaking, he sought first 
 to secure the co-operation of the most conspicuous char- 
 acters of the country. Blennerhassett was a shining 
 treasure, too valuable to remain unnoticed — a gentleman 
 
THE EMMETTS. 107 
 
 of opulence and ease, possessing a mind of superior scien- 
 tific acquirements ; and who, from the discontents of his 
 own country, it would readily be presumed, was well 
 acquainted with military tactics ; such a personage would 
 indeed prove a powerful auxiliary in any measure he had 
 proposed to himself. Burr, accordingly, lauded at the 
 island, and, in company with a Mr. Shaw, strolled over 
 this far-famed paradise. The family were absent from 
 home on a visit to the East. Having partaken of the 
 hospitality of those left in charge, Burr re-embarked on 
 board of his boat, and proceeded down the river to view 
 the country and hold conferences with the inhabitants at 
 various points. 
 
 General Wilkinson, who commanded the western forces, 
 was, at that time, temporarily at Fort Massac, near 
 the mouth of the Ohio. As a previous correspondence 
 had been held between them, which had brought them 
 into intimate relations, Burr wished to ascertain with 
 what confidence he could rely on the aid of that officer 
 and his men, in the event of an expedition to Mexico. 
 The result of that interview has never been definitely 
 ascertained ; but it was strongly suspected, however, that 
 Wilkinson assured him of his support. Here, the Ex- 
 Vice-President was furnished by the General with an 
 elegant barge, sails, colors, and ten oars, with a sergeant 
 and ten able hands to prosecute his journey. 
 
 About this time, Blennerhassett, having received intel- 
 ligence of the arrival in New York of his classmate and 
 friend, the celebrated Thomas Addis Emmett,* who had 
 
 * There were three Emmet ts, sons of Dr. Emmett, who had been State- 
 physician at Dublin, and was ;'.n extreme liberal in his political opinions. 
 
108 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 been compelled to flee his country by reason of serious po- 
 litical difficulties, hastened to meet him. The feelings of 
 the exiles, as they again clasped hands on the western bor- 
 ders of the Atlantic, can only be fully appreciated by those 
 who have experienced similar vicissitudes. Here he found 
 one with whom he could freely sympathize, and who, in 
 return, could as freely sympathize with him. Often, in 
 early life, had they sported together over the same green 
 meadows, and participated in the same amusements. And 
 when, at a more advanced age, they had been honorable 
 competitors for academic honors, no selfish ambition had 
 served to loose the bonds which early childhood welded, 
 although the contest was never so spirited, or the prize 
 was never so dazzling. Still later in life, they had deplored 
 together the fate of their country ; had witnessed her deep 
 degradation, and sighed over the hopeless prospects which 
 were shadowed in the distant future. After several 
 weeks spent with his friend, during which time he re- 
 newed his former acquaintance in the city, he returned to 
 his family on the island. 
 
 But a short time previous, a young man by the name 
 of Harte, the son of an acquaintance in Ireland, having 
 
 Temple, the eldest, who distinguished himself in the university and at the 
 bar, died at the age of thirty. Thomas Addis, born in 1764, also became 
 a barrister, got involved in the revolt of 1798, was allowed to expatriate 
 himself, arrived at New York in 1804, where he was at once admitted to 
 practice (by special dispensation, although opposed, Phillips says, by 
 Chancellor Kent), became attorney-general of New York in 1812, and died 
 in 1827, greatly respected and lamented. Robert, who was only twenty- 
 three years old, joined in the insurrection of 1808; was tried, condemned 
 and executed — lamented even by multitudes who disliked his politics. 
 Robert Ernmett's defense, as it is called, though actually spoken after his 
 condemnation, when called on to receive judgment, is one of the most 
 touching specimens of eloquence ever uttered. — Mackenzie. 
 
IMPOSED UPON. 109 
 
 applied to Blennerhassott for pecuniary aid, presented a 
 letter of introduction, purporting to have been written 
 by his father. His address was that of a gentleman, and 
 the respectability of his family connection precluded any 
 doubt as to the truthfulness of his representations. Pre- 
 vious to his departure from England, he said, he had 
 taken the precaution to obtain drafts in London, on a 
 house in Boston, for the sum of one thousand pounds ; 
 that on his arrival in the United States he found the 
 house to be fictitious ; that as this was his sole reliance 
 he had been left entirely destitute of funds. He thought 
 that he should not be chargeable with carelessness, as he 
 had previously advised with Sir Owen Hunt, who had 
 assured him that the gentleman with whom he dealt was 
 a man of strict integrity. The story was a plausible one, 
 and Blennerhassett, desirous of performing an act of 
 charity toward the young gentleman, furnished him with 
 letters of credit and introduction to many of his influ- 
 ential acquaintances, among which was one to Colonel 
 Burr, and another to the Hon. James Brown, a brother- 
 in-law of the colonel. From the various sources to 
 whom he had been accredited, Ilarte obtained large sums 
 of money, and fled to -Canada. It subsequently appeared 
 that he had forged the letter of introduction to Blenner- 
 hassett, and, at the time of his appearance at the island, 
 was an exile from his father's house for similar practices 
 in England. On being advised of the facts by Mr. Brown, 
 Blennerhassett addressed him the following reply : 
 
110 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Wood Court-ITouse, Va., 
 
 December 9th, 1805. 
 James Brown, Esq., 
 
 Dear Sir: — On my arrival home yesterday evening, I 
 received your two letters of the 13th and 18th August 
 last, which have laid at the office here, I know not how 
 long. By them I fear 3 t ou have no effects of Harte's in 
 your possession, as you do not mention the horses I un- 
 derstood, by Mr. Shaw, he left with you, which, with the 
 presumption I had requested you to indorse his drafts to 
 an amount not exceeding a thousand or twelve hundred 
 dollars, induced me, as I wrote you November 7th, from 
 New York, to risk the return of one of the drafts you 
 indorsed for one thousand dollars. But your letters re- 
 ceived here, have caused me the utmost concern, lest I 
 should not be in time by to-morrow's post to advise Mr. 
 Morton, as Mr. Clay has suggested, to arrest the draft be- 
 fore its return upon you, though I am persuaded my 
 protege has altered my figures, which, indeed, would make 
 no difference to your disadvantage, if he had done so to 
 the last dollar I am worth. Be the effect, therefore, what 
 it may upon my property, your time and ingenuity might 
 have been better spent than in justifying the steps you 
 had taken to accommodate Mr. Harte upon my recom- 
 mendation. 
 
 I will only add, I shall take my chance of whatever in- 
 demnity you can procure for me, by an attachment of any 
 property within your reach. That Harte still is the son 
 of the man I expected, I have a letter from his father 
 acknowledging, but declaratory of his having fully dis- 
 
DESPONDENT. Ill 
 
 carded him, long ago, and affording me no prospect of 
 retribution. 
 
 I should hope the pleasing intelligence I have fre- 
 quently had of Mr. John Clay's present good circum- 
 stances, may permit me to anticipate he will settle with 
 me for the sale he made of a negro woman of mine, in 
 Kentucky, through you. 
 
 The hints you have given of the predilection you en- 
 tertain for your last chosen meridian, have kindled in 
 our minds a fire of enthusiastic curiosity, which our pres- 
 ent embarrassments will constantly fan, until your details 
 shall extinguish it with a faithful muster of the fogs and 
 musquitoes of the Mississippi. 
 
 But in sober sadness, I wish to learn with what capital, 
 or in what speculation or profession, I could enjoy your 
 neighborhood, when I can bid adieu to the spot on 
 which I have so long hoped I should rest my bones for- 
 ever. I am inclined to hope my highly-valued friend, 
 Woodbridge,* would accompany me, if he could see any 
 mercantile prospects more inviting than this country 
 affords. I have no doubt your friendship will find a mo- 
 ment of repose in your present cares of fame and fortune, 
 in which I highly rejoice, to gratify mv expectation in 
 this respect. 
 
 Since I find you give us such just credit for the senti- 
 ments with which Mrs. Brown and yourself have inspired 
 us, I will offer no repetition of them — only a more possi- 
 ble prospect of personally testifying them, you may be 
 sure, makes them more vivid, even in the abandonment 
 
 * The mercantile partner of Blennerhassett, 
 
112 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of books and science, to which, I fear, the state of my 
 affairs will henceforth, I know not how long, condemn me. 
 Farewell ! dear Brown, and believe me always to be 
 Your attached friend, 
 
 H. Blennerhassett. 
 
 On the 15th of December, 1805, he dispatched the fol- 
 lowing letter to General Devereux : * 
 
 My dear Devereux : . 
 
 Sensible for your kind concern for us, I use the first 
 opportunity since our return home to acquaint you, that 
 we effected our journey with safety, and had the blessing 
 to find our dear boy recovered, so that nothing threatens 
 henceforward to interfere with our enjoyment of your 
 company when we can obtain it, but unavoidable atten- 
 tion to some embarrassments my circumstances have 
 lately undergone; the effect of which more and more dis- 
 poses me to endeavor to change my situation, by selling 
 or letting this place to effect a removal to another, where 
 I could embark in mercantile pursuits, or the resumption 
 of my old profession. 
 
 Now, not wishing to advertise the place, I know no 
 
 * General Devereux was a descendant of one of the most ancient and 
 noted families of Ireland. One of his ancestry drew his sword upon 
 Queen Elizabeth, when she slapped him in the face for his impertinence, 
 and insisted that if she were a man he would dispatch her for the indig- 
 nity. He finally became reconciled, but was subsequently beheaded for 
 treason. The General was one of the leaders of the United Irishmen in 
 the Rebellion of '96 and 1803, and subsequently made his escape to the 
 United States. He afterward joined Bolivar in the Columbian Revolution, 
 where he greatly distinguished himself by his bravery and military skill. 
 On the emancipation of the South American Republics, he was made Min- 
 ister to Russia, and. I believe, afterward to the United States. 
 
FOR SALE. 113 
 
 better means of disposing of it than through the industry 
 of your friendship. I, therefore, request your attention 
 to my views, and the following description of my situa- 
 tion, to enable you to procure such a purchaser or tenant 
 as would suit me, and effect our common happiness by a 
 residence in the same place. Respecting the farm, which, 
 through want of skill and capital, I am unable to make 
 the best advantage of, you may, with the utmost truth 
 and honor, represent it as containing about two hundred 
 acres of the richest land in the world, which, rented out 
 to the poorest of tenants, can, at any time, command a 
 rent of five dollars per acre, payable in corn at the market 
 price in this country ; but would prove more lucrative in 
 the hands of a capitalist, with forty or fifty negroes, who 
 would engage in raising hemp or tobacco. These pro- 
 ducts better afford a rent of twenty-five hundred dollar^ 
 a year than one thousand in the other way. Such a rent 
 I should expect of such a tenant as I could let the whole to, 
 namely, a gentleman of fortune, disposed to reside in this 
 country, who would find an elegant seat with (a desirable) 
 convenient improvements ; no want of which would dis- 
 turb his care or withdraw his attention for the ease and 
 profit with which he might reside here, whence he might 
 send his tobacco, cordage, cotton or flour, to New Orleans, 
 at the rate of one dollar and a quarter per barrel, where 
 the market will always afford him a medium price, twelve 
 or fifteen per cent, higher than the farmer dependent on 
 the Atlantic towns can have, without taking into consid- 
 eration the excess of western produce. 
 
 If a purchase should be preferred, I could not in justice 
 to my family sell at less than twenty-five years' credit, on 
 
114 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the above twenty-five hundred dollars, which would be 
 then sinking- a serious part of the money I have expended 
 on this place, which may be easily conceived when it is 
 understood the house and offices I occupy, stand me in 
 upward of thirty thousand dollars, not to mention gardens 
 and shrubbery, in the English style — hedges, post-fences, 
 and complete farm-yards, containing barns, stables, over- 
 seers' and negroes' houses, etc., etc. : though, for the sake 
 of removing from a place which does not now so well 
 suit myself, I would sacrifice somewhat of the money I 
 have expended. 
 
 Any one disposed to treat for the place will be apprised 
 beforehand, by all who have seen it, from the most unob- 
 serving passenger, to Mr. Harris, of its good order, 
 richness and elegant situation, opposite the handsome 
 settlement of Belpre, fourteen miles below Marietta, and 
 within view of Wood Court-House in Virginia, in the 
 midst of a country, where the lumber and provision trade, 
 with ship-building, has commenced, and will be established 
 above and below it, from Pittsburgh to the falls of the 
 Ohio. 
 
 I would only direct a purchaser's attention to this 
 sketch, which he can easily verify, and the rent required 
 for such an establishment can not be considered high, 
 when compared with what is so unaccountably obtained 
 for a single house in Baltimore. If the style and extent 
 of the house should be demanded, it may be stated as 
 highly and completely finished, containing, with the 
 wings connected to it by circular corridors, thirty-six 
 windows, glazed with lights 12 by 18 inches. 
 
 You will not forget to have General Macon, who lives 
 
RESPONSIBILITIES. 115 
 
 on an island near Georgetown, and I hear, like myself, 
 prefers an insular situation, informed how commodiously 
 he might accommodate his family, if I have truly heard, 
 he desires to move to the western country, in which case 
 I could take landed property of his below, at a valuation, 
 in exchange, if he would give me my price. 
 
 II. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Among other letters which he mentions as having ac- 
 cumulated during his absence at the East, was his first 
 communication from Colonel Burr, regretting that the 
 absence of Blennerhassett from home had deprived him 
 of the pleasure of improving his personal acquaintance, 
 when visiting his island residence. In an insinuating but 
 guarded manner, he alluded to the talents of Blenner- 
 hassett, as deserving of a higher sphere than that in 
 which they were employed. He was surrounded, to be 
 sure, with all the comforts of life, but those very comforts 
 only served to effeminate the mind, for want of active 
 engagements. His pleasures were merely passive, and 
 were better suited to the negative enjoyment of the rude 
 and unconscious herd, than to those delightful sensations 
 experienced by the intelligent mind when in the active 
 exercise of all its ennobling powers. There were other 
 considerations, too, which should induce him to feel that 
 physical effort was necessary. He was surrounded by a 
 growing family, who demanded of him superior advan- 
 tages over those to be obtained in his new and unpolished 
 neighborhood. His fortune was gradually diminishing, 
 while no effort was made to add to his present estate. 
 The inevitable consequence therefore must be the impov- 
 
116 TIIE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 erishment of his children by his listless attention to all 
 financial affairs. Suggesting several plans by which 
 Blennerhassett might enhance his fortune, and render 
 himself a more important individual in society, he left 
 him to meditate on the truthfulness of the picture so 
 dexterously set before him. 
 
 Such apparently disinterested counsel, from one whose 
 judgment and experience he respected, caused Blenner- 
 hassett to turn his attention, more particularly than he 
 had hitherto done, toward himself and his own affairs. 
 The result was all that Burr could have desired. It 
 called forth the suggestions with reference to his removal, 
 in his letter to Brown, and gave rise to the following cor- 
 respondence : 
 
 December 21st, 1805. 
 Aaron Burr, Esq., 
 
 Sir : — The receipt of your letter, by post, has been de- 
 layed until my return home from Baltimore. While it 
 enables me to return my acknowledgments for the honor 
 of your kind remembrance, it affords the opportunity of 
 expressing my extreme regret that we were absent at the 
 time of your intended visit. This disappointment can 
 not be removed but by another of like condescension, 
 which may, in some measure, compensate us for the past. 
 
 The mention, sir, you have made of the attention you 
 were pleased to give to young Mr. Harte, on my recom- 
 mendation, would alone make it my duty to apologize for 
 having obtruded upon your notice a man whose acts, as I 
 have heard since he left this, have qualified him for no 
 better situation than that of a jail. But my belief that 
 he was really the son of the gentleman in Europe I took 
 
CALCULATIONS. 117 
 
 him for, which turns out to be correct, though he is dis- 
 carded by his father, aud the confidence and credit ob- 
 tained from me, through a letter from his father, which I 
 supposed authentic, by which I have lost four thousand 
 dollars : these circumstances, sir, your liberality will 
 regard as some ground of excuse for the liberty I had 
 taken with you. I am now about to venture another, on 
 my own account, to which I presume to request an 
 answer at your first convenient leisure. 
 
 Estimating the value of your reflections on the view 
 you have taken of the western country, and particularly 
 of Louisiana, I have thought it of great importance to 
 obtain your sentiments to confirm or correct the irresist- 
 ible attraction my friend, Mr. James Brown, assures me I 
 should follow, to settle in his vicinity, if I would but 
 visit that country. His words are, my " removal would 
 be inevitable " — an expression, truly, strong enough, when 
 viewed through my regard for his friendship, and my 
 confidence in his judgment, to endanger my repose on 
 this island, where for eight years I have dreamed and 
 hoped I should rest my bones forever. 
 
 But the interests of a growing family, I feel, will sum- 
 mon me again into active life, to the resumption of my 
 former profession of the bar, mercantile or other enter- 
 prise, if I should find an opportunity of selling or letting 
 my establishment here to a gentleman who could, with- 
 out a sacrifice, give me a price by which I should not lose 
 too much of the money it stands me in, say $50,000 ; or 
 afford me a rent of $2,500, which, by proper manage- 
 ment, it might be made to realize without paying, at the 
 highest rate, half the yearly value of the extensive and 
 
118 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 numerous conveniences on the place, with a detail of 
 which I forbear to trouble you, observing, merely, that 
 there is now in good order, say two hundred acres, which, 
 with twenty well-managed hands, employed in raising 
 hemp, would afford a handsome profit. In either way, 
 if I could sell or leave the place, I would move forward 
 with a firmer confidence in any undertaking which your 
 sagacity might open to profit and fame. 
 
 Having thus advised you of my desire and motives to 
 pursue a change of life, to engage in any thing which 
 may suit my circumstances, I hope, sir, you will not 
 regard it indelicate in me to observe to you how highly I 
 should be honored in being associated with you, in any 
 contemplated enterprise you would permit me to partici- 
 pate in. The amount of means I could at first come 
 forward with would be small. You might command my 
 services as a lawyer, or in any other way you should sug- 
 gest as being most useful. I could, I have no doubt, unite 
 the talents and energy of two of my particular friends, 
 who would share in any fortune which might follow 
 you. The gentlemen alluded to are Mr. Dudley Wood- 
 bridge, junior, of Marietta, and Mr. Devereux, of Balti- 
 more, a cidevant-general in the Irish rebel army, neither 
 of whom, it is proper to remark, could be prevailed upon 
 to enlist in the undertaking. 
 
 Not presuming to know or guess at the intercourse, if 
 any, subsisting between you and the present Government, 
 but viewing the probability of a rupture with Spain, the 
 claim for action the country will make upon your talents, 
 in the event of an engagement against, or subjugation 
 of, any of the Spanish Territories, I am disposed in the 
 
LITTER FROM BURR. 119 
 
 confidential spirit of this letter to offer you my friends, 
 and my own services to co-operate in any contemplated 
 measures in which you may embark. 
 
 In making this proposition, I hope, sir, you will feel 
 that it flows in a conviction of your judgment and talents, 
 from a quarter that ever did and always will prefer to 
 seek fortune and fame through the call, rather than the 
 coercion, of any government. 
 
 A further development of my views would at present 
 'aggravate the trespass on your time by this letter, too 
 much prolonged, and would besides, I hope, be a guaran- 
 tee of the perfect confidence you may repose in my 
 integrity in any communication you may be pleased to 
 honor me with. 
 
 I shall await with much anxiety the receipt of your 
 reply, and with warm interest in your success and pros- 
 perity, 
 
 I remain, dear sir, your obliged and obedient servant, 
 
 H. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 "Washington City, April loth, 1806. 
 Dear Sir : — Your very interesting letter of the 21st of 
 December, arrived here just after I had passed through 
 this city on my way to South Carolina, and was not 
 received until about two months after its date : the sub- 
 ject of it has since that time been daily in my mind. 
 Independently of considerations personal to myself, I 
 learn with the utmost pleasure that you are to be restored 
 to the social and the active world. Your talents and 
 
120 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 acquirements seem to have destined you for something 
 more than vegetable life, and since the first hour of our 
 acquaintance, I have considered your seclusion as a fraud 
 on society. 
 
 The confidence you have been pleased to place in me is 
 extremely flattering, and it would seem that there has 
 been, without explanation, a sort of consent between our 
 minds. In a matter of so much moment, and on which I 
 am so imperfectly informed, it would be hazarding too 
 much to offer advice ; yet it is due to the frankness of 
 your letter, to acknowledge that I had projected, and still 
 meditate, a speculation, precisely of the character you 
 have described. It would have been submitted to your 
 consideration in October last, if I had then the good for- 
 tune to find you at home. The business, however, 
 depends, in some degree, on contingencies, not within 
 my control, and will not be commenced before December 
 or January, if ever. From this circumstance, and as the 
 matter, in its present state, can not be satisfactorily ex- 
 plained by letter, the communication will be deferred 
 until a personal interview can be had. With this view I 
 nray to be informed of your intended movements the 
 ensuing season, and in case you should visit Orleans, at 
 what time, and at what port you may be expected on the 
 Atlantic coast. But I must insist that these intimations 
 be not permitted to interrupt the prosecution of any 
 plans which you have formed for yourself — no occupation 
 which shall not take you off the continent can interfere 
 with that which I may propose. You would certainly 
 be pleased, probably charmed, with the manners and the 
 society of Orleans. As a place of business, too, it offers 
 
ANOTHER LETTER. 121 
 
 great advantages ; most of those who style themselves 
 lawyers, are become visionary speculators, or political 
 fanatics. Mr. Brown, by avoiding these follies, has in- 
 spired confidence, and is growing rich. The country is 
 deficient in the means of education, and the climate is 
 thought, I believe with reason, unfriendly to children. 
 
 We shall have no war unless we should be actually in- 
 vaded. Some estimate of the views and temper of our 
 Government may be formed from the proceedings of the 
 House of Representatives, with closed doors. A copy of 
 that part of their journal is sent for your amusement. 
 
 Accept, dear sir, assurances of the great consideration 
 and respect with which I am, 
 
 Yours obediently, A. Burr. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Baltimore, May 17th, 1806. 
 Dear Sir: — About the 15th of April, I wrote you from 
 Washington, in answer to your letter of December, 
 apologizing, at the same time, for the lapse of so great 
 a period between the date of your letter and that 
 of my reply. For God's sake, therefore, do n't retaliate 
 on me in this particular. My movements for the sum- 
 mer, as far as can now be ascertained, will be to return to 
 Philadelphia to-morrow, to pass one month (something 
 less) in that vicinity ; thence to Bedford, in the mount- 
 ains of Pennsylvania, where I may remain several weeks, 
 taking excursions to Pittsburgh, Union Town, etc. The 
 mountain part of my project is for the health of my 
 
122 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 daughter,* who has just come on from South Carolina, to 
 pass the season with me. I would take her on to your 
 house, if it were not for the extreme inconvenience of 
 re-ascending, especially with the incumbrance of a three- 
 year-old child. With entire respect, 
 
 Your friend and obedient servant, 
 
 A. Burr. 
 
 Address me at Washington city. If the " city " be 
 omitted, your letter may go to forty Washingtons with- 
 out meeting that which is intended. In case of a direct 
 opportunity to Philadelphia, you may address me there, 
 to be left in the " Post-office." The former, however, is 
 the safer mode. A. Burr. 
 
 II. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Philadelphia, July 24th, 1806. 
 Dear Sir : — Owing to an absence of unexpected dura- 
 tion from this city, your letter of the 23d of May was not 
 received until a few days ago. My daughter has gone 
 on to Bedford. My engagements in this city not permit- 
 ting me to attend her, I shall follow in a few days, and 
 be at your house before the 20th of August. Let me 
 find you at home, or not far off. I propose to pass two 
 or three days with you. My daughter was charmed with 
 your hospitable and friendly overture, and wished much 
 to avail herself of it. This, however, will not be in her 
 
 * Mrs. Alston, -wife of Col. Jos. Alston, Governor of South Carolina. 
 
burr's letter. 123 
 
 power till October, the period of my return from Ken- 
 tucky, when it is probable she may. 
 
 I omit, till a personal interview, a further answer to 
 your obliging letter. 
 
 Two young gentlemen of respectable connections and 
 character, are on their way down the river, Mr. S. 
 Swartwout,* of ISTew York, and Mr. S. Ogden, of New 
 Jersey. I have desired that they would stop at your 
 door, hand you this, and wait long enough to answer any 
 inquiries you might please to make about Cis-Montane 
 men or things. I pray that they may experience your 
 wonted courtesy 
 
 Very respectfully, your friend and faithful servant, 
 
 A. Burr, 
 
 Burr to Blenncrhassett. 
 
 Bedford, August Ihth, 1806. 
 
 You perceive, my dear sir, that I have made a little 
 progress. I shall leave this to-morrow, but a detention 
 of two or three days at Pittsburgh will not allow me the 
 hope of seeing you at Belpre" before the 23d or 24th. 
 
 I leave here my daughter and her son, who have both 
 greatly profited by the use of the waters, or, what is per- 
 haps more probable, by the mountain air. She desired 
 much to accompany me to your house, but we have com- 
 promised by my consenting that she shall meet me at 
 Belpre on the 1st of October. 
 
 With great respect, yours, A. Burr. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett. 
 
 * Samuel Swavtwont, afterward collector of New York. 
 
124 THE BLENNE1UIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Some time in the month of August, 1806, Col. Burr, 
 in company with Col. De Pestre* and Dudley Wood- 
 ridge, Junior, arrived at the island. At this time, as we 
 are informed, Burr, with considerable reserve, partially 
 revealed the objects and plan of the contemplated enter- 
 prise. From information received from reliable sources, 
 he was induced to believe that the sentiments of a re- 
 spectable majority of the people of Orleans and Missis- 
 sippi Territories were disaffected to the Government; 
 that such was the dissatisfaction of the people, unless 
 early measures were adopted to prevent it, they would 
 fling themselves into the arms of any foreign power 
 which should pledge itself to protect them. In such an 
 event, the "Western States would be placed in a dilemma, 
 out of which they could only escape by an eastern or 
 western ascendancy of interests; that after an examina- 
 tion of the subject, so clearly satisfied would they become 
 that their connection with the Atlantic States was inimi- 
 cal to western interests, they would no longer consent to 
 the alliance, but would sever themselves from the Union. 
 So far as he was personally concerned, he had no further 
 interest in the event than of a speculative character. The 
 people, however, should be advised, lest they should be 
 unexpectedly involved in a crisis for which they were 
 unprepared. 
 
 The separation of the Western from the Atlantic 
 States, he assured them, was no new project. It was a 
 subject of daily discussion at the seat of Government, 
 
 * Burr's confidential agent or minister, who had been sent on a mission 
 to Europe, and was then in negotiation with the representative of the 
 Spanish Court. 
 
CONSULTATION. 125 
 
 and by some of the heads of the department ; that it 
 was seriously apprehended the mal-administration of 
 the Government might precipitate the event much sooner 
 than it was desired or expected. So thoroughly disgusted 
 were the people of New Orleans with the conduct of the 
 administration, both with reference to themselves, and as 
 to Spanish American affairs, that he expected to hear of 
 their beginning a revolt by seizing on the bank and cus- 
 tom-house and appropriating to themselves the revenues 
 and forces of the Territory. Even then, he declared, 
 there was a society of young men in New Orleans, 
 denominated " The Mexican Society," who had seized 
 and shipped a number of cannons belonging to the 
 French, for a Mexican invasion, and that while there, 
 but a short time previous, he himself had been solicited 
 to become their leader. 
 
 With the questions of a war with Spain, and the 
 separation of the Western from the Atlantic States, 
 Burr declared he had no concern ; but, in any event, 
 neither would interrupt his enterprise; nor would they 
 be adverse to his own views, let them precede or follow 
 his own undertaking. 
 
 He assured Blennerhassett that he was advised as to 
 the views of the Administration ; that the expulsion of 
 the Spaniards from the American Territory then vio- 
 lated by them, or even an invasion of Mexico, would be 
 pleasing to Mr. Jefferson, if either could be effected with- 
 out a declaration of war against Spain, which was now 
 prevented by parsimony on the one hand, and dread of 
 France on the other. 
 
 As this interview and its results, somewhat figura- 
 
126 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 tively drawn by Mr. Wirt, on the trial at Richmond, 
 have invested the name of Blennerhassett with greater 
 interest than, perhaps, it would have otherwise attained, 
 it is here inserted : 
 
 " A shrubbery, which Shenstone might have envied, 
 blooms around him ; music that might have charmed 
 Calypso and her nymphs, is his ; an extensive library 
 spreads its treasures before him ; a philosophical appara- 
 tus offers to him all the mysteries and secrets of nature ; 
 peace, tranquillity and innocence shed their mingled de- 
 lights around him ; and, to crown the enchantment of 
 the scene, a wife who is said to be lovely, even beyond 
 her sex, and graced with every accomplishment that can 
 render it irresistible, has blessed him with her love, and 
 made him the father of her children. The evidence would 
 convince you, that this is only a faint picture of real life. 
 In the midst of all this peace, this innocence, this tran- 
 quillity, this feast of mind, this pure banquet of the 
 heart, the destroyer comes : he comes to turn his paradise 
 into a hell ; yet the flowers do not wither at his approach, 
 and no monitory shuddering, through the bosom of their 
 unfortunate possessor, warns him of the ruin that is com- 
 ing upon him. A stranger presents himself. Introduced 
 to their civilities by the high rank he had lately held in 
 his country, he soon finds way to their hearts by the dig- 
 nity and elegance of his demeanor, the light and beauty 
 of his conversation, and the seductive and fascinating 
 power of his address. The conquest was not a difficult 
 one. Innocence is ever simple and credulous; conscious 
 of no designs itself, it expects none in others ; every door 
 and portal of the heart are thrown open, and all who 
 
RECRUITING. 127 
 
 chooso it, enter. Such was the state of Eden when the 
 serpent entered its bowers. The prisoner" (Burr), "in a 
 more engaging form, winding himself into the open and 
 unpractised heart of Blenncrhassett, found but little diffi- 
 culty in changing the native character of that heart, and 
 the objects of its affections. By degrees, he infuses into 
 it the poison of his own ambition ; he breathes into it 
 the fire of his own courage ; a daring and desperate thirst 
 for glory ; an ardor panting for all the storms and bustle 
 and hurricane of life. In a short time, the whole man is 
 changed ; and every object of his former delights relin- 
 quished. No more he enjoys the tranquil scene ; it has 
 become flat and insipid to his taste. His books are aban- 
 doned ; his retort and crucible thrown aside ; his shrub- 
 bery blooms and breathes its fragrance upon the air in 
 vain, he likes it not ; his ear no longer drinks the melody 
 of music, it longs for the trumpet's clangor and the can- 
 non's roar. Even the prattle of his babes, once so sweet, 
 no longer affects him, and the angel-smile of his wife, 
 who hitherto touched his bosom with ecstasy so unspeak- 
 able, is now unfelt for and unseen. Greater objects have 
 taken possession of his soul ; his imagination has been 
 dazzled by visions of diadems, and stars, and garters, and 
 titles of nobility ; he has been taught to burn, with rest- 
 less emulation, at the names of Cromwell, Csesar, and 
 Bonaparte," etc. 
 
 Leaving his daughter with Mrs. Blennerhassett, Burr 
 proceeded immediately to recruiting men for the expe- 
 dition. Ilis mind was now fully determined on the en- 
 terprise. Every thing appeared favorable ; and what was 
 to prevent the realization of his dreams V 
 
128 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 "Far away to the south-west, a thousand miles beyond 
 the Mississippi, lay a vast and wealthy empire, governed 
 by tyrants whom the people hated, and defended by 
 troops whom soldiers should despise. For years, the 
 riches of that kingdom were the theme of travelers. Her 
 mines were inexhaustible, and had flooded Europe with 
 gold. Her nobles enjoyed the revenues of emperors ; her 
 capitol was said to be blazoned with jewels. It was 
 known to look down on the lake, into whose waters the 
 unhappy Guatemozin had cast the treasures of that long 
 line of native princes, of which he was the last. Men 
 dreamed of that magnificent city as Aladdin dreamed of 
 his palaces, or Columbus of Cathay. Costly statues; 
 vessels of gold and silver; jewels of untold value ; troops 
 of the fairest Indian girls for slaves ; all that the eye de- 
 lighted in, or the heart of man could desire, it was cur- 
 rently declared, would form the plunder of Mexico. A 
 bold adventurer, commanding an army of Anglo-Saxon 
 soldiers, could possess himself of the empire. The times 
 were favorable to the enterprise. The priesthood through- 
 out Mexico was disaffected, and would gladly lend its aid 
 to any conqueror who secured its privileges ; and the 
 priesthood then, as now, exercised a paramount influence 
 over the weak and superstitious Mexicans. America, too, 
 was thought to be on the eve of a Spanish war, when the 
 contemplated expedition might easily be fitted out at 
 New Orleans. Burr saw the glittering prize, and resolved 
 to seize it. He would conquer this gorgeous realm, and 
 realize, in this new world, as Xapoleon did in the old, a 
 dream of romance. 
 
 " He would surround his throne with dukes and mar- 
 
ENTHUSIASM. 129 
 
 shals, and princes of the empire. The pomp of chivalry, 
 the splendors of the East, should he revived in this court. 
 Realms equally rich, and even more easy of spoil, opened 
 to the South, to whose conquest his successors, if not 
 himself, might aspire. Perhaps nothing would check his 
 victorious banner until he had traversed the continent . 
 and stood on that hold and stormy promontory, where 
 the contending waters of the Atlantic and Pacific lash 
 around Cape Horn." 
 
 With that eloquence of expression and power of im- 
 agination which were peculiarly his, he infused into the 
 minds of his auditors a thirst, like his own, for the bril- 
 liant scenes of Mexico. At Marietta he had an opportu- 
 nity of meeting with the militia, who were assembled for 
 the purpose of an annual training. Being called upon 
 for that purpose, he exercised the regiment in a few evo- 
 lutions, by which he demonstrated to the doubting his 
 superior knowledge of military tactics, and capability for 
 commanding. A ball succeeded the training, in the even- 
 ing. The congregated beauty of the surrounding neigh- 
 borhood greeted him with their smiles ; while the men 
 of rougher mould gave encouragement to his enterprise. 
 Offers of distinction and rank, and the dazzling dreams 
 of wealth, were arguments irresistible to the young and 
 adventurous ; and Burr soon found himself surrounded 
 by men impatient for the expedition. 
 
 Let it not be presumed that the honest and patriotic 
 
 spirits of the West for a moment contemplated treachery 
 
 to their country, or meditated a willful violation of her 
 
 laws. They who had breasted the storms of adversity, 
 
 in every conceivable shape ; who had scaled the barriers 
 9 
 
130 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of the Alleghanies, amid the clangers of Indian warfare ; 
 who, for many years, had stood upon the frontier of civ- 
 
 M 
 
 ilization, and grappled, in deadly conflict, with the ene- 
 mies of their country and their race; who had pursued 
 the savage to his wigwam and startled him from his 
 mountain fastness ; these were men whom impartial his- 
 rorv must pronounce incapahle of a crime so base, so 
 revolting to the mind of every patriot. But they were 
 deceived, in their over-credulousness, in the statement of 
 Burr, and joined the expedition, under the well-grounded 
 belief that Jefferson favored it; and that, in the event of 
 war, it would be neither illegal nor contrary to the wishes 
 of the government. 
 
WRITING IT UP. 131 
 
 CHAPTER VII. 
 
 In the month of September, 1806, Burr commenced 
 active preparations for the contemplated expedition. 
 Contracts for fifteen large bateaux, sufficient to con- 
 vey five hundred men, and a large keel-boat for the 
 transportation of provision, arms, ammunition, etc., 
 also for flour, whisky, corn-meal, and other eatables, 
 were entered into ; for the most of which Blenner- 
 hassett became responsible. Much of the corn, from 
 which the meal was made, was raised and kiln-dried 
 on the island. 
 
 While these operations were being carried forward, 
 Burr visited Chillicothe, then the seat of government 
 of Ohio, and continued his trip to Cincinnati, and 
 thence to Kentucky. The object of this tour was to 
 extend his acquaintance, and add new recruits to his 
 enterprise. Each private was to supply himself with 
 proper arms and clothing, and to receive, as a com- 
 pensation for his services, one hundred acres of land 
 on the Washita ; while officers were to receive accord- 
 ing to their grade. 
 
 Soon after his departure, Blennerhassett prepared a 
 series of essays which appeared in the Ohio Gazette, a 
 newspaper published at Marietta, by Fairlamb, under 
 the signature of Querist. These exhibited a general 
 
132 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and relative view, in a political aspect, of the Union and 
 the western country ; presenting motives of expediency 
 which should induce a separation from the Atlantic 
 States in a peaceable and constitutional manner. He 
 designed to prepare the minds of his fellow-citizens for a 
 crisis which he believed was sooner or later approaching, 
 not from the motives of Burr, but from the state of 
 affairs then existing on the Mississippi, at which an es- 
 pousal of eastern or western ascendancy would determ- 
 ine their future prosperity. A second, and perhaps 
 paramount, object was to divert public attention from 
 too close a scrutiny of the plans against Spain, which, if 
 successfully concealed,, might be tacitly approved by the 
 Government, and suffered to proceed without serious in- 
 tervention. I insert but one of these communications, 
 as the whole are too voluminous for the design of this 
 work : 
 
 September, 1806. 
 
 To the Editor of the Ohio Gazette : 
 
 Sir : — Of all the causes that produced our colonial 
 war, which terminated in the establishment of our inde- 
 pendence, it has appeared to me that the most operative, 
 if it has ever been fully appreciated by our politicians, 
 has been least insisted upon. Our complaints and our 
 struggles against the mother country, however they have 
 attempted to be bastardized by the blunders of the igno- 
 rant or the craft of the designing, had really a commercial 
 and no other parentage. The unbiassed judgment of 
 posterity will no doubt decide that the good people of the 
 colonies, however justly entitled to all the rights they 
 have vindicated, were, nevertheless, in establishing them, 
 
ESSAYING. 133 
 
 from the beginning to the end, the unconscious instru- 
 ments of a small party or interest among themselves; 
 namely, the commercial. To prove this truth, the im- 
 parted history of our own times will adduce ample evi- 
 dence, without need of citing our early petitions and 
 remonstrances to Britain, which alone would place it 
 beyond all doubt. 
 
 That the colonies then, in effect, took upon them the 
 burden of the war for the advantage of merchants, though 
 the issue of it has produced the greatest benefit to us all, 
 is so far our concern at this day as to induce us to ex- 
 amine the influence of the present commercial interest in 
 the United States at large, and the western country in 
 particular. And this becomes the more necessary, as the 
 present party in power are said, by their adherents, to be 
 political economists of the school of Monsieur Qnesnai, 
 desirous to promote the agricultural at the expense of the 
 commercial interest ; while their predecessors in office, as 
 rigid followers of Mr. Colbert, would advance on an en- 
 tirely opposite system. But neither the one nor the other 
 will promote the resources of any country without great 
 modification. 
 
 If the opinion I have formed be well founded, that the 
 war we have happily concluded by our independence was 
 produced by the interests of the mercantile system on the 
 Atlantic, I have been led, also, to suspect that the polit- 
 ical federation of the State comprises within it, in like 
 manner, the spirit of a commercial confederacy ; the 
 effects of which, I trust, our penetration and conduct will 
 succeed to direct to further beneficial consequences to our 
 country than are contemplated or regarded by its members. 
 
134 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 In examining the commercial history of all nations, I 
 have nowhere found a parallel to such a degree of trade 
 carried on in any other country as that of our own, with 
 the protection of so small a navy, and the assistance of so 
 much foreign capital. The extent of our navy is known 
 to every one. But it is not, probably, generally under- 
 stood, that two-thirds of the capital made use of is not 
 our own, but that of foreigners and belligerents — some of 
 it embarked in our home and foreign trade ; the rest in 
 our carrying trade. What influence from this source 
 may flow into the country it much concerns us to weigh 
 and watch. But I have observed some resemblance in 
 the general character of our Atlantic commerce, and the 
 Teutonic confederacy, founded in Germany about the 
 middle of the thirteenth century. There was created a 
 commercial confederacy of cities, distant from each other 
 in local situation and interests. The ITanseatic towns 
 associated for trade, not only all the maritime cities of 
 Germany, but even comprehended some of France and 
 England — the whole directing the partial views and inter- 
 ests of individual members to the profit of the company. 
 The Atlantic confederation has conciliated the different 
 interests of the North and South, with the general profit 
 of the whole. The Teutonic confederacy was carried on 
 without interfering with the various sovereigns on whom 
 they depended. The Atlantic confederacy has hitherto 
 progressed with a successful accommodation of the vari- 
 ous sovereignties and local interests of the respective 
 States. The German confederacy became objects of the 
 jealousy, and victims of the hatred of other nations, by 
 the arrogance arising out of their prosperity in appropri- 
 
VATICINATIONS. 135 
 
 ating to themselves the trade of the world which they 
 had engrossed. The Atlantic confederacy may reach a 
 similar prosperity, but will expire by a like fate. 
 
 From this hasty sketch of the state and principles of 
 our Atlantic commerce, we are naturally led to ask, "in 
 what manner these cis- Allegheny countries can control or 
 be effected by its interests?" As to the latter member 
 of this query, I have already said enough to show how 
 diligently we should guard against the insinuation of 
 its influence among us, and shall reserve myself on that 
 topic for such further animadversion as may hereafter 
 be due to the contingent remarks of others. But as to 
 the former, our means or our motives to injure the com- 
 mercial pursuits of our brothers on the Atlantic, will 
 now engage my attention. 
 
 When I hear suggestions made of the danger of our 
 rivaling the Atlantic States in their trade, I really sus- 
 pect some motives for uttering them worse than igno- 
 rance. That the whole western country must, at least 
 for a lapse of ages, content itself under the injunctions 
 of nature, with the condition of an agricultural and manu- 
 facturing country, is a proposition too evident to be 
 seriously questioned by any one. In the present state of 
 information, it is equally known to the fishermen of 
 Nantucket, and the rice-planter of Georgia, that it will 
 forever remain impracticable for our shipping to perform 
 a return voyage against the currents of our long rivers ; * 
 that the port of New Orleans, our only outlet, must 
 always, from its situation, be indefensible against a single 
 
 * Steam Lad not then been applied to the purposes of navigation. 
 
136 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 frigate, and that from our distance from the sea, and 
 many temporary obstacles added to those that are already 
 stated to be perpetual and insurmountable by ourselves, 
 the United States, or some other commercial power, must 
 ever be the carriers of our surplus produce from New 
 Orleans. 
 
 It was no serious alarm, therefore, of our being ever 
 able to entertain the project of appropriating generally to 
 ourselves, either a part of their foreign or of their carry- 
 ing trade that has hitherto engendered in the Atlantic 
 merchant a desire to foster a scheme of jealous and narrow 
 policy, which they have succeeded in infusing into all our 
 cabinets and councils against the advancement of our 
 western interests since the Revolution, which, from the 
 period of the reservation of the Salt springs, to the last 
 moderate increase of the price, in what are called Con- 
 gressional lands, our trusty representatives have so tem- 
 porarily forborne to expose to their constituents. The 
 real object was, the monopoly of the West India market. 
 But that market they must share, and indeed abandon to 
 us, however our political situation may vary. It should 
 not, however, be inferred, that the use we can make of 
 it, for a great many years to come, can materially injure 
 the commercial interest of the Atlantic States. How 
 paltry, then, has been the little jealousy of us, conceived 
 upon this ground ! How mean and treacherous the conceal- 
 ment of it from the people ! But how criminal has been 
 every system of all our Federal and Republican cabinets, 
 as regarding this division of the Union, how masked to 
 our citizens, we will now inquire. 
 
 A wilderness that hardly had felt the footsteps of civil- 
 
PIONEERING. 137 
 
 ized man, is pierced in the midst of a foreign war. Our 
 adventurous citizens first encounter all the miseries of the 
 forest, and the savage warfare of the Indians, in prospect 
 of acquiring a patrimony for their children. Their num- 
 bers are small, hut they maintain their posts, and even 
 march against a foreign foe on their frontier, whilst their 
 brethren are encountering him on the sea-board. After 
 many vicissitudes of hardship and privation, they are 
 joined in the woods by their relatives and friends, who 
 only brought with them, out of the Revolutionary war, 
 the scars and wounds they received in fighting for their 
 country, depending on her gratitude for the recompense 
 of their labors. Thus united, all strive in common against 
 the savages, and participate in the equal prospect of in- 
 demnity from the State and from Congress. In a short 
 time they discover that those lands which owed all their 
 worth to themselves are ceded to the Union. Indian 
 titles are set up, and extinguished by some trinkets and 
 some spirits, and the real conquerors of the country, 
 are either confined to the corn fields they had planted, 
 or left to pine unknown in some more distant retreats 
 in the wilderness. Such has been the fortune of our 
 adventurers into the country generally, for twenty years, 
 from Pittsburgh to the Mississippi, particularly in Ken- 
 tucky. Such has been the retribution of our country to 
 her children, who have shed their blood for her honor 
 and independence ! 
 
 Notwith standing all restrictions, however, of impolicy 
 and injustice, our country advances in population and 
 settlement. Immense numbers of emigrants from the old 
 States flock to our woods, and unite with us in forcing 
 
138 THE BLENNEIUIASSETT PAPERS 
 
 the face of our wilderness to unbend somewhat of the 
 rigors of its savage features to take upon it the cheering 
 smiles of agriculture. In ten or twelve years our disin- 
 terested statesmen on the Atlantic felicitate our delegates 
 on the growing prosperity of our country; profess to 
 them assurances of the fatherly love and protection of the 
 Federal Government ; invite them to return into the 
 family of the Union, from which they had eloped by 
 their emigration, so soon as they shall be entitled to re- 
 admission therein, by some years probation in passing 
 through the purgatory of a territorial government, when 
 they shall be honored by being permitted to contribute to 
 State and Federal revenues, not through the coercion of 
 an ordinance of Congress, but by their own representa- 
 tives ; when, instead of no representative government at 
 all, they shall be placed under two, without paying both 
 of which, they will be neither able to protect themselves 
 against Bonaparte or the grand Mogul, to make laws for 
 the restraint of crimes or the security of property in the 
 woods. Such or similar topics of comfort and admonition 
 have been swallowed by the large ears of our representa- 
 tives ; such they have echoed to their constituents. The 
 people, on their side, illy fitted, by their habits and occu- 
 pations, for sounding the depths of these speculations, 
 have innocently believed their interests, if not duly at- 
 tended to, were not at least betrayed. But now they be- 
 gin to inquire what mysterious complication of circum- 
 stances reduces them to the necessity of supporting two 
 governments, with two judiciaries to repress private 
 wrongs, and enforce private rights, in a country where 
 both are few and simple ; to contribute two revenues to 
 
querist's conclusions. 139 
 
 two executives, some of them non-resident among them, 
 and all alive to their own interests ; in short, to pay the 
 wages of a double representation, which has hitherto 
 neglected or sacrificed the proper objects of its mission. 
 When we soberly interrogate ourselves on these subjects 
 we readily find a clue that will easily lead us out of the 
 mazes of the labyrinth in which we have so long wan- 
 dered. We shall then behold, in the open field of inves- 
 tigation, into which I perhaps have first entered, the two 
 principal, if not the only, enemies of our rights and inter- 
 ests — ill-founded prejudices of commercial growth and 
 origin in the Atlantic States, against the effects of our 
 prosperity in the western country, and the neglect of that 
 inquiry or information hitherto by our citizens, which 
 should enable them properly to appreciate their civil and 
 political situation both present and to come. 
 
 How far I may have deserved well of the country in 
 reconnoitering the enemy in his trenches, as I promised 
 in my last, and have endeavored in this paper, I will not 
 presume to judge. At some after period, when the 
 warmth of interest, passion and party shall subside, I will 
 patiently, and I hope with dignity, abide the judgment 
 of my fellow-citizens. In the same spirit I shall, in my 
 next paper, consider those objections that have occurred 
 to me against the measure of a severance of the Union, 
 with the reputations they may require. But I wish it 
 understood, that I have no intention of recommending 
 either the mode or the time in which it should be effected. 
 An individual embarked in the vessel of 1113' country, 
 when I alarmed my shipmates with my report, that the 
 helm is deserted or improperly manned, I do not pre- 
 
140 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 sume to dictate to them how or whither they should steer 
 till called upon to do so. In the mean time, however, the 
 timid or designing among the crew may do well to com- 
 pose their alarms, or regulate their schemes, by an implicit 
 assurance that through all changes and chances of the 
 voyage I shall always be found at my post, wherever pri- 
 vate honor or public duty may summon me. 
 
 Querist. 
 
 Lexington, Kentucky, was then a central point in the 
 western Territories of the United States ; then, as now, 
 its society was of the most intelligent and refined in 
 the Mississippi valley. The best and most ancient and 
 honorable families of Virginia and the South had its 
 legitimate representatives in her gay assemblies. No one 
 accustomed to the elegancies of refined society, either in 
 the old or new world, ever visited its hospitable mansions 
 without an agreeable surprise at the taste and cultivation 
 of its ladies, and the high-toned gallantry of its men. 
 No other village of equal population, no other suburban 
 settlements, I assert it not disparagingly, could boast a 
 longer catalogue of equally illustrious names. In those 
 days, to cross the Alleghennies without running over to 
 Lexington, would be to visit France without a stroll along 
 the Boulevards, or to wander over Italy without look- 
 ing in upon the Vatican. 
 
 In the month of October, Mrs. Alston, the accom- 
 plished daughter of Col. Burr, was joined by her husband 
 at the Island Mansion. The ostensible object of the 
 visit was the re- establishment of her health, and the 
 gratification of her father, who desired her company on 
 
COL. ALSTON. 141 
 
 his wild and solitary rambles. Lexington had been 
 designated as the point of rendezvous, and thither they 
 repaired, accompanied by Blennerhassett. The manner 
 of their reception — the marked respect and generous hos- 
 pitality which was every-where extended, flattered them 
 with the hope of the popularity of the movement. Meas- 
 ures were immediately initiated for a thorough organiza- 
 tion. It was strongly suspected that meetings for this 
 purpose were being secretly held after the manner of 
 those inaugurated by Genet. Hence the utmost precau- 
 tion was necessary to conceal from the public observation 
 every thing that might excite their alarm. Among the 
 desirable qualities for a successful commander, it is said, 
 not the least is the art of conducting a safe retreat, as 
 well as a decisive attack. He should know how to cover 
 his retiring files, as well as to order to an advance. To 
 quiet the apprehension of the country it was necessary to 
 adopt some plausible pretext with which to mask the real 
 design, and actually to be embraced in case of a failure. 
 Hence it was announced that the object of the movement 
 was the colonization of the Bastrop lands. A purchase 
 was therefore agreed upon for several thousand acres 
 lying on the waters of the Washita, which, with many 
 of the uninitiated, was supposed to be their real destina- 
 tion. 
 
 Col. Alston was a man ot largo fortune. He was ex- 
 tensively engaged in the culture of rice, in the State of 
 South Carolina; but a succession of failures in crops had 
 left him destitute of ready means to supply the neces- 
 sities of Burr. These, upon his personal guaranty, were 
 furnished by Blennerhassett, who had to resort to his 
 
142 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 friends for his own accommodation. The following letter 
 throws some light upon the subject, and may settle the 
 question which was afterward disputed : 
 
 Lexington, Ky., Oct. 18th, 1806. 
 Messrs. Jos. S. Lewis & Co., Phila. : 
 
 Dear Sirs : — Having found in this place a most valua- 
 ble opportunity of participating with some friends of the 
 first respectability and resources in the Union, in a com- 
 mercial and land speculation, the prospect of effecting 
 which depends on my obtaining a credit with you, or 
 some other friends, for eight or ten thousand dollars, by 
 your honoring my drafts at sixty and ninety days, I feel 
 no hesitation in resorting to your approved friendship for 
 my accommodation. In order to supply the deficit of my 
 
 actual funds, under your management, in the stock, 
 
 I can vouch for your receiving about one thousand pounds 
 Irish on my account, in the course of twelve months. 
 But I can at any time give security on the vast estates, 
 and other property of Joseph Alston, Esq., of South 
 Carolina, who is absolutely exempt from all manner of 
 incumbrance, and is the son-in-law of Col. Burr. 
 
 In a case of such interest and importance, which, be- 
 sides in the event of my success, will not be indifferent to 
 your mercantile concerns hereafter, I hope I need urge 
 no further apology, for the first freedom of this kind I 
 have ventured with you. 
 
 I shall therefore expect your answer as soon as I can 
 have it by post, directed to me at home ; and, in the 
 mean time, I remain as I ever shall, dear sirs, 
 
 Your faithful friend, Harman Blennerhassett 
 
RETROSPECT. 143 
 
 P. S. — I can not embark on an aid short of $8,000, but 
 000 would improve the concern I look for almost 
 doubly. H. B. 
 
 The expedition, in the eyes of many, began now to 
 assume a serious aspect ; and, through the medium of the 
 press, attracted the attention of those more remote from 
 the scene of preparations. Apprehension and alarm 
 seized on the public mind, and spread dismay throughout 
 the country. Spain had refused us compensation for her 
 spoliations during a former war. Our commerce passing 
 on the Mobile river continued to be obstructed by arbi- 
 trary duties and vexatious searches. The boundaries of 
 Louisiana remained in dispute, producing much uneasiness 
 and discontent in the south-west. The Government had 
 been deterred from a declaration of war by Napoleon, 
 from the effects of whose arms Europe was then trem- 
 bling, and who had intimated that France would take 
 part with Spain in any contest she might have against 
 the United States. Adding to this, the impressment of 
 American seamen by British vessels, and it will be seen 
 our nation was at once reduced to a situation of painful 
 humiliation. 
 
 Feeble, indeed, would be that aid which a disunited 
 people could render, in time of perils such as these. 
 Never before, in the history of the nation, had rebellion 
 and disunion so openly avowed itself. How far this dis- 
 affection extended was, to many, a matter of mysterious 
 and anxious conjecture. Burr had, but a few years previ- 
 ous, closed a close and popular canvass for the executive 
 chair. It was known that, not only his partisans, but his 
 
144 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 personal friends, were numerous ; many of whom were 
 men of wealth and influence, who could rally to their 
 standard a formidable number to support the cause of 
 faction. Party malevolence and personal animosity added 
 fuel to the flame, and ultimate ruin hung, as a withering 
 pall, over the destinies of the country. 
 
 A rumor was gaining ground that a numerous and 
 powerful association, extending from New York, through 
 the Western States, to the Gulf of Mexico, had been 
 formed ; that eight or ten thousand men were to rendez- 
 vous in New Orleans, at no distant period ; and from 
 thence, with the co-operation of a naval force, follow 
 Burr to Vera Cruz ; that agents from Mexico had come 
 to Philadelphia during the summer, and had given assur- 
 ances that the landing of the expedition would be fol- 
 lowed by such an immediate and general insurrection as 
 would insure the submission of the existing Government, 
 and silence all opposition in a very few weeks ; that 
 a part of the association would descend the Alleghenny 
 river, and the first general rendezvous would be at the 
 rapids of the Ohio, toward the 20th of October, and from 
 thence the aggregate force was to proceed in light-boats, 
 with the utmost velocity, to New Orleans, under an 
 expectation of being joined on the route by men raised 
 in the State of Tennessee and other quarters. 
 
 It was said that the maritime co-operation relied on 
 was from a British squadron in the West Indies ; that 
 active and influential characters had been engaged in 
 making preparations for six or eight months past, which 
 were in such a state of readiness that it was expected the 
 van would reach. New Orleans in December, where the 
 
ON THE LOOK-OUT. 145 
 
 necessary organization and equipment would be com- 
 pleted with such promptitude that the expedition would 
 leave the Mississippi toward the first of February. It 
 was added, that the revolt of the slaves, along the river, 
 was relied on, as an auxiliary measure ; and that the 
 seizure of the banks of New Orleans was contemplated 
 to supply the funds necessary to carry on the enterprise.* 
 
 Mr. Jefferson, then President of the United States, 
 through considerations of caution, and to quell the appre- 
 hension of danger, adopted the precautionary measure of 
 appointing Graham, the Secretary of the Territory of 
 Orleans, a secret agent of the Government, with instruc- 
 tions to spy out and investigate any plot hostile to the 
 national interest ; empowering him to enter into confer- 
 ences with the civil and military authorities in the West, 
 and, with their aid, to call on the spot whatever should 
 become necessary to discover the designs of the supposed 
 conspirators ; and also to bring the offenders to punish- 
 ment, when he should have fully ascertained their in- 
 tentions. 
 
 It being known, at this time, that many boats were in 
 preparation, stores and provisions collected, and an un- 
 usual number of suspicious characters in motion, on the 
 Ohio and its tributaries, orders were given to the Gov- 
 ernor of the Mississippi and Orleans Territories, and to 
 the commanders of the land and naval forces, to be on 
 their guard against surprise, and in constant readiness to 
 resist any enterprise that might be attempted. 
 
 On the 8th of November, instructions had been sent to 
 
 * Martin's History of Louisiana. 
 10 
 
146 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 General Wilkinson, to hasten on accommodations with 
 the Spanish commander on the Sabine, and fall back with 
 his principal force on the hither bank of the Mississippi.* 
 This order, however, had been anticipated by Wilkinson, 
 who, on the 5th of the same month, three days previous 
 to the dispatch of the inst motions, having received intel- 
 ligence that the Spanish camp on the Sabine would be 
 broken up on that day, began his march toward Natchi- 
 toches. Immediately on his arrival there, he had directed 
 Porter to proceed with the utmost expedition, and to 
 repair, mount, and equip for service, every piece of ord- 
 nance in the city ; to employ all hands in preparing 
 shells, grape, canister and musket cartridges, with buck- 
 shot; to have every iieldpiece ready, with horse, harness 
 and drag-rope, and to mount six or eight battering can- 
 nons on fort St. Charles and fort St. Louis, below and 
 above the city, and along its front, flanks and rear. 
 
 Porter left Natchitoches with all the artifices, and com- 
 pany of one hundred men, and had been followed by 
 Cashing with the rest of the forces, leaving only one 
 company behind. Wilkinson, on his way to New Or- 
 leans, stopped at Natchez, and made application to the 
 Executive of the Mississippi Territory for a detachment 
 of five hundred men of its militia to proceed with him ; 
 but, declining to communicate his motives iu making the 
 requisition, the Governor refused a compliance with so 
 mysterious a demand 
 
 From this place, Wilkinson, on the fifteenth of Novem- 
 ber, dispatched Burling, one of his aids, to Mexico, for 
 
 * Jefferson's Message of 22d of January, 1807. 
 
RUMORS CONFIRMED. 147 
 
 the ostensible purpose of apprising the Viceroy of the 
 danger with which his sovereign's dominions were men- 
 aced ; but, in reality, as the general mentions in his mem- 
 oirs, on grounds of public policy and professional enter- 
 prise, to attempt to penetrate the veil which concealed 
 the topographical route to the city of Mexico, and the 
 military defenses which intervened — feeling that the 
 equivocal relation of the two countries justified the ruse.* 
 
 As soon as Wilkinson arrived in New Orleans, he held 
 an interview with Governor Claiborne ; at which time it 
 was deemed expedient to convoke the merchants of the 
 city, to adopt precautionary measures for their security. 
 The latter, in an animated address, exhorted them to 
 assist him in his efforts for the defense of the city, and 
 solemnly swore, in the enthusiastic style peculiar to him, 
 that, if it were taken by the vessels, he would perish in 
 the endeavor to repel the assault. The meeting adopted, 
 unanimously, some spirited and patriotic resolutions. A 
 considerable sum was subscribed to he distributed as 
 bounty among such sailors as might engage to serve on 
 board the ships. Many of the guns of the city were 
 placed upon the merchantmen in the river; and a re- 
 spectable fleet was suddenly formed, to oppose that of the 
 British, which was expected from the West Indies. 
 
 The rumors which had induced this energetic action, 
 on the part of the Government, had been but recently 
 confirmed by the reception, on the part of the President, 
 of the proceedings of a meeting in Wood County, Vir- 
 ginia, expressive of alarm for the safety of the country, 
 
 * .Martin's History of Louisiana. 
 
148 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 by the accumulating evidences of the complicity of Burr 
 and Blennerhasset, in a mysterious and, as many believed, 
 treasonable design. 
 
 The cause of their apprehension proceeded from a par- 
 tial revelation of the objects of the expedition to some 
 of his more intimate acquaintance, by Blennerhassett, 
 and to whom, also, he had made a secret acknowledgment 
 of the authorship of " Querist." 
 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett, having learned of the meeting, 
 and being informed that a battalion of three companies, 
 under command of Col. Phelps, were then mustering at 
 the Point (Parkersburg), intending to make a descent 
 that evening, to burn the mansion and seize the kiln- 
 dried corn, dispatched Peter Taylor to Kentucky, to in- 
 form her husband of the danger with which his person 
 and property were menaced. 
 
 On the receipt of the intelligence he immediately left 
 for home. Reflecting on his way that he should be un- 
 provided with the means of defense to protect himself 
 against the attack of the militia, he called upon Dr. Ben- 
 nett, of Mason County, Virginia, to learn any particulars 
 of which he was advised, and to secure such aid as the 
 Doctor might be able to afford him in the defense of his 
 property at the Island. He protested the innocence of 
 their designs, and abjured any intention of a separation 
 of the Union, unless by the voluntary act of the people, 
 when such a measure should be rendered expedient. He 
 communicated the fact of the purchase of the Bastrop 
 lands, and desired to enlist such persons as might be 
 desirous of emigrating. Taking leave of the Doctor at 
 the ferry, he arrived at the Island on the following day. 
 
GRATEFUL SENTIMENTS. 149 
 
 Tlie excitement had by no means abated. Rumors had 
 reached him that an attempt would be made on his per- 
 son that evening ; but as Col. Phelps had assured Mrs. 
 Blennerhassett, during the absence of her husband, that 
 she should be protected against violence, he felt no imme- 
 diate apprehension of danger. On being informed of the 
 facts, he dispatched, by a messenger, the following com- 
 munication to the Colonel : 
 
 Wood County, Nov. M, 1806. 
 Colonel Phelps: 
 
 Dear Sir : — Just returned home, after a journey of 
 seven hundred miles, I hasten to express to you the satis- 
 faction with which I learned, on the road, that you had 
 been invested with the command of the two volunteer 
 companies that had been raised in this country during 1113^ 
 absence, as that circumstance afforded me a sure guaran- 
 tee against the idle reports I had heard, of any misguided 
 violence intended by my neighbors against my family or 
 property while I was not on the ground to defend them. 
 But the information my wife has given me of the purport 
 of the friendly message you sent her, at a time when you 
 thought it would be expedient, has laid me under per- 
 sonal obligations to you, and rendered it a duty with me 
 to endeavor to revive our former neighborly intercourse, 
 especially at a season when so much misconception mis- 
 leads the people, propagated, as I have no doubt I can 
 satisfy you, by your enemies and their own, when I shall 
 have the pleasure of an hour's unreserved conversation 
 with you, in which I expect I can make you some propo- 
 
150 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 sitions that will engage your attention and be serviceable 
 to your best interests. I therefore embrace the earliest 
 opportunity of soliciting an interview with you, and, in 
 consideration of my fatigue, I take the liberty of request- 
 ing to see you this evening, and accept of a bed with us; 
 or if that should be inconvenient to you, I shall do my- 
 self the pleasure of attending any appointment you may 
 designate for to-morrow. 
 
 I am, dear sir, your obliged and obedient servant, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 Col. Phelps to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Newport, Nov. 6th, 1806. 
 Dear Sir : — From circumstances of business, it was out 
 of my power to attend at Col. Cushing's so early as my 
 appointment. A short time after you left there I went 
 over, and found your note requesting me to wait upon 
 you this day. I am sorry that, from similar circum- 
 stances, I shall not be able to comply ; but, if you should 
 be at home, I shall do myself the pleasure to wait upon 
 you to-morrow. 
 
 Your obedient servant, Hugh Phelps. 
 
 Col. Phelps having visited Blennerhassett, according to 
 appointment, the latter thanked him for informing his 
 wife of the rumors which were afloat, and the measures 
 which had been adopted to arrest the designs of himself 
 and associates. He effected, however, to ridicule the 
 reports he had beard of the injuries threatened his fam- 
 
CONSULTATION. 151 
 
 ily, and suggested that lie suspected the other party in 
 the country under the influence of the Hendersons, was 
 becoming so strong that its leaders would probably over- 
 turn the Colonel's interest, on which alone they had 
 hitherto depended for whatever popularity they bad 
 acquired, and cautioned the Colonel against any coalition 
 or co-operation they might seek with him, in exciting 
 clamor or suspicion against the views or intentions of 
 Aaron Burr or his friends, which the past conduct of the 
 Hendersons toward him should induce him to avoid. 
 
 Col. Phelps, in reply, complained much of the ill-treat- 
 ment he had received from the Hendersous. Blennerhas- 
 sett stated his concern with Aaron Burr in a land pur- 
 chase; that he solicited or invited no person to join in 
 the emigration, though many had voluntarily offered to 
 do so, but added that if the Colonel wished a concern for 
 himself or his friends, he might look to the example 
 of General Jackson, and other characters of distinction, 
 who, Blennerhassett understood, were going to join in 
 the settlement with many associates; that, as to the 
 rumors and suspieions that had been circulated of Col. 
 Burr, or his friends, which accused them of engaging in 
 any thing against the laws of the United States, such 
 were wholly groundless ; but it was not unlikely that the 
 proximity of the purchase to that part of the country 
 where an engagement had already taken place, or might 
 soon be expected, between General Wilkinson and the 
 Spaniards, would engage Col. Burr and his friends in 
 some of the earliest adventures of the war; General 
 Jackson being already prepared to march with one thou- 
 
152 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 sand or fifteen hundred of Lis Tennessee militia, when- 
 ever he should think himself authorized by the orders or 
 wishes of the Government to put that body in motion. 
 Col. Phelps received this information with declining to 
 embark himself, on account of his family and the unset- 
 tled state of his affairs, but said he had no doubt many 
 young men from Wood county would be glad to go with 
 Blennerhassett, to whom he would recommend the specu- 
 lation, as he might have opportunities. 
 
 From General Derereaux. 
 
 Baltimore, Oct. 13th, 1806. 
 Harman Blennerhassett, Esq. : 
 
 My dearest Friend : — Your last esteemed letter I have 
 duly received. I am both rejoiced and saddened at it. 
 Rejoiced I am, that it should be my good fortune to be so 
 kindly held in the light I see I am, by those so dear to 
 me, as you and your estimable lady. I am, however, 
 both saddened and distressed, that my affairs are not in 
 that train to permit me to join you in this month, as I 
 had fondly contemplated, and as you so much wish. 
 Such is the nature of our business, that it is utterly im- 
 possible for me to wind it up at present, and this from 
 new and unexpected obstacles — obstacles which I shall 
 fully explain to your satisfaction, and the satisfaction of 
 our oreat and common friend, when we meet. 
 
 How grateful and flattered do I feel, my valued sir, for 
 the good opinion you are pleased to express and entertain 
 of me. On this subject I shall only further add, that I 
 trust I shall never disappoint you in these sentiments, 
 
PROSECUTION. 153 
 
 and that I may yet have opportunities of evincing my 
 gratitude by actions instead of words. 
 
 Please present your worthy Mrs. Blennerhassett with 
 my kindest and best respects, and assure yourself, my 
 ever dear sir, of the warm attachment I shall ever feel 
 for you, and those that belong to you. 
 
 Yours most truly, J. Devereux. 
 
 P. S. — Should you see our distinguished friend shortly, 
 recall me to him with that ardent respect and attachment 
 which I feel for him. Do n't forget. 
 
 Shortly after his arrival at the island, Blennerhassett 
 was joined by Burr, who had also returned from Ken- 
 tucky and his journey through Ohio. He did not remain 
 long, however, at the scene of preparations on the Mus- 
 kingum. Having completed his arrangements, he left 
 Blennerhassett to superintend the construction of the 
 boats, to make the necessary preparation, and to follow 
 him, as soon as practicable, to the mouth of the Cumber- 
 land, with the men, provisions and boats. 
 
 Burr proceeded down the Ohio to Kentucky, where he 
 had hardly landed before he was arrested, and carried 
 before the United States' Court, on a charge of " treason- 
 able practices, and a design to attack the Spanish do- 
 mains, and thereby endanger the peace of the United 
 States." He announces the fact as follows : 
 
 Lexington, Nov. 6th, 1806. 
 Yesterday, Mr. Jos. Davis, the district attorney of the 
 United States, made an application to the federal court at 
 
154 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAP] 
 
 Frankfort, for a warrant to apprehend me for treasonable 
 practice, or on sonic suspicion thereof. The charge is 
 not well-defined by my informant, but the substance is, 
 " a design to attack the Spanish dominions, and thereby 
 endanger the peace of the United States." How this 
 charge was supported, I have not heard ; but absurd and 
 ridiculous as it may appear, the judge has taken time 
 until this day to consider if he should refuse to grant the 
 warrant. He must expect a tornado of abuse from the 
 W. World and some other papers. It is also probable, 
 that villains enough may have been found to encounter 
 all the perjuries which may be thought necessary to grat- 
 ify malice. These things taken together, it is fair to 
 infer, as probable, that the warrant will be granted. Un- 
 fortunately this being a proceeding on suspicion, and 
 previous to any inquiry by a grand jury, no immediate 
 trial can be had, and the object undoubtedly is to give a 
 sort of sanction to the charge by this measure, in order 
 to influence public opinion. You perceive, my dear sir, 
 that this step will embarrass me in my project of the 
 Washita settlement. I pray, however, that you will have 
 no solicitude about me ; and it will afford me the highest 
 gratification, if my friends should feel as little anxiety for 
 the result as will be felt by your faithful and affectionate, 
 
 A. Burr. 
 IT. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 P. S. — You perceive that this event will deprive me of 
 the pleasure, of seeing you at your own house. I should 
 not have disturbed your repose with this relation, had 
 
DISSUASION. 155 
 
 I not known that it would come to yon with exaggera- 
 tions through an hundred channels. A. 13. 
 
 The arrest was premature, and Burr was discharged 
 for want of evidence. 
 
 Near the middle of November, Graham, the Govern- 
 ment's confidential agent, proceeded to Marietta, where 
 extensive preparations were going on. Here he met, and 
 held an interview with, Blennerhassett. After discoursing 
 upon the subject of the expedition, with a frankness 
 which was only warranted by a well-founded belief (from 
 what Burr had previously intimated) that Graham was 
 considered as one of the recruits, Blennerhassett read to 
 him some communications he had just received by the 
 hand of Capt. Elliott, and also from the preceding one 
 of Burr, in relation to his arrest and trial at Frankfort, 
 upon which Blennerhassett animadverted with great 
 severity. Graham finding Blennerhassett was laboring 
 under a delusion, in regard to the part that he was to 
 perform in the transaction, informed him that Burr's 
 representations, as to him (Graham) being with or favor- 
 ing the expedition, were groundless. With no little sur- 
 prise, he asked Graham whether he had not heard of an 
 association, in New Orleans, for the invasion of Mexico. 
 Upon Graham venturing to assure him that there was no 
 such association there, Blennerbassett stated that he bad 
 been informed by Bradford, the printer of the " Gazette 
 d'Orleans," that about three hundred men had already 
 joined the expedition. 
 
 Considering Blennerhassett most cruelly deceived, Gra- 
 
15G THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ham endeavored to draw him off from the undertaking, 
 in which he was engaged; and conceiving it the policy 
 of the Government to prevent, rather than to punish, 
 such enterprises, lie informed Blennerhassett that, so far 
 from being concerned in the plan, he was the Govern- 
 ment's authorized agent to inquire into the facts relative 
 to the enterprise in the western country, and to take such 
 steps as might be necessary for repressing it. He then 
 stated to Mr. Blennerhassett, from reasons drawn from 
 Burr's visit to New Orleans during the preceding sum- 
 mer, from the information which the Government had 
 received, and from the nature of the preparations which 
 Blennerhassett himself was then making, why he believed 
 the object of Burr was either to attack the Territories of 
 Spain or those of the United States ; and added, that any 
 collection of armed men on the Ohio river would, under 
 the circumstances, be considered a violation of the laws, 
 and repressed accordingly. 
 
 The object and extent of the preparations at Marietta 
 having ben fully ascertained by Graham, according to 
 instructions, he visited the Governor of Ohio, at Chilli- 
 cothe, to procure the aid of the State authorities in sup- 
 pressing the suspected formidable measures. Governor 
 Tiffin communicated the matter to the Legislature, then 
 in session, whereupon an act was immediately passed, en- 
 titled "An act to prevent certain acts hostile to the peace 
 and tranquillity of the United States, within the jurisdic- 
 tion of the State of Ohio." * 
 
 * Chase's Statutes of Ohio, Vol. I, p. 558. 
 
INCIDENTS. 157 
 
 Under this act, Governor Tiffin ordered out the militia 
 of the adjacent neighborhood, under command of Major- 
 General Bell, of Marietta, with instructions to that 
 officer to take forcible possession of the boats and stores, 
 not only upon the Muskingum, but also of all others of a 
 suspicious character descending the Ohio. 
 
 A warlike array of undisciplined militia, with cannon, 
 necessary equipage and arms, stationed themselves along 
 the banks of the river, to cut off the forces expected from 
 above. Many amusing jokes were played off at the 
 expense of the raw recruits during this campaign — such 
 as setting an empty tar-barrel on fire, and placing it in an 
 old boat or raft of logs, to float by in the darkness of the 
 night. The sentries, after duly hailing, and receiving no 
 answer, would fire a shot to enforce their command ; but 
 still " dread silence reigned," and calmly the phantom 
 vessel, with her stolid crew, floated onward and down- 
 ward in utter recklessness. Irritated at such manifest 
 contempt of their high authority, they plunged into the 
 stream to seize the boat and capture its luckless navi- 
 gators, when naught appeared but the remains of a log 
 and a barrel, which some laughter-loving wag had 
 freighted for their mischance and his amusement. 
 
 On another occasion, they had learned that Tyler* and 
 his men had passed down the river as far as Blennerhas- 
 sett's island, from whence he was expected to return, to 
 re-capture the boats and provisions. To cut off all possi- 
 ble communication with Marietta, where the boats were 
 
 * Comfort Tyler was one of Burr's principal captains. 
 
158 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 tied, particular instructions were given, in the evening, 
 to bring away all the water-craft from the lower side of 
 the Muskingum. Several sailors, who boarded on the 
 opposite shore, considered the opportunity for sport too 
 favorable to pass unimproved. The plan first proposed 
 for the accomplishment of this end, was to raise an 
 armed party, with blank cartridges, and fire at the senti- 
 nels. Upon strict search, however, they found that all 
 the muskets, blunderbusses, rifles and shot-guns had been 
 previously appropriated by the militia. The cannon was 
 then thought of, when this, also, it was ascertained, had 
 been called to the aid of the State authorities. Determ- 
 ined not to be defeated, in the laugh they had promised 
 themselves, they resorted to the expedient of emptying a 
 half-keg of powder into a canvas sack, wrapping it closely 
 with twine. This they deposited under ground, care 
 being taken to leave a communication with the contents 
 by means of a priming-hole and slow-match. At mid- 
 night, when all, save the faithful and lonely sentinels, 
 were enjoying that repose so necessary to the refreshment 
 of the wearied soldier, after a destructive attack 
 
 l; On whisky and peach-brandy," * 
 
 a confused and foreboding sound, from the opposite 
 shore, grated unmusically on the ear of the guards. Al- 
 though appearances were somewhat ominous, yet they 
 concluded not to disturb the slumbers of their brothers 
 in arms until a more satisfactory demonstration had been 
 
 * See Appendix. 
 
SLIGHTLY SCARED. 159 
 
 made. For this opportunity they were not kept long in 
 suspense. Suddenly the earth began to heave and throe, 
 as if drunk with the heel-taps of the soldier's glasses, 
 and, following in quick succession, a report, that many 
 mistook for the summoning trump of the end of time. 
 The scene which succeeded is more easily imagined than 
 described. Those less confused did, indeed, take time to 
 adjust their outside garments, but much the greater num- 
 ber started with nothing but their nether vestments, 
 without regard to uniform or military parade. Here 
 stood one, vainly struggling to thrust his feet through 
 the arm-holes and sleeves of his linsey warmus, while, at 
 his side, a companion had drawn his pants over his 
 shoulders, illustrating, most ludicrously, but literally, 
 the lines of doggerel : 
 
 '•Put on his shirt outside his coat. 
 And tied his breeches round his throat. 
 
 Shivering, in the chill winds of December, they " hur- 
 ried in hot haste " to the tanta-ran-ta of the trumpeter, 
 and the rub-a-dub-dub of the "drum-major-general." 
 Whether any had taken the precaution to "load" or 
 "prime" is a question which time and reflection have 
 never settled. The major, who was a tailor, is said to 
 have charged the cannon with his goose; the State hav- 
 ing made no provision for ammunition. The deputy, as 
 he mounted his horse, was heard to say, that, "as great 
 men were scarce, lie thought it best to flee from danger." 
 Had Tyler and his men been the real cause of their 
 alarm, he would doubtless have met with a stern re- 
 
160 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 sistance, but, fortunately for him, he was unconsciously 
 asleep at the Island. 
 
 To Comfort Tyler, a chief assistant from New York, 
 had been committed the duties of purveyor.. It was 
 expected that he would procure the necessary supplies in 
 Pittsburgh, and descending the Ohio, join Blennerhassett 
 at the Island. For want of means, and the delay of sev- 
 eral associates who had appointed to meet him on the 
 Ohio, he was detained beyond the time designated for his 
 departure. To quiet the apprehension which his absence 
 had occasioned, and in answer to a letter which had been 
 forwarded from Blennerhassett, he writes as follows : 
 
 Pittsburgh, Nov. 14th, 1806. 
 
 Dear Sir : — Your favor, by Capt. Elliot, is duly re- 
 ceived, for which I thank you. My calculations have 
 at all times been to leave Beaver on the first of next 
 month. The only difficulty that I have to encounter is, 
 the procuring the provisions necessary for my settlers, 
 some of whom are behind, and I fear they will not arrive 
 in time ; but I shall be off with the few that may happen 
 to be with me, and trust to those behind to follow on. I 
 shall also encourage some gentlemen to forward on flour, 
 pork and whisky, with a promise that they may have 
 their pay for them on the way. 
 
 I have been unfortunate in having means furnished me 
 equal to fulfilling contracts that might have been made 
 for the article of whisky, in a particular manner, as the 
 merchants are under the necessity of paying ready cash 
 lor it (they can not procure it on a credit). I expected 
 
NO SALE. 161 
 
 Mr. Thompson or a Mr. Hopkins would have returned to 
 me with some means, to enable me to make greater 
 speed, but as they do not come, must suppose they have 
 either not met with our friend, who is the principal agent 
 in the purchases, or that the distance has been too far for 
 them to return by this time. I think, however, that 
 before you receive this, one of the men will be at Mari- 
 etta, on their way to me ; but be assured, that no time 
 shall be lost on my part to be ready and on my way by 
 the 1st; and by the 8th of the month, can, of course, 
 be with you, or, at farthest, on that day. I shall, how- 
 ever, expect instructions through you, how and where I 
 am to call, and of whom I may expect aid in any case : 
 not being acquainted with any one, after I leave Beaver, 
 I shall therefore expect some person to look for me, with 
 your letter of introduction to me, with directions where 
 I am to call on you. In the mean time, 
 
 Believe me, dear sir, your faithful friend, 
 
 Comfort Tyler. 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 On Saturday evening, the 6th of December, the Hon. 
 Charles Fenton Mercer, in the course of his journey east 
 of the mountains, stopped at the island, with the view of 
 purchasing this " most elegant seat in Virginia." Finding, 
 however, that Blennerhassett estimated it at fifty thous- 
 and dollars, which (he remarked) was ten thousand less 
 than it had cost him, Mr. Mercer abandoned the idea of 
 purchasing: and the rest of his time, during the visit, 
 was spent in conversation with Blennerhassett and his 
 11 
 
162 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 accomplished lady. Tt turned upon his removal to the 
 " Washita" — the name of his new purchase. With great 
 earnestness, he pressed Mr. Mercer to become a partici- 
 pant; suggesting how much it would augment his for- 
 tune, and enforcing the inducement by an assurance that 
 the society he invited him to join would soon become the 
 most agreeable and select in America. He spoke of Burr 
 as the moral head of it; and when Mr. Mercer expressed 
 a doubt of the permanency and happiness of a union 
 formed under such auspices, and dwelt upon such traits 
 of Burr's general character as he deemed exceptionable, 
 Blennerhassett vindicated him, with the enthusiasm of 
 an ardent admirer. 
 
 Blennerhassett having intended to visit Marietta on 
 Sunday evening, Mr. Mercer proposed accompanying 
 him, as that was directly on his route. As a tribute of 
 merited gratitude, he remarks, that he left the mansion 
 in perfect good will to all its inhabitants; regretting 
 that the engagements of its proprietor and bis own 
 dreary journey, but just begun in the commencement of 
 winter, forbade him to prolong a visit which, although so 
 transient, had afforded him so much pleasure. All that 
 he had seen or heard corresponded so little with the 
 criminal designs imputed to Blennerhassett, that, if he 
 could have visited him with unfavorable sentiments, 
 they would have vanished before the light of a species 
 of evidence which, if not reducible to the strictest 
 rules of legal testimony, had, nevertheless, a potent in- 
 fluence over all sensitive hearts; and which, though it 
 doth not possess the formal sanction of an oath, hath 
 
VINDICATION. 163 
 
 often in it a great deal more truth than statements thus 
 verified. 
 
 " What ! " remarks Mr. Mercer, " will a man who. 
 weary of the agitations of the world, of its noise and 
 vanity, has unambitiously retired to a solitary island in 
 the heart of a desert, and created a terrestrial paradise, 
 the very flowers, and shrubs and vines of which he had 
 planted and nurtured with his own hands; a man whose 
 soul is accustomed to toil in the depths of literature; 
 whose ear is framed to the harmony of sound, and whose 
 I ouch and breath daily awaken it from a variety of melo- 
 dious instruments; will such a man start up, in the de- 
 cline of life, from the pleasing dream of seven years' 
 slumber, to carry fire and sword to the peaceful habita- 
 tions of men who have never done him wrong? Are his 
 musical instruments and his library to become the equi- 
 page of a camp? Will he expose a lovely and accom- 
 plished woman, and two little children, to whom he 
 seems so tenderly attached, to the guilt of treason, and 
 to the horrors of war; a treason so desperate? — a war so 
 unequal? Were not all his preparations better adapted 
 to the innocent and useful purpose which he avowed, 
 rather than to the criminal and hazardous enterprise 
 which was imputed to him? Whence arose those impu- 
 tations? From his union with Col. Burr. But it is evi- 
 dent he has been led to this union from his admiration 
 of the genius, and confidence in the virtue and honor, of 
 the person with whom it lias connected him. That 
 which, with a harsh-judging world, is the foundation of 
 a belief of his guilt, when thoroughly and candidly ex- 
 
164 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 amined, carries on its face, therefore, the stamp of his 
 innocence." 
 
 On the same day of the arrival of Mr. Mercer at the 
 Island, also landed Comfort Tyler, with his boats and 
 provisions, and a small party of men under his com- 
 mand. He found Blennerhassett much disheartened as 
 to the enterprise, and nearly resolved to abandon it 
 altogether. Through the persuasive eloquence of his 
 wife, however, who had now enlisted in the undertak- 
 ing with heroic enthusiasm, and the arrival of Tyler's 
 men, " the lord of the isle," as if some demon of evil 
 haunted his footsteps, and urged him on to an un- 
 known destiny, yielding rather to the wishes of others 
 than to the dictates of his own better judgment, again 
 embarked his fortune and fame in the enterprise of 
 Burr. 
 
 The boats and stores at Marietta being in readiness for 
 embarkation, orders were issued to the guard to exercise 
 the utmost vigilance in preventing their departure. Sus- 
 picions of the illegal character of the enterprise became 
 daily more confirmed. Many had already abandoned it, 
 while others hesitated to commit their fortunes to one 
 whom popular prejudice condemned, and to whom popu- 
 lar rumor had attributed such alarming designs. Blen- 
 nerhassett saw that the storm was rapidly gathering, and 
 to delay would result in his own discomfiture and the 
 defeat of the expedition. 
 
 On the evening of the 8th of December, a party of 
 young men, assembled at the hospitable fireside of a 
 Belpre neighbor, were engaged in animated conversation 
 
ON THEIR MUSCLE. 165 
 
 on the subject of the enterprise before them. They were 
 yet young, but ardent and daring, and joined the expe- 
 dition from the love of adventure, and to visit foreign 
 lands. Above all, they desired to realize the enchant- 
 ments of those vast and far-off savannas which fancy, 
 bending her iris of many-colored hues, had draped in 
 perpetual verdure, where myriads of blossoms, exhaling 
 delicious odors, gemmed the variegated landscape with 
 their dazzling sheen. Reposing in the honor and cour- 
 age of their leaders, they determined to explore that 
 unknown world beyond, heedless alike of the admo- 
 nition of friends, and the perils by which they were 
 surrounded. 
 
 The boats at the mouth of the Muskingum were in the 
 hands of the authorities, and it was determined to bring 
 them away by a coup d? assail. As the night closed in, 
 the young men ended their conference, and proceeded in 
 a body to the scene of operation. This was their first 
 adventure, and became intensely exciting from its nov- 
 elty. The route lay along the ravine of the Ohio for a 
 distance of about twelve miles. The road being nearly 
 obscured by over-hanging boughs, the surrounding dark- 
 ness afforded effectual protection against observation. 
 Advancing with caution, they eluded the vigilance of 
 the soldiers until they approached the shores of the Mus- 
 kingum. As they proceeded to unfasten the boats, the 
 noise attracted the attention of a sentinel, and the alarm 
 was oriven. An excitine; eno-ao-ement ensued. No arms 
 were used, their efforts being wholly directed to main- 
 taining the custody of the boats by physical force. 
 
166 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Friend and. foe were equally undistinguishable. The 
 contest for a time seemed doubtful, as the middle of 
 the stream had been reached, and the darkness rendered 
 pursuit difficult. At length, however, they were all re- 
 captured by the authorities, save one, which with its crew 
 was safely conducted to the Island, and the young men 
 returned to their homes, greatly amused with the inci- 
 dents of their first engagement. 
 
BURR IN CYPHER. 167 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 On the 29th of July, 180(3, Burr had dispatched, from 
 Philadelphia, by the hands of Swartwout, to General 
 Wilkinson, the following communication in cypher : 
 
 " Your letter, postmarked 13th May, is received. At 
 length I have obtained funds, and have actually com- 
 menced. The eastern detachments from different points, 
 and under different pretenses, will rendezvous on the 
 Ohio, 1st of November. Every thing internal and 
 external favors our views. Naval protection of Eng- 
 land is secured. Truxton is going to Jamaica, to arrange 
 with the Admiral on that station. It will meet us at the 
 Mississippi. England, a navy of the United States, are 
 ready to join, and final orders are given to my friends 
 and followers. It will be a host of choice spirits. Wil- 
 kinson shall be second to Burr only, and Wilkinson shall 
 dictate the rank and promotion of his officers. Burr 
 will proceed westward 1st of August, never to return. 
 With him go his daughter and grandson. The husband 
 will follow in October, with a corps of worthies. Send, 
 forthwith, an intelligent friend with whom Burr may 
 confer. He shall return immediately with further inter- 
 esting details: this is essential to harmony and concert 
 of movement. Send a list of all persons known to Wil- 
 kinson west of the mountains, who could be useful, with 
 
168 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 a note delineating their character. By your messenger, 
 send me four or five of the commissions of your officers, 
 which you can borrow under any pretense you please. 
 They shall be retained faithfully. Already are orders 
 given to the contractor to forward six months' provision 
 to points Wilkinson may name ; this shall not be used 
 until the last moment, and then under proper injunc- 
 tions. Our project, my dear friend, is brought to a point 
 so long desired. Burr guarantees the result with his life 
 and honor, with the lives, and honor, and the fortunes 
 of hundreds, the best blood of our country. Burr's plan 
 of operation is to move down rapidly, from the falls, on 
 the 15th of November, with the first five hundred or one 
 thousand men, in light boats now constructing for that 
 purpose, to be at Natchez between the 5th and 15th of 
 December, there to meet you, there to determine whether 
 it will be expedient, in the first instance, to seize on, or 
 pass by, Baton Rouge. ... on receipt of this, send Burr 
 an answer, .... draw on Burr for all expenses, etc. 
 The people of the country to which we are going are 
 prepared to receive us ; their agents, now with Burr, say 
 that if we will protect their religion, and will not subject 
 them to a foreign power, that, in three weeks, all will be 
 settled. The gods invite us to glory and fortune ; it 
 remains to be seen whether we deserve the boon. The 
 bearer of this goes express to you; he will hand a 
 formal letter of introduction to you, from Burr ; he is 
 a man of inviolable honor and perfect discretion, formed 
 to execute rather than project, capable of relating facts 
 with fidelity, and incapable of relating them otherwise. 
 He is thoroughly informed of the plans and intentions 
 
THE PLOT PROSPERING. 169 
 
 of , and will disclose to you, as far as you inquire, 
 
 and no further ; he has imbibed a reverence for your 
 character, and may be embarrassed in your presence ; 
 put him at ease, and he will satisfy you." * 
 
 The mystery in which it was ever the delight of Burr 
 to enshroud himself — the secrecy with which he had thus 
 far conducted his plans, revealing them but vaguely, 
 even to those who from their position and aid were 
 entitled to his confidence — forbids the conclusion that 
 Wilkinson had remained unadvised of his designs or 
 uncommitted to his enterprise. After the perusal of 
 Burr's letter, to believe otherwise would be to charge 
 him with madness, and of this he was never accused. 
 Wilkinson was known to be friendly to Burr. He had 
 held secret conferences with him, at the seat of govern- 
 ment, only the Spring before, and that, too, after Burr's 
 return from the western country, and while actively 
 engaged in organizing his schemes. * When on the Ohio, 
 the closest intimacy had existed between them. Wilkin- 
 son had freely imparted information of the country, and 
 acquainted him with the dispositions of the leading 
 inhabitants ; had furnished him with letters of introduc- 
 tion to his friends, and supplied him with facilities for 
 travel. On the 28th of May, 1805, he had written to 
 General Adair, from the falls of the Ohio: "I was to 
 have introduced my friend Burr to you, but in this I 
 failed by accident. He understands your merits, and 
 
 * The words in italics were stricken out, and, in some instances, sup- 
 plied by others, in the copy which was presented to the Legislature of 
 Louisiana by General Wilkinson. His reason for the alteration being to 
 divert public suspicion from himself as being connected with Burr. 
 
170 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 reckons on you. Prepare to visit me, and I will tell you 
 all. We must have a peep into the unknown world 
 heyond me.* On the 9th of June, in the same year, he 
 writes Daniel Clark, of New Orleans : " This will be 
 delivered you by Col. Burr, whose worth you know well 
 how to estimate. If the persecutions of a great and 
 honorable man can give title to generous attentions, he 
 has claims to all your services. You can not oblige me 
 more than by such conduct, and I pledge my life to you 
 it will not be misapplied. To him I refer you for many 
 things improper to utter, and which he will not say to 
 any other." f Only on the 16th of July, but thirteen 
 days previous to the cypher letter, General Dayton, of 
 Ohio, had written him : " Your present is more favorable 
 than your late position, and as you can retain it without 
 suspicion or alarm, you ought, by no means, to return 
 from it, until your friends join you in December, some- 
 where on the river Mississippi. Under the auspices of 
 Burr and Wilkinson I shall be happy to engage, and 
 when the time arrives, you will find me near }-ou. Write 
 and inform me, by first mail, what may be expected from 
 you and your associates. In an enterprise of such 
 moment, considerations, even stronger than those of affec- 
 tion, impel me to desire your cordial co-operation and 
 active support. Wealth and honor, courage and union, 
 Burr and Wilkinson ! Adieu." Again, on the 25th day 
 of July, but five days before the date of the cypher let- 
 ter, Dayton writes : " It is well ascertained that you are 
 
 * Clark's Proofs against Wilkinson, p. 158. 
 ■j" Clark's Proofs against Wilkinson, p. 119. 
 
burr's designs. 171 
 
 to be displaced at the next session. Jefferson will affect 
 to yield reluctantly to the public sentiment, but yield he 
 will ; prepare yourself, therefore, for it ; you know the 
 rest. You are not a man to despair, or even disposed, 
 especially when such prospects offer in another quarter. 
 Are you ready ? Wealth and Glory ! Louisiana and 
 Mexico ! " * 
 
 Again, it was charged that Burr's designs were inim- 
 ical to the United States ; that his plan comprehended a 
 dismemberment of the western country ; that he was to 
 seize on New Orleans, and revolutionize the Territory ; 
 that, crossing the gulf, he was to land at Vera Cruz, 
 march to the city of Mexico, and establish a mighty 
 empire, extending from the Apalachian Mountains to 
 the borders of the Pacific, of which he himself was to 
 be the chief. Several millions of dollars were reported 
 on deposit in the banks at New Orleans, which, with a 
 feigned regard to the rights of private property, he de- 
 signed appropriating, with the hope of returning it when 
 time and circumstances should render it convenient. 
 Burr himself informs Wilkinson, that he will meet him 
 at Natchez, " there to determine whether it will be 
 expedient to seize on, or pass by, Baton Rouge." And, 
 referring to Swartwout, he adds : " The bearer of this 
 goes express to you from Burr ; he is a man of inviolable 
 honor, and perfect discretion ; capable of relating facts 
 with fidelity, and incapable of relating them otherwise. 
 
 * Clark's Proofs against Wilkinson, p. 158. This letter was also in 
 cypher, being the same character used in the correspondence between 
 Burr and Wilkinson. 
 
172 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 He is thoroughly informed of the plans and intentions 
 of Burr, and will disclose to you so far as you inquire, 
 and no further." 
 
 Wilkinson was commander-in-chief of the army of 
 the United States, and Governor of Natchitoches. His 
 whole force was in active service, thoroughly disci- 
 plined and drilled. Oheying the dictates of honor, as a 
 soldier, if not prompted by the impulses of a patriot, 
 he was bound by every consideration of duty to arrest 
 the progress of the scheme. Of all others, therefore, he 
 was the most to be feared, and the most to be avoided by 
 Burr. Yet while his plans are but partially revealed to 
 his acknowledged confederates, while he diligently en- 
 deavors to elude the suspicions of his enemies, Burr suf- 
 fers no opportunity to escape, without fully informing 
 him of his designs, and asking his advice upon questions 
 of doubtful expediency. To regard Wilkinson, there- 
 fore, in any other light than a chief accomplice, after the 
 perusal of the cypher letter, would render the act of 
 writing it the sheerest folly imaginable. 
 
 But Burr was the victim of a misplaced confidence. 
 Wilkinson, through considerations of a personal charac- 
 ter, fully to be explained in a subsequent chapter, revealed 
 the plan and fastened the treason upon Burr. On the 
 21st of October, he communicated the substance of the 
 cypher letter to Mr. Jefferson, then President of the 
 United States, who, on the 27th of November, issued his 
 proclamation, warning and enjoining those who had been 
 led to participate in the unlawful enterprise to withdraw 
 without delay, and requiring all officers, civil and mili- 
 tary, of the United States, or any one of the States or 
 
ON THE QUI VIVE. 173 
 
 Territories, to be vigilant, each within his respective 
 department, in searching out and bringing to punishment 
 all persons engaged or concerned in the undertaking. 
 
 Under the authority, and by virtue of this proclama- 
 tion, the Virginia militia, of Wood county, were called 
 out, by command of Col. Hugh Phelps, of Parkersburg, 
 as soon as he had received the intelligence, which was 
 not until the 8th or 9th of December. 
 
 On the 10th of the month, Blennerhassett, having 
 received information of the preparations making by 
 Col. Phelps, who, it was expected, would march to the 
 island on the following day, to take possession of his 
 person, boats and stores, became much alarmed. 
 
 Having advised with his followers as to the propriety 
 of remaining longer under these threatening circum- 
 stances, it was determined that further delay would be 
 perilous to the enterprise. Orders were accordingly 
 issued to have every thing in immediate readiness to 
 precipitate their departure before the dawn. 
 
 The island soon became the scene of busy preparation. 
 It was night, and innumerable lights flitted back and forth 
 along the walks, and up and down the river. Voices in 
 suppressed tones were heard uttering the words of com- 
 mand, while the muffled oars of the boatmen scarcely rip- 
 plod the stream. The kitchen fire of the mansion reflected 
 the shadowy outlines of bending forms, hurriedly engaged 
 in running balls and folding cartridges. No longer the 
 halls echoed the peal of merriment. ISTo longer was heard 
 tin' boisterous laugh, the piquant jest, and song of revelry. 
 No longer the music of the violin inspired the dance. A 
 new zeal had animated them ; the hour for action had ar- 
 
174 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 rived ; and, as the curtain lifted on the scene, each man 
 assumed his role* in this grand, imposing drama. Such 
 was the celerity with which the stores were transported to 
 the boats, that, long before midnight, nothing remained 
 to delay the embarkation of the new commander and his 
 eager followers. 
 
 But, of all that busy crowd, none were more active than 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett. An inspired enthusiasm had seized 
 upon her, and urged her forward to wonderful effort. She 
 seemed indeed the ruling spirit of the occasion. As her 
 sylph-like form glided gracefully through the various 
 apartments, from kitchen to hall, and from parlor to 
 chamber, tarrying a moment to direct a servant, or deliver 
 a message from her husband, many paused from their oc- 
 cupations, to catch a glimpse of the heroine of the expe- 
 dition, and stood in wrapt admiration of her grace and 
 energy. With her, the die had been cast, and on it de- 
 pended her happiness or her ruin. To retreat, even if re- 
 treat were possible, involved the loss of property, of social 
 relation, and, above all, her own proud self-respect, which 
 never yet had yielded to the temptations of fortune or the 
 maledictions of envy. " Onward ! onward ! " she urged 
 to the hesitating and doubting husband. " To the pla- 
 teaux of the sunny South ; to the land of perennial ver- 
 dure, where grow the citron and the olive, the orange and 
 the pine apple; to the land of gold; to the Imperial City, 
 the gay, the elite, the dazzling empire of the new world." 
 The prize was indeed a tempting one. "But eight years 
 previous, they bad left the shores of England, as adven- 
 turers in the forests of the Western world ; they were now 
 soon to return, not as private personages, but to the Court 
 
THE ESCAPADE. 175 
 
 of St. James — Blennerhassett as the proud representative 
 of that giant empire, sweeping in its mighty circumfer- 
 ence over half of the continent, with its millions of sub- 
 jects, and she as the heroine of the conquest, and the 
 partner of his triumphs. "Go," she urged, "before the 
 minions of the Government are upon you. Wait not for 
 me and the children ; they dare not molest the mother and 
 her innocents. We shall follow at a more opportune sea- 
 son, and meet again beyond the powers which pursue." 
 
 Calling her maids to her assistance, she busied herself 
 in arranging such articles of clothing as might be needed 
 by her husband before she could reach him, at the com- 
 pletion of which nothing was found neglected which could 
 contribute to his health or administer to his comfort. 
 
 As the last trunk left the hall, the clock announced the 
 hour of midnight — the eventful moment of departure. 
 Blennerhassett, issuing from his chamber, ordered all 
 hands to the river. Drawing her robes about her, his wife 
 placed her arm through his, and both proceeded to the 
 boats in close consultation. A deep snow lay upon the 
 ground. The winds, sweeping the long reaches of the 
 river, sighed among the leafless branches. It was pene- 
 tratingly cold. On the beach, near the stream, a large fire 
 curled its flames into the air, dissipating the immediate 
 darkness, and painting spectral forms against the curtain 
 of night still further beyond. Encircling this, Blenner- 
 hassett and his companions held secret council preparatory 
 to their final departure. Not the least among these was 
 his anxious and hopeful wife. To elude pursuit and pass 
 Gallipolis in safety was the subject under immediate dis- 
 cussion. JSTahum Bent was called forward and inquired of, 
 
176 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 whether he could not furnish horses for Tyler and Blen- 
 nerhassett, and, crossing the country by land, meet them 
 somewhere in the vicinity of that place, that the two might 
 thence proceed through Ohio and Kentucky, to the mouth 
 of the Cumberland. But Bent had but one horse, though 
 he thought another could be procured from a Belpre" 
 friend. He was directed by Blennerhassett to visit Cap- 
 tain Dana, and request the purchase or loan of one, and 
 meet him above Gallipolis, where himself and Tyler would 
 leave the boats, and, passing around the town, intercept 
 them at a point below. 
 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett suggested that less inconvenience 
 would be occasioned by taking a canoe, which lay adja- 
 cent, and on their approach to the town, the two should 
 leave the boats, and floating leisurely by in an open vessel, 
 used only for short voyages, would awaken no suspicion 
 on the part of those who had been set to watch. As 
 Blennerhassett Avas proceeding to give further directions, 
 the company were suddenly startled by the abrupt intru- 
 sion of an officer, who, attracted by the light, had been 
 watching their movements during the night. Stepping 
 forward to Blennerhassett, he clapped his hand upon his 
 shoulder and exclaimed: 
 
 " I arrest you, Harman Blennerhassett, in the name and 
 by the authority of the State of Ohio ! " 
 
 [nstantly the muzzles of seven or eight muskets were 
 leveled at the intruder's breast, and the sharp click of their 
 locks sent a thrill of indescribable sensation through every 
 nerve. Apprehending fully the danger of his situation. 
 General Tupper, as they now distinguished him to be, 
 cried out : 
 
col. tiielps. 177 
 
 " Forbear, men ! Forbear ! Would you act so rashly ? " 
 
 " By the gods ! " exclaimed one, "we will protect our- 
 selves, at all hazards, from an arrest. If in doing so it 
 should become necessary to use our arms, we shall not 
 hesitate to shoot, not only you," he added, "but all 
 others who ma} r interfere." 
 
 The General, finding resistance had been determined 
 on, and that his own person was in imminent peril, 
 endeavored to persuade Blennerhassett to reconsider his 
 resolution of departure, surrender himself to the Govern- 
 ment, and stand his trial, assuring him that it would 
 satisfy the public indignation and curiosity, and result in 
 no particular inconvenience to himself. 
 
 Finding, however, that he was deaf to entreaty, and 
 was fully resolved and settled in his purpose, Tupper 
 bade him and the party adieu, and wished them a safe 
 escape down the river, and a fortunate adventure. 
 
 The conference thus abruptly ended, Blennerhassett, 
 bidding his wife an affectionate farewell, with directions 
 to follow as soon as her convenience would permit, em- 
 barked on board, and unmooring the boats, floated down 
 the stream.* 
 
 In thus abandoning the partner of his bosom, with her 
 helpless and defenseless household, Blennerhassett had 
 not mistaken the character of the individual who, he 
 rightly presumed, was soon to take charge of his man- 
 sion. From intimate association with the man, lie knew 
 that innocence and feebleness would ever be sacredly 
 regarded by Col. Phelps ; that, while duty to the calls 
 
 * Albright's Evidence on the Trial of Burr. 
 12 
 
178 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of his country compelled him to exercise the functions 
 of his office, and that, too, in defeating the plans of his 
 most intimate friend and associate, that power would be 
 exerted with the strictest adherence to the laws of hu- 
 manity and the highest sentiments of honor ; that while 
 no menaces would deter him from the disagreeable duty 
 imposed, no act of wanton violence should stain the 
 honor of the friend. 
 
 On the succeeding morning, Col. Phelps, with a small 
 body of men, proceeded to the island. They found it 
 deserted by its proprietor. Inquiries were made among 
 the servants, who informed them of the circumstances 
 of the preceding evening ; adding, that Mrs. Blennerhas- 
 sett was then on her way to Marietta, to secure, if possi- 
 ble, the boat originally intended for the conveyance of 
 Blennerhassett and his family to the Washita. 
 
 Leaving the greater portion of his men in possession 
 of the premises, Col. Phelps started across the country to 
 intercept the descending boats, at the mouth of the Great 
 Kanawha. None having passed, during the previous day, 
 answering to the description of those of which he was 
 in pursuit, Col. Phelps informed the citizens of his de- 
 sign 3, and procured a party to watch the river that 
 night. Accordingly, a large tire was built upon the bank, 
 around which the watch attempted to keep their mid- 
 night vigils. Following that ancient custom of "keep- 
 ing the spirits up by pouring spirits down " — like the 
 model " officer," who was enamored of the " landlady of 
 Prance" — they soon became oblivious to military duty, 
 and reckless of the consequences to result from their in- 
 attention. Taking advantage of the darkness of the 
 
ALL AFLOAT. 
 
 179 
 
 night, Blennerhassett glided silently by, without disturb- 
 ing the slumbers of the guard, and, before the early 
 dawn, was many miles beyond his discomfited pursuers. 
 At the mouth of the Cumberland, he joined the flotilla 
 of Burr, which was then awaiting accessions both from 
 that river and the Ohio. 
 
 Xot apprised, until late, that boats were being con- 
 structed on the Cumberland, the effect of the President's 
 proclamation had been trusted to, for some time, in the 
 State of Tennessee ; but, on the 19th of December, simi- 
 lar communications and instructions with those of the 
 neighboring States, were dispatched, by express, to the 
 Governor, and a general officer of the western division 
 of the State ; and, on the 23d, Graham, the agent, left 
 Frankfort for Xashville, to put into activity the means 
 of that State also. Burr, however, had been too prompt 
 in his movements for the agents of the Government. 
 On the 22d of the same month, he had descended the 
 Cumberland, with two boats laden with provision and a 
 few additional forces. 
 
 Tlie Governor of Kentucky, after the arrest and dis- 
 i-liaro-e of Burr, hearing of his arrival at the mouth of the 
 Cumberland, with a flotilla of numerous vessels, and that 
 he was there congregating his forces, ordered out the 
 militia for his arrest; but Burr, anticipating the move- 
 ment, slipped bis moorings and proceeded on. 
 
 The flotilla now consisted of four boats under command 
 of Tyler, two under Burr, two under Floyd, one under 
 Ellis, one under Blennerhassett, and a commissary boat 
 under Dean. 
 
 On the evening of the twenty-ninth, Burr stopped a 
 
ISO THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 short distance below Fort Massac, then under the com- 
 mand of Capt. Bissell. The following morning, he was 
 visited by that officer, who gave him a polite invitation to 
 visit the fort and partake of its hospitalities. It is due to 
 ('apt, Bissell to state, (although the evidence on this point 
 is conflicting,) that he was, at that time, without any in- 
 structions from the Government. He remarks, that he 
 had learned, unofficially, of Burr's arrest and acquittal in 
 Kentucky ; hence, he concluded, that his mission was one 
 of peace, and for the purpose, ostensibly held out, " of 
 colonizing the Bastrop lands." He furnished Burr with a 
 messenger, to convey a communication to the lead mines 
 in Missouri, as well as one or two men for his enterprise, 
 and a small quantity of provision ; the latter, however, 
 Bissell asserts, was sent by his wife, who was an early 
 acquaintance of Burr, and who returned it, in compliment 
 for a barrel of apples which Burr had forwarded to her. 
 
 On the evening of the third of January, 1807, Burr, 
 with one boat, landed at Chickasaw Bluffs, a military sta- 
 tion at that time commanded by Lieut, Jacob Jackson. 
 He immediately dispatched a messenger to the commander 
 of the fort, to inquire if quarters could be furnished him 
 during the night, who shortly returned with an affirmative 
 answer. The following morning, he had an interview 
 witli Jackson, on the subject of the expedition, in which 
 lie stated that he was going on a project of which many 
 wished to know, but, from their inquisitiveness, he was 
 not disposed to gratify them, but assured him that it was 
 an enterprise which would be honorable to him, Jackson, 
 and would be the making of those who should follow 
 him, provided they survived the undertaking. Every ar- 
 
THE PRESIDENT'S LETTER. 181 
 
 gument was resorted to, to shake the fidelity of that 
 young officer, to his country, and prevail on him to join 
 the expedition, with the whole of the forces under his 
 command. To the ardent and enthusiastic mind of youth, 
 panting for scenes of glory and distinction, his offers of 
 fame and emolument were truly tempting; particularly as 
 they were enforced by the sophistical reasoning of that 
 astute and experienced diplomatist. But, to his honor, 
 and to the honor of American youths, particularly Ameri- 
 can officers, he foiled the attempts of the seducer, and 
 came off moral victor in the attack. "While in the service 
 of his country, no offer of wealth, or place, or power, 
 could decoy him from the path of rectitude. The Govern- 
 ment had confided the command of that fort to his 
 youthful hands, and so long as he retained that trust, his 
 best energies should be exerted to preserve it with fidelity 
 and honor. 
 
 On the 3d of January, 1807, the President dispatched 
 the following communication to Gen. Wilkinson : — " I 
 had yesterday intended to recommend, to Gen. Dearborn, 
 the writing to you weekly, by post, to convey informa- 
 tion of our affairs in the West, as long as they are inter- 
 esting ; because it is possible, though not probable, you 
 might sometimes get the information quicker this why 
 than down the river; but the General received, yesterday, 
 information of the death of his son in the East Indies, 
 and, of course, can not now attend to business. I, there- 
 fore, write you a hasty line, for the present week, and 
 send it in duplicate by the Athens and iSTashville route. 
 
 " The information in the inclosed paper, as to the pro- 
 ceedings in the State of Ohio, is correct. Blennerhassett's 
 
182 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 flotilla, of fifteen boats and two hundred barrels of 
 provisions, is seized, and there can be no doubt that 
 Tyler's flotilla is also taken; because, on the 17th of De- 
 cember, we know there was a sufficient force assembled 
 at Cincinnati to intercept it there, and another party was 
 in pursuit of it on the river above. We are assured that 
 these two flotillas composed the whole of the boats pro- 
 vided. Blennerhassett and Tyler had fled down the 
 river. I do not believe that the number of persons en- 
 gaged for Burr has ever amounted to five hundred ; 
 though some have carried them to one thousand or 
 fifteen hundred. A part of these were engaged as set- 
 tlers of Bastrop's land, but the greater part were engaged 
 under the express assurance that the projected enterprise 
 was against Mexico, and secretly authorized by this Gov- 
 ernment. Many expressly enlisted in the name of the 
 United States. The proclamation, which reached Pitts- 
 burgh, December 2d, and other parts of the river suc- 
 cessively, undeceived both these classes, and, of course, 
 drew them off; and I have never seen any proof of their 
 having assembled more than forty men, in two boats, 
 from Beaver, fifty in Tyler's flotilla, and the boatmen of 
 Blennerhassett. I believe, therefore, that the enterprise 
 may be considered as crushed ; but we are not to relax in 
 our attentions until we hear what has passed at Louis- 
 ville. If every thing, from that place upward, be suc- 
 cessfully arrested, there is nothing from below that [is] 
 to be feared. Be assured that Tennessee, and particu- 
 larly General Jackson, is faithful. The orders lodged 
 at Massac and the Chickasaw Bluffs, will probably secure 
 the interception of such fugitives from justice as may 
 
PRECAUTION. 183 
 
 escape at Louisville ; .so that I think you will never see 
 one of them. Still, I would not wish, till we hear from 
 Louisville, that this information should relax your prepa- 
 rations in the least, except as far as to dispense with the 
 militia of Mississippi and Orleans, leaving their homes, 
 under our orders of November 25th. Only let them con- 
 sider themselves under requisition ; and be in a state of 
 readiness, should any force, too great for your regulars, 
 escape down the river. You will have been sensible that 
 those orders were given while we supposed yo,u were 
 on the Sabine, and the supposed crisis did not admit 
 the formality of their being passed by you. We con- 
 sidered Fort Adams as the place to make a stand, be- 
 cause it covered the mouth of Red river. You have 
 preferred New Orleans, on the apprehension of a fleet 
 from the West Indies. Be assured, there is not any 
 foundation for such an expectation, but the lying exag- 
 gerations of these traitors to impose on others and swell 
 their pretended means. The very man whom they 
 reported to you as having gone to Jamaica and to 
 bring the fleet, has never been from heme, and has 
 regularly communicated to me every thing which had 
 passed between Burr and him. France or Spain would 
 not send a fleet to take Vera Cruz ; and, though one 
 of the expeditions, now near arriving from England, is 
 probably for Vera Cruz, and perhaps already there, yet 
 the state of things between us renders it impossible 
 they should countenance an enterprise unauthorized by 
 us. Still, I repeat, that these grounds of security must 
 not stop our proceedings or preparations until they are 
 further confirmed. Go on, therefore, with your works 
 
184 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 for the defense of New Orleans, because tliey will always 
 be useful, only looking to what should be permanent 
 rather than means merely temporary. You may expect 
 further information as we receive it ; and, though I 
 expect it will be such as will place us at our ease, yet 
 we must not place ourselves so, until we be certain, but 
 act on the possibility that the resources of our enemy 
 may be greater and deeper than we are yet informed. 
 
 " Your two confidential messengers delivered their 
 charges safely. One arrived yesterday only, with your 
 letter of November 12th. The oral communications he 
 made me are truly important. I beseech you, take the 
 most special care of the two letters which he mentioned 
 to me — the one in cypher, the other from another con- 
 spirator of high standing — and send them to me by the 
 first conveyance you can trust. It is necessary that all 
 important testimony should be brought to one center, in 
 order that the guilty may be convicted and the innocent 
 left untroubled." 
 
 On the 5th of January, having supplied himself with 
 thirty pounds of lead and three dozen tomahawks, to- 
 gether with other articles, Burr proceeded down to 
 Palmyra, and thence to Bayou Pierre. 
 
 N 0TE- — The following is a Journal of Blennerhassett's Voyage 
 
 DOWN THE RIVER : 
 
 Id//; December. — Tuesday, we left Jeffersonville ; crossed the falls; 
 nothing extra ; all our boats crossed safe. 
 
 I'tJi. — Pursued our journey at twelve o'clock at night; landed at Salt 
 river; took in seven hands; stopped some time; and started again at four 
 o'clock in the morning. About ten o'clock, A. M., parted with Colonel 
 Tyler, and four keel-boats left us. We had a very bad night, occasioned 
 by heavy rain, which continued until morning. 
 
VOYAGE DOWN. 185 
 
 18th. — Nothing remarkable; passed Anderson's river at thirty-five min- 
 utes past two o'clock, A. M. ; passed one of the keel-boats at twelve o'clock 
 at night. 
 
 19th. — Passed French Island at half-past nine, A. M. ; passed Green river 
 at half-past eleven, A. M. About one, P. M., had some trouble about a canoe, 
 which some of our hands, being ashore after wood, had taken away. The 
 owner followed ; we had to pay him two dollars, and give up the canoe. 
 Nothing more worth notice, until we arrived at Red Bank, then about sun- 
 down; found it to be a place of small note; there we remained two hours, 
 and proceeding, passed Diamond Island about twelve o'clock at night. 
 
 20th. — About five, P. M., met with some difficulties among some sawyers, 
 which is a term given by boatmen to old trees, which settle in the river, 
 and which rise and fall by the rapidity of the current. They are often 
 dangerous, and sometimes fatal. Immediately after disengaging our 
 boats from the difficulty, we were prevented from proceeding by a ledge 
 of rocks ; with much hazard we cleared ourselves about seven ; passed 
 Highland Creek, where stands a town of small note, entirely inhabited 
 by Roman Catholics. At half-past nine passed the Wabash river, came 
 up with Colonel Tyler aud his boats. In the forks of the Ohio and 
 AVabash, stand a few houses, but of no consequence. The latter river 
 here is of considerable magnitude, and runs into the Ohio, opposite the 
 center of an island, which takes its name from the river. The Ohio, here, 
 has a beautiful appearance, interspersed with handsome plantations along 
 its banks. Four miles below the mouth of the Wabash, there is a large 
 island, the name unknown to us. At half-past twelve, P. M., arrived at 
 Shawneetown : this is a place of deposit for the salt, made at the saline, 
 but of no other importance, being a place of no trade. 
 
 21st. — Nothing remarkable. 
 
 22c?. — Nothing in the course of the day, but had a very wet night. 
 
 23c?. — A beautiful day ; nothing extra. 
 
 24th. — Very windy ; repaired our boats, they being very leaky in the 
 roofs. At eleven o'clock, P.'M., an express arrived from Colonel Burr 
 informing us of his intentions to meet us at Cumberland river; likewise 
 orders for us to proceed ; but we were prevented by high winds, so 
 remained that night. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Near Nashville, Dec. 20, 1806. 
 My young friend Stokely Hays, the son of a respectable old revolution- 
 ary officer, will hand you this, and will bring me your reply. I have 
 experienced distressing delays ; but shall be at the mouth of the Cumber- 
 land on the 23d, Sunday. Please to repair thither. Enter on the east 
 (upper) side of the island, which lies in the mouth of the river. 
 I anticipate impatiently the pleasure of meeting you. 
 
 A. BURR. 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
186 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 25th. — Left Shawneetown at eight o'eloek, A. M.; the wind fresh anil 
 ahead. Passed an island, name unknown to us. This day the wind blew 
 so hard, that our boats were totally separated; with much difficulty our 
 boat reached the Kentucky shore, after riding a tremendous swell; re- 
 mained until sundown, and then proceeded on to join the rest of our 
 company, who were in the same dilemma, being obliged to put in on the 
 Indiana shore. 
 
 26lh. — About five o'clock, A. M., one of Mr. Blennerhassett's boats joined 
 us, being one of fifteen that were stopped at Marietta. At half-past seven 
 o'clock passed the Rock and Cave; went, ashore and viewed it; found no 
 curiosities, more than a hollow cavern. Passed Hurricane Island and Creek 
 at half-past ten o'clock; passed Clover Creek, eleven o'clock, on the In- 
 diana side ; passed the Copperas Banks at half-past three, P. M., Indiana 
 shore. 
 
 27th. — Arrived at Cumberland river, at half-past , A.M.; joined 
 
 Col. Burr, at the above place. The day was very stormy, and put our lit- 
 tle fleet to considerable trouble. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Sunday Evening. 
 It is said that you have landed a mile below. AVe must all be stationary 
 till morning. Send to me by return of this boat, Mr. Hays, with, five 
 hundred in twenty post notes, and fifty dollars in silver. 
 
 We will endeavor to start all the heavy boats at an early hour in the 
 morning: those below are to wait till those above shall come down. A 
 gun will be fired as a signal for moving. 
 All is well, very well, at this garrison. 
 
 Your friend, 
 
 A. BURR. 
 P. S. — Mr. Elliot has handed me some money. The silver is necessary, 
 if it can be come at, and about three hundred dollars of paper. Hays 
 need not come. 
 
 28<A. — This day a boat joined us from Cumberland rivei", with Cols. 
 Burr, Harris, etc., on board. Pushed oft' on our journey, and landed on 
 the Kentucky shore eight miles distant from the above place. In conse- 
 quence of high winds, we landed about eight o'clock, P. M. 
 
 2dth. — This day pushed off at eight o'clock, A. M. ; wind ahead and 
 strong; obliged to land immediately opposite the mouth of Tennessee 
 river, where we lay by for several hours; pushed off again at sundown, 
 and passed Fort Massac at half-past eleven, P. M., and landed one mile 
 below. 
 
 80th. — Pushed off at five o'clock, A.M.; pleasant weather; came into 
 the Mississippi at half-past three o'clock; passed the Iron Banks at half- 
 past eight o'clock, and passed the Chalk Banks at half-past nine, A. M. 
 
JOURNAL CONTINUED. 187 
 
 31st. — Pleasant weather; nothing happened worth notice. Landed, at 
 sundown, on the Louisiana shore. 
 
 January 1st. — This day landed at New Madrid, at nine o'clock, A. M. ; 
 remained about three hours, and left one of our hands, Major G. Wood, 
 behind with a canoe, in order to engage some men that purposed coming 
 on with us. This evening on coming ashore, owing to our being in rear 
 of the fleet, and going after dark, our boat ran aground, but got on' v, ith 
 Borne difficulty, and effected a good landing in a short time. 
 
 2d. — Pushed off this day at four o'clock, A. M.; passed the little praiiie 
 at eight o'clock ; fine weather ; landed at five o'clock at the Little Horse-shoe. 
 oj — p us hed off this day about, five, A. M.; passed a number of islands; 
 saw no inhabitants. I believe the whole of the fleet, our boat only ex- 
 cepted, got into an eddy; we escaped only, and by our timely exertions 
 gained the opposite side of the island and river, say the right hand side ; 
 the rest put ashore. Although contrary to Colonel Burr's orders, we alone 
 pushed on. 
 
 ^th. — This day at seven, A. M., we landed at the Chickasaw Bluff, where 
 there is an American garrison, commanded by Lieut. Jackson. 
 
 ^th. — This day at six o'clock, A. M., left this place, and floated all day, 
 and landed at nine, P. M., on an island, in consequence of a very high 
 wind ; pushed off again at eleven o'clock. 
 6th. — Floated all day ; nothing extra. 
 1th. — Do. 
 Sth.—Dc. 
 
 9th. — Floated all day, until two o'clock, P. M. ; landed to wait for Col. 
 Burr; got some wood; perceived the sign of horses, but no inhabitants 
 any where to be found; pushed off again at three o'clock, being joined by 
 the Colonel and his boats; floated all night through a very dangerous 
 navigation ; about eight o'clock one of Col. Tyler's boats being lashed to a 
 flat, and striking against a sawyer, was broken loose, in consequence of 
 which Capt. Dean's boat stopped, and dispatched a keel-boat in search of 
 the one lost. Major Floyd's boat put ashore, in consequence of being de- 
 terred by a sudden squall of wind, which arose about eight o'clock; the 
 rest of the boats proceeded. 
 
 10th. — At four o'clock, A. M., got into an eddy ; could not get out, the 
 night being very dark; stayed until daylight appeared; then got out, and 
 came up with Col. Burr's two boats, namely, the boat he lived in, and one 
 that had horses ; they gave us a signal for landing, with which we complied, 
 and effected a landing in the Mississippi Territory. About twelve o'clock 
 this day, Col. Burr pushed down the river with a bateau and twelve men, 
 and appointed to meet us again at Bayou Pierre; passed Palmyra at half- 
 past one o'clock'; passed several islands, and landed about fifteen miles 
 below. 
 
 11th. — This day pushed off at eight, A. M., and landed at Bayou Pierre 
 at four o'clock, P. M. ; joined Col. Burr and party; had some intention of 
 
188 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Staying at this place some time, but were prevented by a rumor spreading 
 in the country of our intentions being hostile, in consequence of which a 
 party of militia came and stationed themselves in the woods, some dis- 
 tance from our boats, with an intention to stop us the next morning. 
 We being apprised of their intentions, pushed off in the night, and landed 
 four miles below, on the Louisiana shore. 
 
 12lh. — This day were visited by Col. and some of his dragoons," 
 
 talked with Col. Burr respecting his business, and went away well satis- 
 fied. This day Major Floyd joined us from Natchez. 
 
 13th. — This day were visited by Col. Fitzpatrick and some of his dra- 
 goons ; we brought them over the river ; talked with Col. Burr, and 
 seemed well pleased. Col. Fitzpatrick brought with him about sixty men, 
 all armed, in order to stop us ; but on hearing our business, he sent the 
 men home, and left us quietly. 
 
 14th. — Visited by several militia officers. 
 
 lGth. — Visited by Col. Shields, Gov. Williams's aide-de-camp, who con- 
 versed with Col. Burr, and appointed a meeting between him and the 
 Governor, and then departed. 
 
 17th. — This day Col. Burr started, agreeably to his appointment, to meet 
 the Governor at the mouth of Cole's Creek, with several gentlemen with him. 
 This day was remarkable for a heavy fall of snow, perhaps four inches deep. 
 
 18th. — The water falling rapidly, we thought it prudent to remove from 
 our situation; and, agreeably to the orders of Mr. Blennerhassett, two of 
 our boats moved down the river about a mile, being afraid of being blocked 
 in by a bar that was outside of the creek, where we then lay. 
 
 19th. — This day Col. Fitzpatrick, with some other officers, came on board, 
 and took an inventory of all the stores and property we had on board ; 
 we then pushed off, but were immediately challenged by a Major Flaharty, 
 with about thirty armed men, in a keel-boat, who ordered us to put on 
 shore. Being told that his Colonel was in the rear, and that it was by his 
 sanction we put off, he left, and troubled us no more. That night we put 
 on shore at the Petit Gulf, on the Louisiana side ; Major Flaharty and 
 party immediately opposite, on the other side. 
 
 20^. — This day, about ten o'clock, in consequence of a very bad land- 
 ing, we thought proper to remove our boats up the river, which we effected. 
 This day several boats trading to New Orleans were stopped by Major 
 Flaharty and party, examined, and permitted to proceed. 
 
 [ The rest of this Journal is in the handwriting of Harmon Blennerhassett.'] 
 
 In the evening the Major visited H. B. ; professed friendly intentions, 
 and a determination to join us, with the greater part of his regiment. 
 
 21st. — We received news of the approach of a Capt. Davison, with a party 
 of horse, coming, under the orders of Col. Fitzpatrick, to search for concealed 
 ai'ms, supposed to have been secreted in the brush ; during the night a party 
 was sent out by to obviate effectually the success of the design. 
 
JOURNAL, CONTINUED. 189 
 
 22d. — This morning an altercation took place between Majors Floyd and 
 Flaharty, which induced the former to address a letter to the latter in a 
 sort of defiance. This measure having been taken without my approba- 
 tion, I informed Major Floyd I would not co-operate with him in any acts 
 he should enter into upon his letter or motives, but should, by myself and 
 my party, resist such conduct on the part of Major Flaharty as I should 
 deem improper, or as occasion required. Major Floyd, I believe, appre- 
 hending no attack or removal of our boats from their present station. 
 seemed to yield to my observation, and in the morning made a visit to 
 Major Flaharty, to engage with him in a shooting-match. On his return 
 to the boats, he informed me that Major Flaharty, this evening, expected 
 fresh orders from the Government, to enable him to move our boats down 
 to Cole's Creek. Eleven o'clock at night, there were several shot fired 
 from Major Flaharty's party on boats passing by to bring them to, but 
 without eflect. Damage to the boats or their men unknown. This morn- 
 ing Col. Comfort Tyler was taken from his boats, by an escort of the 
 militia, to appear before the Governor at Washington, the seat of the Ter- 
 ritorial Government, about thirty miles from our station. The officer, 
 Capt. Davison, who made the requisition to Col. Tyler, observed to him 
 that he had no warrant. Col. Tyler agreed to the Governor's wishes with- 
 out that requisite. This day Major Flaharty, who can neither read or 
 write, and is not a magistrate, informed me that he had taken and for- 
 warded to the Governor the affidavit of a man, who deposed before him, 
 that he had seen, fifty miles above our present position in the Petit Gulf, 
 thirteen of Col. Burr's boats containing arms and ammunition, with an 
 unusual number of men. During several days past, some individuals of 
 our party have been obliged, at Washington, to undergo examination, and 
 enter into recognizance to testify, on the part of the United States, against 
 A. B. at the next federal court, to be held on the first Monday in February. 
 
 About ten o'clock this morning, Major Floyd communicated to me the 
 following letter, received by Capt. Burney from Major Flaharty : 
 
 January 23d, 1807. 
 Sir: — Not wishing to go to rash measures, I have to inform you that I 
 must comply with the orders of the commander-in-chief, if you keep your 
 present position ; and, as I am certain that it can't be injurious to your- 
 self nor any of the people with you, I wish you to move opposite the 
 mouth of Cole's Creek, where the communication is more convenient for 
 you and me. You mentioned in your letter to me, yesterday, that you did 
 not wish to put the militia to any more trouble. Your compliance will save 
 the march of two companies that are ready to join me, if called on. 
 I am, with much esteem, 
 
 Yours, etc., 
 
 JACOB FLAHARTY, 
 Major Floyd. Major, 2d Regiment. 
 
190 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 On perusal of the above letter, which Flaharty could not write, I ac- 
 quainted Major Floyd that if it was worthy of credit in the intimation it. 
 held out of the orders of the commander-in-chief, and the truth of his 
 menaced reinforcements of two companies, it might as well answer our 
 present views and situation to comply as to adhere to the determination 
 expressed yesterday, of maintaining our present position; that, on the 
 other hand, the Governor would be as responsible to us and the law for any 
 impropriety of conduct toward us by the militia, as for any other acts of 
 authority unduly exercised toward us. I therefore suggested to him the 
 substance of the following letter in reply to Flaharty: 
 
 Petit Gulf, January 23rf, 1807. 
 Sir: — Your communication, by the hands of Capt. Burney, I just now 
 had the honor of receiving. You mention your wish for us to move to the 
 mouth of Cole's Creek ; the request I would take a pleasure in complying 
 with, had not Col. Burr directed me to stay where we now are until his 
 further commands. I do expect to have a messenger from Col. Burr to-day, 
 perhaps time enough to move down this evening. At all events, we will 
 determine, to-morrow morning (23d), what step will be proper for us to 
 take. Report says, the officer commanding the district opposite you is 
 determined to prevent the commanding officer of the Mississippi Territory 
 from interfering with the jurisdiction of the Territory of Orleans. This 
 report, if true, may be proper for you to be informed of. At all events, 
 we are awaiting a legal investigation into our conduct; and I contend 
 that, during that investigation, and while we are, properly speaking, in 
 the hands of its authority, the military law has no right to interfere. I am, 
 
 Respectfully, etc., 
 
 DAVIS FLOYD. 
 Major Flaharty. 
 
 This letter, by means of the unfounded suggestion, submitted to Major 
 Floyd, of the jealousy of the people on the Louisiana side, of any en- 
 croachments on their jurisdiction, or by other matter it contained, pre- 
 vented Flaharty from carrying his declarations into effect, if he really 
 had authority under orders from the Governor so to do; and he was re- 
 moved from his post opposite to us the following morning (24th), on the 
 arrival of Col. Fitzpatrick, who substituted only a party of ten men, under 
 the command of Capt. Abrams, with orders to board boats civilly, without 
 firing upon them, and seize only such arms and ammunition as they might 
 contain. Col. Burr, this day, returned to the boats from Washington, 
 where he had remained since the 17th under a voluntary submission to the 
 civil authority, which had been exacted of him at Cole's Creek, on his 
 reception there on the 17th by Mead, at the head of five or six hundred 
 of the militia, half armed and generally discontented, in disregard of the 
 
DEMORALIZATION. 101 
 
 connection that had been entered into by Mead and himself. The Acting- 
 Governor, it now appeared, had threatened him with all the armed force of 
 the country unless he submitted. No securities, however, were required 
 for his appearance at the adjourned Federal Court, to be holden on the first 
 Monday in February. His own single recognizance was taken, in the sum 
 
 of dollars. Accordingly, his return to the boats was free. I soon 
 
 heard from him that Mr. Mead had received dispatches announcing the 
 statements by Flaharty of what had passed between him and Major Floyd, 
 which so exasperated the Governor, that he threatened to have Floyd 
 brought to him in irons, but was induced to retract, his menaces on learn- 
 ing Flaharty's character to be fraught with the utmost ignorance and 
 assurance, while Major Floyd's temper was both mild and amiable. Col. 
 Burr also acquainted me with the indignation the Federal Judge, Rodney, 
 had expressed at the exercise of the military law over Col. Burr and his 
 friends, both in the Mississippi and Orleans Territories ; the Judge assur- 
 ing him, in opposition to the U. S. Attorney, Mr. Poindexter, that the civil 
 authority of the Territory was competent to try him ; adding, at the same 
 time, that if Wilkinson, or any other military force, should attempt to 
 remove his person out of the Mississippi Territory, prior to his trial, he, 
 the Judge, would again, as he expressed it, put on old '"76," and march 
 out in support of Col. Burr and the Constitution. This day, about three 
 o'clock in the afternoon, my family arrived in the boat of Mr. Thomas 
 Butler, who, having, on his way from Pittsburgh, called to take them on 
 board at my house, on the Ohio, there underwent, with eight or ten other 
 gentlemen, a captivity for three days, diversified in its scenes by a mock 
 trial, in my hall, alternate insult and plunder, committed in common on 
 them, my family and property, in a variety of particular's, for which 1 
 refer to Mr. Neville's journal. 
 
 25th. — Nothing material occurred till eight o'clock at night, when we 
 cast off to drop down about twenty-six miles, to Cole's Creek, opposite 
 which we took another station on the Orleans shore. Here we remained, 
 without any material prospect of a change in our affairs, till the 27th, when 
 we heard that intelligence had x-eached Mississippi Territory that Col. B.'s 
 drafts on New York had been protested, and that Gov. Williams, who had 
 returned to resume the functions of his office in the Mississippi Territory, 
 was reported to be friendly disposed toward us. Col. B. determined to 
 visit the Governor, and set out next morning (28th) for that purpose, and 
 to prepare, probably, for his trial on the following Monday. Reports now 
 reached us of the near approach to Natchez of a division of nine or ten 
 gun-boats, under the command of Commodore Shaw, bearing a special order 
 from the " Secretary of the Navy" to take Col. Burr, or the next in com- 
 mand under him, and to take or destroy all the boats under his command. 
 By this time the effects of general disorder and want of regulation in the 
 use or distribution of liquors and provisions, with a total disregard of all 
 pretense at authority whenever attempted to be assumed by superiors, 
 
192 
 
 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 which had long since manifested themselves throughout all our numbers, 
 now openly broke out among particular leaders, who even threatened to 
 turn out of their boats the provisions, in payment for the demands of some 
 of the men who had become discontented and threatened to leave us. 
 
 29th. — Nothing occurred till 2d of February, when the Court at Washing- 
 ton had not that day charged the grand jury, who, of course, had not found 
 any bill against Col. Burr, owing to objections, I suppose, made by the 
 Attorney-General, to the jurisdiction of the Court over actions done by 
 Col. Burr, without the limits of their Territory. Next day (Feb. 3d), 
 Mr. N. brought me intelligence of the arrival of Graham at Washington, 
 and of his having had an interview with Col. Burr. 
 
YOUNG AMERICA. 193 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Morgan Neville and William Robinson, jun., with a 
 party of fourteen young men, early in December, em- 
 barked from Pittsburgh, in a flat-boat. Most of these 
 were sons of gentlemen of affluence and ease, who knew 
 but little of the realities of life, farther than was learned 
 within the walls of an academy. 
 
 They had proceeded down the river, as far as Parkers- 
 burg, when their boat was driven on the shore by 
 the ice during the night, and they were espied by the 
 Wood county militia, and the whole party arrested as 
 accomplices of Burr. 
 
 With " savage magnificence," they were escorted to 
 the island, to await the return of Col. Phelps, who was 
 then absent, at Point Pleasant, in an ineffectual attempt 
 to arrest Blennerhassett. Somewhat chagrined at their 
 luckless adventure, so far, the young men endeavored to 
 pass their time as pleasantly as possible, by ridiculing 
 the militia, and threatening them with the strong arm 
 of the law. 
 
 But the intrepid captors were not to be deterred from 
 duty. They parried the sarcasm of their adversaries, 
 and occasionally retorted with considerable effect. The 
 impertinence of the captives, at length, becoming insup- 
 portable, three justices of the peace were sent for, to 
 13 
 
194 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 institute an examination into the facts, to commit for 
 further trial, or acquit, the young men, as the evidence 
 might warrant. 
 
 They were accordingly arraigned, and, after a full 
 investigation of the facts, mostly upon the evidence of 
 the young men themselves, the court acquitted them of 
 all hostile designs against the United States.- 
 
 "During the trial, the mob-spirit of the militia began 
 to run riot, and, by the time it was ended, all was con- 
 fusion. The well-stored cellars of the mansion be^an to 
 pour forth their riches ; drunkenness ensued ; fences 
 were torn down, to pile upon the blazing fire of the sen- 
 tinels; the shrubbery was trampled under foot." 
 
 In the midst of this scene of confusion, Mrs. Blenner- 
 hassett returned from her unsuccessful visit to Marietta, 
 whither she had gone to procure the family boat of 
 Blennerhassett. A scene of such desolation and ruin 
 of all that was fair and beautiful, and around which her 
 young affections had clung with fond associations, was 
 calculated to crush a heart whose native character was 
 remarkable for its strong attachments to the objects of 
 its love ; but she had long since resigned her beautiful 
 abode, for the more tempting lands which her imagina- 
 tion had dressed in fancy's brightest colors, where serener 
 skies and gayer flowers " shed their mingled delights " 
 over the perennial green of nature's bosom. The suc- 
 cessful issue of the expedition was to her a matter of 
 weightier moment than all other considerations ; and, 
 thus it was, she remained unmoved amid the general 
 wreck of her fair possessions, by the ruthless mob. 
 
col. piielps. 105 
 
 Her situation, however, was one of painful embarrass- 
 ment. Blennerliassett, having departed in haste, with- 
 out making arrangements for her voyage, and the refusal 
 of the authorities, at Marietta, to deliver her the boat, 
 constructed for that especial purpose, left her, for a time, 
 in almost hopeless despair of joining her husband at the 
 appointed place. The weather had been intensely cold, 
 and the fast-accumulating ice, in the Ohio, appeared to 
 forbid a re-union with Blennerliassett until the following 
 spring, when, in all probability, she could only find him 
 in the Spanish dominions. It was, therefore, with feel- 
 ings of mingled gratitude and pleasure that she accepted 
 the proffer of a room in the boat of Thomas Butler, one 
 of the young men, who promised' to make the accommo- 
 dations as comfortable to herself and children as the 
 circumstances of her situation would permit. 
 
 During the course of the evening, Col. Phelps returned 
 from his tour across the country. In this unexpected 
 arrival, the young men had new cause of anxiety and 
 alarm. They had congratulated themselves upon their 
 successful defeat of the functionaries of the law, which 
 they attributed mainly to their superior tact in mystify 
 ing their judges, and intimidating their accusers ; but 
 here was one who could not be duped by sophistical 
 reasoning, or swerved from his duty by the fear of con- 
 sequences. Although dressed in the usual style of the 
 backwoodsmen of that day, the careless manner in which 
 he wore his garb added gracefulness to a form both 
 attractive and commanding. They recognized in him, 
 an individual of physical as well as intellectual superi 
 
196 
 
 THE BLENXERllASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ority, and therefore wisely concluded to assume a differ- 
 ent bearing from that they before had observed toward 
 their captors and judges.* 
 
 In a thoughtful and classic attitude, he surveyed the 
 destruction of the premises, and the evident marks of 
 bacchanalian revelry which the party under his command 
 had disgraced themselves ; then, turning upon them a 
 look of withering rebuke, he spoke in such terms of in- 
 dignation as caused them to shrink with fear and trepi- 
 dation. " Shame ! men," he exclaimed ; " shame on such 
 conduct ! You have disgraced your district, and the 
 cause in which you are concerned ! " 
 
 To the party of strangers, however, he was courteous 
 and attentive. They soon ascertained that they had no 
 cause to apprehend the frustration of their plans by Col. 
 Phelps ; indeed, so far from that, he willingly acceded to 
 their wishes, in permitting the departure of Mrs. Blen- 
 uerhassett, and proffered his services, in accelerating her 
 arrangements to go to her husband, who, he said, he 
 knew could never return to her. To Mrs. Blennerhassett 
 he expressed his deep sense of mortification, for the riot- 
 
 * The following anecdote of him, related by General Cass, in his work 
 styled "France, its King, Court and Government," is perfectly character- 
 istic. He says: 
 
 " I recollect a similar incident, which took place in a small village upon 
 the banks of the Ohio. The court was in session, and the presiding officer 
 
 was a Colonel P , a man of great resolution, and of herculean frame. 
 
 A person entered the court cabin, and, by his noise, put a stop to the pro- 
 ceedings. He was ordered out, and the sheriff attempted to remove him: 
 but he put himself upon his reserved rights, and made such a vigorous re- 
 sistance that the officer retired from the contest. Colonel P , there- 
 upon, descended from the bench, coolly took off his coat, gave the 
 brawler a severe beating, and, after putting him out of his house, resumed 
 his garment and his scat, and continued his judicial functions." 
 
DESERTION. . 197 
 
 ous acts of his misguided men, and assured lier, of what 
 she was already aware, that if he had been present, the 
 shameful act would not have occurred. 
 
 " Early next morning, Mrs. Blennerhassett commenced 
 her preparations for a final farewell of the island Eden, 
 where, for eight years, she had been the presiding genius. 
 Her energy and zeal were such, that, in a few hours, she 
 took possession of the humble chamber prepared for her 
 in the boat, and, by the assistance of Col. Phelps, who 
 rivaled the young men in courtesy, the necessary stores 
 and furniture were embarked. On the 17th day of De- 
 cember, the boat swung from the shore, lashed to another 
 of the same class, belonging to A. ~W. Putnam, of BelpreV' 
 
 In the latter part of December, they passed the mouth 
 of the Cumberland, where it was expected she would join 
 her husband; but, as we before have shown, he had 
 passed out of the Ohio into the waters of the rapid Mis- 
 sissippi, and moored at the entrance of Bayou Pierre. 
 Early in January, she was restored, with her children, to 
 Blennerhassett, who received them with that deep-felt 
 affection which a parent and husband can only appreciate. 
 
 The situation of Burr and Blennerhassett had now 
 become one of painful anxiety. It was evident, from 
 surrounding circumstances, that the strong hands of the 
 general and State governments had become too powerful 
 for the small forces under their command. Burr saw that 
 lie was the " victim of bad faith." Those who had 
 favored the enterprise at first, and gave him to understand 
 that their aid could be relied on, abandoned their designs, 
 upon the issuing of the President's proclamation. The 
 authorities of the States and Territories bordering on the 
 
198 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Ohio and Mississippi rivers had ordered out the militia, 
 for the apprehension of the parties ; and, from Pittsburgh 
 to the Gulf, the most rigid measures had been adopted, to 
 give an effectual check to the further progress of the 
 expedition. 
 
 As for Blennerhassett, his situation was cheerless in 
 the extreme. For Burr, had he abandoned his home with 
 all its endearments, his books, his studies, his property, 
 and, withal, was deeply involved for debts contracted for 
 the enterprise. As if the furies were not yet satiated in 
 their revenge, he was hunted and pursued, as a malefac- 
 tor, and momentarily expected the chilling touch of the 
 officer of the law, to summon him to justice. 
 
 On a dark and dreary night, in the month of January, 
 as the flotilla pushed slowly from the landing at Petit 
 Gulf, might have been observed the master-spirit of the 
 expedition, seated on a rough stool, in the inclement 
 cabin of a flat-boat, lighted only by the cheerless rays of 
 a solitary candle, and the decaying embers of a rudely- 
 constructed fireplace. With his face buried in his hands, 
 while his elbows rested on a table of unplaned boards, he 
 who had heretofore braved the disappointments which 
 had attended his undertaking, with a fortitude that 
 astonished, while it gave confidence to, his followers, 
 now sat gloomy and dejected. Upon what he mused is 
 beyond human ken; but, starting suddenly from his 
 revery, he caught up an axe, and directed his attendant 
 to make an opening in the side of the boat. Through 
 this, in the silence of the night, when he supposed there- 
 was none to witness,, the chests of arms for the expedition 
 were silently sunk beneath the waters of the Mississippi. 
 
POINDEXTER. 199 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 Cowles Mead, secretary of the Mississippi Territory, 
 performing the duties of Governor, had, on the third day 
 of December, 1806, issued his proclamation for the arrest 
 of "the Burr conspirators;" and, at the same time, call- 
 ing on the officers of the Government to take the oatli 
 of fidelity to the United States. To this proclamation, 
 Burr, on the 12th of January, 1807, replied in a letter of 
 some length, in which he disavowed any designs hostile 
 to the tranquillity of the country, stating that his only 
 object was a peaceable settlement of the lands of his new 
 purchase. "If the alarm which has been excited," he 
 remarks, " should not be appeased by this declaration, I 
 invite my fellow-citizens to visit me at this place (Bayou 
 Pierre), and to receive from me, in person, such further 
 explanations as may be necessary to their satisfaction, 
 presuming that when my views are understood, they will 
 receive the countenance of all good men." This letter, 
 he requested, might be read to the militia, who, he under- 
 stood, were assembled for his arrest. 
 
 Having moved his boats to the western margin of the 
 Mississippi river, a short distance below Bayou Pierre, he. 
 was visited by George Poindexter, Esq., the Attorney 
 General of the Territory, who had been appointed by 
 Mead as an honorary aid-de-camp for the arrest of the 
 
200 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 parties. The object of this visit was to gain correct in- 
 formation as to the situation of Burr; to ascertain his 
 views, so far as they might be communicated ; and to 
 procure his peaceful surrender to the civil authorities. 
 
 Major Shields, who accompanied Poindexter, delivered 
 to Burr the following letter from the Acting-Governor : 
 
 Washington, January lhth, 1807. 
 
 Sir : — Your approach to this country has excited not 
 only the apprehensions of the General Government, but 
 alarmed, in a high degree, the good citizens of this Ter- 
 ritory. From these causes I have ordered my militia to 
 rendezvous at such places as will enable them to guard 
 this Territory against any design inimical to this govern- 
 ment; but having heard, through Col. Waldridge, that 
 you profess perfect innocence of the views charged to 
 you, I have thought proper to send to you a confidential 
 aid-de-camp, to receive from you such information on 
 this subject as you may please to make. He will com- 
 municate freely with you, and you may implicitly confide 
 in every assurance which he may make in my name. I 
 have the honor to be, 
 
 Your humble servant, 
 
 Cowles Mead. 
 To Col A. Burr. 
 
 P. S. The gentleman attending Major Shields, is an 
 honorary aid, and one who likewise possesses my fullest 
 confidence. Mr. Poindexter, though a high civil officer, 
 visits you as my aid. Yours, etc., 
 
 Cowles Mead. 
 
SURRENDER. 201 
 
 The sentence relating- to guarding the Territory against 
 any designs inimical to the Government, Burr repeated 
 with a sneer, adding that he had no intention to injure 
 the citizens of the United States. " As to any projects 
 or plans," he continued, " which may have been formed 
 between General Wilkinson and myself, heretofore, they 
 are now completely frustrated by the perfidious conduct 
 of Wilkinson ; and the world must pronounce him a per- 
 fidious villain. If I am sacrificed, my portfolio will prove 
 him to be such." He stated further, that, so far from 
 having any designs hostile to the citizens of the United 
 States, he intended to have met Mr. Mead, at Port Gib- 
 son, on the day of the general muster, which happened 
 at that place about the time of his arrival at Bayou 
 Pierre; but was deterred from so doing, by the belief 
 that he would be assassinated, if seen passing through 
 the Territory. 
 
 Mr. Poindexter then requested him to surrender him- 
 self peaceably to the civil authorities ; stating that, un- 
 less he did, the Governor would certainly arrest him by 
 force. Burr declared his willingness at all times to sub- 
 mit, and proposed that an interview should take place 
 between himself and the Acting-Governor, at some con- 
 venient place, on the next day ; claiming protection from 
 personal violence in the mean time. 
 
 Stipulations were entered into, by which it was agreed 
 that Burr should be returned to his boats, if Mead should 
 not accept of his surrender ; that his flotilla should re- 
 main in the position it then occupied, until after the pro- 
 posed interview should have taken place ; and that, in 
 
202 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the mean while, his men should commit no breach of the 
 peace, or violate any law of the United States or Missis- 
 sippi Territory. The place designated for the conference 
 was the house of Thomas Calvert, a respectable citizen 
 of the Territory, who resided near the mouth of Cole's 
 Creek, where the detachment of militia which descended 
 the river was stationed. 
 
 Burr, accordingly, on the seventeenth day of January, 
 dropped down the river as far as Thomas Calvert's, ac- 
 companied by Col. Fitzpatriek, who directed him to be 
 taken in charge by Captain Davidson's company of dra- 
 goons. Here he was joined, according to appointment, 
 by Mead ; when further stipulations were required as to 
 the terms of his surrender. These were, first, that the 
 agreement entered into, for the purpose of procuring that 
 interview, should be declared void. Secondly, that Burr 
 should give himself up, unconditionally, to the civil 
 authority. And, thirdly, that his boats should be searched, 
 and all military stores and apparatus found on board be 
 disposed of, as the Executive should think fit. 
 
 To these terms, the Acting-Governor required Burr's 
 unequivocal reply, in fifteen minutes ; and, if not agreed 
 to, he was to be instantly returned to his boats, and the 
 militia ordered to seize the whole party by force. 
 
 As there was no chance of escape, the conditions were 
 accepted of and carried into eft'ect. Burr declared his 
 unwillingness to fall into the hands of "Wilkinson, and 
 requested, if any attempt should be made to arrest him 
 by a military force from New Orleans, that it might be 
 opposed. He was conducted to the town of Washington, 
 
THE JURY. 203 
 
 where he was delivered over to the custody of the law, 
 and the examination of the witnesses immediately com- 
 menced before Judge Rodney. 
 
 Mr. Poindexter was called on, in his official capacity as 
 attorney-general, to give his written opinion as to the 
 course which ought to be pursued. He, accordingly, fur- 
 nished an able argument against any attempt to try the 
 accused in the courts of the Territory. He stated that 
 they had no evidence to convict him of any offense com- 
 mitted in Mississippi ; that the Supreme Court of the 
 Territory, to which a jury was about to be summoned, 
 had no original jurisdiction of any prosecution, and could 
 only take cognizance of law reserved at the trial in the 
 Circuit Court. It was his opinion, therefore, that Burr 
 should be sent to the city of Washington, where the Su- 
 preme Court of the United States would be in session ; 
 and the judges, attending from every part of the Union, 
 could direct him to be tried in the District, where, from 
 the evidence, it might appear that an overt act of treason 
 had been committed. 
 
 But Judge Rodney thought differently; and a venire 
 facias was issued, requiring the attendance of seventy-six 
 jurors, at an adjourned session of the Supreme Court of 
 the Mississippi Territory, to be held in February. From 
 the number attending, at the appointed time, a grand 
 jury of twenty -three persons was selected, who received 
 a charge from the judge and were adjourned until tin; 
 next day. 
 
 The following morning, a motion was made, by the 
 attorney-general, to discharge the grand jury ; first, be- 
 cause the court did not possess original jurisdiction in any 
 
204 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 case ; secondly, because the depositions, submitted to his 
 inspection, did not furnish sufficient evidence to convict 
 Burr of the offenses with which he was charged, so as to 
 bring them within the Mississippi Territory ; and, thirdly, 
 that a warrant might issue, transmitting the accused to a 
 court having competent jurisdiction, to try and punish 
 him, if guilty of the crime alleged against him. The 
 court being divided on this motion, it was, in conse- 
 quence, overruled, and the grand jury retired. The 
 attorney-general, thereupon, determined to prefer no in- 
 dictment, and left the court-room. 
 
 In the afternoon the jury returned with the following 
 presentments : 
 
 "The grand jury of the Mississippi Territory, on a due 
 investigation of the evidence brought before them, are 
 of opinion that Aaron Burr has not been guilty of any 
 crime or misdemeanor against the laws of the United 
 States, or of this Territory; or given any just cause of 
 alarm or inquietude to the good people of the same. 
 
 " The grand jurors present, as a grievance, the late 
 military expedition, unnecessarily, as they conceive, fitted 
 out against the person and property of the said Aaron 
 Burr, when no resistance had been made to the civil 
 authorities. 
 
 " The grand jurors also present, as a grievance, destruct- 
 ive of personal liberty, the late military arrests,* made 
 without warrant, and, as they conceive, without other 
 lawful authority; and they do sincerely regret that so 
 much cause has been given to the enemies of our glorious 
 
 * The arrests of Bollman, Swartwout, Ogden and others, at New Orleans, 
 on suspicion of being engaged in the expedition. 
 
SUSPENSE. 205 
 
 Constitution, to rejoice at such measures being adopted, 
 in a neighboring Territory, as, if sanctioned by the Ex- 
 ecutive of our country, must sap the vitals of our polit- 
 ical existence, and crumble this glorious fabric in the 
 dust." 
 
 The attorney-general declared his astonishment at such 
 unwarrantable presentments by the grand jury, and, in- 
 forming the court that he should take no notice of them, 
 retired. Judge Rodney strongly reprobated such conduct 
 on the part of the jury, and, after rating them in no very 
 mild terms, dismissed them without delay. 
 
 In the evening of the day on which the court sat, Burr 
 visited the house of Colonel Osborne. He had asked to 
 be discharged from his recognizance, as he had fully com- 
 plied with its terms ; but, learning that it was the inten- 
 tion of Gov. Williams to seize on his person the moment he 
 was discharged by judicial authority, he requested John 
 Dana, one of his force from Belpre, with two others, to 
 convey him, in a boat, to a point about twenty miles from 
 Bayou Pierre, whence he could escape across the country. 
 
 Before leaving, he hastily advised Airs. Blennerhassett 
 of the result of the investigation, as follows : 
 
 Washington, January 31st, 1807. 
 Mrs. M. Blennerhassett : 
 
 Our persons and our property are safe from violence 
 and from pursuit. It is with regret and mortification 
 that I acknowledge, that, at present, nothing more can be 
 said ; yet there is reason to hope for something more, for 
 permission (how humiliating !) to go on to Washita. 
 
 My presence is necessaiy here, and will be so for three 
 
206 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 or four days. The separation from my friends is extremely 
 irksome and painful. Adieu. A. Burr. 
 
 Procuring a boatman's dress, in which to disguise him- 
 self, he proceeded on his tour. Upon hearing of his 
 escape, Williams issued a proclamation, offering two 
 thousand dollars for his apprehension and safe delivery to 
 the proper authorities. A few days afterward, a negro 
 boy was discovered near the mouth of Cole's Creek, oppo- 
 site which the boats Avere stationed, riding on a horse 
 which belonged to Burr, and having on his surtout coat. 
 These circumstances created a suspicion ; the boy was 
 searched, and, sowed up in the cape of his coat, was found 
 a note to the following effect : 
 
 "If you are yet together, keep so, and I will join you 
 to-morrow night. In the mean while, put all your arms 
 in perfect order. Ask no questions of the bearer, but tell 
 him all you may think I wish to know. He does not 
 know that this is from me, nor where I am." 
 
 To C. T. and D. F* 
 
 From Blennerhassett's journal it appears that, to add to 
 their discomfiture, they learned that Burr's drafts on New 
 York had been returned protested. General disorder 
 reigned among his followers, who having indulged to ex- 
 cess on the use of ardent spirits, and witnessing the total 
 destruction of his enterprise, had thrown off all authority, 
 and threatened to appropriate the supplies in compensa- 
 tion for their wages. 
 
 In consequence of the discovery of Burr's letter to 
 
 * Comfort Tyler and Davis Floyd. 
 
MORE ARRESTS. 207 
 
 Tyler and Floyd, the men were arrested and placed under 
 guard, where they were detained until the alarm was 
 over. Many, if not all of them, were permitted occa- 
 sionally to walk about, free of restraint, on their parole 
 of honor. 
 
 In the mean while, several arrests of the supposed ac- 
 complices of Burr had been made at Fort Adams and 
 Xew Orleans. Among the number were Bollman, Ogden, 
 Swartwout, Adair, Dayton, Smith and Alexander, against 
 whom the most rigid and unjustifiable authority had 
 been exercised by General Wilkinson; in many cases 
 upon bare suspicion, and without resistance at any time 
 to civil authority. General Adair, who had arrived at 
 ^N"ew Orleans on the 10th of January, was besieged by 
 one hundred and twenty men, under command of Lieu- 
 tenant-Colonel Kingsbury, accompanied by one of Wil- 
 kinson's aids. They seized upon him while at dinner in 
 a public-house, dragged him from the table, and con- 
 ducted him to head-quarters, where he was placed in 
 confinement, and secreted, until an opportunity offered to 
 convey him away.* It was even attempted, in the Legis- 
 lature of Louisiana, at the suggestion of the Governor, 
 
 * An Irish gentleman of wit and humor happened to be confined in 
 prison for debt, when it was announced to him by one of the officials, that, 
 Gen. Adair was in the adjoining room. He immediately sti'uck up in a 
 full musical voice, to the tune of Robin Adair: 
 "Ye are welcome to Orleans, 
 
 Johnny Adair, — 
 Ye are welcome to Orleans, 
 
 Johnny Adair ! 
 How does little Aaron do? — 
 And Irish Blanny, too? — 
 Why did'nt they come with you, 
 Johnny Adair! 
 
208 THE BLE^NERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to suspend the writ of habeas corpus — that inestimable 
 guarantee to the liberties of every American citizen, 
 more effectually to aid the harsher application of mili- 
 tary law and military dictation. 
 
 Toward the writs of habeas corpus, issued by the courts, 
 to bring the accused parties before them, Wilkinson ob- 
 served the most profound contempt. So ineffectual was 
 the process of the courts, in bringing either the prisoners 
 or Wilkinson before them, that Judge Workman recom- 
 mended to the Governor, that Wilkinson should be 
 opposed by force of arms. He stated that the violent 
 measures of that officer had produced great discontent, 
 alarm and agitation in the public mind ; and unless such 
 proceedings were effectually opposed, all confidence in 
 Government would be at an end. He urged the Governor 
 to revoke the order, by which he had placed the Orleans 
 volunteers under Wilkinson's command, and to call out 
 and arm the rest of the militia as soon as possible. He 
 stated it as his opinion, that an army would not oppose 
 the civil power, when constitutionally brought forth, or 
 that if they did, the Governor might soon have men 
 enough to render the opposition ineffectual.* 
 
 No satisfactory answer having been made to Workman 
 by the Governor, he again addressed him on the subject. 
 It was notorious, he remarked, that the commander-in- 
 chief of the military forces had, by his own authority, 
 arrested several citizens for civil offenses, and avowed on 
 record, that he had adopted means to send them out of 
 the Territory, openly declaring his determination to usurp 
 
 * Mai'tin's History of Louisiana. 
 
DILEMMA. 209 
 
 the functioDS of the judiciary, by making himself the 
 only judge of the guilt of the persons he suspected, and 
 asserting in the same manner, and without contradiction, 
 that his measures were taken after several consultations 
 with the Governor. 
 
 Although a common case would not require the step 
 he was taking, yet he deemed it his duty, before any 
 decisive measure was pursued against him, who had all 
 the regular force, and, in pursuance of the Governor's 
 public orders, a great part of the Territory at his disposal, 
 to ask whether the executive had the ability to enforce 
 the decrees of the court of the county ; and if he had, 
 whether he would deem it expedient to do it in the pres- 
 ent instance ; or whether the allegations, by which Wil- 
 kinson supported the violent measures, were well founded. 
 
 " Not only the conduct and power of "Wilkinson," he 
 continued, " but various other circumstances peculiar to 
 our present situation — the alarm excited in the public 
 mind, the description and character of a large part of the 
 population of the country — might render it dangerous in 
 the highest degree to adopt the measure usual in ordinary 
 cases, of calling to the aid of the sheriff the posse comi- 
 tatus, unless it was done with the assurance of being sup- 
 ported by the Governor in an efficient manner." 
 
 The letter concluded by requesting a precise and speedy 
 answer to the preceding inquiries, and an assurance that 
 if certain of the Governor's support, the judge would 
 forthwith punish, as the law directed, the contempt 
 offered to the court. On the other hand, should the 
 Governor think it impracticable to afford the required 
 aid, the court and its officers would no longer remain 
 14 
 
210 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 exposed to the contempt or insults of a man whom they 
 were unable to punish or resist. 
 
 The same silence and indifference having been observed 
 by the Governor toward the last, as toward his former 
 communication, "Workman resigned his office as he had 
 before indicated.* 
 
 Burling, who had been sent to Mexico, returned, with- 
 out having accomplished the object of his mission. It 
 appears that, instead of his being sent " to penetrate the 
 veil which concealed the topographical route to the city 
 of Mexico, and the military defenses which intervened," 
 as alleged by Wilkinson, he was, on the contrary, com- 
 missioned to display to the viceroy the great pecuniary 
 sacrifices made by that general, to frustrate the plan of 
 invasion meditated by the Ex- Vice-President against the 
 kingdom of Mexico, and to solicit, in consideration of 
 such important services, a pretty round sum of at least 
 two hundred thousand dollars.^ 
 
 Don Joseph de Yturrigaray received this communica- 
 tion with due contempt and indignation, bidding his in- 
 terpreter to tell Mr. Burling that General Wilkinson, in 
 counteracting any treasonable plan of Mr. Burr, did no 
 more than comply with his duty ; that he, the viceroy, 
 would take good care to defend the kingdom of Mexico 
 against any attack or invasion ; and that he did not think 
 himself authorized to give one farthing to Gen. Wilkin- 
 son, in compensation for his pretended services. He, 
 thereupon, ordered Burling to leave the city of Mexico, 
 
 * Martin's History of Louisiana. 
 
 t Correspondence of Maria Ines Jauregui de Yturrigaray, Vice-queen. 
 Davis's Life of Burr, vol. ii, p. 401. 
 
INCREDULITY. 211 
 
 and had him safely escorted to the port of Vera Cruz, 
 where he embarked for New Orleans. 
 
 On the seventh of December, previous, "Wilkinson had 
 dispatched Lieutenant Swann, of the army, to Jamaica, 
 with a letter to the officer commanding the naval force 
 on that station, informing him of Burr's plans, and that 
 a report was afloat that the aid of a British naval arma- 
 ment had been either promised or applied for : he there- 
 fore warned him, and all other British military and naval 
 officers, that their interference, or any co-operation on 
 their part, would be considered as highly injurious to the 
 United States, and affecting the then present amicable 
 relations between the two nations. The communication 
 concluded with a hope, that the British government 
 would refrain from any interference, and prevent indi- 
 viduals from affording aid to the enterprise ; assuring 
 him that the writer would, with all the force under his 
 command, resist any effort of a foreign power to favor 
 Burr's projects. 
 
 To this Admiral Drake replied, that, from the style 
 and manner in which the communication was written, he 
 was at a loss how to answer it; but begged him, Wilkin- 
 son, to be assured, that British ships of war would never 
 be employed in any improper service, and that he should 
 ever be ready most cheerfully to obey the orders of his 
 sovereign. Sir Eyre Coote trusted, and sincerely be- 
 lieved, the representations made to "Wilkinson were to- 
 tally groundless, as his letter contained the only intelli- 
 gence received on the subject.* 
 
 * Martin's History of Louisiana. 
 
212 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Bollman and Swartwout were conducted to the city of 
 Washington for trial. After having been imprisoned, 
 for some time, on the charge of treason, as joint-conspira- 
 tors with Burr, they were discharged from confinement, 
 by order of the Supreme Court, as the evidence was not 
 sufficient to retain them longer in custody. 
 
 Ogden and Alexander were transported to Baltimore, 
 as accomplices in the same crime. The former of these 
 was taken before a magistrate, in the city, and set at lib- 
 erty for want of sufficient proof. The latter was released, 
 in Washington, whither he had been recently conducted, 
 because of the improper averment of the offense. 
 
 Blennerhassett, having learned that Graham, while in 
 the vicinity of the island, had obtained the affidavit of 
 Col. Phelps, which, among others, had been forwarded 
 to the President, addressed him the following letter : 
 
 Douglas Ferry, Feb. 24, 1807. 
 J. Graham, Esq. : 
 
 Sir : — Having heard, from respectable authority, that 
 you have forwarded to the President an affidavit of Hugh 
 Phelps, wherein he deposed that I had imparted to him 
 certain views or objects, in which I participated with 
 Col. Burr, hostile to the United States, or to some of the 
 Spanish dominions, I am naturally led to inquire how far 
 I may inflame or abate the persecution, with which I am 
 honored by the Government or its agents, by proposing 
 to you to forward another affidavit, to the same char- 
 ter, deposing that Col. Phelps had declared, soon after 
 the only interview I had with him, that I did not commu- 
 nicate to him the object. I can not pretend to state the 
 
PROTESTATION. 213 
 
 facts that may appear on the face of the affidavits on 
 either side, until such documents come forward, any more 
 than the tenor of fifty other affidavits or testimonies I 
 can procure from my neighbors of respectable character, 
 who will testify to the very contrary of what Col. Phelps 
 has done — men, all of them, possessing my good opinion, 
 and believing Mr. Phelps is the last man in the world I 
 would venture a secret with, if I had any. 
 
 Provided, sir, with such means of counteracting the 
 evidence of Mr. Phelps, or any other that may be ad- 
 duced against me, I can have no other solicitude for the 
 issue of an arraignment any where than the intervening 
 distress in which my family will be thereby involved. 
 But as this nor any other consideration shall ever influ- 
 ence me to shrink from investigation, I now, sir, invite, 
 through you, all the justice or persecution of the Govern- 
 ment. Why, or how, I may have become personally ob- 
 noxious to them, or to yourself, the public may hereafter 
 understand. But if I am singled out as an early victim 
 or example, I shall wish not to be severed from my 
 family, by being thrown on board a prison ship, while I 
 tender security for my appearance at the city of Washing- 
 ton or elsewhere, whenever it may be recpiired. 
 
 I recpuest your answer, and with due consideration, 
 I remain, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 Blennerhassett was arrested and recognized to appear 
 at the next District Court for the Territory of Mississippi, 
 where we shall leave him for the present, to follow the 
 fortunes of Burr. 
 
214 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Late at night, about the last of February, Burr, with a 
 companion, arrived at a small log tavern, iu what is now 
 the village of Wakefield, in "Washington county, Alabama. 
 Without alighting, he called at the door, and inquired 
 of the inmates if Colonel Hinson resided in the neigh- 
 borhood. Receiving for answer that he did, they further 
 informed him that the house was seven miles distant ; the 
 road to be traveled, obscure and difficult ; and a deep and 
 turbid creek lay in the route. Nothing daunted, he 
 eagerly sought information as to the forks, and directions 
 as to crossing the stream. This having been communi- 
 cated, he put spurs to his horse, leaving the observers 
 involved in astonishment. 
 
 Near midnight, the glimmering of a light, through the 
 distant trees, directed the travelers to the rude but com- 
 fortable quarters of Colonel Hinson. Having hailed and 
 received no answer, they dismounted and entered the 
 kitchen, where the remaining embers in the fireplace 
 were soon kindled into a comfortable blaze. Seating 
 himself before it, Burr left his companion to take charge 
 of the horses, and had just begun to feel comfortable, 
 when he was interrupted by a stranger, who, he con- 
 cluded, had ridden till late to reach desirable lodgings. 
 But in this he was mistaken. The real cause of his 
 
HESITATION. 215 
 
 appearance, at this unseasonable hour, originated in 
 Burr's mysterious departure from the inn. As it after- 
 ward appeared, Colonel Nicholas Perkins observed, by 
 the light of the fire, as Burr sat upon his horse, that, 
 although he was coarsely dressed, yet he possessed a 
 countenance of unusual intelligence ; an eye of sparkling 
 brilliancy ; and a demeanor wholly unsuited to the garb 
 he wore. The tidy boot, in particular, which his vanity 
 could not surrender, with his other articles of finer cloth- 
 ing, attracted Perkins's attention, and led him to con- 
 clude that the gentleman before him was none other than 
 the famous Colonel Burr, described in the proclamation 
 of the Governor. 
 
 Perkins immediately started after Theodore Bright- 
 well, the sheriff, who occupied an adjacent cabin ; and, 
 awakening him from his slumbers, hurriedly communi- 
 cated the circumstances of the traveler's appearance, 
 conversation and departure, and requested him to join 
 him in the pursuit of the parties. Brightwell consented ; 
 and the two, mounting their horses, took the road to 
 Ilinson's. The night was cold and windy, and the moan- 
 ings of the lofty pines, along the solitary road, rendered 
 their journey gloomy and inauspicious. Still they pressed 
 on; for th e object of their pursuit was of no small im- 
 portance, at that particular time, to the minions of the 
 Government. As the} r arrived in sight of the illuminated 
 dwelling, Perkins, recollecting that the travelers had seen 
 him at the tavern, declined entering, but sent Brightwell, 
 whom he requested to return to him, at a certain place in 
 the woods, after he had ascertained whether or not the 
 suspicious individual was Aaron Burr. 
 
216 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 As Brightwell called at the door, his voice was recog- 
 nized by Mrs. Hinson, who was his relative, and who 
 until now had remained silent in another room, through 
 fear of the strangers, in the absence of her husband. She 
 soon prepared something to eat for her unknown guests. 
 As Burr seated himself at the table, he thanked her, in 
 the most courteous terms, for her kindness, and apolo- 
 gized for the trouble he had imposed upon her. His con- 
 versation was sprightly and agreeable, so much so, indeed, 
 that Mrs. Hinson soon discovered that the gentleman and 
 his attire did not correspond. His attention was often 
 directed to Brightwell, who stood before the fire, and at 
 whom he cast the keenest glances, evidently endeavoring 
 to read his thoughts. A momentary separation having 
 taken place during the night, between Burr and his com- 
 panion, at the suggestion of Brightwell, the latter was 
 asked by Mrs. Hinson if she had the honor of entertain- 
 ing, as her guest, the celebrated Col. Burr. Fearing to 
 make the disclosure, the man remained silent, and shortly 
 after left the room. 
 
 Early in the morning, Burr privately communicated to 
 Mrs. Hinson his real name, and regretted the absence of 
 her husband, whom he had seen at Natchez, and with 
 whom he had promised himself to remain a week ; but 
 that, as he was detected, he should prosecute his journey. 
 
 After inquiring the route to Pensacola, and Mrs. Car- 
 son's ferry on the Tombigbee, he called for writing 
 materials, and indited several letters. His companion, 
 who had been dispatched on the back route, for some 
 purpose, returned about nine o'clock, and the two again 
 set out for the " cut-off,'' u °t vei T ^ ar distant. 
 
RE-ARREST. 217 
 
 For some unaccountable reason, which has never yet 
 been explained, Brightwell neglected to return to Per- 
 kins, whom he left highly excited and shivering in the 
 cold. Having remained at his post until his patience was 
 exhausted, and supposing that Brightwell, probably on 
 account of the fascinations of Burr, or the pity which 
 had seized him, in his behalf, had betrayed their plans, 
 Perkins mounted his horse, and rode rapidly to the house 
 of Joseph Bates, at Nannanhubby Bluff, to avoid the 
 creek which intervened on the main route to Fort Stod- 
 dart. Here he was furnished with a canoe, and a negro 
 to navigate it, and, descending the Tombigbee, arrived at 
 the military station early in the morning. The late Gen- 
 eral Edmund P. Gaines was then the lieutenant in com- 
 mand. Perkins briefly acquainted him with the particulars 
 of the preceding night's adventure, and of his suspicions, 
 which, although of slight foundation, had nevertheless 
 impressed him with solid convictions of truth. Placing 
 himself at the head of a file of mounted soldiers, the 
 lieutenant started in pursuit, accompanied by Perkins. 
 They shortly encountered the object of their search, with 
 his traveling companion, and the sheriff, Brightwell. 
 The parties having met, Lieutenant Gaines accosted one 
 of the strangers, remarking, that he presumed he had the 
 honor of addressing Colonel Burr. 
 
 " I am a traveler," answered Burr, " and in a strange land, 
 and do not recognize your right to ask such a question." 
 
 " I arrest you, at the instance of the United States," 
 replied Gaines. 
 
 " By what authority do you arrest me, a stranger on 
 the highway, on my own private business ? " 
 
218 THE BLENNEEHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The lieutenant then informed Burr that he was an 
 officer of the United States army, and hold in his hand 
 the proclamation of the President, as well as that of the 
 Governor of the Mississippi Territory, directing his arrest. 
 
 Burr asked him if he was aware of the responsibility 
 of arresting' a traveler ; to which Gaines answered, that 
 he was perfectly aware of his duties, in the premises, and 
 should endeavor to perform them. 
 
 Burr then entered into a brief argument to show that 
 these proclamations should never have been issued, and 
 that in following their dictates, the lieutenant would be 
 subjecting himself to much damage and blame. His 
 manner was firm ; his air majestic ; and his language 
 impressive; but the resolute yomig officer told him his 
 mind was made up; the prisoner must accompany him 
 to his quarters, where lie would be treated with all the 
 respect due the Ex-Vice-President of the United States, 
 so long as he made no attempt to escape. He was then 
 conducted toward Fort Stoddart, where the parties ar- 
 rived in the evening, and an apartment being assigned 
 the prisoner, he took his dinner alone. 
 
 Late at night, a groaning was heard in an adjoining 
 room. Burr arose, opened the door, and ascertained that 
 George S. Gaines was suffering from severe indisposition. 
 He approached the sufferer's bed and kindly offered his 
 services, as he had traveled much, and had some knowl- 
 edge of medicine. They soon entered into a sprightly 
 conversation in regard to the state of the country, and 
 particularly on the subject of the Choctaw Indians, 
 among whom Gaines lived, as United States factor. The 
 next day, being introduced to the wife of the command- 
 
A HARD ROAD. 219 
 
 ant, who was a daughter of the late Judge Toulman, 
 Burr dined with the family, and enlivened the company 
 with his wit and elegant discourse. In the evening, he 
 played chess with Mrs. Gaines, with whom he was often 
 a frequent competitor in that interesting game. Of 
 nights, he sought the company of the invalid, who he- 
 came exceedingly attached to his society. During their 
 midnight conversations, how often would the good heart 
 of his auditor grieve over the misfortunes of Burr. But 
 it was a remarkahle fact, that, as often and long as they 
 were together, this unfortunate man never ODce alluded 
 to his arrest, his troubles, or his future plans. From his 
 early youth, it had been his custom to conceal things in 
 relation to himself, and he always endeavored to throw 
 an air of mystery over his acts. 
 
 After Burr had been secured, as a prisoner at Fort 
 Stoddart, Perkins departed for Wakefield, and caused the 
 arrest of his traveling companion, who proved to he 
 Major Ashley. He was placed under a guard, from 
 whom he escaped and made his way to Tennessee, where 
 he afterward made himself serviceable to his friend, in 
 collecting evidence in his behalf for the trial at Rich- 
 mond. 
 
 Three weeks had passed away since the arrest of the 
 distinguished prisoner, and still the lieutenant had been 
 unable to convey him to the seat of the general govern- 
 ment for trial. The difficulties were great, and, for a 
 time, the undertaking appeared impracticable. In those 
 days, there were comparatively no roads, no ferries, and 
 few 7 men could be found, in that sparsely-settled country, 
 who would undertake a journey so long and perilous, 
 
220 TUB BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 over savage lands. The inclemency of the weather, at 
 that season of the year, added much to the unpleasant- 
 ness of the tour, and, with many, formed an insuperable 
 objection, as they must, necessarily, for want of houses 
 of accommodation, be exposed, both night and day, to 
 the vicissitudes of the month of March. At last, Burr 
 left the fort, under guard, and proceeded, in a govern- 
 ment boat, up the Alabama river, into the Tensaw lake, 
 accompanied by Lieutenant Gaines, and stopped at the 
 house of John Mills. The ladies of the house, seeing 
 the strait to which Burr was reduced, wept, through sym- 
 pathy for his misfortunes. One of the number, it is said, 
 a Mrs. Johnson, named her son in honor of this distin- 
 guished individual. He is still alive, and is not the only 
 boy bearing the name of "Aaron Burr" in the State of 
 Mississippi. The ladies every where espoused his cause, 
 in the south-western New World. It is a prominent and 
 noble trait, in female character, to admire a man of dar- 
 ing and generous impulses, and to pity and defend him 
 in his adversities. 
 
 At the boat-yard, in the present county of Baldwin, in 
 the State of Alabama, the crew disembarked, where 
 William and John Pierce (who introduced the first cotton 
 gins into Alabama) had a trading establishment. Gaines 
 gave the command of the guard to Perkins, and directed 
 him to convey the prisoner to Washington city. His 
 guard consisted of Thomas Malone, of Alabama, Henry 
 B. Slade, of North Carolina, two McCormacks, of Ken- 
 tucky, and two United States' soldiers. They were all 
 men whom Perkins selected, and upon whom he could 
 rely in any contingency. He took them aside, and ob- 
 
IN THE FOREST. 221 
 
 tained the most solemn pledges, that, upon the whole 
 route to "Washington, they would hold no interviews with 
 Burr, nor sutler him to escape alive. Perkins knew the 
 fascinations of Burr, and he feared his familiarity with 
 his men ; indeed, he feared the same influences upon him- 
 self. His character, for making strong impressions upon 
 the human mind, and attaching men to him by associa- 
 tion, was well known to the world. 
 
 When Burr fled from the authorities in the Mississippi 
 Territory, he had disguised himself in a boatman's dress. 
 His pantaloons were of coarse, copperas-dyed cloth, with 
 a roundabout of inferior drab. His hat, a flapping, wide- 
 brim beaver, had, in times long past, been white, but now 
 gave evidence of having encountered much rough weather. 
 Placed upon his fine horse, he bestrode him most elegant- 
 ly, and flashed his large, dark eyes, as though he were at 
 the head of his New York regiment. Each man carried 
 provisions for himself, and some for the prisoner. They 
 were all well mounted, with no arms except pistols in 
 holsters, and two muskets borne by the soldiers. On the 
 last of February, they set out upon their long and peril- 
 ous journey. Within a quarter of a mile from the point 
 of departure, the dreadful massacre at Fort Mimms 
 occurred six years after. Pursuing the Indian path, 
 which led from the " 'Bigby settlement " to Fort Wilkin- 
 son, on the Oconee, they reached a point thirty miles dis- 
 tant the first day. At night, the only tent in the company 
 was pitched for the prisoner, who reposed himself upon 
 his blankets. The country abounded in immense pine 
 forests. Here the Ex-Vice-President lay the first night, 
 
222 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 before the blazing fire, which threw a glare over the dis- 
 mal woods. 
 
 To what an extremity had he now been reduced ! In 
 the boundless wilds of Alabama, under a small and com- 
 fortless tent, amid the perils of Indian barbarities, with 
 the cry of the panther, answered by the howl of the 
 hungry wolf ringing in his ears ; while the moaning of 
 the winds through the tops of the lofty trees added 
 dreariness to the solitude of the night ; with none with 
 whom to hold converse ; surrounded by a guard to whom 
 he dared not speak ; a prisoner of the United States, for 
 whose liberties he had fought, and whose Government he 
 had helped to form ; exiled from the State of his adop- 
 tion, whose statutes and institutions bore the impress of 
 his mind ; deprived by death of his devoted wife ; his 
 only child then on a distant coast of Carolina ; his pro- 
 fessional pursuits abandoned, and his fortune swept away ; 
 the magnificent scheme of the conquest of Mexico up- 
 rooted, and the fragments dispersed; slandered and 
 hunted down, from one end of the Union to the other ; 
 these were considerations sufficient to weigh down an 
 ordinary individual, and sink him to an untimely grave. 
 But his was no common mind; and the characteristic 
 fortitude and determination which had ever marked his 
 course, still sustained him in the darkest hour. In the 
 morning, he arose cheerfully, and pursued his course. 
 Although guarded with vigilance, his few wants were 
 gratified, as far as they could be, and he was treated with 
 respect and kindness. The trail being narrow and 
 obscure, Burr rode in the middle, having a part of the 
 
ON THE MARCH. 223 
 
 guard in front, while the rest followed behind, in single 
 file. The route lay about eight miles south of the pres- 
 ent city of Montgomery, then an Indian town called 
 Eaconcharte — meaning Bed Ground. 
 
 In the year 1811, General Wade Hampton cut out the 
 "Federal Road" along this trail, which was well known 
 to early settlers as the only highway in South Alabama. 
 The guard passed by the site of the present Mount 
 Meigs, and stopped at the house of "Old Milly," the 
 former wife of a British soldier, who, with her husband, 
 in 1770, left the barracks in Savannah and came to the 
 Creek Nation. She had long been a resident of these 
 wild woods, now lying in the county of Montgomery. 
 Her husband, at this time a colored man, named Evans, 
 was employed by Perkins to pilot the party across the 
 dangerous creeks, Lime, Dubahatchee and Calabee, all of 
 which they had to swim. It was a perilous and fatiguing 
 march ; and, for days, the rain descended in chilling tor- 
 rents on those unsheltered horsemen, collecting in rivulets 
 and swimming them at every point. Hundreds of Indians 
 thronged the trail, and the party could have been shot 
 down ; but the fearless Perkins bore on his distinguished 
 prisoner, amid angry elements and human foes. In their 
 journey through Alabama, they always slept in the 
 woods, near swamps of reeds, upon which the belled and 
 hobbled horses fed during the night. After a hastily- 
 prepared breakfast, it was their custom again to remount, 
 and march on, in gloomy silence, which was but occa- 
 sionally broken by a remark about the weather, the 
 creeks, or the horses. Burr was a splendid rider, sitting 
 firmly in the saddle, and ever on the alert. He was 
 
224 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 always a hardy traveler, and although wet for hours, 
 with cold and drizzling rains, riding forty miles a day, 
 and at night stretched upon the hare ground, on a thin 
 pallet, yet, in the whole distance to Eichmond, he was 
 never heard to say that he was sick, or even fatigued. 
 At the Chattahoochie, was a crossing-place, owned by an 
 Indian named Marshall. The effects of the expedition 
 were carried over in canoes, while the horses swam along- 
 side. In this manner they passed the Flint and Ocmul- 
 gee. At Fort Wilkinson, on the Oconee, they entered 
 the first ferry-boat they had seen on the whole route. A 
 few miles further on, they were sheltered by the first 
 civilized roof — a house of entertainment, kept by one 
 Bevin. While breakfast was preparing, and the guard 
 were seated around a large fire, the host, like all publicans 
 on the highway, inquired from whence they came. As 
 they were from the " 'Bigby settlements," he immediately 
 fell on the fruitful theme of the traitor, Aaron Burr. He 
 asked if he had been taken ? " Was he not a very bad 
 man ? " " Was n't everybody afraid of him ? " Perkins 
 and his party were very much annoyed and embarrassed, 
 and made no reply. Burr was sitting in a corner by the 
 fire, with his head down ; and, after listening to the 
 inquisitiveness of Bevin until he could endure it no 
 longer, he raised himself up, and, planting his fiery eyes 
 upon him, said : 
 
 " I am Aaron Burr ; what is it you want with me?" 
 Bevin, struck with his appearance, the keenness of his 
 look, and the solemnity and dignity of his manner, stood 
 aghast, and trembled like a leaf. He uttered not another 
 word while the guard remained at his house. 
 
UNSUCCESSFUL RUSE. 225 
 
 When Perkins reached the confines of South Carolina, 
 he watched Burr more closely than ever ; for in this State 
 lived the son-in-law of Burr, Col. Alston, a gentleman of 
 talents, wealth and influence, and afterward Governor of 
 the State. Upon reaching the frontiers of Georgia, he 
 endeavored to convey the prisoner in by-roads, to avoid 
 the towns, lest he should be rescued. The plan was at- 
 tended with difficulty; they were lost often; the march 
 impeded; and the highway was again resumed. Before 
 entering the town of Chester, in South Carolina, the 
 party halted. Two men were placed before Burr; two 
 on either side, and two behind ; and, in this manner, they 
 passed near a tavern on the street, where many persons 
 were standing; while music and dancing were heard in 
 the house. Burr conceived it a favorable opportunity for 
 escape ; and, suddenly dismounting, exclaimed : 
 
 " I am Aaron Burr, under military arrest, and claim 
 protection of the civil authorities ! " 
 
 Perkins leaped from his horse, with several of his men, 
 and ordered him to remount. 
 
 "I will not!" replied Burr. 
 
 Not wishing to shoot him, Perkins threw down his 
 pistols, and, being a man of prodigious strength, and 
 the prisoner a small man, seized him around the waist 
 and placed him in his saddle, as though he was a child. 
 Thomas Malone caught the reins of the bridle, slipped 
 them over the horse's head, and led him rapidly on. The 
 astonished citizens had seen a party enter their village 
 with a prisoner; had heard him appeal to them for pro- 
 tection ; had witnessed the feat of Perkins ; and the 
 
 party vanished, before they had time to recover from 
 15 
 
220 THE BLENtfERHASSETT PAPERS 
 
 their confusion ; for, when Burr dismounted, the guards 
 cocked their pistols, and the people ran within the piazza 
 to escape from danger. 
 
 Burr was still, to some extent, popular in South Caro- 
 lina; and any wavering or timidity on the part of Per- 
 kins would have lost him his prisoner ; but the celerity of 
 his movements gave no time for the people to reflect, be- 
 fore he was far in the outskirts of the village. Here the 
 guard halted. Burr was highly excited ; he was in tears ! 
 The kind-hearted Malone also wept at seeing the uncon- 
 trollable despondency of him who hitherto had proven 
 almost iron-hearted. It was the first time any one had 
 ever seen Aaron Burr unmanned. 
 
 The guard becoming very much alarmed on the subject 
 of Burr's rescue, Malone and Henry advised the purchase 
 of a carriage. The former took charge of the guard, 
 while Perkins returned and purchased a gig. The next 
 day, Burr was placed in a vehicle, and driven, without 
 further incident, to Fredericksburg, Virginia. Here Per- 
 kins received dispatches from the President, requiring 
 him to convey the prisoner to Richmond. The guard 
 took the stage, and soon reached that place. The ladies 
 of the city vied with each other in contributing to the 
 comfort of Burr. Some sent him fruit ; some clothes ; 
 some wine; some one thing; some another. Perkins 
 and his men went to Washington ; were paid for their 
 services, and returned to Alabama, by way of Tennessee.* 
 
 * The foregoing incidents are taken from Picl<ett"s History of Alabama. 
 With but few exceptions, 1 have followed nearly the exact language of 
 the author. 
 
IMPLICATION. 227 
 
 Col. Alston, finding himself deeply implicated by the 
 proclamation of the President, and mortified at the indis- 
 cretion of Col. Burr, to release himself of the suspicion 
 which rested upon him, promptly addressed the following- 
 communication to his Excellency Charles Pinckney, then 
 Governor of South Carolina : 
 
 Oaks, February 6th, 1807. 
 Dear Sir: — I have received and read the President's 
 Message with deep mortification and concern; but the 
 letter annexed to it, stated to be a communication in 
 cyphers from Col. Burr to Gen. Wilkinson, excites my 
 unfeigned astonishment. I solemnly avow that, when 
 that letter was written, I had never heard, directly or 
 indirectly, from Col. Burr, or any other person, of the 
 meditated attack on ]STew Orleans; nor had I anymore 
 reason to suspect an attack on that place, or any other 
 part of the United States, than I have at this moment to 
 suspect that our militia will be forthwith ordered on an 
 expedition against Gibraltar. On the other hand, I had 
 long had strong grounds for believing that Col. Burr was 
 engaged by other objects, of a very different nature from 
 those attributed to him, and which I confess the best 
 sentiments of my heart approved. I need not add that 
 those objects involved not the interests of my country. 
 Without adverting to that integrity of principle, which 
 even my enemies, I trust, have allowed me, can it be sup- 
 posed that a man situated as I am — descended from a 
 family which has never known dishonor, happy in the 
 affection and esteem of a large number of relations and 
 friends, possessed of ample fortune, and standing high in 
 
228 THE BLENNEKIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the confidence of his fellow-citizens — could harbor, for an 
 instant, a thought injurious to the country which was the 
 scene of those blessings? The supposition would be 
 monstrous. No, sir ; it was but a short period before the 
 impression became general, that apprehended the possi- 
 bility of Mr. Burr's intentions being hostile to the Union ; 
 and the moment which gave birth to that apprehension, 
 gave birth to the resolution which became a citizen. I 
 confess, however, there are times even now, when, in 
 spite of the strong facts which have been exhibited, I am 
 almost inclined to believe my suspicions injurious. What- 
 ever may be thought of the heart of Mr. Burr, his talents 
 are great beyond question, and to reconcile with such 
 talents, the chimerical project of dismembering the 
 Union, or wresting from it any part of its Territory, is 
 difficult indeed. I traveled through a part of the western 
 country, during the last summer, and have no hesitation 
 in saying, that either of those projects would have been 
 as much reprobated there as in the Atlantic States. With 
 respect, however, to the communication annexed to the 
 President's Message, which occasions you the trouble of 
 this letter : after my solemn assurances to you that I had 
 never given Col. Burr, or any other person, the smallest 
 reason to imagine that I could be induced to engage in 
 any project against my country, it would be infinitely 
 satisfactory to me, could I explain to you, with the same 
 certainty, the motive which led him to introduce my name 
 as he did. But here, unfortunately, all is conjecture. 
 Two motives only suggest themselves. He imagined, 
 perhaps — which, by the way, he has no right to do — that 
 his influence would be sufficiently great to induce mv 
 
MOTIVE. 229 
 
 assent, and thought, therefore, he might as well consider 
 it already obtained ; or, which is more probable, he might 
 have imagined, that by the apparent concert of a number 
 of persons from different States, a stronger impression would 
 be made on his correspondent. Considerable effect, too, was, 
 no doubt, anticipated by Mr. Burr's discernment from the 
 perfect self-confidence which would have been manifested 
 by his taking with him his daughter, receiving my co- 
 operation, and thus embarking in the scheme the fortunes 
 of his infant grandson, the only relative, except his 
 daughter, that he has. But whatever the motive which 
 drew from Col. Burr the expressions contained in this 
 letter to Gen. Wilkinson, facts, incontrovertible facts, prove 
 that he had no authority for making them. His daughter 
 did not go with him; the navy of the United States is still 
 faithful to its duty ; Commodore Truxton, I am told, at 
 the very moment he was said to have gone to the West 
 Indies, was in Philadelphia, which I know not whether 
 he has ever left ; and I, instead of following with a corps 
 of worthies, am now at my usual residence, where I have been 
 ever since the adjournment of the Legislature, peaceably 
 directing the plowing of my rice-fields, and preparing 
 my lands for the ensuing crop. This is conclusive. A 
 conspirator against the happiness and liberties of his 
 country would have been, at this moment, very different- 
 ly employed. Conspirator! the blood that burns my 
 cheek, as I write the word. But I meant to confine 
 myself simply to the disavowal I have made you, of a 
 single action or word hostile to my country. To feel 
 even that disavowal necessary is sufficiently painful : I 
 have yielded, however, to circumstances, and made it. 
 
230 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 My unequivocal manner of making it, I trust, will not 
 leave a doubt upon one candid or honest mind. Still I 
 am aware that the common interchange of good offices 
 with a man with whom I have been long nearly con- 
 nected, may have given rise to circumstances which, 
 however innocent in themselves, malignity will delight 
 in distorting, and the, illiberal among my political adver- 
 saries exult in disseminating. I am aware that there will 
 be men base enough; for you and I have, not long since, 
 seen proofs of it, to whisper even the circumstance of my 
 connection, by marriage, with Col. Burr, as a circum- 
 stance warranting suspicion. About the opinions of such 
 men I am indifferent. To the more ingenious and better 
 part of my fellow-citizens, of whatever sect or party, I 
 can only solemnly repeat, as I have done to you, sooner 
 would I have perished than harbored a thought sub- 
 versive of the liberties, the happiness, or the integrality of 
 my country. Let me always be judged by my own acts, 
 and I shall be satisfied. If Mr. Jefferson or Gen. Wil- 
 kinson ever find any thing to urge against me, let it be 
 adduced. My residence is well known, and I shall never 
 shrink from investigation. Nay more, presumption, where 
 I can not repel it by positive proof, shall be received as 
 <jood evidence, and the slightest suspicion which I can not 
 satisfactorily explain, shall be admitted as guilt. 
 
 I remain, my dear sir, with much respect and regard. 
 Yours always, Joseph Alston. 
 
REDEEMING THE TIME. 231 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Blennerhassett having been arrested and discharged 
 in the Mississippi Territory, imagined no further annoy- 
 ance from the Government. Feeling desirous to ascer- 
 tain the situation of his property at the island, which he 
 had learned from his wife and others was much injured 
 by the proceedings of the Wood county militia, he left 
 Natchez in June, with the intention of visiting it. 
 
 The following correspondence will advise the reader of 
 the incidents of his journey, and afford satisfactory in- 
 formation, in the mean time, of the situation of the 
 respective parties : 
 
 Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Gibson's Port, Saturday, June lUh, 1807. 
 
 I arrived here about half-past seven o'clock this morn- 
 ing, after having lost half the day yesterday by lying by 
 at Greenville, with a headache too heavy to ride with. T 
 am now perfectly well, and after losing to-day with the 
 Belpre' folks here, and the detention occasioned by getting 
 little Bay shod, shall resume the journey this evening. 
 
 The road is pretty open, having been lately cut out; 
 but I shall endeavor, by traveling a good part of the 
 night, to make up for whatever indulgence of shelter or 
 rest I may allow the horses and n^self in the day. I 
 
232 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 find the cap the most comfortable luxury I ever traveled 
 with, and think I can adjust a simple handkerchief about 
 my head and face in a way to parry the musquitoes, or 
 their more formidable companions the horse-flies. 
 
 I have no care, I assure you, for any thing affecting 
 myself, but through you and my boys; could I, then, only 
 be assured, that you would be as industrious to seek your 
 recreation, and frequently shift the subject of your labors, 
 as you are criminal in protracting the intervals of your 
 sedentary occupations, — that my boys would not be ever 
 exposed to the sun bareheaded and barefoot, my reflec- 
 tions on my business, or subjects of interest or amuse- 
 ment would not, I protest, suffer a moment's interruption. 
 Improve, then, the blessing you did not expect, for you 
 could never find it on the Ohio, which a benignant God 
 has reserved for you among strangers, in the generous 
 regards of so many worthy families and individuals who 
 have become your friends. Farewell ! 
 
 Har. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Give my particular love to Scott and F , and kiss 
 
 Anne and the boys for me. 
 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Blennerhassett to 3frs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 TOCKSHISH, IN THE CHICKASAW ISTaTION, 
 
 (310 miles from Natchez,) June 14th, 1807. 
 I rest here to-day under the most severe embarrass- 
 ments I have suffered since I left you ; namely, the state 
 of my tormented legs. The respite, however, is not less 
 necessary for my horses, which have hitherto performed 
 
travel's HISTORY. 23o 
 
 very well. I mention the condition of my legs the more 
 freely, because I know you will not disregard such an 
 affliction. But whether from the heat of the weather, 
 meager, and often scanty meals, the state of my blood 
 has contracted an acrimonious habit it never had before, 
 't is certain the myriads of musquitoes and horse-flies, 
 with the almost incessant perspiration that I suffered for 
 five days after I left you, which allowed me no repose, 
 until exhaustion made me callous, and sleep now in my 
 cot, then on the ground, prepared a revival of fresh sensi- 
 bility to new sufferings, — all, I can aver, were not more 
 intolerable than the anguish of my legs, which the ardor 
 of my industry to prosecute my journey would not until 
 now permit me to find ease, even when at rest ; no doubt, 
 chiefly from so much pendent motion on horseback. But 
 to that benignant Providence, which has so often had mer- 
 cy upon me, be rendered all gratitude and thanksgiving. 
 I shall make good my journey, as I can convert my eye 
 into a microscope, by which I am enabled, through Di- 
 vine goodness, to make this pen write to you. Through 
 the same favor I shall pass unhurt through all the diffi- 
 culties and dangers I may yet encounter, and I will again 
 embrace you and our boys, or we shall be indemnified 
 hereafter. 
 
 I omit to detail, at present, particulars of the journey 
 hitherto. It is true, women and children perform it, for 
 women will attempt and perform any possible undertak- 
 ing, and they will not leave their teams behind ; but it is 
 no less certain, that many of them languish on the way ; 
 and the hardiest boatmen, and even Joe, who behaves 
 admirably, swear they will never again attempt it at this 
 
234 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 season of the year. We are now, by estimation, about 
 215 miles from Nashville, of which distance there is about 
 fifty miles yet to pass through this Nation. We shall 
 take from this place a fresh supply of corn for our horses, 
 and a recruit to our remaining provisions, of two quarts 
 of parched meal. You will see by the map, we shall 
 then, when we cross Duck river, enter Tennessee, where 
 wo shall want for nothing. Water has been tolerably 
 convenient and palatable so far ; henceforward, I am 
 told, it will be very good and plenty. I have had no 
 scruple in drinking heartily while contending with heat, 
 horse-flies, smoke and musquitoes. How fondly have I 
 wished for the solacing society of Harding and Russel. 
 
 ! how I could walk then. 
 
 The Chocataw country, for an extent of 250 miles which 
 
 1 have passed through, has not been altogether uninter- 
 esting, either from the condition of the natives, who are 
 beginning, at least in the vicinity of this path, to enter 
 somewhat into the pastoral state, and in some solitary 
 instances, from the example of about one hundred white 
 men, settled through their Nation, exhibit some com- 
 mencements of agriculture, or from the appearance of 
 their country, nine-tenths of which consist of either 
 prairies or timber lands, well stocked with a variety of 
 fine grass and plants, which exhibit a pleasing appearance 
 — from the total freedom from brush and underwood, 
 which disfigure all the forests you have seen in America. 
 But the Chickasaw lands, for twenty miles back we have 
 traveled since we entered the Nation, deserve, in every 
 point of view, the character of a Paradise, so far as any 
 inland country, without the features of water scenery in 
 
bissel's impeachment. 235 
 
 its landscape, can claim it. Besides the beauty and 
 variety of the whole vegetable clothing of the country, 
 the clearly undulating surface of its woods, and the more 
 advanced progress of the Chickasaws in agriculture, and 
 the domestic economy that provides for the comforts of 
 life, contrasted, as it is, with a tenacity of most of their In- 
 dian habits and manners, form altogether a variety truly 
 interesting. This people must, in less than fifty years, 
 become as respectable, in the " shepherd state," as they 
 have hitherto been in the characters of the best warriors 
 of all the tribes south of the Ohio. They have already 
 no hunting ground nearer to them than the Mississippi, 
 100 miles distant. This circumstance will insure it. 
 
 I have heard, by the way, pretty consistently, that Bis- 
 sel is impeached, and will probably suffer for his civilities 
 to Col. Burr. Jackson is sent down to the Heights, or 
 Orleans, to be tried on a multitude of charges, and Ser- 
 geant D is taken round by Wilkinson to testify to — 
 
 God knows what. 
 
 When you write, as you will, I trust, every week until 
 first of November, be careful to set down nothing that 
 may not meet the public eye ; and I think it safest to 
 inclose to me, under cover to Gen. Tupper. I trust you 
 will soon accustom yourself to the free enjoyment of all 
 the hospitable kindness and attention that will be tend- 
 ered to you from Natchez to Bayou Sara: this is one of 
 my best hopes, as I fear not we shall be able to find 
 opportunities hereafter to requite the goodness of our 
 friends. As I constantly meditate on the prospect of 
 your satisfaction with them, they all pass in review of 
 my most grateful remembrance. During such moments, 
 
236 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 however, my thoughts seem to soar on the wings of fancy, 
 to a hight at which I lose sight of all other mortals, 
 except the Scotts ; while at other intervals of my reflec- 
 tions, I seem to gravitate, like falling bodies through the 
 air, to Harding, as the immovable center of your comfort 
 and protection during my absence. I hope you got my 
 
 first letter from Gibson's Port, and my second from C , 
 
 100 miles back. I have only time to say again, God 
 bless you and the boys ! The post hurries me. 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 I shall resume the journey before day, to-morrow, 7 
 o'clock P. M. 
 
 From Mrs. to Mr. Blennerhassett. 
 
 July 6th. 
 
 I received your letter from the Nation, also the one 
 previous to it, but derived but little pleasure from the 
 general tenor of the last. Its contents are too gloomy, 
 and I wanted no addition to the causes of low spirits I 
 have experienced ever since you left ; for these, however, 
 I know I am to blame. I trust you are in good health. 
 Our dear, fine boys are almost the only children here who 
 keep well, and grow fat. 
 
 While I find my society more than ever courted, there 
 is, and will be till you return, an insurmountable barrier 
 to my peace of mind, in the fear of your becoming in- 
 volved in private quarrels. If they can, with honor, be 
 avoided, I trust and pray they will. 
 
 I see no reason for any despondency whatever. "We 
 can undoubtedly make a good beginning here, and, from 
 
TREATMENT. 237 
 
 what I have experienced since your departure, I am per- 
 fectly satisfied that this climate, in summer as well as 
 winter, is every way more desirable than the one I left 
 on the Ohio, so that, please God ! our happiness is now 
 more in our own keeping than ever before. I trust your 
 limbs are already well ; if not, I wish you to try the 
 leaves of the Jamestown weed. You need only take two 
 or three of them, and, after softening them a little by 
 beating between the palms of your hands, bind them well 
 on the sores, after having first washed them with sugar 
 of lead. Repeat the dressing three times, and then apply 
 salve made of sugar of lead. 
 
 I hope you will be able to procure all the things men- 
 tioned on your list. If you can, I want you to get some 
 of the early cucumber that the Barnes's used to have up 
 the Kanawha, and bring every rare-ripe peach tree which 
 can be moved out of the garden, as I find that sort are 
 not grown in this country. If Peter Taylor, the gardener 
 of Blennerhassett, comes, he must bring every flowering 
 shrub he can move, or you find room for. 
 
 I left a pair of wafer (not waffle) irons in the kitchen, 
 which I wish to have again, if possible. Should it be 
 convenient to send my side-saddle, by safe hands, before 
 you come yourself, I hope you will do so, as, perhaps, I 
 may need it, though I have, at present, more carriages at 
 my service than I can possibly use. I trust, however, 
 this state of dependence may be removed by your bring- 
 ing me some sort of a vehicle on your return. 
 
 In my next I shall give you a full account of the way 
 in which I have spent my time since you left me : mean- 
 while, you can hardly calculate the attentions I receive 
 
238 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 from every one ; but Harding and the Scotts will ever be 
 foremost in real affection, liuple, I fancy, is on his way 
 up, as is also Captain Leonard. 
 
 I have some prospect of exchanging houses with Cap- 
 tain Voss. He went two days since in pursuit of Peter 
 Dexter for that purpose, and has not yet returned. Mr. 
 
 II will manage the business for me, and when I have 
 
 completed moving, I shall take leave of town, for two or 
 three weeks, for Second Creek, accompanied by Miss 
 Percy, who has not yet been able to join me, but makes 
 fair promises. Should she fail, Mrs. Whittle will go 
 with me. 
 
 I have had a most pressing invitation from Mr. and 
 Mrs. Borlin, and am expected to visit them when I go 
 down : she is a charming little woman. Mr. Hunt has 
 not yet returned, but is expected daily. I have hired 
 Diana out. Molly and her Spaniard do every thing for 
 me ; she is very good, and he the most obliging creature 
 in the world. lie stays here a great deal, goes to market, 
 gets wood, and is said to be a very honest man. 
 
 An aid to General Wilkinson met } r ou near the Nation, 
 
 and said you were well. He also circulated a report, and 
 
 even told Scott, that it was now discovered that Jefferson 
 
 was concerned with Burr, and had even given him his 
 
 cypher. Ilarman says I must say they are good boys; 
 
 but Dominick* replies, that would be a falsehood. I 
 
 send you their ugly faces. Remember me with affection 
 
 to the Belpre* folks. God bless you ! farewell till next 
 
 week ! 
 
 M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 * The two children of Mr. and Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
ARRIVAL. 239 
 
 P. S. I find I must inclose this in a wrapper (envelope), 
 as I am too lazy to copy it, and am hourly expecting com- 
 pany to call. Tell Peter Taylor, if he should not like to 
 stay with us, he can, by supplying the Natchez market, 
 very soon make a handsome independence for his family ; 
 but he had better leave them where they are for the 
 present, as they will be much healthier, and he can main- 
 tain them there for almost nothing compared to the cost 
 of living here ; besides, when he deems it prudent, he 
 can have them brought down at almost any time. Say to 
 Amy that the boys speak every day of her children, and 
 that none of them shall have reason to repent coming to 
 this countrh. 
 
 Blennerhassett to Mrs. BUnnerhassctt. 
 
 Nashville, June 29/7*, 1807, past 5 P. M. 
 
 I arrived here about one o'clock this day, being the 
 eighteenth since I left you, including about three and a 
 half days, during which I lay by; namely, at Greenville 
 and Gibson's Port, nearly one and a half days ; one at 
 Tockshish, in the Chickasaw Nation, from whence I 
 wrote to you, as I did from Gibson's Port ; and one more 
 a little within the entrance of this state, fifty-three miles 
 back, occasioned by the state of the horses, all of which 
 had completely given out with fatigue and sore backs. 
 Tt required much address to get here, even when we did ; 
 and here we are to remain, for five days at least, to get 
 the horses and my legs in a condition to proceed, and 
 perform the remainder of the journey. 
 
 My entrance into the United States lias not been verv 
 
240 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 auspicious. Last Friday evening, soon after I had passed 
 what is called the line that separates Tennessee from the 
 Wilderness, I endured, for upwards of an hour, the heavi- 
 est fall of rain I was ever under ; indeed, none ever fell 
 heavier. Packing through mud in the pathway, covered 
 with six miles of running water all along, part of the 
 time in the dark, I was still, however, ahle to keep my- 
 self perfectly dry, by passing my head through a hole in 
 the middle of my blanket, which hung on my shoulders 
 and covered me every-where, a contrivance I supposed 
 myself indebted for to the care Ilardings' servants have 
 had of my great coat. The next mishap was my last de- 
 tention, fifty-three miles back. The next was meeting a 
 man yesterday morning, about forty-five miles back, who 
 looked strongly at me, and passing by to a man who was 
 traveling in company with me, inquired of him my name ; 
 then said he had a letter for me, but would not deliver it, 
 as it lay, he said, in the bottom of his saddle-bags. Had 
 Joe or I learned this before we had traveled too far to 
 turn back, we should certainly have had the letter, one 
 way or another. You will get it, I hope, and forward it, 
 with any others you receive for me, with all possible dis- 
 patch. 
 
 Journeying on hither, I was much mortified, as I 
 stopped to breakfast yesterday, by the perusal in a paper 
 of the first proceedings at Richmond against Col. Burr, 
 which evince the most rancorous malice of the Govern- 
 ment against his life. But they will be disappointed by 
 the negative and cautious conduct he has all along pur- 
 sued. In the course of the proceedings it appears Jeffer- 
 son's runners have been industrious enough to ferret out 
 
A DREAM. 241 
 
 Peter Taylor and Jacob Albright; to prove that there was 
 a body of armed men assembled on Blennerhassett's 
 Island. This may surprise yon, but it matters not. I 
 need not write to yon the particulars I have further seen ; 
 they will reach yon by the papers sooner then through me. 
 Some short time before day this morning, my next tor- 
 ment was a dream, where I slept last night, ten miles 
 back, in which I beheld our Harman fallen a victim to 
 the bite of a dog, and you an insane mourner, wan and 
 sallow, without a tear. You know I am sincere in deny- 
 ing all virtue to dreams, either as cause or effect of human 
 events. I therefore mention this, with every confidence 
 in God's mercy, that he will permit you to tell me our 
 darling boy has continued well, long after the period of 
 my dream. But the manner in which you there appeared 
 to me has all day long so haunted me, that I wished, soon 
 after I got my valise taken to my room, to chase away 
 such a phantom with a view of the little Mammy, when, 
 alas ! my yet last and greatest misfortune was visited 
 upon me — the treasure, the greatest, after yourself and 
 the boys, I could have in this world, for if I do not 
 recover it it is irreparable — how shall I mention it? I 
 lost your second self. Joe sets out twenty miles back- 
 ward, to-morrow early, in quest of it, where we have 
 some hopes of recovering it. O ! had Mrs. Alston, by 
 one of the best impulses that ever actuated her, had she 
 purloined it, how consoling would be the prospect of my 
 journey, it would animate me to visit it. How, my love, 
 will you soothe this heaviest of my sorrows? I have 
 complained to you of none until this overtook me. May 
 
 this be the last letter you will receive from me in such a 
 10 
 
242 THE BLEXNER1IASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 state of mind as I now suffer under ; may I be blest with 
 the recovery of that talisman that I now so fully feel 
 would never fail to keep my strength from falling, and 
 my hopes from becoming forlorn in the midst of all I 
 may suffer from the malice of my enemies — captivity or 
 death. Perhaps it is reserved for me to recover this sol- 
 ace of every trouble that I shall endure, until I again em- 
 brace you. 
 
 So far I had written yesterday. You will feel with 
 what weight at my heart, though I knew before I sat 
 down this letter will not leave this before Friday. To- 
 day, Tuesday, I have been chiefly occupied — since I got 
 Joe off on the greatest service, if successful, he can ever 
 render me — with further perusals of the proceedings at 
 Richmond, up to the 6th instant, when Wilkinson had 
 not arrived, though hourly expected, as it was supposed 
 he must have set out three weeks sooner from Orleans 
 than he did. I hope your friends, Harding and Scott, 
 will get you the fullest accounts of the trial, from time to 
 time. Nothing can hardly interest you more. You may 
 read some things that may alarm you for A. B. or H. B. ; 
 but I have no doubt the rancor of Government will be 
 baffled in its purpose to fasten any treason upon us, or 
 even a misdemeanor. 
 
 This place appears very dull and ugly, but tolerably 
 cheap. The inhabitants are chiefly the offeastings of 
 North Carolina, and I do not know a single face I have 
 yet seen. The living, of course, at this inn, is rough and 
 uncomfortable, except the tea and coffee, which will 
 redeem many sins of the table with me. But the attend- 
 ance is very bad every-where, and criminal, where I want 
 
DEATH. 243 
 
 it most, in the stables, at a time when I can not walk. 
 On this view of my situation, I have thoughts of moving- 
 six or eight miles onward to-morrow, there to wait for 
 whatever Thursday's post may bring here for me ; and 
 endeavor to get the poor horses on, by easy journeys, as 
 well as we can. It is now almost nightfall. I look for 
 and dread Joe's return every hour to-night. You see, 
 however, I am lighter at heart than I was yesterday ; and 
 is not this a crime in my situation, yet no- way mended ? 
 I had not light to finish the last sentence of Tuesday 
 evening, when Beaumont, the pilot, who took me over 
 the Falls in one of Floyd's boats, called upon me to in- 
 quire after him, and told me Mrs. F. had paid the debt 
 of nature, about the middle of this month, having left 
 behind her a fine child. It is painful, but necessary, that 
 we should be the messengers of these sad tidings, if they 
 have not otherwise reached him, because his affairs at 
 home require his speedy return, his property of every sort 
 depending only on the care of a negro wench. 
 
 Yesterday, I spent the whole day in perplexing anxiety 
 for Joe's absence, and the care of my unfortunate legs, 
 on which it is not only misery to walk, but even to put 
 them on the ground for a moment. They also prevent 
 my rest a considerable part of the night. Nothing seems 
 to succeed but close bandaging from the toe to the knee, 
 which I have again resorted to. Up to this moment, Wed- 
 nesday noon, July 2d, we have no intelligence of the thief 
 who, we doubt not, stole my treasure. I have more than 
 one runner out after him ; have offered ten dollars, and 
 would not depart hence, if myself and horses were able, 
 till all chance was hopeless. Joe has returned, after a 
 
/ 
 
 244 TUE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 fruitless and unremitting search for him of forty hours. I 
 hope Russell has returned, and is received as he deserves. 
 
 Assure Kitty I cordially wish her no worse a husband 
 than would write to her, and feel for her, after thirteen 
 years' trial, as I do for you. I depend upon his vaccinating 
 Ilarman, and attending you all three, if necessary. The 
 state of your chest, I rely on your solemn promise to me, 
 has surely been submitted to him, and I hope he has lost 
 no time to administer every palliative and preventive he 
 could best imagine. My concern for your keeping the 
 boys' heads and feet always covered, I can never cease to 
 dwell upon and repeat. 
 
 I must leave you for some sort of dinner. God grant 
 I may be able to add one more pleasing line than any I 
 
 have yet written, before the mail closes this evening. 
 
 Well, "par hazard," I have made a better dinner than 
 any I have had yet in this place, i. e., the first bit of 
 wheaten bread I could eat, and one cut of good mutton, 
 well roasted. But does this ennui afflict a man who was 
 satisfied and cheerful, after forty -five miles' ride, with half 
 a tin-cup of water-gruel twice a day, in an Indian wilder- 
 ness ? Have I only returned into what is called civilized so- 
 ciety, to wish myself out of it? Much have I projected to 
 execute of that active exertion which Harding so kindly 
 urged me to. But I am now a cripple, without a leg to 
 stand upon, or a mind capable of emerging from that sea 
 of trouble in which it has sunk so deeply. I shall, how- 
 ever, wait the news next Monday's mail may bring from 
 the eastward. It is not impossible some tidings may 
 arrive to determine me hence westward, even direct to 
 the chance of an asylum, under the government of Grand 
 
PROMISE. 245 
 
 Pre ; for I have little doubt Jefferson, if he can not 
 effect our ruin by our conviction, will seek it by harrass- 
 ing us to beggary. I think if I should be prosecuted 
 with the virulence that has marked the proceedings 
 against Burr, my acquittal, by the trouble and expense 
 that would be incurred to obtain it, would be worth little 
 more than a condemnation. One thing is certain, I shall 
 take nothing from you to fee lawyers. I shall have none 
 that may not volunteer their assistance. So you will 
 have another short letter from this place, or its neighbor- 
 hood, to announce to you upon what terms, and in what 
 temper, I leave it: my anxiety augments largely for fre- 
 quent and long letters from you. 
 
 I trust you have long since left the Chateau of Poin- 
 dexter, and have previously made every necessary ar- 
 rangement for a regular intercourse with the Post-office 
 at Natchez. I hourly expect Col. Panil, whom I over- 
 took and passed by 150 miles back, without seeing him. 
 I wish he was come to break in upon my ennui. I have 
 nothing to comfort me but this last refuge — hope. All 
 this tumult of my heated head — has it been kindled by 
 you, or a trinket? God bless you all three, and all our 
 good friends. The mail is near closing. Adieu. 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 Blennerhassett to Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Nashville, Sunday, July 6th, 1807. 
 As I am very anxious to leave this to-morrow evening, 
 after I shall peruse whatever I may find interesting by 
 the mail, which may occupy me the best part of the day, 
 
246 THE BLEXXERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I now use that time it might cost me to-morrow to tell 
 you my legs are now nearly quite well, which I am in- 
 debted for, to a week's rest, and the most careful skill I 
 possess. Col. Panil arrived here on Friday evening, 
 much improved in his looks by his long journey, in which 
 lie did not distress himself by hard riding, whatever he 
 might otherwise have suffered from insects and hot 
 weather. He eats like a dray-horse, and can not find a 
 single complaint, in the catalogue of all human, bodily 
 infirmities to appropriate to himself. There is one there, 
 however, which, though he will not see it, or utter its 
 name, has fastened pretty hard upon him. Hypochon- 
 dria has marked him for her own, and he will sink under 
 her, unless he abandons his plantation near Natchez. I 
 have been so far particular, that you may, if you have an 
 opportunity, convey to his family a more unbiassed 
 sketch of his situation, than they will probably receive 
 from himself. 
 
 By a private arrival here to-day, I collect, by calcula- 
 tion on the intelligence by way of Knoxville, Wilkinson 
 had arrived at Richmond, but did not probably get there 
 before the 17th or 18th ultimo. It is most likely the 
 grand jury has been detained to the period of his arrival. 
 I hope to-morrow's papers will afford more satisfaction. 
 Have you really missed writing to me by two mails that 
 have left Natchez since I came away, without your hav- 
 ing been prevented by something you could not obviate. 
 Judge of my mortification to see Col. Panil read letters 
 from home of 23d, while I was looking over Natchez 
 papers of the same date, after I had left you on the 11th. 
 It will give me five days' work to get to Lexington, say 
 
LAST REFUGE. 247 
 
 200 miles, with horses in the condition of mine ; and, as 
 I shall endeavor not to delay there longer than two days 
 to rest the horses, I fear I have little chance of hearing 
 from yon before I reach Marietta; so little have you 
 cared, or so unhappily have you been forbidden to use 
 the time which is past. You will surely need no further 
 hints of this sort, I hope you have not suffered the 
 idolatrous grief, with which I filled my last letter, to 
 affect you much. It was a weakness in me to pour the 
 melancholy effusions of my heart into your breast ; but 
 how could I resist so natural a remedy for my pain ? 
 While I possessed your image, I did not feci Iioav really I 
 was an idolater. When my hard fortune deprived me of 
 it, I could see nothing in the loss so lively as the image 
 of your death. Hence, hope, my last refuge, led me to 
 dwell upon yourself; besides, I thought you could not bo 
 afflicted by my misfortune as I am. Joe, and others, are 
 out still, and yesterday I again advertised in the paper, 
 and am not absolutely in the abandonment of despair to 
 recover my treasure. I already feel, however, time will 
 wear out the impression of this calamity, as it effaces all 
 others. So far in my fifth letter, which I will continue 
 to-morrow. 
 
 The mail arrived late this morning, Monday, 7th, and 
 brings no Richmond papers. I have seen, however, a 
 Virginia paper of the 12th ultimo, by which it appears 
 that Burr had applied to the court for a "subpena duces 
 tecum," directed to the President, requiring him to appear 
 as a witness, and bring along with him a letter, he stated 
 in one of his messages to Congress to have received from 
 
248 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Wilkinson, which letter has not yet been made public. 
 The chief justice doubted of the power of the court to 
 order the personal attendance of the President, and fixed 
 upon the next day to have his mind made up, by an argu- 
 ment on the motion. 
 
 It has rained so hard, by frequent and heavy showers 
 all day, that I should not have set out at any rate. To- 
 morrow I shall be accompanied by a Doctor Floyd, the 
 husband of the ci-devant Miss Preston. We shall be 
 together better than half the way, when he will strike 
 off to Louisville. Since writing the above, I have seen 
 some lengthy articles of further proceedings at Richmond, 
 which you may first learn, and inform Harding, etc., that 
 Burr's motion has been granted, after great and splendid 
 exertions by himself and his counsel, particularly Edmond 
 Randolph, and that the celebrated original cypher letter 
 is not forthcoming, having been said to be lost ; that 
 Randolph (Edmond) said in court, " Wilkinson, in a few 
 weeks, would be in the rank of a private citizen ; " and 
 that from private letters received here, it is believed, that 
 immediately after the trial, he will have to settle his pri- 
 vate accounts with Gen. Jackson, and four or five other 
 persons. I have also seen a detailed account of the object 
 and issue of a Mr. Burling's mission to Mexico, by 
 which it appears he was chiefly sent to insure the balance 
 of $300,000, of which Wilkinson had before received 
 .$120,000, transported from St. Antoine to his quarters on 
 mules, in the night. On the whole, Mr. Jefferson and 
 his party must be ruined, by the support they have 
 afforded Wilkinson, even if it were possible Burr could 
 
PROPERTY ATTACHED. 240 
 
 be convicted of any tiling. Farewell, my love ! if I do 
 not write again on the road, I shall immediately on reach- 
 ing Lexington. 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 Monday, 12 at night. 
 
 Richmond, June 8th, 1807. 
 
 Dear Sir : — Your favor of February last was received 
 by me a few days before I left Marietta for Richmond. 
 I most sincerely regret that a service of foreign attach- 
 ment, of the 20th of February, has placed such of your 
 property as was under my control out of my power. The 
 writ was served on account of Miller, of Kentucky ; and 
 Sanders, of Kentucky, has since filed in a claim. A writ 
 of foreign attachment has also been served on D. Wood- 
 bridge, Esq., attaching the claims you had upon him ; 
 and all your movable property at the "Island" is at- 
 tached. A certificate from the sheriff follows, by which 
 you will perceive that property of every description in 
 my hands was attached : 
 
 " I do hereby certify, that on the 20th day of February, 
 1807, I served a writ of foreign attachment on D. Wood- 
 bridge, as garnishee of H. Blennerhassett, attaching all 
 the lands, tenements, goods, rights and credits, moneys 
 and effects, which the said Blennerhassett might have in 
 his, the said Woodbridge's hands, or possession. 
 
 "John Clark, Sheriff. 
 
 " County of Washington, State of Ohio." 
 
 The inclosed letters, with one which I shall lodge in 
 
250 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the Post-office at the same time with this, I took the lib- 
 erty of opening in February, just as I was going over the 
 mountains, thinking they might require some attention 
 and ansAvers. I should have sent them to you long since, 
 hut did not know where to direct them. You will receive 
 here, with your account, a letter from Col. Gushing, which 
 makes a different package, but will be put in the office at 
 the same time. I expected to have seen you at this place. 
 The report in our country was, that you were arrested, 
 and were to have your trial at Eichmond. I should think 
 it much better for your interest, if you do not return to 
 the Island, to have an attorney vested with full powers, 
 to attend to your business in Marietta and Virginia. 
 Your property has, and will continue to suffer very much, 
 unless you have a person authorized to attend to it. You 
 probably heard from Col. dishing, that your negroes had 
 left Virginia, and were strolling about on our side of the 
 river ; that Barker, in consequence of a letter of yours, 
 of the 9th December, had recovered about $400 for the 
 work done on four unfinished boats, although lie had 
 offered before to take from me $200, which circumstance 
 was known to James Wilson ; that the Neals and Phelps 
 had recovered a considerable sum against you, to satisfy 
 which demands, Ransom, and a greater part of your mov- 
 able property on the Island, was sold. I can not give 
 you any particulars relating to these transactions, as I 
 was over the mountains from February until May, and 
 the day I arrived at home was subpoenaed to attend Col. 
 Burr's trial, at this place. Buell has gone on, under the 
 direction of the Government, to sell such a part of the 
 pork, meal, etc., etc., as he attached, and the boats are 
 
NO POLITENESS. 251 
 
 fitting up to take the United States' troops to St. Louis. 
 Wishing yourself and family much happiness, I am, 
 Your obedient servant, D. Woodbridge. 
 
 Mrs. Blcnnerhassett to Blennerhassett. 
 
 I can scarcely express the joy communicated to me hy 
 your last letter from Nashville. Thank God, the anxiety 
 of your mind is somewhat relieved. I have little doubt 
 that Col. Pannil's hypochondria did you more service 
 than even a cheerful companion could have done. What 
 a misfortune, in your state of mind, not to have got the 
 letter which Mr. Tyrrel, of this place, passed you with 
 in his saddle-bags. I now inclose it, and hope by this 
 time the attachments may be in a fair way to be taken 
 off our poor property. I inclose every other letter I have 
 received, except one from D. Woodbridge and one from 
 Col. Cushing, as I trust, long before this reaches you, 
 you will have seen them both. I feel greatly for the im- 
 pression which must be made on }'on by the present state 
 of the Island ; bnt think, my dear husband, how thankful 
 we may be to have preserved the health of our dear boys, 
 and also yours, during such a dreadful journey. 
 
 Col. Burr has every thing in his favor, and I now think 
 will never let us sustain any eventful injury. You can't 
 think with what joy and pride I read what he says of his 
 daughter. I never could love one of my own sex as I do 
 her: how can she live with such a man as Alston? You 
 see he has not had humanity, or even politeness enough, 
 
252 THE BLEXXERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to answer your letter. I did not write the mail after 
 your departure, and the week following. Thought the 
 surest way for my letter to reach you would he to write 
 to Lexington. I wish I had calculated better, but trust 
 your uneasiness is long since removed. After I wrote 
 last week, I went to spend some time with the Scott's ; 
 but after leaving town, I learned of the arrival of a 
 French Consul, who wished to rent my house. Mrs. 
 "Whittle — to whom I am under the greatest obligations — 
 was confined with a pleurisy. I was therefore under the 
 
 necessity of spending a day at with her, and took 
 
 that opportunity of engaging half of James Moon's 
 house, on the condition that if he had an offer for the 
 whole, he was to give me the refusal. Mrs. Whittle keeps 
 possession of the other half, where she will reside a good 
 deal when recovered, which I hope will be soon, as she 
 was much better yesterday, which I spent with her. We 
 are to go together to Second Creek, where I have press- 
 ing invitations from Berling's family to visit, but I am in 
 doubt* whether I ought to go there ; I will consult my 
 valuable friend and adviser on all occasions. Poor man! 
 he has much anxiety about Winthrop, who has constant 
 returns of pleurisy, and as he is cutting two back teeth, 
 we are in hopes they are the cause of his illness. My 
 visit to Scott's, you see, was curtailed, as I went out on 
 Monday evening, and returned on Thursday, when I saw 
 the gentleman whose name I don't yet know; referred 
 him to Harding, saying my rent would be the same I paid 
 myself, and he might have the place for the continuance 
 of my lease. I then went home ; about the middle of the 
 
REMOVAL. 258 
 
 day, Thursday, had all my things packed up, and many 
 of them removed that evening. The rest I had here, and 
 next morning took possession of my new habitation, 
 which was in such disorder that it took me two days, 
 with the assistance of Molly and her husband, to settle 
 myself, so that altogether I undenvent much fatigue ; 
 but, thanks to my constitution, I am recovering from a 
 bad cold, received from exposure when heated, and pains 
 in all my limbs, occasioned by my violent exertions, and 
 being too tired to sleep for three nights ; but yesterday I 
 rested well with Mrs. Whittle, and last night slept sound- 
 ly. I have this day put Dominick to a most excellent 
 school in town, in a healthy, airy place. Thauking God 
 for every thing, our situation is a Paradise to the one we 
 left : you will soon feel the benefits of it ; 't is impossible 
 here to feel heat at any hour of the day, and I have every 
 convenience around me, but still I miss the Island. 
 
 Harman says, " tell ' Pappy ' I am a very good boy." 
 Dominick has just returned from school to dinner. Tie 
 bids me tell you how he loves you ; he has come home 
 quite pleased, though Mr. Harding and I left him crying 
 at school. The schoolmaster's name is Graham, and it 
 seems he had taken it into his head, " it was, as he said, 
 that Graham who was bad to Col. Burr and us." You 
 must know, I have lately learned from Col. Scott that 
 Graham actually proposed to him to invite Col. Burr to 
 his plantation, and when there, under the shelter, as it 
 might be supposed, of his honor and hospitality, to pro- 
 cure good horses, and kidnap him off to the Federal city. 
 Col. Scott made answer, that he already had done his 
 
254 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 duty, under the command of "Wilkinson, by going to 
 Cole's Creek, and would do nothing more. He, Scott, 
 was rather intoxicated when he told me this. God bless 
 you ! M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Richmond, May 21st, 1807. 
 II. Blennerhassett, Esq. : 
 
 I have barely time, by the opportunity of Mr. Tyrrell, 
 to assure you and Mrs. Blennerhassett of my devoted 
 attachment and regard, and to express my sympathy for 
 all the vexations you have encountered. Mr. Tyrrell will 
 tell you of all the strange things which are passing here. 
 Of the bills, the first which you indorsed has been paid 
 by Mr. Alston. The $10,000 indorsed at Lexington are 
 in the hands of an agent with whom I am in negociation 
 at this place. That which was left with Mr. Luckett has 
 not, to my knowledge, been negociated. Within a few 
 months after my release from this place, I may hope to 
 be in cash for all these and some other purposes. 
 
 May God preserve you and yours in health and spirits. 
 
 A. Burr. 
 
 If you should not go on the Washita lands, would you 
 like a conveyance of the quantity promised to you. Tell 
 Mrs. B. that the one-half of every letter I receive from 
 my daughter is concerning her. Affectionate regards 
 and grateful acknowledgments to our learned and amiable 
 friend Harding. 
 
ERRONEOUS JUDGMENT. 255 
 
 Alston to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Oaks, June 22d, 1807. 
 Dear Sir : — You perceive, from the very first word I 
 have written, that I address you with the same feelings 
 with which we parted. There are certain expressions in 
 your letter of April last, which, if you recollect, you must 
 acknowledge, are not calculated to conciliate : they spring, 
 however, so manifestly from a zealous attachment to Col. 
 Burr, and a misapprehension of my feelings, that they 
 have produced none of those sensations which, under 
 different circumstances, they would not fail to excite. I 
 pass them over, too, the more readily, as I am persuaded 
 from your temper, the moment of discovering your error 
 will he the moment of regret at having indulged it, 
 Suffer me then to assure you, I have inflicted none of 
 those wounds upon my " friends or relatives " which you 
 apprehend. Col. Burr feels that he has not the smallest 
 grounds of resentment against me ; he is perfectly satis- 
 lied ; nor does there exist a shadow of that animosity 
 between us that you deprecate. The fact is, from not 
 having a view of the whole ground, you have judged 
 precipitately and erroneously of my error, in giving faith 
 to the letter attributed to Col. Burr by Gen. Wilkinson, 
 I have long been satisfied from several quarters. Xoth- 
 ing but the shape, apparently so unquestionable, in which 
 it came, could have gained it credit with me, for a mo- 
 ment. These things, however, will shortly be put to 
 rights. As soon as the trial, now pending at Richmond, 
 is over, the event of which, I am persuaded, can not hut 
 be favorable, Col. Burr will be with us. A letter from 
 
256 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 him, of the 12th instant, announces health, spirits and 
 confidence. Your letter was received the beginning of 
 the present month, and, but for the necessity of ascertain- 
 ing the intentions of Col. Burr upon the subject of it, 
 should have been acknowledged immediately. I for- 
 warded it to him directly, and have just heard from him. 
 He informs me that the bill-holders have instituted no 
 suit against you, but are at present expecting payment 
 from him; that he has hopes of shortly effecting an 
 arrangement by which he shall be able to meet the bills 
 himself, which will, of course, relieve you, and render a 
 reference to me unnecessary. He adds, that a gentleman, 
 as agent for him, was to set out in a few days for the 
 western country, through whom you should hear further 
 and more amply upon the subject. These expectations 
 of Col. B., I trust, will be accomplished. I have this day 
 written to him, making certain offers which, I hope, will 
 facilitate them ; but should they unfortunately fail, I shall 
 certainly consider myself bound, both in honor and 
 justice, to fulfill my engagement to you. The total 
 failure of my crop, caused by the storm of last fall, has 
 occasioned me a temporary embarrassment; but should 
 your reimbursement devolve upon me, I shall cheerfully 
 make any arrangement for a settlement which may prove 
 satisfactory: the troubles and vexations you have under- 
 gone, the dreadful solicitudes and painful situation, so 
 long endured by your amiable family, have my liveliest 
 sympathies. The energy of mind, which distinguishes 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett, has had a painfully ample field for 
 exertion; but the storm is past, and better moments, I 
 trust, are about to arrive. Of the friendlv attentions and 
 
'^vzfrua^ 
 
INDISPOSITION. 257 
 
 unremitting' hospitalities received from you during our 
 tour through the western country, allow me to assure you 
 of my grateful recollections. Were it within the scope 
 of probahilities, I need not tell you how much pleasure 
 the presence of yourself and family, at the Oaks, would 
 give us. Tender, I pray you, to Mrs. Blennerhassett, my 
 profound and most friendly respects. 
 
 Believe me, with much esteem, your very obedient, 
 
 Joseph Alston. 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 P. S. Being unwell myself, Mrs. Alston has acted as 
 my amanuensis. It is so customary at this time to pub- 
 lish extracts from every letter in which the name of Col. 
 Burr happens to be mentioned, that I was about to 
 observe to you, what you will readily perceive without 
 the observation, that this is not meant for the same pur- 
 pose, but merely for your own perusal. 
 
 J. A. 
 
 Having acted as amanuensis for Mr. Alston, I now beg 
 leave to speak for myself, and inquire after the health of 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett ; her fortitude has, I hope, supported 
 her through the troubles of the winter. May they be 
 the last she has ever to encounter. I wrote to her List 
 autumn, but I suppose my letter has not reached her. 
 The fulfillment of our mutual promise of corresponding 
 would afford me great pleasure; for it will now be the 
 only means of supporting a friendship, which I flatter 
 myself commenced in conformity of sentiment and sin- 
 cerity ; but whatever may be the length of our separation 
 or discontinuance of intercourse, the happy days I spent 
 17 
 
258 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 on the Ohio, and the character of Mrs. B., will remain 
 indelibly impressed on the mind of her friend and 
 admirer. T. B. Alston.* 
 
 * One individual alone clung to Burr in his hour of trial ; need we say 
 that it was a woman, the only daughter of the accused. 
 
 If there is a redeeming feature in the character of Burr, it is to be found 
 in his love for that child. From her earliest years, he had educated her 
 with a care to which we look in vain for a parallel among his contempo- 
 raries. She grew up, in consequence, no ordinary woman. Beautiful 
 beyond most of her sex ; accomplished as few females of that day Avere 
 accomplished, she displayed to her family and friends a fervor of affection 
 which not every woman is capable of; the character of Theodosia Burr 
 has long been regarded almost as we would regard that of a heroine of 
 romance. Her love for her father partook of the purity of a better world ; 
 holy, deep, unchanging ; it reminds us of the affection which a celestial 
 spirit might be supposed to entertain for a parent, cast down from heaven, 
 for sharing in the sin of the " Son of the Morning." No sooner did she 
 hear of the arrest of her father, than she fled to his side. There is nothing 
 in human history more touching than the hurried letters, blotted with 
 tears, in which she announced her daily 'progress to Richmond; for she 
 was too weak to travel with the rapidity of the mail. Even the character 
 of Burr borrows a momentary halo from hers, when we peruse his replies, 
 in which, forgetting his peril and relaxing the stern front he assumed 
 toward his enemies, he labored only to quiet her fears, and inspire 
 her with confidence in his acquittal. He even writes from his prison 
 in a tone of gayety, jestingly regretting that his accommodations are not 
 more elegant for her reception. Once, and once only, does he melt ; and 
 that is to tell her that in the event of the worst, he will die worthy of 
 himself. 
 
 Ai'ter his trial, Burr went abroad, virtually a banished man. He was 
 still full of his schemes againsl .Mexico and the Spanish provinces; but 
 in England he met with no encouragement, the nation being engaged in 
 the Peninsular war. He afterward visited France, where his petitions 
 were equally disregarded, the Emperor being engrossed in the Continental 
 w arB. Here his funds failed. He had no friend to apply to, and was forced 
 to borrow, on one occasion, a couple of sous from a cigar-woman on the 
 corner of the street. 
 
 At last he returned to New York; but in how different a guise from 
 the days of his glory ! No cannon thundered at his coming, no crowd 
 thronged the wharf. Men gazed suspiciously upon him as he walked along, 
 or crossed the street to avoid him, as one having the pestilence. But he 
 was not, he thought, wholly destitute. His daughter still lived ; his heart 
 
blennerhassett's arrest. 259 
 
 Richmond, June 29th, 1807. 
 Dear Sir : — I recommend to you to place Mrs. Blen- 
 nerhassett and your children with Mrs. Alston, till these 
 agitations shall be composed. 
 
 For other matters, I refer you to my friend, Major Ash- 
 ley, who will hand you this. 
 
 Faithfully, yours, A. Burr. 
 
 Mr. A. will perform his engagement. The bill for two 
 thousand dollars was duly paid. 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 To Mrs. M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Lexington, Ky., Tuesday Eve., July 14th, 1807. 
 On my arrival here to-day, I was taken into custody 
 for my indorsement of some of Col. Burr's bills, of 
 which I am now getting clear by an arrangement Mr. 
 
 yearned to clasp her to his bosom. She left Charleston, South Carolina, 
 accordingly, to meet him. But although more than thirty years have 
 elapsed, no tidings of the pilot-boat in which she sailed have ever been 
 received. Weeks grew into months, and months glided into years. Yet 
 her father and husband watched in vain for her coming. Whether the 
 vessel perished by conflagration, whether it foundered in a gale, or whether 
 it was taken by pirates, and all on board murdered, will never be known, 
 until the great day when the sea shall give up its dead. 
 
 It is said that this blow broke the heart of Burr; and that though in 
 public he maintained a proud equanimity, in private tears forced them- 
 selves down his furrowed cheeks. He lived thirty years after this event ; 
 hut. in his own words, "felt severed from the human race." He had 
 neither brother, nor sister, nor lineal descendant. No man called him by 
 the endearing name of friend. The weight of fourscore years was on his 
 brow. He was racked by disease. At last death, so long desired, came; 
 but, it is said, in a miserable lodging and alone. Was there ever such a 
 retribution ? Anonymous. 
 
2G0 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Clay is drawing up between Mr. Sanders and me, effected 
 by my transferring Col. Alston's obligation, etc. Col. 
 Mead's son, by a rapid journey from Richmond, per- 
 formed in twelve days, brings intelligence of bills of in- 
 dictment having been found against Col. Burr and my- 
 self for high treason and a misdemeanor, and that Burr 
 is in close custody. The Federal marshal sent out to 
 summon a jury from "Wood county, and the trial fixed to 
 come on the 3d of August. Burr's situation is thought 
 to be perilous, as may be my own. If I go on to the 
 Island or Marietta, I must expect to be immediately sent 
 to Richmond. I have no idea of attempting an escape, 
 which I could probably effect by Detroit to Canada. I feel 
 conscious of all want of law or evidence to convict me, and 
 shall therefore not seek to avoid an arrest anywhere, but 
 promptly appear on any call for me at Richmond. Wil- 
 kinson will fall and be disgraced, whatever fate may 
 attend Burr or myself. Seven of the grand jury were 
 for presenting or indicting him, but all were unanimous 
 for indicting Burr and me. I shall advise with Mr. Clay, 
 this evening, on my situation, and the course I should 
 pursue. It has appeared to me probable I should be 
 arrested here, and sent on from hence ; Mr. Clay thinks 
 that will. not be ; you shall hear from me, however, the 
 first new opportunity. Dudley Woodbridge, Eclm. Dana, 
 David Wallace, and almost every one you could suspect, 
 have been taken to Richmond on subpenas ; John and 
 S. Henderson, of course. Bollman has refused the Presi- 
 dent's pardon, as I should, unless it were issued upon 
 petition to him from yourself and my respectable ac- 
 quaintances in the Mississippi Territory and the United 
 
INTERRUPTION. 261 
 
 States, unsolicited by me. I will not fly, even from Wood 
 county wituesses and juries. 
 
 I must now tell you I was interrupted when I had writ- 
 ten so far, by a visit from Mr. David Mead, to arrest me 
 on the part of the United States. He is an amiable, kind 
 young man, with whom I shall set out in a few days for 
 Richmond. He has offered me every service since I have 
 been confined, and is very busy in summoning witnesses 
 on behalf of Col. Burr. He has just left me in a new 
 lodging, which is very comfortable, I assure you, being a 
 clean, airy room in the jail, left entirely to myself, where, 
 T call God to witness to you, I do not feel at all uneasy at 
 the sense of confinement. It is true, I have not yet tried 
 it half an hour ; but the same Providence that has ever 
 supported me will let my time and my reflections flow as 
 smoothly here as if I were at liberty. You must serve the 
 same God, and by strong and steady endeavors think of 
 this, and the worst that persecutions can inflict upon mo, 
 as lightly as I do. Attend to the duties you owe, and the 
 delights that will be afforded you, by our dear boys, till I 
 see them again, which I shall surely do somewhere. For- 
 ward to Richmond an affidavit from my valued friend 
 Harding, stating at large the proceedings that were had 
 against me at Washington, and a duplicate, for fear of a 
 miscarriage. The jailer, a civil American, of the name 
 of Prentiss, has just informed me has orders to let no 
 one speak to me but in his presence, and to let no letters 
 come to me or go from me. I have just sent him out to 
 demand of Col. Crocket, the United States Marshal, or 
 Mr. Bibb, their Attorney, that I may write to you a sealed 
 letter or an open one, as they will venture to prescribe. 
 
262 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 He returns with an answer that I may send closed letters 
 to you; but any others I may wish to write must be seen 
 by him and the jailer before they are sealed. I make 
 memoranda of all these occurrences, which I read over to 
 the jailer, and he has engaged to sign. 
 
 If you wish to sympathize with me, do not grieve for 
 my situation, as I am not at all discouraged. This even- 
 ing, 't is true, is warm ; but how much more distressing 
 was the heat in the vast prairies and barrens I have 
 passed through, tormented, too, day and night with 
 insects, from which I am here free. Is my tumbler 
 so greasy I can not wash it clear? I am chemist enough 
 to know that not a particle of the grease will adhere to 
 the water ; and how very much cooler is my drink ! I 
 have just been sent, per Joe, a mug of good tea, with 
 toast, from Mrs. J., with mattress, sheets, etc. My win- 
 dows are grated, but large and open, and their appear- 
 ance no more disturbs my reflections, which kind Heaven 
 never suffers to fail me, in place or time, than the figure 
 of those we sometimes admired on the Island. You must 
 dismiss, then, all concern for every mortification you will 
 falsely think I suffer, except what arises from the want 
 of the picture, which I do 'nt yet despair of, through the 
 kind offices of a young man at jSTashville, a printer, of 
 the name of Rob. Alleson, who has kindly assured me he 
 will engage himself to forward it to you or me. I must 
 now close, to insure this letter time enough in the office 
 t<> go by to-morrow T 's mail. Joe has just come to take 
 them. God bless you! AVritc every post. Kiss my 
 boys for me, and never fear a failure of my spirits or my 
 constancy, Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
FRIENDSHIP PROVED. 263 
 
 To Mrs. M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Lexington, July 18th, 1807. 
 
 It should afford you the fullest proof of my contentment, 
 in my present situation, to learn, that without any inter- 
 ruption of good health, I have not appropriated any part 
 of my time, since Tuesday, to writing to you. When 1 
 was closing my letter to you that day, I thought it would 
 go from hence next morning ; I am happy since to hear 
 it will not go forward before this, which, I hope, you will 
 first read. In the midst of my occupation, by the cares 
 of my concerns with the Government, I have made 
 arrangements for removing, I expect, the greatest part 
 of the incumb ranees affecting our property on the Island. 
 Miller, who, you know, attached the chief part of our 
 effects, is not here, but will probably accept of the same 
 accommodations, accepted by Mr. Sanders, namely, a 
 transfer of Alston's obligation, with a deed of trust on 
 the Island, as a further security. Our valued friend 
 Harding will explain this to you. He ought to see my 
 letters to you, while the press of more indispensable occu- 
 pation prevents my writing to him. Details relating to 
 my arrest on Tuesday evening, and the proceedings that 
 have already, and will hereafter occur, you will see, must 
 be too voluminous to find place in my letters. You must 
 content yourself with the statement you will find ot 
 them in the papers. I will not fail, however, to give you 
 such particulars as you may not see there. 
 
 The degrees of adversity seem to graduate the scales 
 of friendship, and the sincerity of the professions we 
 receive in life. I have been visited by Col. Meade, who 
 
264 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 has not probably ridden to town for two years, on any 
 two other occasions, while Morton, the Harts, and many 
 others you would first count upon, have not appeared 
 within the walls. More call upon me, however, than I 
 wish to see, while poor Tracy is offended with me, be- 
 cause I will not take any of the little money he has 
 gathered by so many years' hard earning, and several 
 other persons daily load me with general offers of service. 
 If confinement could, in itself, have any ills for me, they 
 could not fail to be greatly abated, by the interest excited 
 by my visitors and the unremitting exercise of my pen. 
 But while I have these resources — aided, besides, by the 
 kindest attentions of the jailer and his family, who in no 
 instance omits to render my situation not only easy, but 
 even comfortable, without transgressing the line of de- 
 markation between his duty and his inclination — I hope 
 the ease I experience, and the indifference I feel toward 
 future prospects, will not induce you to suspect that the 
 most loathsome dungeon, or the most unjust issue of my 
 prosecution, could exhibit me unworthy of the favor of 
 your constancy and virtue. Although I live very com- 
 fortably in every respect, Mrs. Sanders, late Miss Nich- 
 olas, persists in sending me a nice breakfast every 
 morning, and Mr. Postlethwaite has endeavored to pro- 
 cure my removal to his house, a mile distant in the 
 country ; but popular passion is so strongly engaged on 
 the side of the Government, that it could not be effected 
 in this focus of Democracy : the ardor of which, however. 
 I am generally assured — the manner of my deportment, 
 and address in the court — have cooled down into some 
 degree of sympathy and confidence in my honor. 
 
SPECIAL DIRECTIONS. 265 
 
 I have been very much engaged the last two days in 
 preparing letters and various papers for Joe to take to 
 the Island. I got him off in the afternoon ; he took with 
 him two new horses I got for the three I left Natchez 
 with, which he will take to his uncle's on the Monanga- 
 hela, and keep until he takes them down to Richmond, 
 where I shall want him and Scott to prove the inveterate 
 animosity borne me by some of the Wood county wit- 
 nesses I expect to appear against me. I think it probable 
 I may have occasion, on my defense, to make use of the 
 first letter I wrote to Col. Burr; that being destroyed, 
 probably my letter-book may be received as evidence of 
 its contents. The book, therefore, which I left in the 
 small trunk, containing my papers, together with every 
 letter you can there find, or in any j)art of my writing- 
 desk, from Col. Burr to you, or myself, you must, with 
 the aid of Mr. Harding, or other friends, whose zeal and 
 punctuality can be depended upon, have forwarded to me 
 at Richmond, together with the morocco case, containing 
 my music, and the two sheets of manuscript I lent 
 Mrs. Wallace, with my spectacles; the whole carefully 
 packed, sealed and directed, in a small trunk or box, in 
 the safest and most expeditious manner, by Orleans, to 
 some port where I may get the earliest intelligence of its 
 arrival, and thence procure it by the coach. I expected 
 the return to town last evening of my yotmg friend, Da- 
 vid Meade, from the country, where he is fatiguingly 
 employed in serving subpenas for witnesses on the part 
 of Col. Burr. On Monday I shall set out in his charge — 
 he being deputy-marshal — with a guard of four, three, at 
 least, of whom are respectable, and will, I am assured, 
 
266 THE BLENNEEHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 prove agreeable companions. I am extremely sorry to 
 find the injury to private individuals of this country in 
 consequence of a baseless authority for Burr's financial 
 operations here last autumn, far exceeding my greatest 
 suspicions. If it be shown that he had not funds and 
 friends pledged to him to warrant his drafts, his conduct 
 would appear nefarious enough to displace all the friend- 
 ships he ever formed. These strictures are particularly 
 extracted from me by something I have heard of him 
 relating to myself in a pecuniary sense, which will be 
 examined, and come hereafter to your knowledge, if ma- 
 terial. They may therefore be kept secret from all but 
 friends, in whose honor and attachment we can confide. 
 David Meade has just left me. We shall certainly go on 
 Monday, and proceed by easy journeys, comfortably 
 equipped. Beware to enter upon Dominick's heart, but 
 by small and cautious advances while informing him of 
 my situation. Welcome the means you may derive from 
 it, of forming him to a habit of patience and courage in 
 suffering; pity for the vices of mankind, and a steady 
 contempt for malice, which the vengeance of power can 
 never subdue. As it regards yourself, reflect and rejoice 
 that your husband will not be unworthy of you by the 
 tenor of his life; while, through all the trials he may vet 
 pass, the approving spirit of your virtue will embellish 
 his fame and smile upon his courage. I have written to 
 my friends, Jas. S. Lewis & Co., to honor Mr. Harding' to 
 amount of $500 or $600 to answer your occasions, as well 
 as to accept all bills drawn by yourself, to amount of my 
 remaining funds in their hands: this last instruction 1 
 gave them in contemplation of your making a small pur- 
 
DETENTION. 267 
 
 chase, and having need of some money to make ready 
 payments and prepare for getting in a crop the ensuing 
 season, which you ought to endeavor to effect for the 
 children in the manner I have proposed; though any 
 other you may he advised to will not he displeasing to 
 me. Mr. Biggs will soon, I hope, reach Natchez, with 
 some few hands, and I have hegged of Col. Cushing to 
 endeavor, as soon as possihle, to send you every thing he 
 can from the Island, from whence I think it prohahle you 
 will receive some supplies in the course of this fall. My 
 detention at Richmond will extend nearly to Christmas, 
 owing to the distances from which I shall be obliged to 
 collect my witnesses ; so that if I shall be able to run the 
 gauntlet through Democratic juries and witnesses, you 
 may easily calculate the time I could return to you by 
 sea, or by land and the Ohio, taking the Island in my 
 way. In the mean time, it is possible I shall not be kept 
 in jail, but confined in a comfortable way in the Peniten- 
 tiary, or other safe quarters, under guard, at Richmond, 
 as Burr now is. The federal marshal there has a good 
 character from David Meade, and is brother to General 
 Scott. Continue to repeat to all our worthy friends, par- 
 ticularly Harding, Col. and Mrs. Scott, and Russell, etc., 
 etc., my grateful obligations for their goodness to you ; 
 tell Russell I do not cry " Divil burn the iron boults," 
 though I sometimes sing " Smolileu." 
 
 A mail in to-day from Natchez, and no letters from 
 you. I have had but one ; the postmaster's date being 
 23d ult.j concerning the boys' works. For God's sake, 
 write oftener, and give me the satisfaction of hearing 
 
268 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 how many of my letters, this making the seventh or 
 eighth, you received from your husband, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 P. S. As I can't write to many of your friends, I hope 
 all will excuse me. 
 
 Sunday noon, July 19th. — I am just going out to walk 
 in town, to make some visits with the jailer. H. B. 
 
 The following is a notice of the arrest and proceeding 
 alluded to, taken from the " New World :" 
 
 Lexington, July 21st. 
 On Tuesday last Herman Blennerhassett arrived in this 
 town from the Mississippi Territory. Immediately on 
 his arrival he was arrested, at the instance of Mr. Saun- 
 ders, on a civil process, and before his discharge was 
 again arrested by the marshal for the Kentucky district, 
 on an affidavit made by Mr. David Meade, the purport 
 of which was, that Blennerhassett had been indicted for 
 treason, and a true bill found by the grand jury at Bich- 
 mond, Virginia. It fortunately happened that Judge 
 Todd was in town, before whom Mr. Blennerhassett was 
 immediately brought ; but as he wished to be heard by 
 counsel, he was committed to jail, and ordered to be 
 again before the judge at nine o'clock the next morning, 
 at which time he read to the court an affidavit which lie 
 had drawn up. The crowd was so great that the editor 
 was unable to hear the whole of it, but he understood it 
 went to give a history of his arrest and discharges in the 
 
EXTRACT. 269 
 
 Mississippi Territory ; of his being on his journey home, 
 when he heard at Danville of the indictment being found 
 against him ; of the means he used to ascertain the truth 
 of the report ; and that being satisfied of its correctness, 
 he had hastened to this place, to surrender himself to 
 Mr. Bibb, attorney for the United States ; that soon after 
 he arrived he was arrested upon a civil process ; that he 
 had met with Mr. Clay, to whom he communicated his 
 intentions, and requested advice as to the mode he should 
 adopt ; that Mr. Clay said he was too much engaged to 
 attend at that time to his applications, but promised to 
 see him on the subject at nine o'clock the next day. lie 
 declared it to be his' wish to be sent on to Richmond to 
 receive his trial at that place. Mr. Clay, as counsel, 
 assured the court, that he was instructed by his client to 
 express his wish to be sent on for trial ; he only wished 
 an unnecessary rigor might not be observed, and that he 
 mio-ht be forwarded in a manner as delicate as the nature 
 of his situation would permit. Mr. Clay at the same 
 time took the liberty, as a citizen, to protest against, or 
 rather object to, the mode which had been pursued by 
 the court; he viewed the proceedings unprecedented and 
 illegal. He, however, wished it to be understood, that 
 his observations were made as a citizen, and not at th<> 
 instance of Mr. B. ; it was his real wish to be sent on for 
 trial. Mr. Bibb stated that he had provided himself with 
 authorities to prove the proceedings proper; but that he 
 had that morning inquired of Mr. Clay whether any ex- 
 ceptions would be taken to the legality of the proceedings, 
 and being informed that none would be taken, had neg- 
 
270 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 lected to bring his authorities into court; that he was 
 now surprised to find the exceptions taken. 
 
 Mr. Clay stopped him again, to declare that the excep- 
 tions were not by the consent of Mr. B., who he believed 
 was really desirous of being conveyed to Richmond. 
 
 Mr. Blennerhassett assured the court that Mr. Clay 
 had justly stated his desire, and pledged himself, that 
 whatever might be the decision of the judge, he would 
 accompany Mr. Meade, the deputy-marshal, to Richmond. 
 But he wished not to be understood as making a parade 
 of willingness which he did not feel, of meeting investi- 
 gation, as he was more desirous of going as a prisoner at 
 the public charge, than at his own expense, as his fortune 
 was greatly impaired. He made an affecting appeal to 
 the citizens of Lexington, which would have been very 
 favorably received, had not the high crimes with which 
 he was charged forcibly rebutted it. He spoke of the 
 friendly attention and hospitable treatment experienced 
 by himself and family, and hoped they would not believe, 
 without evidence, that their attentions had been bestowed 
 on unworthy objects. 
 
 The judge took time to make up. an opinion as to take 
 up the proceedings which ought to be had in the case ; 
 and issued a warrant for his commitment and sate keep- 
 ing, until the district-judge could be applied to, who 
 ordered him to be delivered to the court in Richmond, 
 without delay. 
 
 He was yesterday pent off, attended by Mr. Meade and 
 a guard of five men. 
 
UNPLEASANT TIDINGS. 271 
 
 Lexington, July 22d, 1807. 
 
 Sir : — Your favor of the 20th was delivered to me ; the 
 apology you offer, on the subject of my fee, is abundantly 
 sufficient, and the compensation you propose, adequate. 
 You will be pleased to inclose a Virginia bank note to 
 me from Richmond, by the mail. I did not understand 
 that by the agreement between Mr. Sanders and you, 
 Mr. Miller was to be any way interested in the " deed of 
 trust" upon your Island, and am pretty positive it was 
 not agreed that he should be concerned in it, which is 
 evident, indeed, from the face of the deed itself. Never- 
 theless, you may give Miller an order upon Sanders, to 
 pay him out of the proceeds of the sale of the Island, 
 if they should exceed Mr. S.'s demand, and Mr. Alston 
 should not be willing or forced to pay according to his 
 engagement. I think, therefore, you ought to acknowl- 
 edge the deed before the General Court in Virginia. 
 You will only, by refusing to do it, give Mr. Sanders the 
 unnecessary trouble of having the deed returned to be 
 proven and certified from this place, or commencing a 
 suit against you, to coerce an acknowledgment. 
 
 Your obedient servant, Henry Clay. 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Natchez, August 3d, 1807. 
 My dearest Husband : — After having experienced the 
 greatest disappointment at not having heard from you 
 for two mails, I at length learn of your arrest, which 
 afflicts and mortifies me, because it was an arrest. 
 
272 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 think, had you of yourself gone to Richmond, and so- 
 licited a trial, it would have accorded better with your 
 pride, and you would have escaped the unhappiness of 
 missing my letters, which I wrote every week to Mari- 
 etta. God knows what you may feel and suffer on our 
 account before this reaches you to inform you of our 
 health and welfare, in every particular; and knowing 
 this, I trust and feel your mind will rise superior to every 
 inconvenience that your present situation may subject 
 you to ; despising, as I do, the paltry malice of the up- 
 start agents of Government, and that you may in some 
 measure be the means of exposing them to the world. 
 Let no solicitude whatever for us damp your spirits ; we 
 have many friends here, who do the utmost in their 
 power to counteract every disagreeable sensation which I 
 suffer from your absence. I have removed into a part of 
 Mr. Moon's house, where I can scarcely feel the heat of 
 the weather, having let mine to the French Consul, who 
 has come to reside here. The boys have a good school, 
 and I find many conveniences here which I wanted at 
 Poindexter's house. Mrs. Whittle spends most of her 
 time here, which is a great advantage now, when T do n't 
 go any-where, which I have determined not to do till I 
 learn the result of your affairs, though pressed by all my 
 acquaintances to go to the country, where I spent some 
 time before I learned of the alteration of your course. I 
 inclose several letters of business to General Tupper, at 
 Marietta, for you, among which was the one that Mr. 
 Sorrel, of this place, had in his possession when he passed 
 you in the wilderness, but which can be of no conse- 
 quence now. Mr. Biggs has returned with only three 
 
STRONG ATTACHMENT. 273 
 
 negroes, not having been able to procure funds for more. 
 I shall live in the hope of hearing from you next mail, 
 and entreat you, by all that is dear to us, not to let any 
 disagreeable feelings on account of our separation ener- 
 vate your mind at this time. Remember, that every one 
 will read with great interest whatever concerns you, but 
 still, do n't trust too much to yourself; consider your 
 want of practice at the bar, and, if I still retain the same 
 influence over you which you have over me, do n't spare 
 the fee of a lawyer ; we shall never miss it in this coun- 
 try, and if we did, that, in such a case, should be no con- 
 sideration now. Assure Col. Burr of my warmest ac- 
 knowledgments for his and Mrs. Alston's kind remem- 
 brance, and tell him to assure her that she has inspired 
 me with a warmth of attachment that never has, nor ever 
 can diminish while I live. I wish him to urge her to 
 write to me : a letter from her now would be most accept- 
 able God bless you ! M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 I hope you have done tormenting yourself about the 
 loss of my picture. I inclosed you, to Marietta, what is 
 of infinitely more value, the profiles of the two darling- 
 lovely boys. 
 
 To Mrs. M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Richmond Penitentiary, 
 
 Tuesday, Aug. 4th, 1807. 
 Do n't startle at a word ; I am not in the quarters of 
 old M ; you must wait for a description of my lodg- 
 ing until I conclude some little account of my journey. 
 IS 
 
274 THE BLENNEPJIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 This has been as comfortable and accommodating as the 
 severity of the weather and much fatigue would permit. 
 The guard, consisting of five gentlemen, vied with each 
 other all the way in emulating the exertions of that excel- 
 lent young man, David Meade, to promote my ease. I 
 had, consequently, no restraint, and might, I believe, have 
 effected my escape, if I had been disposed to attempt it. 
 We arrived in town to-day, the 16th inclusive since we 
 left Lexington, a quarter before 2 o'clock. We rode up 
 to the Washington tavern, where we had an excellent 
 dinner; after which I was visited by another deputy- 
 marshal with a warrant for high-treason, and conducted 
 in a carriage to this place, where I am lodged in a ( suite 
 of commodious apartments, affording me a walk of forty 
 paces in length, lately occupied by Col. Burr, who has 
 been removed to another house, under guard, for the 
 more convenient intercourse with his counsel during his 
 trial ; these are numerous, and all volunteers in his 
 defense. I was not half an hour here when I had a lively 
 note from Col. Burr, a present of tea, sugar and cakes 
 from Mrs. Alston, and a visit from Alston, and Edmond 
 Randolph, to offer his advice and services gratis. Morgan 
 Neville has been looking for me, and was denied admit- 
 tance to my room at the tavern, through otheiousness or 
 mistake, for all my friends may come here to me, though 
 I can't go out to them. Mr. Randolph and Alston assure 
 me the prosecutions for treason have already become 
 ridiculous among the best informed, so that none of us 
 will probably lie hanged, nor can a conviction for the 
 misdemeanor be effected from any thing we can learn, 
 any more than from any acts or declarations of ourselves, 
 
PRIDE. 275 
 
 for none such ever escaped us to warrant one. Our only 
 indemnity, therefore, will consist in our promoting the 
 eclat, or whatever it may be, which will reward the zeal 
 of the Government for our persecution. 
 
 I had a visit to arrest the progress of my letter from 
 Mr. Mercer; he sat fully two hours with me, and was as 
 interesting as he always is. My new lodging, though 
 spacious and commodious, is unfurnished ; I have there- 
 fore been forced to have indispensable necessaries fur- 
 nished from the tavern, which, however, I shall only 
 continue until I can make more economical arrangements. 
 In my anxiety to save for you and the boys, I must still 
 indulge my pride by spurning the liberal subsistence 
 allowed by the United States to their State prisoners, of 
 fifty cents per day. I hope you will duly receive my two 
 letters from Lexington jail, and forward the things I 
 therein wrote for. Request of Harding to see or write 
 to Tyler, to advise him to offer a surrender of himself, 
 and get subpened, if he does not hear soon after you get 
 this, that the Government will abandon the chase they 
 are at present engaged in; I say abandon, for it is now 
 generally believed, by all parties, that two of the grand 
 jury, of the most respectable character, would not have 
 concurred in finding any bill for treason, and none, pro- 
 bably, would have been found, if these had not mistaken 
 the meaning of the judge's report of his opinion in case 
 of Swartwout and Ogden. Having yesterday rode forty- 
 five miles, and thirty -five to-day, before the variety of 
 incidents that has occupied me this evening, and having 
 other matters to engage me for an hour before I go to 
 bed, I will reserve the rest of this sheet for such part of 
 
27G THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the news of to-morrow us may concern me, and may not 
 reach you through the papers. Good night. 
 
 Wednesday, 11 o'clock, P. M. — Variety is charming, and 
 never more pleasantly exemplified than in the succession 
 of that of my levees here. I believe I should have been 
 stupid, or perhaps indisposed a little to-day, from the 
 transition from great exercise in the open air and broiling 
 sun to sudden confinement, if I was not almost hourly 
 stimulated by the appearance of some person I am pleased 
 to see, or the hearing of some news to interest me. As 
 to persons, I have seen this morning -Mr. Botts, who will 
 also take part in my defense, without pecuniary compen- 
 sation from me, and I expect his example will be followed 
 to-morrow by a similar offer from Mr. Wickham. Tell 
 Harding my indictment, as appears from a printed copy 
 sent to me this evening, contains two counts ; the first for 
 levying war against the United States on the 10th of De- 
 cember, which will be attempted to be supported by the 
 perjured evidence of Taylor and Albright, of resistance 
 made to General Tupper's arresting me ; while Tupper 
 will prove he never attempted to arrest me, or any of the 
 party ; for which insolent behavior of his, bye-the-bye, 
 it is rumored that he is threatened also with a State pros- 
 ecution. The other count is for planning, and going 
 down the river on the 11th, to effect the seizure of ISTew 
 Orleans, which I suppose the evidence of the Hendersons 
 is chiefly relied upon to maintain ; but this testimony I 
 shall also, I expect, be able to defeat; also, let him know 
 or read that in filling many of the blank spaces with my 
 name, which occurs several times, an e is uniformly used 
 in the Christian name, instead of an a, as T have ever 
 
POSTPONEMENT OF TRIAL. 277 
 
 written it, and in the surname an a is as often used as 
 an e. I want to learn from him whether any, and what, 
 advantages may he taken of these variances, and when ? 
 
 To return to my visitors — D. "Woodbridge and Edmond 
 Dana called in the morning, both my friends, by whom I 
 heard Joe had safely given all the papers I charged him 
 with to Col. Cushing. A great deal of property has been 
 sold, I hear, but the purchasers are friendly enough to offer 
 to let me have it, by placing them as they were before the 
 sales. No negroes are sold, but all are vagrant and latitant ; 
 still none will be lost. The laws of Virginia and Kentucky 
 only allow an absent debtor or defendant to come in 
 within seven years, and set aside, or seek redress for a 
 sale made against law or equity. Again, it seems as if 
 every one I ever knew, and more, were now in Richmond ; 
 for to-day the prosecuting counsel had about one hundred 
 witnesses called in court, and, for the second time, put off 
 the trial for two days, because about fifty more did not 
 appear; and nothing less than Morgan Neville and Bob 
 Robison were here this evening. 
 
 Friday, 8 o'clock, A. 31. — I was a little indisposed yes- 
 terday, which, with the hinderance of company, etc., pre- 
 vented my writing. A small dose of ipecac has to-day 
 restored my strength and appetite, so that I hope I have 
 already surmounted whatever seasoning may have been 
 necessary to fit me for the sojourn I shall make in this 
 place. Mr. "Wickham, as was expected, waited upon me, 
 with Mr. Botts ; these, with Mr. Randolph, all three my 
 gratuitous counsel, I severally and distinctly assured, no 
 apprehension of a capital conviction, or sentence of death, 
 could induce me to draw from the sympathies and exi- 
 
278 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 gencies of my family to defray any charge of my defense, 
 either at present or any after period I could contemplate. 
 Mr. W.j a staunch Federalist, and Messrs. Randolph and 
 Botts, perhaps as warm Democrats, are of opinion I shall 
 be enlarged on Col. Burr's acquittal of the treason charge, 
 if I can procure bail for the misdemeanor, which I sup- 
 pose I could easily do, but would as soon remain where I 
 am, until all the claims of Government upon me are dis- 
 posed of. It will much depend on the progress and turn 
 of Burr's trial, when mine can come on, though our cases 
 will be kept as wide apart as truth and their merits justly 
 require. It is truly painful to me to tell you to expect 
 nothing from the Island, though most of the purchasers, 
 even Miller, the principal, would return the property on 
 the terms I have before mentioned ; yet the recovery of 
 any thing depends on his acceptance of the best and only 
 arrangements Alston can make. Alston is endeavoring to 
 raise money here to meet all the demands, the success of 
 which I shall learn to-day or to-morrow, but little depend 
 upon. On failure of this, he, Alston, will assume the 
 whole, payable one-half a year from next January, the 
 remainder the January following, with interest. The 
 impossibility, he declares, to raise money in Carolina, by 
 sale or mortgage, and his having fewer negroes than his 
 estates require, make tins the best arrangement he can 
 make ; but which, I fear, will not be accepted. I will 
 endeavor to learn and effect the speediest means of for- 
 warding to you as many of the negroes as possible, 
 which, I suppose, you will hire out: but, in all your 
 affairs, be Harding your guide. 
 
 Alston talks confidently of Burr's recovering his de- 
 
TENDER OF FRIENDSHIP. 279 
 
 mantis upon Government, to the amount of $50,000. 
 This event would be prosperous, indeed, but I liave little 
 faith in it. Mercer lias sat an hour with me since last 
 sentence ; news to-day by him is all war, traced up to 
 declarations by the President, that the ground the Gov- 
 ernment will take is the inviolability of a neutral flag ; 
 every one is in arms, to lie ready on the first signal to 
 take Quebec and the West Indies. Mercer prays you to 
 accept the admiring homage of his remembrance; I send 
 my letters for you, by arrangement with him under cover 
 to his friend B. Taylor, Esq., attorney- at-law, Alexandria, 
 who will duly forward them to Scott. You will also 
 inclose to the same gentleman, who will forward your 
 letters to me through Mr. Mercer. I have just received a 
 tender of friendship by Mr. Ormsby, of Kentucky, from 
 General Henry Lee, and offers of soups, jellies, etc., from 
 Mrs. Carrington, with their compliments. 
 
 From your husband, Harman Blenneriiassett. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Sunday, August 4th. 
 My dear Sir : — You may take it an ill compliment 
 that I tell you I am heartily glad to hear of your arrival. 
 Mr. Alston and Mr. Neville successively made attempts 
 to see you at the tavern, but were denied. Having this 
 minute heard that you have gone to my late quarters, I 
 send to inquire of your health, of that of Mrs. Blenner- 
 hassett's, and in what T can be useful to you. What 
 counsel shall T send you? 
 
 Faithfully yours, A. Burr. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
280 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 August bth, 1807. 
 
 I am much gratified, my dear sir, by your letter and 
 notes. It is impossible for us to communicate freely, ex- 
 cept through the intervention of counsel. I recommend 
 to you to employ Mr. Randolph and Mr. Botts, and that 
 you write a line to each of them this morning. They 
 will not expect money, at least at present, and when I 
 shall be discharged, I shall be able to furnish it. Write 
 also to your friend Emmett,* to come on forthwith. My 
 trial is essentially yours ; it will settle principles which 
 will govern in both. The political character of Mr. Em- 
 niett will give him weight ; and it is greatly to be desired 
 that a man of discernment and impartiality should wit- 
 ness the mode of these prosecutions and the extraordi- 
 nary efforts and extraordinary means used to produce 
 conviction, right or wrong. 
 
 Your faithful friend, A. Burr. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 If there be any thing wanting to your comfort, advise 
 me. 
 
 To Mrs. "Blennerhassett. 
 
 Richmond Penitentiary, Aug. 13/7;, 1807. 
 All is going on very well ; I am hearty and in good 
 spirits, but have only time to charge you to suffer not the 
 appearance of a summons to bring you here, or to fret 
 
 * Thomas Addis Emmett, of New York. 
 
INDECISION. 281 
 
 you, and tell you you must not obey it. Your want of 
 funds, and the helpless state of your children, must op- 
 pose a barrier, which the Government will not venture to 
 break down. Tell Harding to be of the same mind with 
 my excellent counsel here. Adieu ! in haste for the mail. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett. 
 Mrs. M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Friday, August 14th. 
 I perceive the advantages from your presence, but am 
 not at this moment able to decide whether the thing; be 
 practicable. One or more of our counsel will wait on 
 you this afternoon, to confer on this and other points. 
 
 I am surrounded by visitors, which prevents me from 
 adding more than the assurances of my respect and at- 
 tachment. 
 
 A. Burr.* 
 
 To Blennerhassett. 
 
 Natchez, August 16th. 
 Your first letter from Lexington has just come to hand, 
 and, notwithstanding the predictions of your former one, 
 I do n't find it by any means so melancholy as the first I 
 received, as it assures me of your accommodations in that 
 place (which I can neither bear to repeat or write) to be 
 
 * Burr's answer to a note wishing to be informed if he (Blennerhassett) 
 could be allowed to examine witnesses as his (Burr's) agent or advocate, 
 or at least be present at their examination. 
 
282 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 much better than I expected. I also feel now, that in 
 such a court as Richmond, absolute falsehoods can't pass, 
 when, in opposition to all that can be sworn to by Wood 
 county, von have the most respectable witnesses from the 
 State of Ohio ; and surely every person in Belpre can 
 testify that Tyler's boats landed on the Island in noon- 
 day, and had no arms on hoard, and admitting that what 
 all these villains said were true, how were } T ou concerned 
 in what was done by Tyler or others? Ashley has told 
 Mr. Harding that Peter Taylor said something that in- 
 jures you ; and Col. Burr writes in his letter to Harding, 
 which I have seen, that " Mr. Blennerhassett has injured 
 him, both by what he has said and what he has written." 
 Good God ! what a world this is : tell Col. Burr, from 
 me, if you think it worth while, that I wanted not this 
 aggravation to my unhappiness ; at least, that I looked 
 not for aggravations from him. He also writes to tell 
 you to place your family with Mrs. Alston : tell him were 
 Mrs. Alston only in question, I would now, this moment, 
 without hesitation, take refuge with her, and that 1 
 should not think my life even worth its present value, did 
 not I hope once more to see and converse with that 
 woman whom I think almost above human nature; but 
 I would at the same time do nothing that might lessen 
 the dignity of the attachment I feel for her. 
 
 AVe are under the greatest obligations to Doctor Com- 
 mins, for carrying your package, which you will receive 
 sooner than you could any other way. 
 
 I believe, from what I have learned, that Tyler will 
 injure yon, if he can ; he is by this time arrested. Now 
 let me again intreat you to spare no costs that can serve 
 
PERJURY. 288 
 
 you; if our negroes come down from the Ohio, I repeal 
 again, we can make a good beginning here. Capt. Percy 
 lias been here again, urging me to go to the Spanish 
 dominions, where you will be well received, and where i 
 shall make a visit, when I know the termination of your 
 prosecution. I spent three days at Col. Scott's since ! 
 wrote the letter you will receive with this. Yon may 
 perceive my spirits are much mended; but I am still de- 
 termined to adhere to what I then said I would, in case the 
 perjury of the mob should prevail ; though every con- 
 versation I hear on the subject tends to encourage me, at 
 least with regard to yourself. I shall write every mail to 
 assure you of the health of myself and the boys. 
 
 Farewell for another week ! remember that your fami- 
 ly are well, and that you are adored by your 
 
 M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 To Blennerhassett. 
 
 Natchez, Aug. 26th, 1807. 
 My usual depression of spirits has been much increased 
 by not having received any letter from you by this mail, 
 aided by the shock of hearing from Ashley to-day, for the 
 first time, that it was by the perjury of Peter Taylor that 
 a bill was found against you. 'T is true, I feel full}' con- 
 fident sueh evidence must be done away with ; but I also 
 feci, that it is owing to this alone that you are in your 
 present situation, the thoughts of which haunt me night 
 and day. Gracious God ! confined in a prison in the dog- 
 days, and by the perjury of a wretch not many degrees 
 
284 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 from a brute ! I used to give him credit for the utmost 
 houesty; but it is in vain, I am convinced more and 
 more every day, to expect principle without some refine- 
 ment, at least where interest is concerned. Ashley says 
 he hears they have given the wretch a tract of land some- 
 where. If this can be proved, it will be sufficient. As 
 for Albright, I can make oath to his secreting our two 
 negroes, who ran away when you left the Island ; and 
 Elmwood, the blacksmith, told me of his taking stolen 
 melons and sweet potatoes to Marietta to sell for negro 
 Jim, whom he saw steal them out of the field, where 
 there were no others but mine. I see plainly enough, the 
 Wood county rabble only want some pretext to vindicate 
 their plunder ; but I feel great confidence in the evidence 
 I trust you will have from Marietta and Belpre*, and 
 hope no lawyers' fees will be spared. Why can't I be 
 with you ? But I feel it would not do ; your mind is 
 stronger without me, and the boys are an insurmountable 
 objection to my going round, which I should only do in 
 a case that I hope can't possibly happen. 
 
 I have only been to Mrs. Scott's since I heard of your 
 arrest, and shall probably not go anywhere until, I learn 
 the result. Miss Percy is still with me. Major T., who 
 visits me often, begs to be kindly remembered to you. 
 Dr. Commins left home, I believe, three days ago, for 
 Richmond, where he was called as a witness by Govern- 
 ment. He took with him all the papers, etc., you wrote 
 for from Lexington, but I suppose this will reach you 
 first, though he went through the wilderness and took a 
 pack-horse. 
 
FEVER UNAVOIDABLE. 285 
 
 The boys are well, and still, thank God ! insensible of 
 your situation, though they often pierce me to the heart 
 by their questions about you, and threaten very often, 
 when I correct them, to " tell their pappy how bad I 
 am." They both of them join in sending, to use their 
 own phrase, " their good love to their dear pappy." 
 
 I wish, when your mind is fully disengaged from your 
 present embarrassments, that you would make a thorough 
 calculation of the profits and losses between this country 
 and the one we have left. Perhaps you may sell the 
 Island ; if you can do so, it will be best ; if not, nothing 
 but a certain loss would prevent my wish of returning 
 there. My attachment for that place is strong indeed, 
 but not so strong as to entirely counterbalance our inter- 
 est ; at the same time, I would have you consider there is 
 only one thing in favor of this country — the raising of cot- 
 ton — which for a moment gives it any preference ; for, in 
 spite of all you may have heard, it is a sickly country, 
 both for black and white. Intermitting fever is inevita- 
 ble ; both the children have had it, but Harman's was 
 the worst; he was completely cured by Dr. S., with 
 whom I am much delighted as a physician. Dominick 
 was then attacked, but I stopped the progress of the dis- 
 order myself. I am told Bayou Sara is much more 
 healthy generally than the vicinity of Natchez, where 
 fevers are constant ; and from this statement of the sick- 
 ness of this country I leave you to judge how far it will 
 agree with your constitution. As to mine, I believe it is 
 impossible I ever should have an " intermittent; " I only 
 suffer at times from the pain in my breast, which uni- 
 
286 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 formly increases in proportion to the anxiety of my mind. 
 I grow very thin, notwithstanding my appetite is good; 
 but I believe nobody's mind ever had more influence on 
 the body than mine, but do n't let this concern you ; all I 
 suffer now will only tend to make me completely happy, 
 on your delivery from your present situation, which, I 
 begin to think, must take place soon. 'T is not possible 
 you can be injured by the perjury of such complete 
 fools. 
 
 The cotton crop promises very badly on account of the 
 drought, in all the land about Natchez ; but wherever the 
 land is new, the drought does not affect it. Now let me 
 urge you to weigh well the advantages and disadvan- 
 tages of this country, and let your mind be no way in- 
 fluenced by what you have thought of the society of the 
 place. It is not what I at first supposed it; and any way, 
 I consider it scarce a feather in the scale. If you can sell 
 the Island, do n't hesitate to do so ; if not, consider that 
 while we are making money here we are losing it by 
 the house going to rack, and the land lying idle there ; 
 whereas, if we can keep up that place, it, with the in- 
 crease of our negroes, will be enough for the boys; 
 then, on the other hand, if we go to Bayou Sara and 
 plant cotton for four or five years, we may, at the end 
 of that time, be enabled to go to the jSTorthern States. 
 Consider well what I have said, and remember that, at 
 all events, your happiness is the first object with your 
 
 M. Blennerhassett. 
 
BUSINESS ITEMS. 287 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassctt. 
 
 Richmond, August 27th, 1807. 
 Dear Sir: — Mr. Luckett* and I have an unsettled ac- 
 count to a considerable amount. He holds a hill indorsed 
 by you. If you can devise means to procure him any aid 
 at this moment, it would gratify me much. 
 
 Your faithful and obedient, A. Burr. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Burr to Blennerhassett. 
 
 September 1st, 1807. 
 
 Dear Sir : — It seems that some misapprehension exists 
 on the subject of the bill held b}* Mr. Luckett. I could 
 not with delicacy propose to you to take up my bill ; but 
 I repeat that it would gratify me that it could be done. 
 My present inability is too manifest. Yours, perhaps, not 
 very different. If, however, you choose to request Alston 
 to assume this bill as part of his engagement to you, the 
 arrangement would give me real pleasure, and I have no 
 doubt may be made satisfactory to him. 
 
 I felicitate you on the events of yesterday, and am 
 alway faithfully yours. 
 
 A. Burr. 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 * Mr. Luckett advanced money to Col. Burr on Blennerhassett's indorse- 
 ment. 
 
288 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 To Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Richmond, Va., Sept. 11th, 1807. 
 A few days have elapsed since I might have written to 
 yon to announce the second event that rendered last 
 Monday remarkable as a day on which I might be sup- 
 posed to have been elated with the long desired change 
 of my condition for the better. That was the termina- 
 tion of my imprisonment, by the abandonment on the 
 part of the prosecutors of the indictment against me for 
 treason, and my admission to bail, under the other indict- 
 ment for a misdemeanor. But the receipt of your letter 
 of the 3d ultimo, by a speedy arrival, was the event 
 which constituted the first blessing that day returned to 
 so many hopes and prayers offered up to obtain it. 1 
 have since received, I believe, all your other letters from 
 Marietta, though your negligence in omitting dates dis- 
 tresses me, as I am ignorant of any time which I can con- 
 nect with any thing you tell me of yourself, the boys, or 
 our friends. I am delighted with the profiles. It would 
 cost you more calculation than you will ever enter upon 
 to discover the one-hundredth part of the lines, or parts 
 of lines and curves, on which I shall rapturously specu- 
 late in these bits of paper. You know it is not my tem- 
 per to feel surprise or emotion on transition from one 
 extreme to another. I therefore passed from imprison- 
 ment to liberty with the same unconcern with which you 
 have sometimes observed me to take the air, after three 
 days voluntary confinement. But this may be more ex- 
 plicable from some daily notes I have kept for you since 
 my arrival at Lexington. Our ingenious Harding will 
 
DEATH. 289 
 
 not be a little surprised to learn from you, that after a 
 deprivation of liberty for fifty-three days, I was freed 
 from the treason ease, on which I had been arrested at 
 Lexington, without arraignment, and shall probably get 
 el ear of the misdemeanor case in the same way, by the 
 success of six similar points, which will be decided, I 
 expect to-morrow, by the court, in favor of Burr. So 
 you see I have little prospect of an opportunity to speak 
 in my own cases, especially as I am so well provided with 
 counsel. Still there is a chance of my being here put on 
 trial for the misdemeanor, or being involved in the issue 
 of a motion to send us to the Kentucky district for trial, 
 in either of which events I shall say something. 
 
 I have had two dollars worth of letters forwarded 
 from Philadelphia : first, from Ireland ; two from Mar- 
 tin, one telling me to inquire after an estate he thinks 
 has fallen to me of £6,000 a year, by the death of 
 Lord Ross, ci-devant Oxmantown, and Captain Jones, 
 in the West Indies, next to whom I stand in the entail. 
 I do not wish you to build at all on this intelligence, 
 though it is not at all improbable it may be realized. 
 Should that ever happen, in how many instances may our 
 gratitude do justice, in fact, to our dispositions. I hope 
 I shall within a week re-open the small credit our nar- 
 row funds will entitle us to in Philadelphia. Lewis has 
 already written to me, to say he will endeavor to have 
 every bill taken up his bouse bad rejected, that he can 
 come at. I board with Major Smith, at a comfortable 
 house, as cheap as we can, i. e., at seven dollars a week 
 each, but shall proceed to Marietta as soon as I am dis- 
 charged from tlie court, as I do not expect any attempt, 
 L9 
 
290 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 if made for our transmissal to another district, will pret 
 vail. Do, however, continue to write hither until other- 
 wise advised. 
 
 I can add little more by this mail than to say, I am not 
 sufficiently satisfied you can so surely be healthy where 
 you are, in the fall, as if you were six or seven miles from 
 the river. Therefore, on the earliest threatening to your- 
 self or the boys of any autumnal attack, I entreat and 
 enjoin you to let nothing prevent your removal. 
 
 It would be impossible to enumerate all our excellent 
 and accomplished friends ; still more so to say the hun- 
 dredth part of what my gratitude would express to them 
 for their generous attention to you. You will acquit me 
 of this duty with every one of them as well as you can. 
 I wrote to Harding, who I hope will long enjoy his and 
 Winthrop's good health. Colonel and Mrs. Scott, Mrs. 
 "Whittle, and friends, have, with many others, claims 
 upon my grateful regards that will never be obligated. 
 Your husband, Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 P. S. I will endeavor to execute so much of your wishes 
 as time and circumstances will permit. 
 
 To Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Richmond, Va., Oct. 7th, 1807 
 
 I write this by Col. MoKee, who leaves town to-day for 
 
 Natchez ; though, from occasional interruptions he expects 
 
 in his journey, you may not get it until after one or two 
 
 other letters of more advanced date may reach you by post. 
 
ANTICIPATION. 291 
 
 It will, however, serve to quiet your anxiety for my delay 
 in arriving at Natchez, as that pleasure must give way to 
 the control of contingencies I can not govern. This clay 
 all the evidence is closed on the motion now before the 
 court, for our transmissal to Kentucky; the debates will 
 end, and the motion be refused, I have every reason to 
 believe, by Saturday ; but, in that event, I shall be de- 
 tained, three or four days, to put my demands on Col. 
 Burr on some footing of adjustment ; after which I pro* 
 pose to use all diligence I can to haste to Marietta, from 
 whence, I fear, I shall find great difficulty in effecting the 
 recovery and removal of the negroes. I can not teaze 
 you with particulars of my expectations ; I may have to 
 go to Philadelphia or South Carolina, and, possibly, not 
 be able to descend the river until after it shall break up in 
 the latter part of January. You must economize in the 
 mean time, and seek all the resources you can draw from 
 the friends who surround you. I will write again by 
 Tuesday's post; I have not cared to risk many letters, as 
 you see weekly by the papers, or must conclude, I am 
 every day before the court. I wish you to be very 
 reserved in all your communications, except with Hard- 
 ing, whom I wonder you have not mentioned in every 
 letter I received from you. I had none since Sunday's 
 mail, and since the news of our boy's sickness, by yours 
 of 25th August ; I am truly miserable in my alarms for 
 my Harman, whose situation, as well as your own, with 
 regard to the pain in your breast, I can see you have im- 
 parted to me with reluctance and reserve. 
 
 Perhaps we shall yet enjoy ease and wealth, if Martin's 
 expectations of my succeeding to the estates of the late 
 
292 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 T>. Harman, by the death of Lord Oxmantown, and Capt. 
 Jones, shall be realized ; therefore, I only beseech Heaven 
 to inspire you with the same prospects of contentment 
 and delight with which I can enjoy the remainder of my 
 days in a cottage with you and our boys — God grant I 
 am warranted to add them. Assure Dr. S. of perfect 
 esteem and confidence in his talents and learning, and 
 cultivate the opportunities of his closest attendance upon 
 yourself and the boys. I have no news by this opportunity ; 
 it is uncertain and precarious. Adieu ! 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 P. S. I hope Harding has not missed hearing that J. 
 S. Lewis, in his individual capacity, will honor bills, 
 drawn for your necessities, to the amount of 
 
 Devereaux to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Baltimore, Oct. 12th, 1807. 
 My dearest Friend : — I know you must think it 
 strange at not having heard from me since your arrival 
 in Richmond, and I am sure you must think it untimely 
 in bidding you now farewell, to give only this paltry 
 proof of my most affectionate regard and friendship ; yes, 
 my dear Blennerhassett, my thoughts have been con- 
 stantly occupied in reflecting on those poignant and try- 
 ing afflictions, with which it has pleased a cruel destiny 
 to overwhelm you, and for which I feel, not as the gen- 
 eral run of mankind, but as one, I may say without 
 vanity, not unworthy to participate, as I really and sin- 
 cerely do, in your griefs. How often have I thought of 
 
TO HIS WIFE. 293 
 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett ; I feel so much for your misfortunes 
 that I durst not glance at the cause of them. I am now 
 on the eve of embarking for our loved and native country ; 
 I go by the way of England, for the more safety. Per- 
 mission was granted me, by the last administration, to 
 return for a twelvemonth, and I now take advantage of 
 it in the hope of recovering my former estate, which, if 
 I should, I may not only be a very independent, but a 
 rich man in this country. Should I succeed, my friend — 
 of which there is but little doubt — you and your estima- 
 ble lady shall find by my actions, instead of words, what 
 I truly and sincerely feel toward you both. In the mean 
 time, I have made a friend for you, who offers to come 
 forward in a pecuniary point of view, if necessary. The 
 person is Mr. Pierce Butler, of Philadelphia, a noble- 
 minded countryman of ours, with whom you need feel no 
 scruple in calling upon in this way. The offer came, un- 
 solicited, from himself, and he requested me to mention 
 it to you. As I can not, unfortunately, at present, do 
 more, I have nothing more to say, and conclude, my dear 
 friend, with an affectionate remembrance to Mrs. Blen- 
 nerhassett, 
 
 Your truly attached and unalterable friend, 
 
 J. Devereux. 
 Harman Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 To Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Richmond, Va., Oct. 19th, 1807. 
 This day's mail, my beloved, brought me your double 
 letter from Natchez, and Col. Ellis's, of the 3d and 8th 
 
294 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ult., though I see, by the Washington postmark, it did 
 not leave that office hefore the 15th. You have not, I 
 find, heen spared by the climate. Well, I trust in the 
 favor of Heaven for the full re-establishment of your 
 health, through the same mercy to me that has granted 
 your recovery. My misery has been severe, from not 
 having heard from you for three weeks back. During 
 my anxiety for the cause of my disappointment, I attrib- 
 uted the latter to a relapse of Harman's sickness, which 
 much distressed me. There is certainly a Providence 
 which ordains, in compassion of our weaknesses, that we 
 shall sometimes dread calamities far less than that it is 
 pleased to conceal from us. But why do you permit your 
 concern for me to weaken your strength or deject your 
 spirits ? you might conclude from the papers, the worst 
 that can befall me is the loss of three or four months' 
 detention from you. To-morrow, I expect we will all be 
 discharged; after which nothing shall retard my return 
 to you, but the care I must give to your property and 
 affairs. Why fret about what you regard without due 
 consideration, the disappointment of that confidence you 
 have heedlessly placed in mankind? What claim could 
 your merits have upon the envy of upstarts? Is not the 
 sincere attachment of two or three friends of more value 
 than the momentary and lying attentions of the crowd ? 
 But why dwell as you do upon the Island? Have yon 
 forgotten Marietta and Wood county, or can you regen- 
 erate them ? or, if we should succeed to £G,000 or £7,000 
 a year, by the decease of Lord Oxmantown, etc., would 
 you bury it with ourselves on the Island? Compose your- 
 self, therefore, till we meet, if it should not be these six 
 
FRIENDSHIP PROVEN. 295 
 
 months; if we should still prefer a cabin near Fort 
 Adams, but six miles from the Mississippi swam.jp, where 
 none of us, please God, need fear to encounter the climate. 
 I rejoice to learn that 3-011 find a new friend to replace 
 some old ones, who have not stood the test. If H. has 
 not sunk the man in the merchant, he will prove a 
 brilliant exception to Harding's rule, pronounced against 
 the influence of mercantile habits and obscure birth. It 
 will be no consideration with him, that we may yet draw 
 for his indemnity upon other funds than our grateful 
 hearts. Harding's own rule will preserve him steadfast ; 
 but you should not mention to any living person the 
 pecuniary prospects opened to us, were it only the better 
 to enable us to prove the hearts of others, but also be- 
 cause it may not be realized. 
 
 It will not surprise you to learn that I have had unsolicit- 
 ed offers of horses and money, which I have declined. No 
 less than three Irishmen have come forward in this way ; 
 namely, Jas. O'llennessey, a Kerry-man, who never spoke 
 to me until he rode hither, 105 miles to see me ; Mr. Pat. 
 Hendren, a lawyer, in easy circumstances, settled thirty 
 miles from hence ; and Mr. Pierce Butler, whom I have 
 never seen, who resides in Philadelphia, is very wealthy, 
 
 and has made an unlimited offer through D . Mr. 
 
 Chevallier lent me $1,000 to-day, to send to a negro sale, 
 which I have not used, and shall return untouched; and, 
 while I was confined in the Penitentiary, General H. Lee 
 offered me similar aid through a friend. Thus we find a 
 few choice spirits to compensate for the inconstancy of 
 false friends. May they reconcile us to the world. 
 
296 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I have only written one letter by mail since I left the 
 Penitentiary. I missed two post-days through my attend- 
 ance on the court, or some other unavoidable occupation ; 
 but I confided two letters for you to private conveyance, 
 by Strickland and Col. McKee ; if you have not already 
 discontinued writing to me at this place, you will do so 
 from the time this reaches you. I shall possibly go to 
 Baltimore and Philadelphia before I see the Ohio ; if so, 
 I shall accompany Burr to one or the other, in a day or 
 two. I forbear to trouble you with my motives until I 
 can impart the result. # 
 
 Our long-protracted contest with the Government has 
 blasted Wilkinson's fame and credit, never to be revived, 
 though the investigations may not exhibit Burr's charac- 
 ter or designs unequivocally immaculate. But my name 
 has so regularly met your eye in the papers weekly, that 
 it was unnecessary to detail particulars ; you would, of 
 course, conclude I was daily present in court. As to my 
 health, I never enjoyed better ; though I had two or three 
 slight illnesses while in confinement, I have since recov- 
 ered much more flesh than I lost there. 
 
 Tuesday, 20th. — Since writing the above, yesterday 
 evening, I had a pretty long consultation with Burr, the 
 result of which is a more probable conjecture that I shall 
 go to Philadelphia with him, to try his success there in 
 raising some money for me. I will write frequently to 
 advise you of my movements. I have no words to ex- 
 press my feelings for Kitt} 7 Perry's kindness. I hope we 
 shall ever retain her attachment. 
 
 Your husband, If. Blenxerhassett. 
 
MEN OF TALENT. 297 
 
 For various reasons, which it is not necessary here to 
 enumerate,, the trials of Burr, Blennerhassett, Dayton, 
 John Smith of Ohio, Comfort Tyler, Israel Smith of New 
 York, and Davis Floyd, were postponed, from time to time, 
 until the third of August. From the fifth until the seven- 
 teenth of the month , the court was engaged in obtaining a 
 jury for the trial of Burr, and discussing points of law. 
 
 Never before, in the history of the country, was wit- 
 nessed so grand a displa} T of legal acumen and forensic 
 talent. Upon the bench sat the venerated Marshall, spot- 
 less in purity, and, for soundness of judgment, without 
 an equal. Calm, dignified, and attentive, he analyzed the 
 arguments of counsel, and noted their relevancy with the 
 nicety of a critic. At the bar was Wirt, whose fervid and 
 soul-thrilling eloquence, even on this very trial, placed 
 him at once among the first of American orators. With 
 a brilliancy of imagination which startled his auditors, 
 he swayed the minds of the jury with wonderful effect. 
 There, too, was Martin, who had been previously distin- 
 guished, in the trial of Judge Chase, before the United 
 States Senate. Every word that he uttered, like a two-! 
 edged sword, pierced the arguments of his opponents at! 
 every point. There was Hay ; always ready to take ad- 
 vantage of suspicious circumstances, and wield them, 
 with tenfold force, against the prisoner. There was Ran- 
 dolph, — slow, calculating, and careful ; building up the 
 vulnerable points of his case against the attacks of his 
 adversaries. There was Botts, — facetious and playful; 
 sometimes descending to the ludicrous, but often rising, 
 with convincing argument, to the grand. There was 
 Wickham, — dignified and commanding ; taking up his 
 
298 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 subject with a master hand, and holding it to view, in 
 every conceivable light. And there, too, was Burr, — 
 proudly pre-eminent, in point of intelligence, to his breth- 
 ren of the bar. He had been the Vice-President of the 
 United States. He was accused of the highest and dark- 
 est crime in the criminal code. He stood before the su- 
 preme tribunal of his country, with the eyes of the 
 nation gazing upon him. In the opinion of many, he 
 was already condemned. He had the talent and tact, 
 and the resources of the government, to contend against. 
 Every faculty of his mind was exerted in his own defense. 
 The magnitude of the charge ; the number of persons in- 
 volved; the former high standing and extraordinary 
 fortunes of the accused, had excited an interest in the 
 community, such as never before had been known. The 
 witnesses against him were mostly officers of the Govern- 
 ment, with whom, at one time or another, he had been in 
 some way connected. 
 
 For twenty-six days, the court was arduously engaged in 
 the investigation of the offense. The evidence of sixty wit- 
 nesses had to be examined and noted. Meanwhile, there 
 being no suitable quarters in the city, Burr was confined 
 in the Penitentiary, in the suburbs of Eichmond. Every 
 day lie was marched into court, on foot, escorted by a body- 
 guard of two hundred men, which would have done honor 
 to an eastern prince. On the first of September, the jury 
 returned a verdict — " that Aaron Burr is not proved to 
 be guilty, under the indictment, by any evidence submit ted 
 to us; we, therefore, find him not guilty." Burr objected 
 to the verdict, as being incorrect in point of form, and 
 asked that the same might be given in the usual way — 
 
NOT GUILTY. 299 
 
 simply, " Not Guilty." Mr. Hay answered, that, in fact 
 it was a verdict of acquittal ; and that it should be en- 
 tered in the jury's own words. 
 
 " There was no precise form of words by which the 
 jury should be governed." 
 
 " They have no right to return a written verdict at 
 all," replied Burr ; " they have no right to depart from 
 the usual form." He then called for the recital of the 
 common directions given the jury by the clerk. They 
 were read, and end as follows : 
 
 " If you find him guilty, you are to say so : if not 
 guilty, you are to say so, and no more." 
 
 " The jury can not be indulged," said Burr. " They 
 have defaced a paper belonging to the court, by writing 
 upon it words which they have no right to write. They 
 ought to be sent back." After a short consultation, it 
 was agreed that the simple verdict of " Not Guilty" 
 might be entered on the records of the court. 
 
 On the ninth of September, Burr was again arraigned, 
 upon an indictment for a misdemeanor, which consisted 
 of seven counts; the substance of which was, that Aaron 
 Burr did set on foot a military enterprise, to be carried 
 on against the territory of a foreign prince, viz., the prov- 
 ince of Mexico, which was within the territory of the King 
 of Spain, with whom the United States were at peace. 
 
 After the prosecution had examined some of their wit- 
 nesses, and the court had decided that the testimony of 
 others was not relevant, the District Attorney made a 
 motion to discharge the jury. To this motion Burr 
 objected; insisting upon a verdict. This was on the fif 
 teenth of the month. The court, being of opinion that 
 
300 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the jury could not, in this stage of the case, be discharged, 
 without the consent of the accused, accordingly retired, 
 and very soon returned with a verdict of " Not Guilty." 
 
 To Mrs. Blcnnerhassett. 
 
 Richmond, Va., Oct. 22d, 1807. 
 
 Ashley offers a desirable opportunity of informing you 
 of the effect of the final order of the court here, which 
 is, that Burr and myself are to be tried at Chillicothe, on 
 the first Monday in next January, for a misdemeanor. I 
 speak of the effect, because it is generally understood the 
 Government will drop all further proceedings. The judge 
 has given this as his private opinion off the bench. Hay 
 has expressed the same belief; and all further ideas of 
 prosecuting for treason must be at an end, as the judge, 
 in giving his opinion yesterday, declared no ground was 
 laid before him, by the evidence, to entertain a suspicion 
 of an overt act, having been committed, which was essen- 
 tial in making out the charge, though he thought proof 
 enough had been exhibited of a treasonable design. It is 
 therefore probable the recognizance I entered into yester- 
 day with Doctor Commins and Major Smith, my securi- 
 ties for my appearance at Chillicothe, will in the end be 
 of no other use than to enlarge the records of the court. 
 
 Thus, you perceive, I shall probably never again be a 
 prisoner, and will not be prevented from descending the 
 river, before it closes, if I do not learn, by intelligence 
 expected from the President the day after to-morrow, 
 through the Attorney-general, that Government intends 
 to abandon all further proceedings against lis. 
 
CALCULATIONS. 301 
 
 I think I shall go with " B." from hence, on Saturday, 
 for Philadelphia, four days journey thither, and a stay of 
 three or four days there will leave me a full month for 
 my journey to Marietta, the transacting of whatever busi- 
 ness I can finish in that quarter, and getting under way 
 afloat. 
 
 I will write a line, through the Federal city, to apprise 
 you of my freedom from further probable molestation 
 by Government, or obstruction in my journey to Natchez, 
 where I hope to arrive, not far from New- Year's day. 
 One way or the other, I am very anxious this informa- 
 tion should reach you before you misconstrue or brood 
 upon the statements you see in the papers of A. Burr and 
 myself, being here committed, or sent off to Ohio. My 
 chief object in going to Philadelphia is, to arrange my 
 pecuniary demands upon A. B., though only in the pros- 
 pect of securing them, and to raise by the friendships of 
 Mr. Butler, or Joe Lewis, as much cash as will enable me 
 to purchase a dozen slaves, whose hire or labor may give 
 us subsistence until we learn the result of our expecta- 
 tions from Ireland, and support our independence after 
 they may fail. I will dispatch my letter through the 
 Federal city this evening, but will not close this before 
 to-morrow, to collect further intelligence for you. 
 
 All friends of the Chief Justice here are as much dissat- 
 isfied with his opinion yesterday as Government has 
 been with all his former decisions. He is a good man, 
 and an able lawyer, but timid and yielding under the 
 fear of the multitude, led, as it were, by the vindictive 
 spirit of the party in power. But you will console your- 
 self in the assurance of my wanting nothing, through the 
 
302 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 support of many friends. And should my obligations, 
 under my recognizance, prevent my return to you, as I 
 had hoped above, you must yet weather it out, without, 
 attempting a voyage or a journey which, instead of 
 hastening our meeting, would possibly, at this season, 
 prevent it forever, in this world. 
 
 October 23d. — I shall be off to-morrow or next day, 
 with Dr. Commins, etc. He and myself are endeavoring 
 to procure some negroes in partnership, upon part credit, 
 but I can't answer for our success. I have no hopes of 
 learning here, as I expected, the designs of J. ; but if 
 they are hostile, I shall find means of effecting my 
 wishes, of which I have little doubt. Endeavor with 
 Capt. P. to procure us a lodging in his neighborhood; 
 it may be very convenient. You will hereafter learn the 
 motives of this suggestion, but I shall write more fully 
 from Philadelphia. 
 
 Saturday, 24th. — I leave this at 5 o'clock to-morrow 
 morning, in company with Dr. Commins ; Burr and L. 
 Martin followed next day. I shall stop a day at the 
 Federal city, to learn the disposition of Government, 
 where I have no doubt I shall obtain a release from all 
 further demands upon me in a criminal way ; but, if I am 
 not certified of this, I shall not yet be bereft of resources 
 to meet and indemnify you, in as reasonable a space of 
 time as you should expect. I have more to do to-night 
 than will give me half sleep. Farewell! I will write 
 from Philadelphia, if not sooner. 
 
 Your faithful husband, Har. Blenneriiassett. 
 
PRIVATE JOURNAL. 803 
 
 CHAPTER XIII. 
 
 [Blennerhassett's Private Journal, kept during the trial, wherein are 
 minutely narrated the incidents which occurred from the time of his 
 arrest, in Kentucky, until his discharge at Richmond.] 
 
 Richmond, Va., Aug. 4th, 1807. 
 We set out as usual from Scottsville before day, rode 
 
 twelve miles to breakfast, then proceeded to T 's, 
 
 eight miles on our way, where we rested one hour in ex- 
 cessive heat ; afterward, proceeded to Richmond, where 
 we arrived at forty-five minutes past 2, P. M. Distance 
 
 from Lexington, 564 miles. From T 's, Mr. Meade 
 
 sent a note to Major Scott, the federal Marshal for the 
 district of Virginia, to inform him of our approach. We 
 traveled this last stage as usual, until we got within 
 three-quarters of a mile of Manchester, where Mr. Meade 
 left us, at a turnpike gate, and rode off at a cpiiek pace. 
 
 Now Capt. took the command of the party, and 
 
 said to me that it would be proper to observe some order ; 
 to which I answered, I had no objection. He then ordered 
 Mr. Morton, the High Sheriff of Kentucky, and Mr. Wil- 
 lis Morgan, to form a file in front, Mr. McCally and Mr. 
 David Todd to form another in the rear, directing me to 
 ride single between the files, while he took his station in 
 front of the whole ; in this order he led the escort with 
 the prisoner, in an easy walk, under a broiling sun, over 
 
304 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 a road in which I was almost suffocated by the dust, 
 owing to a long drought with which the country seemed 
 to have been affected, and a smart breeze in our rear. 
 During this embarrassment I called to the gentlemen in 
 front of me to observe, " that I supposed it was not neces- 
 sary those in the rear should ride so close to me." They 
 did so, probably, from the Captain's having used the 
 words " close order " in forming the procession. Those 
 in front, however, Mr. Morton, or Mr. Morgan, answered 
 me in the negative ; upon which the rear file fell back a 
 few paces. "We continued still in the same order, in which 
 I endeavored to keep my station, as was assigned me, as 
 
 nearly as possible, until we drew near to M bridge, 
 
 over James river, when the Captain left his station in tbe 
 front and rode back to the rear, I suppose to order them 
 to ride closer up, for they immediately afterward did so. 
 We now reached the bridge, on which the Captain shook 
 hands with Col. Meyo, en passant, and telling him one of 
 the gentlemen in the rear would pay the toll, which Mr. 
 Todd did very expeditiously, without much deviation 
 from his station. We proceeded at the same gait, until 
 we entered the Main-street, commonly called the Brick- 
 row, where I was disappointed to see no particular notice 
 taken of the party, except by a little boy, who called out 
 to some of his comrades, " 0, see the troop of horse, but 
 they have forgot their colors ! " The walking gait was 
 still preserved until we got in sight of the Washington 
 tavern, when the Captain was pleased to trot up to the 
 house, in which pace we followed him as closely as possi- 
 ble. On alighting from my horse, I was welcomed by 
 Mr. Meade, in the presence of many gentlemen standing 
 
OLD FRIENDS. 305 
 
 in the portico. He then asked me to go up stairs, ordered 
 dinner, etc., after which he delivered me into the custody 
 of the Deputy Marshal of the Virginia district, by whom 
 I was conducted in a carriage to the Penitentiary, Mr. 
 Meade and the Captain accompanying me. In the even- 
 ing I was visited by Mr. Alston, Mr. Mercer and Mr. 
 Randolph; the latter having obligingly tendered me his 
 services and advice as a lawyer. Here my apartments 
 are large and convenient, but very warm, from the hight 
 of the windows preventing a free admission of air. The 
 Deputy Marshal, on taking charge of me, read a warrant 
 by Judge Marshall, but refused to leave it, or a copy, 
 with me. 
 
 Wednesday, August 5, 1807. 
 
 I slept until 7 o'clock ; had a light breakfast this morn- 
 ing from the tavern ; hired a servant at $13 a month, by 
 the week, he finding himself; was visited by Mr. Julian 
 Dandridge, with whom I used to assist here, seven years 
 ago, at the Harmonic Society ; by Prichard, the book- 
 seller, whose hospitality I remember then to have re- 
 ceived, and who tendered me his best services, reminding 
 me of some pecuniary accommodation I had conferred 
 upon him, which I had forgotten. Visited again by Mr. 
 Alston, who brought me a letter from Col. Burr; also, by 
 Dudley "Woodbridge, jun., Edmond Dana, with letters from 
 Miller and Col. dishing, by Mr. John Banks, who re- 
 minded me of my gold chronometer in his possession, and 
 by Mr. Craughton, who conferred groat civilities on me 
 seven years ago at Fredericksburg, and now warmly ten- 
 dered me his best services. Mr. Alston repeated orally 
 20 
 
306 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to me the necessity Col. Burr observed in his letter for 
 my employing counsel, as the only proper intermedium 
 of our communications. I assured him I was very de- 
 sirous of such aid, but was determined not to strengthen 
 my defense, however disastrous the issue of it might 
 prove, by drawing from the exigencies and sympathies of 
 my family a single dollar to defray its charges. He still 
 urged me to write a few lines to Mr. Botts, which I did. 
 stating that I was solicitous of the aid of Mr. B.'s talents 
 on terms I wished to propose to him in person. On Mr. 
 B.'s appearance soon after in my room, I stated to him 
 that Col. Burr and Mr. Alston had expressed a desire 
 that I would employ him, though they were apprised of 
 my determination not to spend a dollar on my defense, 
 being a resolution the exigencies of my family imposed 
 upon me, but Mr. Alston having assured me Col. Burr 
 would arrange the matter with Mr. Botts, I wished Mr. 
 B. to believe I should regard the aid of his talents on my 
 trial as most beneficial to my interests, and flattering to 
 my wishes. Mr. B. handsomely replied to me, by assuring 
 me that he would think it dishonorable to withhold his 
 professional aid from my inability to make him a pe- 
 cuniary compensation. I returned, that from the state 
 of my affairs that inability would probably be permanent, 
 and again referred him to the contingency of Col. Burr's 
 or Mr. Alston's remunerating him on my account, as well 
 as on Col. Burr's, as it was in this, view, and at their 
 special instance I had given him the trouble of calling 
 upon me, though I could sincerely assure him that, Avere I 
 in circumstances to remunerate him in a degree propor- 
 tional to the sense T entertained of his talents, etc., he 
 
IN PRISON. 307 
 
 would be one of the first counsel I should employ. Mr. 
 B. seemed perfectly satisfied, and was pleased to say he 
 would, with my leave, bring Mr. Wickham to sec me, 
 who, he was sure, would be happy to assist me in the 
 same way with himself. I thanked this generous and 
 enlightened stranger with all that awkward embarrass- 
 ment with which the impetuosity of gratitude suffused 
 my countenance, making every pore of my face an outlet 
 to the now of my heart, which found too narrow an issue 
 at my mouth. It will soon appear how necessary it was 
 to explain the occasion and manner of my interview with 
 Mr. B. I took this opportunity to observe to Mr. Botts, 
 that Mr. Edmond Randolph had last evening called upon 
 me, and obligingly tendered his advice, by which I said I 
 could not presume to suppose Mr. R. meant I should con- 
 sider him as my counsel, gratuitously engaged to defend 
 me on my trial. Mr. Botts was in the act of taking leave 
 when I made this remark to him, which prevented my 
 distinctly understanding his reply. I was visited this 
 evening by my Lexington escort, en masse, who took the 
 opportunity to inspect the building and the armory, took 
 their grog, and then took leave. Morton, who arrested 
 me so rudely, while engaged in conversation with Mrs. 
 
 Jourdan, and Miss Van P 1, at Lexington, endeavored, 
 
 by the most assiduous attentions on the road, to repair 
 that outrage, and now, I thought, exhibited in his coun- 
 tenance every concern for my situation. I find I have 
 every liberty allowed me but that of passing from under 
 this roof by day, or out of my room by night, the door 
 being locked upon me at 8 o'clock, and opened at sunrise. 
 I have got a supply of groceries and liquors; my dinner 
 
308 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 is furnished by the tavern, and I have every prospect of 
 living well. This evening I have inclosed various papers 
 to Mr. Alston, showing him how my property has been 
 sacrificed on the Ohio, and praying his aid to recover it 
 for my children, by virtue of his responsibility for my 
 indorsement of Col. Burr's protested bills. Continued 
 my labors to comfort my poor wife, by another page of a 
 close written letter, and went to bed at midnight. 
 
 Thursday, August 6, 1807. 
 
 Woke this morning with severe headache and general 
 lassitude ; took a little breakfast, with no appetite. At 
 10, A. M., took a small dose of medicine ; repeated at 
 noon ; had a long conversation with Alston, in which he 
 expressed great concern for the embarrassments occa- 
 sioned me by my indorsements of the bills ; declaring 
 that, for my sake, he would do any thing in his power, 
 observing, however, that it was impracticable to raise 
 money in South Carolina by sale or mortgage of lands ; 
 that through his anxiety to have all the protested bills 
 taken up, he now had a friend employed in this town, 
 endeavoring to raise as much money as would cover all 
 the demands ; that I shall learn the result to-day or to- 
 morrow, which, if successful, would remove all difficul- 
 ties. I proposed to him an alienation to me on some of 
 fehe holders of the bills of some negroes to be sold at 
 JSTatchez, where, I suggested, he might avail himself of 
 the advance they would fetch upon their value in Caro- 
 lina, and by that means he would probably sink half the 
 demands upon him; but after some consideration, he 
 stated the value of slaves in Carolina full as high as it is 
 
HIGGLING. 309 
 
 at Natchez; and at last observed, that his estates needed 
 more slaves for their cultivation than he owned. He 
 offered, however, to assume all the demands upon me, if 
 the creditors will accept one-half, payable with interest, 
 next January twelvemonth ; the other half, etc., the 
 January following. But my children's property is, ami 
 will be, irrevocably sacrificed in the mean time. 
 
 Quicquid delirant Reges plectuntur Acbivi. 
 
 Mr. A. next referred to a memorandum he had in his 
 pocket of spme inquiries to be made of me on the part of 
 Col. Burr, of which two are remarkable : first, had I 
 written, or would I write, to Emmett, to come to the 
 trial ? second, in what instance did I intend, when I ob- 
 served to Mr. Edm. Randolph, that " Col. Burr had 
 sometimes been too cautious ; sometimes, too little so ? " 
 To the first I answered, " that I had no doubt Emmett's 
 friendship for me would bring him hither to assist in my 
 defense, if he thought I stood in need of him ; but as I 
 was, on the one hand, determined to expend no money in 
 my own defense, I was, on the other, equally averse to 
 bringing my friend on a journey from his large family, or 
 withdrawing his industry from that harvest on which 
 alone that family depended for their support ; but could 
 I engage Mr. Emmett at a suitable compensation, I would 
 write to him forthwith." Mr. A. said, "his expenses 
 should be paid." I replied, I could not say what Mr. 
 Emmett might understand by the term expenses ; but T 
 was sure he would never hand in an account of his 
 tavern-bills or traveling charges. I must, therefore, at 
 
310 THE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 present, decline to disturb him. Mr. A. Avas now led by 
 some association of ideas to remark, that Messrs. Randolph 
 and Botts had signified to Col. Burr or himself, that, when 
 they offered their professional services to me, I seemed 
 rather to desire to decline them, or consider them as in- 
 trusive. This evening, Mr. Botts brought Mr. Wickham 
 to my room, when I asked Mr. Botts " if he understood 
 me in the sense Mr. Alston said he did ? " On the con- 
 trary, Mr. Botts declared he did not; nor did he think 
 Mr. Randolph did. Mr. Wickham added a few words in 
 compliment of my candor, and said all three considered 
 themselves voluntarily engaged, without any expectation 
 of pecuniary compensation from me. In answer to the 
 second inquiry, I informed Mr. Alston that in making' 
 use of the expressions reported to Col. Burr by Mr. Ran- 
 dolph, I alluded to no particular instances, but could 
 easily cite some. I then instanced the confidence reposed 
 by Mr. Burr in General Wilkinson, on which Col. Burr 
 had known my opinion long since, and the committal of 
 himself to Col. Morgan and sons, both as examples of 
 defect of caution on his part, and was proceeding with 
 equal ease to call up errors of an opposite nature (God 
 knows, I know a hundred, both ways), when I was stop- 
 ped by Mr. A.'s shaking his head, expressing his assent 
 to my remarks on Wilkinson, and interrupting me by 
 saying : " Mrs. Blennerhassett had good reason for her 
 opinion of Col. Morgan." I was the less scrupulous to 
 enter explicitly upon these explanations for the satisfac- 
 tion of Col. Burr and Mr. A., because I did not feel that 
 Col. Burr had ever suffered as vet from any avoidable 
 
" serpent's tooth." 311 
 
 indiscretion of mine; though I was likely to do so far 
 more than I had done already by his errors. I suspected 
 that he had sent Mr. Edm. Randolph to deliver me a lec- 
 ture on caution : and, above all, I should, least of all ex- 
 amples I could imagine, wish to emulate the caution Mr. 
 A. has exhibited to the world. Him, therefore, I re- 
 garded as the most improper organ of Col. Burr's wishes ; 
 nor was I yet without another motive. I had occasion to 
 inform Mr. A., when on the subject of the protested bills, 
 that Mr. Barton, who had had an interview here with 
 Col. Burr on that business, informed me at Lexington 
 that Col. Burr told him I was a bankrupt, not worth a 
 dollar, or other words fully of the same import, which 
 Mr. Barton protested he would, at any time or place, 
 repeat and support. Bankrupt! Hah! Who made me 
 so? God of retributive justice! That Col. Burr also 
 declared to him that he did not believe Mr. Alston had 
 executed any writing by which he, Alston, could be bound 
 to me. What ! did his memory, perhaps the most ener- 
 getic of all his talents, here lose its polish by the abrasion 
 of his own calamities? Did he forget that he himself 
 drafted that very paper, after having considered another 
 which Mr. A. had written as insufficient? But Mr. Bar- 
 ton has shown him a copy of the original, and he has 
 probably recognized his own composition. 
 
 Received some visits this evening; could get no tea, 
 because Mr. Douglas, the keeper, and Harwood, one of 
 his assistants, were out, and another turnkey, with whom 
 I had not yet got acquainted, would lock me up at night- 
 fall. Headache still continued. I went to bed about 10, 
 being unable to write. 
 
312 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Friday, August 7, 1807. 
 
 "Was visited by Mr. Mercer, who staid nearly one hour 
 with me ; begged, on the part of a lady unknown to me, 
 who did not wish to have her name mentioned, I would ac- 
 cept of soups and jellies from her, if they were desired by 
 my appetite or state of health. I told Mr. M. my grati- 
 tude impelled me to take a liberty with the lady, which I 
 hoped her goodness would pardon. It was to engrave 
 her name on the tablets of my heart, and enable my 
 family to consecrate it in their regards. He then men- 
 tioned Mrs. Carrington. I prayed him to offer, in his 
 own manner, a more just return of my sentiments than I 
 could express. Soon after, Mr. Ormsby, of Louisville, 
 Kentucky, called upon me to show me a letter signed 
 H. L., directed to him by General Henry Lee, stating that 
 he understood H. B., meaning myself, was friendless in 
 this place, and tendering with warmth any sendees I 
 might stand in need of. This offer I declined, charging 
 Mr. 0. with a suitable verbal answer of grateful acknowl- 
 edgments to the General, of whom Mr. O. cautioned me 
 t<> bew^are in case of any dealing with him, at the same 
 time acquainting me that the character of the General 
 was, as I had long before been apprised, that of a man 
 equally violent in his friendships and his enmities. From 
 the numerous instances of a violation of private eonfi- 
 dence and public faith that have of late disgraced the 
 Government and the country, by liberties that have been 
 taken or permitted at the Post-offices, I procured, through 
 the friendship of Mr. Mercer, the means of sending my 
 letters and receiving those from my wife, through R. 
 
INDIGNANT. 313 
 
 Taylor, Esq., attorney at law, Alexandria. Closed a long 
 letter to my wife, begun as long ago as Tuesday evening, 
 on my arrival in this place. Began to brief my case for 
 my counsel, of which I finished first folio. Have not 
 seen or heard from Mr. Alston, or Col. Burr, to-day. 
 Received the papers, and continued this journal until past 
 midnight. 
 
 Saturday, August 8, 1807. 
 
 Overslept myself this morning. Spent more time than 
 I could well spare in getting combed and shaved. Read 
 the papers, the Federal one stating that they learn my 
 arrival here ; that I speak confidently of my innocence, 
 and desire a speedy investigation. Those on the other 
 side, dropping the "Mister," mention my name in con- 
 formity to the style of the President; and his Wood 
 county myrmidons insinuate that I was caught, as it 
 were, fortunately in Kentucky, from which I was brought 
 hither under guard, meaning, no doubt, like a felon or 
 convict, as I should be. For to-day, my only visitor was 
 Mr. Hendren, a lawyer, who resides in Charles City 
 county, and has generously offered to come to town, and 
 live at his own expense, whenever I will permit him to 
 serve me. Mr. H. repeated assurances, which had before 
 been made to me by Mr. John Banks and Mr. Ormsby, 
 that the jury, not only so far as that part of the panel 
 that was returned from Wood county, but all the rest 
 that completed it, from the body of the state, was grossly 
 packed, with the exception of not more than two or three ; 
 that Col. Burr and myself could not be too much on our 
 guard, for he was persuaded that every Democrat, to a 
 man, now in this town, was thirsting for our blood, and 
 
314 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 "John Jourdan," who has returned here to-day from 
 Wood county, has told me this evening he has brought 
 with him ample evidence of the most damning manoeu- 
 vres and intrigues that have been practiced in that (pun- 
 ter. Say, Thos. Jefferson ! thou philanthropic messenger 
 of peace and liberty to this favored country ! under thy 
 administration, arc these things unknown to thy tender 
 heart, or are they the unhallowed doings of thy worthy 
 and industrious partisans, to overcharge or adorn the can- 
 vass already burdened with the splendor of thy renown ? 
 The papers will inform my friends of the progress and 
 conduct of the trial of A. Burr; but perhaps the}' may 
 learn only from these notes, that the issue of it, whether 
 it prove serious or comical, will be the product of error 
 in the grand jury that found the treason bills; for two of 
 the most respectable and influential of that body, since it 
 has been discharged, have declared they mistook the 
 meaning of Chief Justice Marshall's opinion as to what 
 sort of acts amounted to treason in this country, in the 
 case of Swartwout and Ogden ; that it was under the in- 
 fluence of this mistake they concurred in finding such a 
 bill against A. Burr, which otherwise would have prob- 
 ably been ignored. I am well to-day, and had a keen 
 appetite at dinner; soon after which, Jourdan stepped in, 
 but with no particular news regarding my affairs on the 
 Ohio. Saw Robinson and Mr. Simpson summoned with 
 him, on the part of Col. Burr. 
 
 Sunday, August 9, 1807. 
 Visited by Prichard, at 9 o'clock, A. M. He stayed 
 fully two hours, during which he confirmed many former 
 
VEXATIOUS DELAY. 315 
 
 accounts given me of the meanness and cowardice of Jef- 
 ferson's Attorney General, George Hay, whose insolence 
 to poor Prichard, some years ago, occasioned P. to throw 
 a plate at his head, which terminated the affair, and kept 
 Mr. Attorney, ever after, within the bounds of civility. 
 P. informed me, negroes now sell in this place at the 
 same prices they could he bought at when I was here 
 before, seven years ago. He has offered to get me a 
 woman, aged about thirty years, with two sons, twelve 
 and eight years old, belonging to his sister-in-law, for 
 $500. Eh ! Mr. Alston, are negroes so much lower here 
 than in South Carolina ? He has also promised to get 
 me Molly's three children, two girls and a boy, if the 
 owners will part with them, upon like reasonable terms — 
 as he thinks they will. After P. left me, I continued the 
 briefing of my case for my counsel, and completed the 
 third folio. If the prosecutors attempt again, to-morrow, 
 to put off the trial to a fourth adjournment, I shall not 
 think it unwarrantable to begin to suspect they fear to 
 advance upon the ground they 've taken, lest the mines 
 of Mexico, or of Tartarus, be sprung upon them. This 
 suspicion seems to be somewhat countenanced by the cir- 
 cumstance of their being correctly informed of the places 
 where General Dayton has been for several days, and 
 will continue, near this town, without the Marshal, who 
 is certainly a vicious partisan, having yet made any 
 attempt to disturb him ; while the once redoubted Eaton :;: 
 has dwindled down in the eyes of this sarcastic town, 
 into a ridiculous mountebank, strutting about the streets, 
 
 * American Consul at Tunis. 
 
316 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 under a tremendous hat, with a Turkish sash over colored 
 clothes, when he is not tippling in the taverns, where he 
 otters up with his libations the bitter effusions of his 
 sorrows, in audibly bewailing to the sympathies of the 
 bystanders — " that he is despised by the Federalists, mis- 
 trusted by the Democrats, and heu I too long for his fame, 
 "too long for his purse," "Quis talia fando temperet a 
 lachrymis." 
 
 General Dayton, however, I hear, will offer himself up 
 to-morrow, or the next day, and will therefore live rent- 
 free like myself, for some time ; but how far reasons of 
 State may prevent my partaking of his society here, I can 
 not yet tell. It is now 11 o'clock, P. M. I will walk 
 about for some time with a fan, and then endeavor to 
 sleep, to preserve my strength and appetite. 
 
 Monday, August 10, 1807. 
 
 Rose at 6, A. M., dressed, and walked until 8. Had a 
 
 call from Col. Q r, a violent Democrat, who calls 
 
 every one " Tory " that is not of his own party, and 
 talked a great deal about ruining England in the expected 
 war with the United States. D. Woodbridge stepped in 
 while I was at breakfast, and returned me in frames the 
 
 two drawings presented me by Miss Vanpool at C , 
 
 Col. Meade's place, near Lexington, the day I left that 
 
 town under guard for this city. After Q r took leave, 
 
 D. Woodbridge informed me, he was told some time since 
 by Col. Morgan, a subpoena had actually been dispatched, 
 a fortnight past, to Natchez for my wife, and he heard 
 somebody say last evening, General Wilkinson had assert- 
 ed the same thing. I immediately addressed a letter to 
 
IN COURT. 317 
 
 Messrs. Randolph, Wickham and Botts, stating this in- 
 telligence, and appealing to their feelings to vindicate, 
 from this outrage of party, the rights of a wife and the 
 fundamental principles of law and justice. Mr. Mercer 
 called in as I was folding up the letter, and kindly took 
 upon himself the charge of delivering it for me, as well 
 as of inquiring at the Post-office for any letters he could 
 bring me from thence. 
 
 I had but half finished the last sentence but one, when 
 I heard the voices of strangers coming up stairs, and Mr. 
 Douglas entered my room with one of the Deputy Mar- 
 shals, to invite me to take an airing, that is, to attend the 
 court. I was ready in three minutes, and on reaching 
 the outside gate, perceived a carriage and two horse- 
 guards in waiting. I stepped in, found the air and exer- 
 cise very agreeable ; was told by the way, I should have 
 the trouble to pass through a large crowd, to which I 
 answered, " I was indifferent," and soon arrived at the 
 capitol, where, without doors, I did not perceive near as 
 many people as I expected ; within, the court is held in 
 the Hall of the Assembly, which is spacious and hand- 
 some, and was pretty full at my entrance. I was first led 
 by the Deputy Marshal below the bar ; soon after, some- 
 body else invited me to walk within it, pointing to a 
 bench; and again, I was directed to walk to the opposite 
 side, directly in front of the Chief Justice's seat, where I 
 sat down near a table at which Col. Burr's counsel sit. 
 The court was not yet opened ; I was soon accosted, suc- 
 cessively, by Messrs. Randolph, Wickham and Botts, who 
 all inquired, what occasioned my appearance in court; I 
 said I was ignorant, but supposed for arraignment. The 
 
318 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 counsel did not know I had been furnished three days 
 ago with a copy of the indictment ; but I told them I had 
 not yet received a list of the witnesses that might be 
 called to testify against me, which I submitted to them, 
 whether I was entitled to before arraignment. I then 
 entered into a conversation, upon a hint from him in 
 French, with Mr. Wickham, who, upon a first address to 
 a stranger, possessed a talent of infusing into his manner 
 an air of ease and friendly interest, that is truly adapted 
 at once to engage the hearts of his acquaintance. Some 
 considerable time after the court opened, it was engaged 
 in a desultory way, with applications from jurors to be 
 excused from serving on the trial of A. Burr, on various 
 grounds, and excused. During such occupation, Col. 
 Burr entered ; came over to that side where I was, shook 
 me by the hand, and smilingly said, he was extremely 
 glad to see me indeed. Observe, I had not before heard 
 from him since Thursday. The prosecuting counsel 
 seemed occupied with those of the defendant, A. Burr, in 
 completing those lists of the witnesses, with the places 
 of their abode, and agreeing upon some form of an ac- 
 knowledgment to be made by A. B., that he had been 
 duly served with the same, for which the court was pa- 
 tiently waiting, when Mr. Hay coolly observed, " that it 
 might, in the mean time, be as well to arraign Mr. Blen- 
 uerhassett;" to which Mr. Botts objected, for want of 
 preparation by me and ni}' counsel. Mr. Hay replied, 
 that if it was not done to-day, a great deal of time would 
 be lost. Mr. B. said he could not help it, it would be im- 
 proper; on which Mr. Hay returned, " that I might then 
 be remanded," which T booh after solicited, from the 
 
MR. THOMPSON. 319 
 
 warmth of the place and a wish to get back to my writ- 
 ing. I therefore left the court, having bowed to the 
 bench, under charge of another Deputy Marshal, and 
 another gentleman, with whom I returned hither on foot, 
 much heated by the walk, about fifteen minutes past 2. 
 Saw and saluted many faces on leaving the court ; among 
 them, ¥m. Lewis, who appeared glad to see me, and in- 
 quired particularly for my family ; also, David "Wallace, 
 who arrived yesterda} 7 . Dined with less appetite than I 
 had yesterday ; oppressed in the evening by the heat of 
 the weather; tried to get cool, by walking and fanning, 
 but was so weak I was obliged to lie down on the floor, 
 where I slept, I know not how long, until I was awak- 
 ened by the name of Mrs. Alston, at which I started up, 
 as if electrified, and perceived a servant of hers with a 
 large present of oranges, lemons and limes. Wrote her, 
 in form of a card, three lines of devotion and gratitude, 
 seizing the opportunity of inquiring after Alston, who is 
 confined to the house, to pray her to let me hear again 
 from her to-morrow. Drank tea as usual, at nightfall, 
 and was soon after locked up. Through excessive heat, 
 I have written the sixth folio of my brief, and will now 
 try to sleep, it being 2 o'clock, the 11th. 
 
 Tuesday, August 11, 1807. 
 
 Rose late. Saw Jourdan while at breakfast. He re- 
 mained all day to copy my brief. Visited in the evening 
 by Dav. and Eobert Wallace, with P. Howe. Had a 
 friendly, sympathizing letter from Mr. Wm. Thompson, a 
 lawyer of handsome talents, though a violent Democrat, 
 the brother of the author of the Letters of Curtius. 1 
 
320 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 got acquainted with him at Abington, on the road hither. 
 I do not hear any more of Mrs. Alston's intention to 
 attend the trial of her father. I hope neither will add 
 this to the many indiscretions already committed by him. 
 Jupiter might invisibly elude the guards of Danae, but 
 the bonne amie of the Col. does not I suppose occasionally 
 pass his keepers with the same address. Proh pudor! 
 Worked to-day chiefly on my brief, of which I have to- 
 night, past 12, entered on the eleventh folio. 
 
 Wednesday, August 12, 1807. 
 
 Rose at 7, A. M. Was visited by Dav. Meade, who 
 tells me himself and the guard that escorted me hither 
 from Kentucky will be allowed only one-half of what 
 they expected, namely, instead of 10, only 5 cents per 
 mile for coming and returning ; and he expects his bill 
 against the United States will not be paid under two 
 years after his having advanced his money for them : also, 
 he understands the Marshal, Major Scott, will not pay 
 Burr's witnesses, while he answers all the calls of those 
 on the part of the prosecution. Does a culprit, then, 
 with an empty purse, look in vain to the provisions of the 
 Constitution, which declare " that the accused shall have 
 compulsory process to enable him to enforce the attend- 
 ance of his witnesses ;" and may he be hanged for want 
 of money, as well as of innocence? I fear the murmurs 
 of agents and returning officers will be so widely diffused, 
 that no one will undertake to serve subpoenas for me on 
 witnesses, however material to my defense, while I will 
 not lay out a dollar for promoting its success. A consid- 
 erable fall of rain last night and this morning has very 
 
FALSE WITNESS. 321 
 
 agreeably lowered the temperature of the air, the high 
 degree of which has, for a week past, been so very op- 
 pressive. I have had, by Mr. Meade, another advance 
 from female humanity. Mrs. Chevalier, wife of the 
 French Consul, has solicited by him my acceptance of 
 any refreshments or delicacies she could send me. Read 
 the three papers published here, of which the " Inquirer," 
 incorrectly, and rather impertinently, notices the occasion 
 of my counsel's declining to permit me to be arraigned 
 last Monday. "Was interrupted by idle visitors, desirous 
 of gratifying their curiosity to survey my countenance 
 and quarters. One of them, a rejected juryman from 
 Wood county, of the name of Morrison, with whom I 
 am not acquainted ; the others, strangers to me, and came, 
 like many others before them, without recommendation, 
 to solicit employment of serving subpoenas on witnesses. 
 Had a friendly visit in the evening from Mr. Fowler, in 
 company with Jourdan, and procured, through a friend, 
 copies of the depositions, before the grand jury, of Peter 
 Taylor, Jacob Albright, and David Wallace. The first 
 having sworn that I told him we would stab all those that 
 went with us to get land, and would not go on our expe- 
 dition ; the second, that General Tupper arrested me on 
 the " Island " the night I left it, from which I effected 
 my escape by my friends directly presenting six guns at 
 the General ; and the third, that I offered him the post 
 of Surgeon General, if he would embark in the expedi- 
 tion. " God of Truth and Justice !" avenge such mur- 
 derous villainies in mercy ; and then, my beloved wife, 
 behold and adore a guardian Providence, that ordains the 
 
 conviction of perjury to issue in the same breath from 
 21 
 
322 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the lips of falsehood accusing the innocent. Mr. Fowler 
 assures me Mr. Hay begins to feel sick of the business, 
 and doubts not a nolle prosequi will be entered on the rec- 
 ords, on Burr's acquittal of the treason. 
 
 Thursday, August 13, 1807. 
 
 Rose at half-past 6 ; walked, dressed and breakfasted. 
 Had a friendly letter from Prichard, requesting me to 
 command his heart and hand ; also a long letter, sent by 
 Phelps, but lastly from Col. Burr, from Tom Neale, con- 
 fessing, at last, that 'twas he bought Ransom, whom he 
 will return to my wife or to myself at the same price he 
 gave for him. Heard by letter from Col. Burr, in answer 
 to one I wrote to him, covering another for him to for- 
 ward, if he wished it, to Mr. Hendren, requesting him to 
 come to town, to assist Burr with his knowledge of the 
 jurymen. Heard that Alston is to-day confined to his 
 bed. Visited by David Meade, with two gentlemen of 
 his acquaintance, summoned as talesmen, or on another 
 venire -pro defectum juratorwn, on the last. To one of 
 these, finding he was acquainted with Will. Thompson, I 
 was fortunate, in procuring an opportunity, connected 
 with the subject of conversation, to show Mr. T.'s hand- 
 some letter to me. As this party were taking leave, 
 Messrs. Wickham and Botts appeared at the door; they 
 seemed pleased to find the ennui of my confinement 
 relieved by company ; sat half an hour, during which 
 they told me, they understood the Hendersons would 
 swear much against me, but seemed to think with me, 
 their story could bear but little on either count of the 
 indictment. They concurred in opinion, that I should 
 
WILKINSON. 323 
 
 not hurry my trial, but should rather wait until party 
 prejudice was more allayed, and the great crowd of wit- 
 nesses now in town somewhat dispersed. They continued 
 to me the fact of a subpoena having been actually issued 
 for my wife, her name being one on the list of witnesses 
 furnished to A. Burr. My complaints on this head they 
 seemed to regard as irremediable, because A. Burr is not 
 her husband. In how many instances is the letter of the 
 law at war with common sense, and its own principles ? 
 Are not all accomplices principals in treason? are not 
 Burr and myself charged by exactly similar indictments 
 with the same overt acts, at the same place ; and, conse- 
 quently, can the same jury, if I should choose it, or any 
 other in my case, shut their eyes to testimony upon which 
 Burr may be by possibility convicted? I hinted these 
 ideas to these generous and accomplished advocates ; 
 their silence seemed only to reply, sed ita lex scrlpta est. 
 They, however, were of opinion that the helpless state 
 of the children would justify her non-compliance with 
 the summons. The moment they left me, therefore, I 
 dispatched a few lines to her to that effect, which I hope 
 were time enough at the office to go by this evening's 
 mail. The slow march of the trial, I am told, has put 
 Wilkinson out of all patience. He has been heard to 
 swear in his wrath, that if Burr is not hanged, he cares 
 not how soon himself were stretched on the same gal- 
 lows. Mr. Botts said he saw the "Querist" at old Hen- 
 derson's, and will advise my presence in court when the 
 sons are produced to give their testimony. Progressed 
 with my brief, of which I entered on the thirteenth folio, 
 bringing the narrative of the case, so far as I hope I can 
 
t 
 324 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 prove it, down to the period of my first interview with 
 Graham, on Burr's affairs at Marietta, in last November. 
 I learn or conclude by letters I have received, that old 
 Richard Neale and James Wilson must be in town ; I 
 have as yet seen neither. Jourdan tells me, Burr lives in 
 great style, and sees much company within his gratings, 
 where it is as difficult to get an audience as if he really 
 were an Emperor. If these things be so well founded, as 
 is the hint in last Tuesday's notes, I fear Wm. Thompson 
 is sketching his portraits of the characters connected 
 with the trial too far West, not to lose some lines of cer- 
 tain features that would not escape his pencil if he 
 were here. 
 
 Friday, August 14, 1807. 
 
 Went down to the kitchen after breakfast, in this wing 
 of the building, my servant having gone to town to beg 
 of one of the cooks there to request a keeper to bring 
 the barber to shave me. Cooks were preparing the din- 
 ner for the convicts now confined here, to the number of 
 about 130. This meal, I learned, generally consisted of 
 three-quarters of a pound of meat, one and a half pints of 
 soup,, and one pint of corn-meal dough, which suffers by 
 baking a diminution of one quarter of the weight. The 
 breakfast, the only other meal allowed in the twenty-four 
 hours, consists of the like quantity of the same sort of 
 bread, and half a gill of molasses, diluted with a pint of 
 water. Not having before spoken of the police of this 
 establishment, I will now mention what has fallen under 
 my own observation regarding it. The convicts are con- 
 fined, for various terms of years, according to their several 
 
PRISON DISCIPLINE. 325 
 
 offenses, for which the heaviest sentence is, I believe, for 
 the space of eighteen years. They are kept to labor in 
 the respective trades or occupations they had been bred 
 to, with no allowance of rest on any day, but Sunday, 
 except during meals, being set to work at daylight, and 
 leaving off at sunset. The present keeper is a smart, in- 
 telligent man, who tells me, before he came here, the 
 value of the annual labor of the prisoners did not exceed 
 $5,000; the expenses being nearly, as at present, $11,500. 
 But he speaks confidently of raising the former, in his first 
 year, to $14,500. I believe great diligence will be neces- 
 sary in him to effect it. The men have not now, as under 
 his predecessor, the benefit of any work they might try to 
 do, over and above the limits of their task. Mr. Douglas 
 assigns two curious reasons for discontinuing that little 
 indulgence to these wretches ; 1st, that it was found to 
 occasion expense to the State, by encouraging some folks 
 to commit and confess small offenses, in order to get 
 boarded here gratis for six or twelve months, when they 
 would be turned out, with a sum of money in their 
 pockets, for their extra labor during their confinement, 
 which they would soon renew in the same way ; 2d, 
 that those confined for a long term of years would prob- 
 ably soon debilitate themselves through this stimulus, to 
 an increase of industry, by which their maintenance 
 would become a dead charge, without any return to the 
 State. The stimuli of Mr. D„, therefore, or his superiors 
 through him, are dark confinement in the cells, and the 
 cow-skin, with short allowance of bread and water, which 
 is not very well calculated, to prevent the last evil — the 
 debility — now sought to be avoided. My unfortunate 
 
326 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 barber, I hope, fell on a lucky day for his punishment, 
 well or ill deserved, for I was soon told in the kitchen 
 that he was in the cells ; but expressing my concern for 
 the poor fellow's misfortune, one of the cooks stepped 
 out, I suppose, to signify to the proper authority the ma- 
 turity of my beard, no doubt, rather than the expression 
 of my sorrow; and, in ten minutes, Vaun was in my 
 room with his whole apparatus. This Vaun, my friends, 
 is only here for eighteen years, merely for cutting his 
 wife's throat, with precisely the same sort of instrument 
 with which he operates most delicately on mine, every 
 other day. Nor do the largest cities I have ever lived in 
 boast an artist, in his line, that should supplant him in 
 my favor. The physiognomy of his countenance, and the 
 steadiness of his hand, with the keenness of his instru- 
 ment, admirably correspond with the firmness and sensi- 
 bility of his heart — would to Heaven I could add, its 
 purity. But hideous jealousy entered there, and goaded 
 this wretch to murder and madness. A gentleman of 
 Petersburg, who called in last evening with David Meade, 
 assured me that Vaun, on the day he killed his wife, sat 
 at his door for an hour or two, showing the bloody razor 
 to the passengers in the street, and telling them how he 
 had used it. The gentleman declared, had he been of 
 the jury, he should not have concurred in the conviction. 
 This convict is black, was born free, lived in good circum- 
 stances, has been to Europe, and always supported an 
 excellent character. Poor Vaun ! the gloom of thy soul 
 is now as dark as thy countenance; but yet may one ray 
 of Divine mercy enlighten it ! Thou shaft still shave me. 
 Col. Burr wrote me to-day, that he was so surrounded 
 
NEW VISITORS. 327 
 
 by company lie could not make up his mind upon a com- 
 munication I made him by letter, of which he said he 
 perceived all the importance and advantages. I wrote to 
 him to summon Henderson, the father, for reasons that 
 will appear by my brief, urged the advantage that would 
 result from my cross-examining all the witnesses that I 
 knew, particularly the Hendersons, which may be pro- 
 duced against him, if in my present character I could be 
 allowed to act, during his trial, as an agent or advocate 
 for him ; or if that should not be permitted, that I should 
 at least be in court when such witnesses appear. I also 
 submitted to him the expediency of one of our counsel 
 seeing my brief, so far as I had written it. He added in 
 his letter that one of them should call upon me for that 
 purpose, and to confer on other matters this evening. 
 But I have received no such visit, and must confess I am 
 rather led to ascribe my disappointment less to the negli- 
 gence of the advocate than to that of the client. The 
 vivacity of his wit, and the exercise of his proper talents, 
 now constantly solicited here in private and public exhi- 
 bition, while they display his powers and address at the 
 levee and the bar, must engross more of his time than he 
 can spare for the demands of other gratifications. Man 
 is prone to what St. Pierre aptly names the harmony of 
 contrast, in which the mind and the eye are as much de- 
 lighted in physics and in ethics as the ear is in music. 
 My reflections will perhaps borrow from this principle 
 hereafter, in attempting to do more justice, in expression 
 of character, to a third portrait of an original, so differ- 
 ently appearing to my regards at Richmond and on the 
 Mississippi. Was visited this morning by Belknap and 
 
328 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 P 1 ; the latter, one of the most active in seizing the 
 
 boats and provisions at Marietta, last December; also by 
 D. Woodbridge, who read my brief, but to whom, as well 
 as to every one else that calls upon me, I never speak on 
 the subject of evidence yet, or hereafter to be, given by 
 them on these trials. Had a very friendly letter from 
 Col. Cushing, lamenting my situation, and assuring me 
 of every exertion of his friendship to serve me; another, 
 from Thos. Neale, exactly to the same effect as his last; 
 also a very friendly one from Mr. John Banks, accompa- 
 nying a present from Mrs. Banks, of two bottles of cor- 
 dials, and a large cake. Visited by Alston, this being 
 the first day he could venture out in a carriage. He says 
 appearances every day strengthen the expectation of 
 Burr's acquittal on both bills, Hay having been heard 
 to say, out of court, he does not think he will be able to 
 substantiate the charges. It is believed, however, a mo- 
 tion will be made to the Court, on the acquittals, but be 
 rejected, to transmit us to other districts for trial, accord- 
 ing as evidence may appear or be procured, as may be 
 contended to implicate our conduct as treasonable else- 
 where out of this district. Douglas has also heard Duane 
 confess, that he, too, is fearful Burr must be acquitted. 
 Had this evening an obliging visit, and one hour's inter- 
 esting French conversation with Col. de Pestre, who in- 
 formed me his brother-in-law, a promising young man 
 of various merit, had been turned out of his place as 
 Clerk in the War Office, because he could not accuse the 
 Col. of Burr-ism ; and afterward, some honorable friends 
 of the Government had the delicacy to insinuate how 
 handsomely the Col. might be provided for in the army, 
 
burr's poverty. 329 
 
 if his principles or engagements were not adverse to the 
 administration. The Col. replied, that he understood the 
 hint, but it neither suited his honor nor character to serve 
 in such employment. Wrote to Col. Cashing, requesting 
 him to forward to me an inventory of all my effects that 
 have been sold under attachments, and all my negroes, 
 to my wife, or Col. Scott, or Mr. Harding, at Natchez, 
 for her. Have not worked to-day on my brief, from a 
 prospect held out by many of my discharge on Burr's 
 acquittal. Chatted as usual in the evening with Douglas, 
 and having left a letter I began to Miller, for to-morrow, 
 continued this diary until midnight. 
 
 Saturday, August 15, 1807. 
 
 Half-past 8, P. M. Have not, during the forenoon, seen 
 a face, but that of my servant Billy, who, by the comfort 
 I derive from his remarkable neatness and assiduity, my 
 wife will not think undeserving of mention in this diary, 
 which I have resolved to keep only for her gratification. 
 Every one is probably at court, where this is a day of 
 some interest, as the jury will probably be impanneled. 
 Have done nothing but walk, and read the papers, my 
 face continuing very sore with a disagreeable eruption. 
 Will now finish my letter, begun yesterday, to Miller, and 
 conclude the notes of to-day after tea, by which time I 
 may probably collect something worthy of notice from 
 Jourdan, whom I hourly expect. While at dinner, Mr. 
 Ellis called in to know if I could yet inform him when I 
 might want him to serve subpeonas for me, otherwise he 
 should soon leave town, seeing no prospects of getting 
 any money from Col. Burr, against whom he has a de- 
 
330 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 mand of about eleven dollars, for a boat and cargo sold 
 him in October last on the Ohio. B., it seems, has dis- 
 posed of all such claims, by a declaration, it is said, he 
 made in court, before my arrival, of his being a bankrupt. 
 But in emptying his strong-box, which seems to have 
 lost all his treasures as quickly as those that took wing 
 from Pandora's, he has, I am told, like that goddess, 
 closed the lid time enough to prevent the escape of that 
 hope on which some favored dependents may yet mort- 
 gage to him their future services and the property of 
 their children. It would even baffle the acuteness, and 
 exhaust the deliberation, of our worthy Harding, to 
 estimate the amount of this treasure, or conceive the 
 structure of the debenture by which it is secured ; I must 
 therefore explain both. Know, then, that it has been 
 whispered to me, with the important gravity so confiden- 
 tial a communication required, that the sum is $50,000 ; 
 the security, a claim upon Government for the damages 
 sustained by the culprit now trying for his life, but who 
 will probably obtain his acquittal of the treason with 
 more ease than he can procure one on another charge 
 recorded against him in Kentucky, of having robbed the 
 Western country of $100,000, to say nothing of the ab- 
 surdity of suing the United States in the face of a 
 positive statute. As I was closing my letter to Miller, 
 Jourdan stepped in with Rob. Nicholas, a Democrat, 
 furious, keen and selfish, in chase of Alston, to secure and 
 hasten the payment of bills, protested and indorsed by 
 me to Sanders, to amount, with charges, etc., of $10,000, 
 for which I will never give more than my bones, and the 
 holder believing me determined, now depends on Alston'^ 
 
QUEER CHARACTER. 331 
 
 responsibility to me, which I have transferred to him. 
 To-morrow, I shall be visited by Mr. Edmond Randolph, 
 on the part of Sanders, and on my own business; I an- 
 ticipate the conference with much interest. Jonrdan is 
 quite desolate and dispirited by the treatment of B., of 
 which he will give me particulars to-morrow. 
 
 Sunday, August 16, 1807. 
 
 Rose late this morning, very ill, but satisfied I was 
 affected by no influence of confinement, or the place ; a 
 severe headache, under which I 've all day labored, pro- 
 ceeding only from a derangement of the stomach, to 
 which I am frequently subject. While at breakfast, I 
 was visited by Mr. P., a merchant of consideration here, 
 who had not before called upon me, for which he apolo- 
 gized, and in whom I admired here, in the spring of 
 1800, the most amiable manners, with a fine musical taste, 
 and handsome execution on the violin, he and myself, 
 during my stay, being the principal performers in the 
 Harmonic Society. My worthy friend Prichard led the 
 way, as much heated by the warmth of his friendship as 
 of his two miles' walk, bringing with him also Wood, the 
 late editor of the Atlantic World, a paper, which is now 
 extinct, and may be truly said to have been the last faint 
 effort, save these trials, of expiring Burr-ism under the 
 relentless fury of Democracy. Wood is a singular look- 
 ing man, with a countenance expressive of great oddity, 
 if not of genius ; of few words, with embarrassed man- 
 ner, but said to be skilled in mathematics. His appear- 
 ance altogether inspired some interest to know him 
 better, and he will, by my desire, enable me to improve 
 
332 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 our acquaintance. I was agreeably occupied with this 
 party until General Tupper appeared; the news of his 
 arrival in town, brought me yesterday evening by Jour- 
 dan, must have caused some little mental uneasiness last 
 night and this morning, of which I was unable to render 
 an account to myself. This intelligence could not reach 
 my ears without arriving in the same instant at my heart, 
 where it was at once amalgamated with all my hopes and 
 anxiety for my family. With what rapidity did I calcu- 
 late, over and over, and conclude that I must hear from 
 Natchez by the General. I had written to my wife from 
 the Chickasaw Nation, to direct to me under cover to the 
 General. I hardly permitted myself to conclude an inter- 
 change of salutations with him when I eagerly inquired 
 for a letter; he had none, and he left home as late as the 
 5th instant. But a few more mails from Lexington and 
 Marietta, without the blessing of a letter, and I shall en- 
 deavor to prepare myself for more awful trials than the 
 death-warrant of a wicked or a jealous Government. 
 General Tupper's conversation, which lasted about one 
 hour with me, was very interesting, both to my curiosity 
 regarding the intelligence I could derive from him on my 
 own account, and my admiration of that honorable inde- 
 pendence he will yet make the Government feel more of, 
 on his part, when they wish or desire, from the experience 
 they have already had of his temper. It seems much of 
 the artifice of intrigue, on the part of Government or 
 their runners, has been put in requisition to endeavor 
 to mold the General's disposition in the temper of the 
 present prosecutions. He has next encountered attempts 
 upon his honor indirectly, to induce him in some degree 
 
DISAPPOINTMENT. 333 
 
 to countenance the testimonies of Taylor and Albright to 
 the facts of his having arrested me, with my rescue and 
 escape from him, mentioned 12th instant; outrages upon 
 his character and feelings, which he has repelled with 
 that disgust and contempt suggested by his honor, but 
 not without thereby incurring, what, until then, the con- 
 servators of Jeffersonian fame never thought of, insinua- 
 tions of his concern, and threats to involve him in the 
 pains and penalties of the conspiracy. Either before or 
 after this analysis of the stuff, which would not take the 
 dye, proposed, it was politely signified to him, that al- 
 though he had been recognized as a witness, on the part 
 of the United States, the prosecutors, in kind considera- 
 tion of the inconvenience another journey might put him 
 to, would dispense with his further attendance. He said, 
 however, he would return were he obliged to travel on 
 
 his hands and knees. He also tells me, Doctor W is 
 
 alarmed at my presence here to confront him, when he 
 shall dare to offer such testimony again as he has ven- 
 tured before the grand jury, and is terrified, for he is no 
 doctor, at the thoughts of being examined publicly by 
 those who are of that profession, to prove he is not one. 
 See my notes of 12th instant, and it will appear how 
 properly I wanted to fill the place of Surgeon-General in 
 the expedition ; but General Tupper says, he knows a 
 person to whom W. said I was jesting with him when 1 
 spoke of his going with me as Surgeon-General. I have' 
 not been gratified with the visit I expected to-day with 
 so much interest from Mr. Randolph, but have had a 
 long one from Alston, which was taken up chiefly with 
 the subject of an arrangement of the demands of Sanders 
 
334 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and Miller; the agency of Nicholas has been so far 
 effective as to induce Alston to offer to take a journey 
 forthwith to South Carolina to try to raise the money, 
 leaving Mrs. A. here until his return. He can not offef 
 hopes of the success of this attempt, and no final adjust- 
 ment, I believe, will be effected, but by the opinion and 
 advice of Mr. Randolph. Mr. Craughton called this 
 evening, after a severe walk of three miles, and remained 
 about two hours. 
 
 Monday, August 17, 1807. 
 
 This is a black Monday indeed with me, whether the 
 cloudiness of my mind or of the sky makes it appear 
 such. I feel well to-day, and took breakfast with some 
 appetite, during which Col. de Pestre entered, and kept 
 up an interesting conversation with me until noon, which, 
 from the complete coincidence of our opinions on certain 
 characters, and the reflections arising from the notes we 
 had to compare on our past interest, and connection with 
 them, could not much tend to fortify me for encountering 
 the new mortifications occasioned me by a letter I have 
 just received from my estimable friend, Jos. S. Lewis, in 
 his private capacity, informing me that the house of 
 which he is the head, had, in consequence of attachments 
 served on my funds, my last pecuniary resource of my 
 poor family in their hands, been obliged to dishonor all 
 the bills I had drawn, that were presented for acceptance 
 since the 20th of last January, the day such attachments 
 were served, at suit of the Kentucky Insurance Company 
 and Lewis Sanders, of Lexington. What discredits and 
 embarrassments the return of lulls I have drawn at 
 
DISTRESS. 335 
 
 Natchez, to amount of §700 or $800, will occasion my 
 afflicted wife, I fear to estimate. Every day's trial seems 
 to inflict a new wound upon my heart, or some part of it 
 that has not bled for my wife and children ; my own suf- 
 ferings have long since destroyed the tone, and established 
 the apathy, of every nerve that vibrated to the first im- 
 pulses of the perfidy and injustice that, by their continued 
 action, since the beginning of last October to the present 
 hour, have relieved my mind from all care for the dura- 
 tion or issue of my confinement. I have just dispatched 
 a letter to Alston, requesting to see him, and another to 
 Prichard, desiring him to retain, or, if disposed of, to try 
 and take up a small bill I drew on Philadelphia a few 
 days since for $100. Joe Lewis tells me he will honor 
 Harding's bills, drawn on himself for $500, in considera- 
 tion of my wife's situation. O ! my wife, we thought we 
 were serving a P . . . . , and have been the dupes of an 
 advocate. De Pestre has justly taken up the ideas sug- 
 gested in my notes of last Friday. This generous foreigner 
 has narrowed his means of maintaining a large family, 
 besides some orphans, to the amount of $5,000, for which 
 he has not been even thanked. I hear Alston's carriage, 
 and must now close, but for what purpose ? to hear a re- 
 petition of the same professions of concern already made 
 me, to which is added, however, an offer to go to Caro- 
 lina, in two or three days, to try to raise some money, the 
 success of which, however, I must understand, is very 
 problematical. What could I reply to the professions of one 
 of the richest men in the Union, offering to assume these 
 demands, ready to sell or mortgage, but yet unable to get 
 the money I never used a cent of, but for which the cries 
 
336 THE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of rapacious creditors rend the walls of my prison — ah! 
 that would be indifferent to me, did I not fear they are 
 loud enough to reach and swell that heart that will echo 
 them back to mine. For what purpose could I desire to 
 see him again on this business, but to make the last sacri- 
 fice I had to offer ; alas ! I once thought it impossible ; I 
 blush to name it, to humble the pride of integrity before 
 that of wealth — to solicit his charity. I have thus sought 
 relief through the storm by every effort of skill or dili- 
 gence I could make, until, wearied and exhausted, I have 
 set down in the humility of my heart, to drift perhaps to 
 that shore where the mercy of Heaven will recompense 
 me, in the participation of the rewards prepared for the 
 fortitude and virtues of a wife I have been so long 
 blessed with. It is a relief to my heart to fill a whole 
 page with a single sentence. The flood of my sorrows is 
 too copious to suffer the artificial breaks and pauses of 
 critical rules. My wife will feel this, if no one else can. 
 I wrote a very long letter to Joe Lewis, which I immedi- 
 ately began when Alston left me, to acquaint him that 
 bills with my indorsements, on account of which one of 
 the attachments had been served on his house, as my 
 garnishee had long since been paid by Alston's agent, 
 Mr. Sam. Allen, of Philadelphia ; that I had, in addition 
 to the arrangement I made with Sanders at Lexington, 
 Kentucky, a prospect of making further arrangements 
 here, through Alston, with Rob. Nicholas, the agent, and 
 Mr. Edmond Randolph, the lawyer of Mr. Sanders, by 
 which I should, I expected in a few days, have the attach- 
 ment at suit of Sanders taken off, and in the mean time, 
 until I could see Mr. Randolph, which I could not do 
 
WHO WROTE IT ? 337 
 
 to-day before the mail closed, I hoped Mr. L. would be- 
 lieve his house would not be proceeded against as my 
 garnishee, and whatever obstruction to their currency 
 the little resources I yet possessed through his house in 
 Philadelphia were incumbered with, would be removed. 
 I have, to-night, also written to Mr. Randolph, to request 
 him to call upon me to-morrow, before court opens. 
 Speaking to-day, while Alston was here, before Col. 
 Melvee, of what was doing in court, whither I wrote to 
 Alston to come to me, A. said, they left Hay stating 
 the case, on the part of the prosecution, damned the 
 speaker, and declared he would whip a son of his, were 
 he only twelve years old, that could not make a better. 
 This led me to praise a pamphlet, entitled "Agrestis," 
 which Alston yesterday brought me, being two letters on 
 Wilkinson's proceedings at New Orleans, which for its 
 arrangement and strength, as well as for some imagery 
 of the language, I observed, would not be unworthy of a 
 Curran, at the same time inquiring who was the author. 
 A. said that was not known. I then repeated the ques- 
 tion to Col. McKee, who said it was a friend of ours ; at 
 least Mr. A. was suspected. I mention this trifling occur- 
 renee for the sake of observing that Alston was now- 
 silent, thereby appropriating to himself the merit of the 
 book, which his wife, I have no doubt, might produce ; 
 for by the title-page of the second edition printed here, it 
 appears the former, or first edition, was published in 
 South Carolina, or else it has proceeded from some other 
 genius of much mind and erudition; but to suppose 
 Alston the author would be preposterous ; obscurity may 
 
 consistently veil the parentage of Hercules, but it would 
 22 
 
338 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 be ridiculous to suppose him the offspring of a dwarf. 
 Take this trait and test it by the fact. There is a pro- 
 vincial phrase or two in the pamphlet which I will keep, 
 that proves it first saw the light at New Orleans. 
 
 Tuesday, August 18, 1807. 
 
 It may easily be conceived how difficult it must be for 
 one in the state of mind in which I closed my notes of 
 the heavy hours of yesterday, to fall into that oblivious 
 repose, through sleep, which easily ensues upon the ces- 
 sation of ordinary labor of body or mind, and enables us, 
 by recreation, to perform the task of misfortune allotted 
 for the morrow. Accordingly, I did not find my bed 
 what it always proves to the peasant or the mariner, the 
 grave of care. The tumult of my mind had so inflamed 
 my body, that irritation on the surface could not be 
 allayed, while trouble reveled within. I was restless, for 
 I was sick at heart, and slept not soundly until toward 
 morning. Yet I rose betimes, and had an early visit 
 from Mr. Randolph, who called upon me, in pursuance 
 of my request to him by letter of last night. I stated to 
 him my embarrassment, by Mr. Sanders attaching the 
 only remaining funds that were tangible, and insufficient 
 for the support of my family ; observing, that if Mr. S. 
 did not withdraw the attachment, which I hoped Mr. 
 Randolph would forthwith, as S.'s lawyer, persuade his 
 agent, Mr. Nicholas, to do, I should consider my arrange- 
 ments at Lexington with Mr. S., to secure and settle his 
 demands through Mr. Alston, as abrogated. This seemed 
 to engage his reflections; but I was sorry soon to find he 
 had the indelicacy, not only to inquire what was the 
 
CANDOR ! 339 
 
 amount of 1113' funds in the hands of Messrs. Jos. S. Lewis 
 and Co., hut even to tell me that if a sum of $1,0 . or 
 even $500, could be got immediately for Nicholas and 
 Sanders, who, he knew, wanted money, such an expe- 
 dient, he rather believed, would tend to give effect to 
 some arrangement into which Mr. Alston might be in- 
 duced to enter; adding, as he was taking leave, "that I 
 knew bow much a little ready cash helped these sort of 
 things forward." I had before observed to Mr. R. that 
 be must know now, from the nature of my financial em- 
 barrassments, detailed to him in these transactions, how 
 little I could presume on counsel I could not remunerate, 
 Before he left me, be said, Burr has an excellent jury, on 
 the whole, with the exception of Parker alone, who, he 
 acknowledged, is a worthy, honorable man, but a violent 
 Jeffersonian partisan. I expressed my surprise at Burr's 
 accepting him, after he had avowed in court as strong 
 prejudices as some who had been rejected. This indis- 
 cretion on Burr's part he censured. He then told me 
 Hay was very weak yesterday in stating the case, and he 
 had no doubt of an acquittal ; but to save time and labor, 
 he very much wished the Chief Justice should concur in 
 opinion with the counsel on the defense, who yesterday 
 contended, in a lengthy argument with their opponents, 
 that no evidence of intentions should be gone into until 
 overt acts had been first proven. How the court have 
 decided I shall know in the morning. I now soon dis- 
 patched a note to Alston, and fortunately continued 
 reading Agrestis until I heard bis carriage-wheels, which 
 seemed to rattle in my ears ; " read on " until after he had 
 entered the room; i. e., a thought struck me that possi- 
 
340 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 bly he might have had something to do in the compo- 
 sition, and I might do more with him, through his van- 
 ity of authorship, than I had yet been able to effect 
 through any other channel. Admirable ! cried I, before 
 I answered his salute ; he smiled — " what ! " said he, 
 " Agrestis, are you pleased with that little thing? Well, 
 I did not care to notice it yesterday ; but I will now tell 
 you in confidence, 't was I wrote it." I then pointed out 
 to him an image or two, particularly one in the first let- 
 ter, of Justice, surrounded by the laws, in the sanctuary 
 of her temple, poising in their prescmce the balance with 
 her own hand, which, I said, would be a fine subject for 
 the relief, alto relievo ; while the stations of her executive 
 officers, assigned them without the sanctuary, might beau- 
 tifully form the intaglio, or back-ground, of a good piece 
 of sculpture. Here I threw down the book, which he as 
 readily took up, to descant on other merits it possessed, 
 or point out errors of the press ; all of which engaged 
 my most profound attention. The organ now wound 
 up ; I lost no time to try upon it the tune my heart first 
 called for; how do you think it went ? To admiration ! 
 the instrument was now so much improved ; the piece, so 
 often tried on it before, was now not only performed in 
 half the time it used to be, but was worth double the 
 money it would bring yesterday. In plain English, in- 
 stead of paying one-half the money next January twelve 
 months, and the other half the January following, ac- 
 cording to his utmost powers, to-day he was tuned up to 
 the incredible power of paying the whole, not indeed to- 
 day, but next April twelve mouths. Who knows yet but 
 a judicious combination of discords to be selected from 
 
ASPIRATION. 341 
 
 the letter to Pirikney, with some more of the melody of 
 Agrestis, might produce a harmony which, if it can not 
 move the oaks, may still solicit the responsive cadence of 
 the dollars? He left me with animated assurances of 
 seeing Nicholas to-day, and myself again upon the busi- 
 ness, not, however, without some pretty simpers about 
 Mr. Randolph's hint of the $500, which he regarded as 
 soliciting a douceur for Nicholas ; but even that, he 
 hinted, in the suavity of his self-complacency, would not 
 be impossible, when I assured him it should go in part 
 of the demand. I have had two or three reasons to-day 
 of lightening my heart of the load that oppressed it yes- 
 terday. After Mr. Randolph left me, I walked about, 
 invoking the saving providence of Heaven over my wife 
 and children ; secondly, better prospects opened to me, 
 from my interview with Alston ; and, thirdly, the sincere 
 pleasure I felt in writing to another Eugenius, as dear to 
 me as the first was to Yorick, to communicate to Hard- 
 ing a transcript of my notes of yesterday, and a short 
 letter of to-day, to enable him to observe the better under 
 what part of the tottering fabric of my affairs he may set 
 the firm prop of his care and friendship for my family — 
 a service in which, I feel, he will not dally. The regards 
 of my wife may one day give him a perusal of these 
 notes, as a supplement to his comments on "Agrestis,*" 
 which I have also sent him. I feel no tedium loci, and 
 have no want but that of letters. Cock-crow announces 
 the'morn. Grant, God ! it brings health to my family ! 
 
 Wednesday, August 19, 1807. 
 Saw Dud. Woodbridge, before breakfast, who told me 
 
342 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Eaton, Truxton, Taylor, and Albright were yesterday 
 examined on the trial. This intelligence has fretted me, 
 because I find Burr disregards the caution I gave him, to 
 have me present during the examination of the witnesses 
 I knew, as they should be produced against him. I have 
 heard he alters the notes of his counsel, increased yester- 
 day by the addition of Mr. Lee, and for the most part 
 marks out the course they pursue on his defense. I hope 
 his negligence of the suggestions I have made to him 
 will not furnish more cause of repentance than he is 
 already burdened with. Hay, having again called for my 
 arraignment, and Mr. Botts having, I am told, said he 
 would try to be ready by Saturday, I must again revert 
 to my labors on my brief, which I shall resume this even- 
 ing. The Chief Justice lias, I think properly, allowed 
 the prosecutors to follow their own course in adducing 
 their evidence, provided they offer none of any other 
 treason than what is laid in the indict. It will appear, 
 from a correct report of the trial, how far Hay contends 
 that the doctrine of constructive treason is law in this 
 country. How candid he is ; and what a virulent dispos- 
 ition McRae manifests to insinuate bias in the court to- 
 ward the accused. Mr. John Banks brought me, this 
 morning, a paper containing Bollman's long letter to 
 Duane, respecting B.'s communication to the President, 
 which, if not quite a justification of the writer, settles 
 however, forever, the honor and good faith of Jefferson. 
 T have not seen Alston, according to my expectation and, 
 his promise; — the general interest and curiosity engaged 
 at the capitol must suspend all other concerns. This 
 evening General Tupper tells me that Hay boasts of hav- 
 
TEDIUM. 343 
 
 ing a number of witnesses to establish the credit of Al- 
 bright. Eternal Justice, then, support my innocence of 
 the facts he has ventured to swear against me, until T shall 
 appear before thy tribunal, where the vicious shall only 
 testify to their own crimes. General Tupper has also a 
 suspicion that Meiggs may venture to injure his credit as 
 a witness; but the slightest attempt of that sort shall ex- 
 hibit Meiggs branded in the next papers as a liar and a 
 coward. Eaton's manner and delivery in giving his evi- 
 dence is highly extolled in the two Democratic papers, 
 the Argus and Incpiiirer ; but I am better informed he 
 strutted more in buskin than usual on that occasion, and 
 the effect was as diverting to the whole court as it prob- 
 ably was beneficial to the defense. Still, Douglas, who is 
 pretty regular in his evening visits to me, or to my grog 
 and cigars, tells me Burr is as cheerful as ever, though he 
 can not feel insensible to the advantage the prosecutors 
 have taken, in framing the indictment in a manner to 
 correspond in its form with the substance of the opinion 
 given by Chief Justice Marshall, in the cases of Bollman 
 and Swartwout, and the industry they practice to train 
 and back their witnesses to support it, But as a jockey 
 might restore his fame in the course, after he had injured 
 it on the tight-rope, so perhaps the little "Emperor,"' at 
 Cole's Creek, may be forgotten in the Attorney at Rich- 
 mond. I have been weak all day, and again put off brief- 
 ing until to-morrow. 11 P. M. 
 
 Thursday, August 20, 1807. 
 
 I had Mr. Douglas called to me, to request him to treat 
 me to a walk in the yard this morning before breakfast, 
 
344 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 My visitors, in the course of the day, generally complain 
 of the closeness of my apartment, and some tell me they 
 choose to reside in certain quarters of the town for the 
 sake of high elevation and more air; others, that they 
 prefer country quarters near town, for similar reasons, and 
 wishing me soon to partake of like advantages. My 
 walk for half an hour in the yard this morning, being the 
 second time I have been from under the roof of this 
 building, save the day I was taken to court, 10th instant, 
 was very agreeable, notwithstanding its narrow limits, 
 both of time and space, and the high walls and buildings, 
 in defiance of all which my lungs seemed to me to quaff 
 their aerial draughts with a spring and vigor I have sel- 
 dom felt before. I have procured materials from the 
 druggist for making some oxygenized muriatic acid gas, 
 with which I will, perhaps to-morrow, destroy the noisome 
 miasma that infests the air of these rooms. Continued 
 my labors on my brief, of which I completed the seven- 
 teenth folio by dinner time, when, who will believe it! I 
 
 was visited in the most friendly manner by David W e. 
 
 It is inconceivable how he will profit by the hints he lias 
 had from General Tupper, or if called upon again, which 
 he seems to dread, how lie will travel out of his deposi- 
 tion before the grand jury. I received him with the 
 courtesy of & prisoner, now in his own quarters. He sat 
 a little, and then took leave, confused. I was not after- 
 ward left fifteen minutes alone, before every muscle of 
 my face was relaxed from the rigor in which TV. had 
 bound them, to wanton in the liveliest welcome of Little 
 Gates, who hurried to take my hand with an ardor and 
 frankness that testified the sincere interest he felt in see- 
 
DILEMMA. 345 
 
 ing me well. lie had been in town since Sunday, but his 
 duties of attending to the chance of his being called as a 
 witness in court, and the irresistible interest excited there 
 since his arrival, prevented his calling on me sooner, lie 
 staid better than an hour, during which his conversation 
 was full of interest and entertainment, from certain com- 
 munications he made me, of men and things, of which 
 I shall make use in my brief, as well as from two or three 
 anecdotes and stories lie told me of some military char- 
 acters, and their achievements at Marietta, on the night 
 the boats were seized there, of all which he acquitted 
 himself with great humor and spirit. I shall expect the 
 fulfillment of his promise to visit me often, with as much 
 interest as I felt this evening. Visited by a sensible, gen- 
 teel man, with a hard Dutch name, which I forget, hav- 
 ing lost his ticket. He reminded me of having seen me, 
 seven years ago, in this town, and invited me to his house, 
 when I recover my liberty. My last visitor was Stokely, 
 who declared, had he been in Wood county at the time 
 of the troubles, by which my family and property so 
 much suffered, he would have exerted whatever influence 
 he had to prevent them. He said he was very sorry to 
 observe the counsel on both sides agreeing in one thing 
 at least, that is, to keep me so constantly as they do in 
 the front of the fight. He could not understand the 
 policy of A. Burr's counsel, contending that their client 
 is not answerable for any acts of mine, and affected to 
 lament deeply his fears, that, in addition to all I had al- 
 ready suffered, I should end at last by falling a victim be- 
 tween the cunning of Burr, on the one side, and the fury 
 and prejudice of the prosecutors on the other. I thanked 
 
346 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 him, and said, I had thoughts of summoning him as a 
 witness for certain purposes that might be connected with 
 
 my defense, hoping, if I should do so, he would excuse 
 the trouble of the journey ; to which he assented, with 
 expressing great desire to see me again settled in the 
 "White House on the Island." But how much sooner 
 should I suspect treachery in this man twelve months 
 past, than in others who have since been seeking my ruin. 
 Old Neale will not come to see me, partly from scruples 
 as to the obligations of duty, being summoned on part of 
 prosecution, and the aversion he would feel to see me in 
 this place. Hay having yesterday stated lie would rest 
 the evidence, as to the overt acts, Wickham lias to-day 
 spoken very ably for four hours, chiefly to contend, that, 
 the acts not having been proved, no evidence should be 
 offered of the intentions, or that if the acts have been 
 proved, Burr, as an accessary at a distance from the scene 
 of action, can not be proceeded against, until I, as a prin- 
 cipal, shall be convicted. If I have been correctly in- 
 formed, the ground has been judiciously taken, and will 
 no doubt be ably maintained by Mr. Wickham, and the 
 host that will follow him. I can not expect, at such a 
 crisis, Alston will give a thought to any thing out of 
 court, I should have added, when speaking of Stokely, 
 that I learned from him that James Wilson has lost his 
 wife, and left Wood county for another residence. How 
 has he left my business? and what has he done with (lie 
 valuable papers I intrusted to his charge? My child 
 will your unhappy father yet have days and health suffi- 
 cient to gather together the little fragments of your prop- 
 erty, so widely scattered over the face of the earth ? If 
 
HONOR. 347 
 
 he but live to finish that task, lie will then he ready to 
 
 take the last journey for his wages. My wife will, if I 
 
 can not, seek the obligations of Dud. Woodbridge, sen., 
 
 and others, from J. Wilson, before she spares a sigh to 
 
 time. 
 
 Friday, August 21, 1807. 
 
 D. Woodbridge called and sat with me this morning 
 longer than he has done altogether since I have been 
 here. He has got over the care of his examination, 
 which worried him yesterday in court nearly two hours, 
 and was, I understand, rather a disservice to the interests 
 of the prosecution than otherwise. jSTo witnesses are yet 
 discharged, and all are as uncertain how long they will 
 be detained as ever, unless there be grounds for an opin- 
 ion Mr. Botts has given to Duane, that the trial will be 
 over by "Wednesday or Thursday. Mr. B. must think 
 Hay, who, I hear, has demanded time to examine authori- 
 ties cited on the other side in support of Wickham's 
 motion, will not succeed in opposing it. It appears my 
 name is as often made use of in court, during my absence, 
 as it will be again on my own trial, when some curious 
 contrarieties of facts and testimonies may come out, if I 
 ever shall be tried. D. "Woodbridge, from looking over 
 that part of my brief narrating the conduct of the Hender- 
 sons, in betraying my confidence to Graham, etc., was led 
 to acquaint me with a fact I was not a little mortified to 
 learn, viz., that Botts is married to a sister of Mrs. Sandy 
 Henderson. Must I, then, withhold to defend myself 
 against the most serious witnesses against me, though my 
 generous benefactor and enlightened patron, engaged to 
 protect my life and character against the deadly assaults 
 
348 THE BLENNEKIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of his own relatives, with no other recompense than the 
 pride of interposing the barrier of his talents between a 
 distressed family and its menaced ruin, he averse to 
 listen to a statement he would still less ehoose to advocate 
 of his connections ? Had I been apprised of this difficulty 
 in my first interview with Mr. B., I know not how he 
 could have relieved me from it. I must see him on the 
 subject before I send him a brief. Strange, that every 
 embarrassment I labor under, great or small, is derived 
 from the same source. Dudley tells me my wife's favor- 
 ite horse, Robin, was stolen, with other things, by one 
 
 Welch, who has not since been heard of; that J s, the 
 
 honest, returned him the $40, and that M , the zeal- 
 ous, kept the other $20. Falsehood ! thy name is Man — 
 not Woman. Willey visited me to-day, and was truly 
 glad to see me again. I made him give me a detail of all 
 his adventures from leaving the boats. He had traveled, 
 in his story, as far as Fort St. Stephen's, on the Tombig- 
 bee river, where he was arrested, after having lost one of 
 his horses, and lived with the mulatto boy Harry for six 
 days on damaged corn. Having missed his way, he had 
 
 not seen Col. Burr from the time he left Judge B 's 
 
 till he found him at Washington City. 
 
 Saturday, August 22, 1807. 
 
 While at breakfast, little Luckett stepped in. He pro- 
 duced to me, I hope, the last bill, with my indorsement, 
 drawn by Burr ; I had no note or recollection of it. It 
 was drawn on the same baseless authority as the rest, for 
 $2,500, and had, of course, suffered a like fate ; yet 
 Luckett had not attempted any proceedings against me, 
 
PREPARING. 349 
 
 though he showed me an account stating a balance 
 against Burr of upward of $8,000, by which, and losses 
 he has sustained, be says, be has been quite ruined. He 
 intreated my best interests with. Alston, and never expects 
 any thing from me. I hope soon to be able to state the 
 details of a final arrangement with Burr and Alston, to 
 extricate me from all these embarrassments. Having 
 learned from Luckett, I was to be taken to court to-day, 
 at noon, to be arraigned, I was in the act of dressing 
 when two Deputy Marshals called upon me, half an hour 
 earlier than was necessary, excusing themselves by say- 
 ing my watch was so much too slow, though it was 
 exactly with the town clock. The distance from hence 
 to the capitol being nearly a mile, and as I have not been 
 well, I had sent, my servant to town to procure me a 
 horse, but as he had not yet returned, I asked these gen- 
 tlemen if they had brought a carriage, as had been done 
 the last day I was taken to court, telling them my reasons 
 for not wishing to walk. They answered, " the law did 
 not make any such provisions, and the walk would serve 
 me." So I soon attended them, though not in the style 
 that was provided the 10th instant. My two attendants 
 on foot, to-day, were unarmed, both going and returning. 
 I had time enough before court opened to prepare for my 
 counsel a list of thirty-nine witnesses I should have time 
 allowed me to get here before I could be ready to go to 
 trial. Of these, I informed Mr. Botts, twelve I deemed 
 material to disprove all evidence that did, or might yet 
 attempt to, prove my having committed any overt act; 
 the rest to prove I had in nothing manifested a traitorous 
 design, and of the number T wanted subpoenas duces tecum, 
 
350 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 for five or six, to procure the production of various docu- 
 ments that might be necessary to my defense. My oilier 
 witnesses are summoned on either side, in the present 
 trial; so that the original list I took with me to court to- 
 day contains no less than fifty-five. Mr. B. then stated, 
 that as a long list of witnesses I had furnished him lived 
 as distant from hence as Natchez, it seemed best to post- 
 pone my arraignment until the opinion of the court 
 should be known on the several points made on the part 
 of A. Burr, which would equally affect my case and his, 
 when, if necessary, I should be prepared to state at what 
 time I could expect the forthcoming of my witnesses, so 
 that I might be arraigned by Wednesday. To this, Hay 
 agreed ; the court, which sat to-day only on my account, 
 was adjourned, and I returned to this prison as I left it, 
 that is, unarraigned. I hear Bollman is with Burr con- 
 stantly, and no doubt busy. If it does not appear that 
 Burr can boast as Chas. Fox did, amicitice sem-piternce, yet 
 may he say inimicitice pla&abilis. Alston's prose, and Boll- 
 man's talents for intrigue, are recommendations or ano- 
 dynes to a mind that finds no difficulty in obliterating the 
 impressions of sensations heretofore received from either 
 by the letter to Pinkney, which is before the public, or 
 the process-verbal of the interview with Jefterson, which 
 is not yet given to the world in detail. Enough has 
 already appeared in these notes to warrant my suspicions 
 as to Alston ; and, in addition to the hint given, to-day 
 and 10th instant, of my opinion on Bollman's manoeuvre 
 with Jefterson, I am the more confirmed in a disposition 
 to mistrust both the motive and the matter of the inter- 
 view, as well as his letter to Duane, because, as yet, he 
 
FRESH AIR. 351 
 
 has not had the curiosity to see me ; neither a community 
 of interest nor suffering has affecjted him. lie has had no 
 other motive probably to suggest to him a wish for my 
 acquaintance, for he has possibly never heard from 
 authority that I had been offered to choose him or Shaw 
 for my private secretary, when I should name a diplomatic 
 appointment for myself. This would have been a useless 
 and dangerous humiliation of Mr. B.'s pride, which, no 
 doubt, his master has long since found more accommo- 
 dating to his views than mine. My visitors, this evening, 
 were General Tupper, I). Woodbridge, Belknap, Wood 
 and Doctor Bennett. The last, who has been brought 
 here to support P. Taylor's evidence, of my having writ- 
 ten to him a treasonable letter, by Taylor, is friendly, and 
 can swear that I wrote nothing to him of a traitorous 
 nature, though Taylor told him the letter was of that 
 sort when he gave it to him. The doctor says, he sup- 
 posed I wanted the arms I wrote to him to endeavor to 
 borrow for me, ten or twenty guns, to defend my family 
 and property against illegal outrage he knew I appre- 
 hended at that time from the Wood county volunteers, 
 in the same sense in which, in my brief, I have stated this 
 part of my case to counsel. General Tupper read over a 
 most humorous lampoon on most of the military charac- 
 ters engaged in the heroic feats of arms they performed 
 on the night of the 10th of December last at Marietta, 
 of which, I hope, I shall obtain a copy to relieve the 
 ennui of these notes. I find it very agreeable this even- 
 ing to get upon a chair, by which I am enabled to raise 
 my mouth to the lower tier of openings in the grating 
 of the windows and breathe another air for half an hour. 
 
352 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Sunday, August 23, 1807. 
 
 If Alston could not make the same excuse for not call- 
 ing on me yesterday that he might have offered some days 
 back, still less could he do so to-day, when I suspect he 
 has been sent to me. Luckett, this morning, told me it 
 was Col. Burr's wish that I should write to Alston, to do 
 the best he could for him, about the dishonored bill L. 
 holds with my indorsement. Suspecting the correctness 
 of this statement, I replied, " that Col. Burr was a ready 
 penman, and in the habit of writing to me on matters of 
 business ; that L., therefore, must endeavor to get him to 
 specify, under his hand, how it was necessary Mr. Alston 
 should learn his wishes from me while they saw each 
 other every day; my own wishes for the relief of L. I 
 had no objection to signify to Mr. Alston in my own way." 
 Luckett posted off, and has procured by his importunities, 
 not a letter from Burr, who never puts pen to paper 
 but under the influence of necessity, though he is, per- 
 haps, the most constant writer in America, but a visit 
 from Alston. When he came in, I inquired, "what 
 were Col. Burr's expectations of the fate of the motions 
 now before the court ? " He said, " they, or some of them, 
 would prevail, and the trial would be over by Wednesday 
 or Thursday; that he and Mrs. Alston would very soon 
 leave town, and that Col. Burr, on his discharge, would 
 immediately occupy himself with the business of form- 
 ing a land company, and settling the Washita lands." 
 Perceiving he had an interest in thus abruptly informing 
 me of this project, I encouraged him to dwell upon it, 
 when I found that, though he had been conversing with 
 
suspicion. 353 
 
 Burr on the subject, he wished me to inform him whether 
 Burr had ever seen the lands. I told him I was not cer- 
 tain, but believed not, adding, that Tyler and Smith, 
 who had once been very intent on settling there, had long 
 ago abandoned the scheme, believing, from information 
 they had procured, and could rely upon, Lynch's title was 
 bad, and they were accordingly busily preparing to settle 
 in the Attakapas country, very distant from the Washita 
 lands, which were condemned by very good judges I 
 named to him, who had visited them. Alston seemed 
 surprised at this intelligence, and said the commissioners 
 had confirmed Lynch's title. I told him I doubted that, 
 but it was immaterial, as Lynch had long ago been a 
 bankrupt, so that I had not much thought of accepting 
 or purchasing 10,000 acres of those lands which Col. 
 Burr had offered me. I should not be surprised to learn 
 very soon that Burr has been promising to replenish 
 Alston's coffers, which he will empty of $50,000 at least, 
 from his Eldorado on the Washita. I well know B.'s 
 address, in preventing or evading the simple questions he 
 does not like to answer. I have seen Alston often yield 
 to it, and wonder not that he shall seek from me that in- 
 formation of which he found Burr so tenacious. This. 
 then, may turn out another instance, in addition to many 
 others I have furnished, in which B. may see cause to 
 deprecate my knowledge of him, and curse that candor 
 of integrity that has so often traversed his purposes. 
 Bollman's cautious skill, perhaps, will never betray him 
 into similar indiscretions ; but Major Smith will be here 
 to-morrow, and then bursts the bubble. After I had next 
 
 given Alston some account, by his desire, of the country 
 23 
 
354 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 about Natchez, in which I also took liberty to correct 
 many errors in Col. Burr's view of that subject, I con- 
 trived to let him broach the business he came on. He 
 asked me if I had seen Nicholas to-day. I said no; but 
 Luckett had been here with another of my indorsements, 
 and an account he showed me, with a balance struck 
 against Col. Burr, of something better than $8,000 ; thus, 
 said I, almost every week I discover some new demand 
 upon me on account of this business ; and I have now 
 ascertained that, besides other losses, my name has me 
 responsible for $21,000. Well ! says he, it will cost me at 
 least $50,000. I mentioned the bill and balance together, 
 to try if he would offer any objections to responsibilities 
 I had entered into exceeding the amount of his guarantee 
 to me, but finding he did not, I then told him the amount 
 of the bill was only $2,500. With the account between 
 Col. Burr and Luckett I had no concern, and recom- 
 mended the latter to such present relief as he could afford 
 him. He seemed pleased ; said Nicholas would probably 
 accept his terms ; should remove the incumbrances on my 
 property in Philadelphia, and invited me to Carolina, and 
 promised soon to see me- again. Then, returning to the 
 subject of the trial, he told me a piece of news, which 
 well deserves a place here — as so much secret history, 
 characteristic of the feelings and energies of the Chief 
 Justice. It seems, after the Judge had determined to 
 give the prosecutors time, from Friday until Monday, to 
 prepare to answer the arguments of the opposite counsel 
 on four points, any one of which being supported by the 
 court, the trial ends. A friend of General Marshall asked 
 him if, in suspending a criminal prosecution by granting 
 
VATICINATION. 355 
 
 this indulgence, he had not made a rule that had no pre- 
 cedent. To this he answered, " he knew it ; " but if he 
 should decide against the prosecutors on any of these 
 points, he would be reproached with not being disposed to 
 give them an opportunity to answer them ; and that he 
 will probably not overrule them at all is more probable 
 from an expression of his, while playing at chess with 
 Wickham, since the latter made the points. " Do n't you 
 think," said he, " you will be able to check-mate these 
 fellows, and relieve us from being kept here three weeks 
 more ? " In the evening Gates called, and soon left me, 
 to give way to Wickham and Botts. This visit provided 
 for a wish I yesterday expressed, in court, to Mr. B., to 
 see him in the course of this day, my object being to state 
 to him candidly the objections I had lately discovered to 
 his appearing as an advocate for me in my defense, which 
 might expose the breach of honor and confidence I com- 
 plained of, on the part of his connections. But as he 
 brought Mr. Wickham with him, and it seemed their 
 joint opinion that the decision on the points now before 
 the court would probably this week put an end to Burr's 
 trial, and occasion the relinquishment of mine, or, if that 
 did not happen, they had determined upon a plea in 
 abatement, for a misnomer to the indictment in my case, 
 wlii eh they thought must prevail, and then the prose- 
 cutors would probably despair of success in getting 
 another grand jury to find another bill against me ; or, 
 if they should make such an experiment, I should most 
 probably, in the mean time, be admitted to bail. From 
 this view of their opinions, I said I hoped it would not be 
 necessary to trouble them with my brief, and I could not 
 
356 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 venture the appeal to Mr. Botts's feelings, which I pro- 
 posed to make in this interview. My accomplished 
 friends now terminated their visit with their accustomed 
 kindness, and left me in a sublime reverie on their virtues 
 and talents, which was soon "broken in upon, hy the ap- 
 pearance of Mr. Douglas with a stranger; I should rather 
 have said, hy two apparitions, for it was now near night- 
 fall, and Douglas no sooner appeared than he turned on 
 his heel, saying, " Colonel Duane, sir," and ran down 
 stairs. The surprise of this interruption the stranger, 
 whom I had never hefore seen, did not suffer to endure 
 long enough to allow me to invoke the angels and min- 
 isters of grace for my protection. I was already within 
 the grasp of this Gabriel of the Government. He seized 
 my hand, and hade me dismiss my surprise, however 
 natural it might be on his appearance before me. I 
 handed him a chair, and said, " I had lived long enough 
 in this country to be surprised at nothing it could produce 
 or exhibit, but yet desired to learn from what cause I bad 
 the favor of this visit." " Having heard Mr. Douglas ob- 
 serve," said he, " you would be pleased to see me." " Sir, 
 Mr. D. has made a mistake ; he must have meant some- 
 body else." "No matter," continued he; " having seen 
 and known your present situation, I could not as a man, 
 and an Irishman" — here he digressed, to show how he 
 both was, and was not, an Irishman — "I would not leave 
 this town without warning you of the sacrifice now pre- 
 paring to appease the Government by your friends, of 
 which you are destined to be the victim. Yon can not 
 desire any other key to my meaning than the course the 
 defense has this week taken ; but if yon think the Gov- 
 
COL. DUANE. 357 
 
 ernment will not cease to pursue that justice they possess 
 the means of insuring, and suspect, as you ought, the 
 designs of those you have too long thought your friends, 
 it might yet appear no better, on my part, than a nominal 
 service to give you these cautions. I have therefore 
 sought you, not to tender you words, but deeds ; the only 
 return, on your part, will be that care of yourself which 
 will find a shield in my honor " — here he very awkwardly 
 struck his breast, and grinned a ghastly smile — "and 
 that confidence I can command in the Government, whose 
 good faith is not misplaced in the zeal I have testified to 
 serve it." To this harangue, delivered somewhat less, 
 perhaps, with the action and manner of Satan personat- 
 ing Duane than that of a felon, he added violent prot- 
 estations of his wishes to serve me, saying that for that 
 purpose he would put off his journey back to Phila- 
 delphia, which otherwise was irrevocably fixed for Wed- 
 nesday, and would now, or at any time hereafter, go to 
 Washington for me, where nothing he should ask would 
 be refused him. In thanking him for the frankness and 
 zeal with which he cautioned me against my friend.-. 
 and a negligence of my safety, I assured him I was not 
 afraid to meet the prosecution, as I expected I should, 
 before my arrival here, without counsel or friends; but 
 from present appearances I was more curious than in- 
 terested to learn what were those means he said Govern- 
 ment possessed of insuring justice? Finding by his 
 answer he was now disposed to allure me into a con- 
 fession of having written certain papers in the hands 
 of the prosecutors, I told him, " the warmth of his offers 
 
358 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to serve me could not make me forget either his situation 
 or my own, with relation to the Government ; that I 
 cared not what writings should be charged upon me, 
 I should admit none until fairly proved, which, if any 
 such should ever appear, I would justify, if necessary, 
 on the scaffold. He now summed up the objects of his 
 mission, whatever produced it, with abuse of Burr, 
 Tyler and Smith, acknowledging that he had been 
 served gratis by the first, in the most handsome man- 
 ner ; that the others were more concerned against the 
 Government than I was ; but swearing that he believed, 
 if I did not follow his advice, they would make a scape- 
 goat sacrifice of me for their deliverance. Can I make 
 no use, then, of this adventure ? yes, I will put this in- 
 terest in requisition, if I can't find readier means to 
 abbreviate the imprisonment of Vaun. I have again laid 
 by my brief, which I shall not probably soon resume 
 until all my expectations of Burr's success and my own 
 are reversed. In the mean time, I will attend to the 
 adjustment of my private affairs. Ellis called in to-day, 
 and seemed pleased with having it in his power to offer to 
 spare some money to me, if I wanted it. I was very glad, 
 I said, to find Col. Burr was in' cash. "Not at all," said 
 he ; " I was with the Marshal, and pretended a subpoena 
 bad been served on me at Natchez, and got 140 odd dol- 
 lars. This was all Col. Burr could yet do for me." This 
 is caution, with a vengeance. The Marshal's runners 
 have these two nights past been in busy search of General 
 Dayton. If he is taken this icay, how will he appear 
 to the multitude ? 
 
ALSTON. 359 
 
 Monday, August 24, 1807. 
 
 Between 8 or 9, A. M., arrived Major Smith in this 
 place. He has got the room under me to sleep in, and 
 no reasons of state or measures of public safety appear 
 at present, though they were obvious three weeks ago, to 
 prevent our living together until bed-time, that is, 8, P. M. 
 He has not heard from Burr, though Mr. Martin has 
 visited and offered him to be his counsel, gratis. I was 
 visited by De Pestre, whom I was obliged to send away 
 to attend to Nicholas, who will probably do something 
 definite as to Sanders with Alston to-day or early to- 
 morrow. For, strange to say, the latter, De Pestre 
 assured me, was going home to-day, but Nicholas says he 
 will put it off until to-morrow. I apprehend I shall be 
 obliged to accept of that friendly invitation he gave me 
 yesterday. Smith heard that Burr has made financial 
 arrangements in Philadelphia to settle every thing after 
 his acquittal. Midnight. 
 
 Tuesday, August 25, 1807. 
 
 The unexpected arrival of Alston on the stairs before 
 8 o'clock this morning, while I was walking with Major 
 Smith in the passage, operated as a panic, and soon 
 inspired a conviction of the apprehensions I entertained 
 yesterday, after having seen De Pestre, that he would be 
 off with French leave. I composed myself, however, to 
 receive him with an air of confidence I have generally of 
 late dissembled toward him, affecting at the same time a 
 little surprise at so early a visit. This he parried, with a 
 whiff of his cigar, which gave him time to think to say, 
 
360 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 " the court was to sit as early as nine, and he meant to 
 lose nothing of all that was expected from Wirt, who 
 would have the advantage of a good foil afforded him 
 yesterday by the wretched exhibition of McRae, which 
 soon became so flat, that it nearly cleared the Louse." 
 " He affected,*' said he, " to prance at starting, but could 
 only crawl all day over the ground ; even Hay confessing 
 he did not understand the question, and Botts, who would 
 next have spoken, declaring that he had heard nothing 
 that required a reply from him. Alston now called me 
 into my apartment to dispatch the object of his early 
 visit, which seemed to be, to leave town without incurring 
 any complaints of mine for not concluding, before his 
 departure, the so long-expected arrangement with Nich- 
 olas. He therefore objected to the difficulties that he 
 said Nicholas and Randolph pretended to feel in remov- 
 ing the attachment from my funds in Philadelphia, with- 
 out particular orders from Sanders. I said I should 
 expect or coerce Sanders to do that, in virtue of the set- 
 tlements I had made with him in Lexington, whether Mr. 
 Alston furthered that settlement or not. He then said 
 Nicholas yesterday promised to have the necessary papers 
 ready last evening, but he would have me completely 
 exonerated from the demand before he did anything; to 
 which I, of course, assented. But, I asked, what had 
 occasioned the determination I heard he had formed of 
 leaving- town yesterday or to-day? "O! the certainty 
 of the trials ending this week had made him desirous of 
 leaving this place, of which he was heartily tired, as soon 
 as possible, and his anxiety to try to raise even a part of 
 the money for my relief would the more hurry him away." 
 
RUMORS. 361 
 
 He forgot, I suppose, he yesterday told Nicholas he had 
 just received letters that suddenly called him home. A 
 propensity to rely more on his wits than his memory, is a 
 prominent trait in this character. It would, then, have 
 answered no purpose to have inquired into the fact of the 
 letters being concerned, rather than my sufferings, with 
 the period of his journey. He could easily say, " 't was 
 true, he had letters ; " for he is very circumspect to avoid 
 changes upon his words, which I took an occasion 
 again to-day to put to the test by observing to him, that 
 I supposed my losses by Miller's sale of my effects, which 
 had been sacrificed in Wood county, would not be much 
 short of $15,000, which sum would not replace two-thirds 
 of my library, my furniture, instruments, house-linen, etc., 
 with all my farming-stock and implements of husbandry, 
 for all which I had no other hope of indemnity but what 
 I could derive from the honor and resources of Col. Burr 
 and himself; to all of which he was silent. But he might, 
 and did, add, nothing more engaged his concern so much 
 as his wishes to relieve my embarrassments. lie then 
 told me Col. Burr wished me to be upon my guard 
 against spies, as he apprehended some had been lately 
 visiting me under the mask of friendship. On asking 
 him whether he alluded to any particular persons, I found 
 he had heard of Duane's visit to me on Sunday evening, 
 which was next day in every body's mouth, and ma)' pos- 
 sibly have had some share in engendering a report which 
 as yet has been only whispered, though it may have stolen 
 into some of A. Burr's private audiences. This report 
 states that I now see Burr in a different light from that in 
 
362 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 which I first regarded him, and that my fellow-prisoner, 
 Major Smith, is come on determined to denounce Burr, 
 and turn an approver. Alston did not hint this rumor to 
 me, but I thought it would he serviceable to the interests 
 of my pecuniary expectations from him to send him 
 back to Burr, satisfied of my vigilance and perseverance 
 in those duties of honor and good faith which, if they 
 doubted in me, I should never forget I owe to myself. 
 " Ha ! " said I, " you 've heard of Duane's visit to me, 
 then ; would you wish to see my notes of what passed 
 between us?" "Yes," said he, eagerly, " very much in- 
 deed." I then read to him the minutes I had taken on 
 Sunday evening, with which he seemed highly pleased, 
 and said they ought to be published. To this I told him 
 I could not accede, though it might seem to him the more 
 necessary from some observations made to me by Duane. 
 more than I thought necessary to enter in my notes, of 
 which I recollected one, that concerned Alston himself, 
 who now seemed all anxiety for the disclosure he ex- 
 pected. But I affected to attach little importance to the 
 thing, and said, after no small enjoyment of his solicitude 
 about it, " 't was only that Government had got posses- 
 sion of one of his letters to me." " One of my letters ! " 
 said he ; " I never wrote to you but two upon business of 
 a private nature, and any other letter they can have of 
 mine must be a forgery." " To be sure," said I ; " or at 
 all events, from the favorable course things are now likely 
 to take, such a letter could do no harm." " But what did 
 the rascal," continued he, " state to be the purport of the 
 letter?" "Nothing more," said I, "than proving that 
 
COLLOQUY. 363 
 
 you and myself were equally involved in all Col. Burr's 
 projects." He then abused Duane, repeated his wish my 
 notes were published, and took leave. 
 
 I find I have omitted to observe, owing to the hurry 
 and fatigue I suffered the day I arrived in this prison, 
 that Alston, on his first visit to me that evening, acknowl- 
 edged the receipt of the letter I had written him from 
 Natchez, containing a reprobation of his public letter to 
 Gov. Pinkney, when he said, "he felt now no uneasiness 
 at certain reflections I had therein made use of, which he 
 knew proceeded from a warmth of temper natural to me 
 upon a misconception of his motives, which he had ex- 
 plained to the satisfaction (is it possible ?) of Col. Burr." 
 To which I answered, that the letter itself would say it 
 was not designed to excite any unpleasant sensations, 
 though it was written under impressions that could not 
 be obliterated, and that his not answering my letter, 
 which was so incumbent on him, from the nature of that 
 part of it relating to money matters, so irritated and con- 
 vinced me that he disregarded my expectations from him, 
 arising from his guarantee for my losses by my concern 
 with Col. Burr and himself, that I was further led to 
 declare, at Lexington, that he was as fully concerned 
 with Col. B. as myself, stating at the same time to him a 
 further motive for such a declaration, which will be found 
 in my notes of the 6th instant. All this he accepted wvy 
 kindly, assuring me he had written two letters to me. 
 "What! two!" yes; he not only then, that is, on the 
 fourth instant, said two, but said so again to-day. Now 
 those who are blest with his correspondence, will find he 
 is not in the habit of bestowing two answers on one letter, 
 
364 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 especially when that one Las chiefly for its object to bring 
 a demand upon him into action, much less to grant a sin- 
 gle reply to a letter which, through respect to Lis wife, 
 he might at least acknowledge. I allude to our friend 
 Harding's letter to him that he confessed lie Lad received, 
 but told me on his first visit it merely inclosed some papers 
 to him, and required no answer. So the generous labors 
 of tLe head and heart of one of the best men living did 
 not deserve even the thanks of this coxcomb. But it 
 appears from all this, that if his second letter was in 
 answer to the only one I ever wrote him, Lis first was 
 occupied with some other subject ; and tLe palpable inter- 
 est with which he listened to the late news Duane left 
 with me for him, joined with the motives that induced 
 him to write the death-warrant of his character to Pink- 
 ney, and some late rumors of designs in Government, to 
 institute a prosecution against him also, all leave little 
 room to doubt that the prosecutors have got hold of 
 somethino; Le would not like to see. But if this alarm 
 will give me hold upon him, to keep him long enough 
 here to carry some of his sincere wishes into execution, 
 I shall owe Duane more obligations for Lis visit than he 
 is aware of. I received a note from Prichard, covering 
 the bill I had drawn on Philadelphia in his favor, which 
 was returned for reasons already given in my notes of 
 last Monday. Behold me, then, without a dollar, except 
 the few that remain of thirty Prichard sent me a fort- 
 night since. On this very bill I Lave Lad my coat re- 
 paired, my umbrella newly covered, my hat dressed, and 
 my boots new-tapped. But tins economy will not pay 
 my tavern bill, nor those of my grocer and washer- 
 
APPREHENSION. 365 
 
 woman. Nor will it restore to me the only funds on 
 which I depended for my only care, the maintenance of 
 my family. My own wants will never solicit the mantle 
 of charity to shelter them from the pinching blast of ad- 
 versity, until death shall lay the storm. Until then the 
 cry, even to the heart of Mr. Alston, pray spare a trifle 
 from your stock, to clothe my naked family, with that 
 credit of which you 've stripped it. In this spirit I wrote 
 him what follows : " I have just received the inclosed, by 
 which you may convince Mr. Nicholas of the unjust and 
 absurd obstruction of my credit in Philadelphia, by the 
 continuance of Mr. Sanders's attachment. Having no 
 other source of pecuniary supply to which I can resort 
 for subsistence of my family, until I can collect the wreck 
 of their property, I await the accommodation of such 
 credit or remittances as your dispositions may devise for 
 the relief of my exigences. Yours, H. B." The servant 
 returned with a verbal answer, in these four words — "He 
 will see him," importing that Alston would see Nicholas, 
 as if seeing N. will indemnify me for all I have suffered, 
 or support my family. Alston told me Belknap has con- 
 fessed he received from Smith $700 for me, which he 
 denied the night he arrived on the "Island" from Ken- 
 tucky, the night I left it. 
 
 Wednesday, August 26, 1807. 
 
 The bird, I believe, has not flown to-day, but may take 
 wing, I know not what moment. I have neither seen 
 nor heard from him since his verbal answer to my letter 
 of yesterday. The little animal lias clapped its wings in 
 screaming essays toward the " Oaks ;" but yet may it re- 
 
366 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 main a little longer on that egg it has not yet hatched, 
 for the cuckoo that laid it. Wirt raised his reputation 
 yesterday, as high as MeRae sunk his the day before. 
 The former, I learn, paid me some compliments. "We 
 have many visitors, as usual, of whom I shall only notice 
 Kerr, who sat one hour here this evening. Was cautioned 
 by Dud. Woodbridge to beware of Bennet. But I have 
 him secured by Tupper, who tells me he, Tupper, will 
 support the declarations made by Bennet to him and me, 
 on Bennet's first visit here to me. Major Smith is suffer- 
 ing something of a seasoning. 
 
 Thursday, August 27, 1807. 
 
 Rose at a quarter past 5 this morning, to walk in the 
 yard, as I had agreed with Major Smith last night; but 
 he rested badly, and had a profuse perspiration when I 
 called upon him, which determined him, with my advice, 
 to stay in bed. So I walked for an hour alone, under a 
 disagreeable fog, with a view to try whether breathing so 
 long another, if not a better, air than that of my room 
 might not enable me to escape to-day a periodical head- 
 ache, with some fever, we both complain of about 2 
 o'clock every day since Sunday, and of which we are not 
 free some nights, before we go to bed. Young Swartwout 
 called upon us with Alston. The latter called me out to 
 tell me things will be completed to-day with Nicholas, 
 from whom he will get the original bills on which the 
 attachment was served on the house of J. S. Lewis & Co., 
 as my garnishees, by which, I suppose, I can again open 
 the channel of my credit which the attachment has so 
 long shut up in Philadelphia. lie assures me Luckett's 
 
MR. DUNCAN. 367 
 
 account is not admitted to be correct by Burr, and that I 
 shall not be liable for the bill of $2,500 with my indorse- 
 ment in Luckett's hands. He has also offered me a draft 
 at sight on Charleston, for the bill returned me by Prich- 
 ard. He concluded his money business with me this 
 morning, by telling me Col. Burr will be soon in cash, 
 having concluded some financial arrangements with a 
 Mr. Pollock, who is very rich. I must not forget, how- 
 ever, he also told me his settling both Sanders's and Mil- 
 ler's claims, if the latter will come into the arrangement, 
 will, with the incidental charges, require payments by 
 him to the amount of $16,000 ; so that after settling San- 
 ders's claim, if Miller won't settle in the same way, he has 
 proposed to take up his present letter of guarantee and 
 give me another to indemnify me for what Miller may be 
 entitled to recover of me, to which I have assented. Mr. 
 Alston has found Wirt, though not without merit, so far 
 as he was figurative, monotonous, with bad or no action, 
 and better recommended by the foil McRae afforded him 
 than any interest his late essay could inspire. He seems 
 to-day to partake of apprehensions entertained by Col. 
 Burr's friends, that the Chief Justice may yield to want 
 of energy, in ruling all the points now before him, as the 
 able efforts of the counsel for the defense can not fail to 
 prove the law requires. Surely, if the law has not been 
 mistaken on the side of the accused, the calumny which 
 has been propagated through the crowd, of Burr's emis- 
 saries having made an attempt to take off Mr. Duncan 
 by laudanum, would tend to strengthen rather the en- 
 ergies of such a head and heart as the Chief Justice is 
 probably blessed with. This Duncan has been brought 
 
368 THE IJLKXXERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 here, I am told, to prove a negative ; namely, that Wil- 
 kinson is not a Spanish officer or pensioner. Duane has 
 kept his promise to abandon the field yesterday. I find 
 to-day he is an expert angler, and adapts his flies and 
 tackling not only to the waters and seasons of his choice, 
 but to that kind of fish that are the objects of his sport; 
 at least, the first cast of his line has caught that wary fish, 
 the natural history of which has engaged so much of 
 these notes. I have been accordingly informed, a formal 
 demand has been made upon Hay to declare whether th-e 
 Government or himself possess a certain letter, of which 
 a sketch has been given here the 25th instant. The scene 
 that this interview probably presented will, I know not 
 how long, be reserved for recital in the secret mysteries 
 of the prosecution. Alston, on his part, gave me too 
 sublime a rehearsal of the dignity and force with which 
 he launched the bolts of his defiance on all the Titans of 
 Virginia, for me to presume to imitate it in these memo- 
 randa, without incurring the suspicion at least of being 
 disposed to burlesque it. The Titan Hay, however, he 
 assured me, he overwhelmed with mountains of con- 
 sternation and dismay ; in short, the fact was denied, and 
 what was very extraordinary, as the like never happened 
 before, imprecations of mendacity, on the fame of Col. 
 Duane, were endured with patience by Jefferson's attor- 
 ney. The existence, however, of the letter, be it remem- 
 bered, is as yet no more disproved than A.'s title to 
 Agrestis is established. When Alston observed to me, 
 to-day, he would give me a new guarantee against the 
 amount of Miller's recovery, I said, that would be neces- 
 sary for two purposes ; first, for the purpose of transferring 
 
TUPPER S SONG. 369 
 
 it, as I had the former one, to Sanders, or raising money 
 on it, as I had nothing else left to pledge; secondly, for 
 the benefit of my family, in the event of my death, which 
 I thought very probably might soon happen. I could sec 
 well enough to discern a pointed attention on his part to 
 the last reason. He had on a former occasion observed, 
 when I assured him I should publicly expose the perfidy 
 and dishonor of Graham and the Hendersons, at all 
 hazards, be the issue of these trials what it might, " that 
 my short sight would lay me under very unfair disadvan- 
 tages ; " to which I answered, " I should know how to 
 accommodate the distance to the extent of my sight;'' 
 and, to-day, he hoped with earnestness that I would not 
 think on any gloomy subject to cloud the prospect of 
 many happy years I shall yet enjoy. This was not his 
 language, but his precise meaning; how far it was sin- 
 cere may be imagined from his talking in this way, after 
 he returned me what another man might have kept, my 
 letter given here the 25th instant, without lisping a sylla- 
 ble on the exposure I made to him in that letter of my 
 second humiliation before his wealth, to solicit an atom 
 from the heap to assuage the distress he is bound to 
 relieve. Be it remembered, he has never questioned de- 
 mands I made upon him, independent of his first guaran- 
 tee for disbursements I have made for Col. Burr, to be- 
 tween four and five thousand dollars, in a letter of which 
 he acknowledged the receipt on the 4th instant, anymore 
 than statements of other losses, an indemnity for which, 
 when ascertained, will be sought in the honor and re- 
 sources of Col. Burr and himself. Tupper has promised 
 me a copy of his song of the "Battle of the Boats," and 
 " 24 
 
370 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 tells me the Hendersons now affect that they are obliged 
 to testify against me. When we recollect their menaces 
 in Wood county to denounce me, after they had prosti- 
 tuted their honor to a spy, we must rather believe they 
 regret to testify against that letter Sandy wrote his 
 father, soliciting his consent to his son's espousing the 
 principles and conduct, I confidentially recommended to 
 them, which letter will show what treason I recommend- 
 ed or was engaged in. Robison and others tell us, this 
 evening, Hay had the insolence to insinuate to-day, to 
 the Chief Justice, an impeachment, if he did not over- 
 rule all the points now before the Court. Does the Chief 
 Justice want energy at such a crisis to declare the law? 
 surely this insult should give it to him. Prichard assures 
 me Burr, on his acquittal, will not soon leave this town. 
 Civil demands upon him will gather round him from all 
 quarters, to a far greater amount than he can find bail 
 for, if Pollock, or some other preserving angel, does not 
 shield him from this new host. Then, indeed, will he 
 fall more inglorious than from a gibbet. I am very 
 unwell this evening, suffering under a return of the like 
 oppressive weather I endured during the first fortnight 
 of my imprisonment. 
 
 Saturday, August 29, 1807. 
 
 I awoke yesterday morning with a continuance of the 
 indisposition under which I had labored on Thursday 
 evening. I was affected with much fever and racking 
 headache, to a degree of severity that compelled me to 
 return to bed before breakfast, after taking three or four 
 grains of calomel. Dud. Woodbridge called me aside 
 
APOLOGY. 371 
 
 this morning to complain that the " Enquirer " has mis- 
 represented the evidence he gave last Wednesday. He 
 said he had been to the printer on the subject. I could 
 not understand distinctly, however, what particular fact 
 had been misstated. He observed to me that he was at a 
 loss to conceive the object of the counsel on both sides, 
 examining him upon matters altogether irrelevant to the 
 questions before the Court ; such as, his opinion of my 
 talents and studies, his knowledge of the amount of my 
 property, and particularly the value of my place on the 
 Ohio. But he supposed the drift of Col. Burr was to 
 show that I could in no sense be regarded as a military 
 character. He apologized for his having said that " I 
 had more other sense than common sense," an expression 
 which he said escaped him in the hurry and warmth of 
 his examination. I accepted this explanation, but wished 
 him to inform me what motive the counsel could have to 
 exhibit me to the jury as a character less skilled in the 
 ordinary aifairs of life than common men? He now 
 stated to me, that Burr's special confidants, who formerly 
 sought his company here, of late, seemed rather inclined 
 to avoid him, for which he was at a loss to account ; but 
 that, while he boarded in the same house with Bollman, 
 this gentleman had devoted much pains to learn from 
 him all he could of my character, by which, having ex- 
 tracted from him an opinion that I was eccentric, Boll- 
 man, who was informed of the testimony he had given 
 before the grand jury, regretted very much that D. Wood- 
 bridge had not informed that body of the circumstance. 
 All this is mysterious to me, and will remain so until I 
 can explore the matter by opportunities I shall not fail to 
 
372 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 seek. I have had a large draft upon my little funds, of 
 $2.55 for a large packet from Philadelphia, covering the 
 following inclosnres ; namely, two letters from Elliott and 
 another from his wife, with the seal cut open, and several 
 others of importance. Burr yesterday informed me, by 
 note, he had an unsettled account with Luckett, who holds 
 one of his drafts for $25, with my indorsement, which it 
 would gratify him much if I could discharge : but Alston, 
 two or three days ago, assured me Luckett's account was 
 not allowed, and I should not be called upon to pay this 
 draft. "Will these adventurers never meet but in du- 
 plicity ? Mr. Alston has not appeared to me since Thurs- 
 day ; he is probably engrossed to-day by Martin's con- 
 cluding speech, in reply upon the points now before the 
 Court. Wood, this morning, gave me some information, 
 which, if true, proves Burr as bad a general out of the 
 field as I have no doubt he would prove in it. Speaking 
 of several characters that Burr had subpoenaed from Ken- 
 tucky, I inquired, what benefit he expected to derive from 
 John Brown, who I heard had arrived ? " He can expect 
 none from him," said Wood ; " he will find Brown more 
 Wilkinson's friend than his." " Brown is as truly pen- 
 sioned as Sebastian w T as by the Spanish Government;" 
 and Col. Burr must have strangely overrated his own 
 powers, if he ever thought that these men would have 
 joined him in any thing but words against Spain, while 
 he might with the greatest ease, when he was in Ken- 
 tucky, have enlisted Daveiss and the whole Marshall 
 party in his interest. " Daveiss and Dr. Marshall," ho 
 added, "would gladly have embarked in all or any of his 
 speculations ; they had no Spanish ties to break, and 
 
SEBASTIAN. 373 
 
 Daviess instituted the first proceedings against him, partly 
 from a sense of neglect on the part of Burr, and through 
 enmity to the President, who he fully believed was con- 
 cerned with Burr, or connived at his operations. Be 
 these things as they may, true or false, as Wood is more 
 or less deserving of credit — it should be remembered that 
 Wood once possessed the confidence of the Marshall fac- 
 tion, by which he had an opportunity of knowing their 
 dispositions — that however unprincipled he may have 
 proved in other instances, he still adheres to the denunci- 
 ations he published in the " Western World," which have 
 already ruined Sebastian, and may yet lead to the con- 
 viction of other culprits, and that as he has now aban- 
 doned all concern with politics and newspapers, save so 
 far as he can be serviceable to Burr, he can have no cal- 
 culable interest in depreciating the views or talents of any 
 of the persons he has reflected upon. But the present 
 trial can not fail to furnish ample testimony, if not to the 
 guilt, at least to the defect of every talent, under the as- 
 sumption of which this giddy adventurer has seduced so 
 many followers of riper experience and better judgment 
 than myself. You were right, therefore, honest Hay, in 
 observing the other day to Woodbridge, while expressing 
 your concern for my situation, "that I must now think 
 Burr had duped me;" but you were wrong in supposing 
 
 I am indebted to you for the discovery; I am possessed 
 of it these nine months. I am still without relief of my 
 anxiety for my poor family. I pray the mercy of Heaven 
 to prepare me for the first news I shall hear from them. 
 
 II o'clock, P. M. 
 
374 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Sunday, August 30, 1807. 
 
 I have heard this morning from Ellis, that General 
 Jackson is hourly expected in town, and Ashley's arrival 
 also looked for, this evening or to-morrow. If hy either 
 of these chances I shall he blessed with no disastrous 
 news of my family, or even with a revival of those hopes 
 that I have too long brooded upon, of once more behold- 
 ing the picture of my beloved wife, how great a load of 
 care my hours of sorrow will throw off. I trust Almighty 
 God will first ordain I shall bow with devout gratitude 
 before I bound in levity or transports, to which I have 
 so long been a stranger; or, if I idly dream, to wake 
 perhaps to realities of sad reverse, then let me first 
 invoke the Divine mercy, to retain me faithful to all my 
 duties, in every task allotted to my destiny. I had a very 
 interesting conversation this morning with John Banks 
 and Mercer, and both eagerly charged themselves with 
 the care of sending me good soup ; and as my late sick- 
 ness induced me at their desire to complain of the quality 
 of necessaries sent from the tavern, in pursuance of 
 which, soon after, Mercer left me a present of refresh- 
 ments of fruit and good butter, and fine calves-feet jelly, 
 was sent in ice by Mrs. Gamble. The conversation, of 
 course, had no other object so natural to engage our in- 
 terest as a comparison of the foundation of different con- 
 jectures respecting the decision the Chief Justice will 
 deliver to-morrow on those points which have so long 
 balanced this town between law and faction, and will so 
 much longer poise the trembling passions of the distant 
 multitude on the same pivot. Each of us was not with- 
 
BANKS. 375 
 
 out an inuendo, or an anecdote, of no small interest to 
 Major Smith, who, I was happy to see, continued of the 
 party. My hints were thrown out only in general terms, 
 alluding to the inferences I had endeavored to draw from 
 the intelligence Wood yesterday gave me. Mercer, who, 
 it is said, is much enamored of a very accomplished 
 young lady, a relation of the Chief Justice, ably exerted 
 his happy address for some time, not indeed to confirm 
 the sense Banks and myself professed we so fully enter- 
 tained of General Marshall's high talents, deep erudition 
 and amiable virtues, but to discharge our apprehensions 
 of some doubts we said we lamented they had imbibed, 
 that the Chief Justice would possess all the energy that 
 would be necessary to reconcile the opinion he had deliv- 
 ered on the part of the Supreme Court in the case of 
 Bollman and Swartwout, with such another as would be 
 required of him to establish the most material of all the 
 points now before him. Mercer insinuated he had oppor- 
 tunities from whence he could deduce a different antici- 
 pation. But neither Banks nor myself could hereby 
 perceive his conjectures to be better warranted than our 
 own. Banks was now led, after indulging himself with 
 some general reflections on the difficulty and delicacy of 
 the Chief Justice's present dilemma, in which we all 
 concurred, to tell us an anecdote, with which I was sur- 
 prised to find Mercer unacquainted, from whence Banks 
 indeed did not infer that the Chief Justice will, on the 
 present occasion, shrink from his duty, as an able judge 
 or a virtuous patriot, to avert the revenge of an unprinci- 
 pled government, or avoid other trials menaced, and 
 preparing for himself by its wretched partisans, but he 
 
376 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 lamented, and certainly our choicest sympathies harmo- 
 nized with his feelings, that the facts he had mentioned, 
 of which he vouched the verity, referring Mercer to the 
 office and file of the Argus, had already proved that the 
 Chief Justice had explained or accommodated his en- 
 ergies on the bench in conformity to the views of his 
 enemies, by ordering or permitting in his private character 
 something to be inserted in the Argus, in the form of an 
 apology to, or exculpation of, Wilkinson, purporting to 
 contravene, but altogether inconsistent with, the tenor or 
 expressions of declarations of opinions he, as a judge, 
 had delived on the bench. This will, no doubt, engage 
 Mercer's interest and anxiety so much that I will, to-day, 
 add not a word to what I have already said, on a discov- 
 ery that has not a little depressed me. Yet I am certain, 
 whatever dust or insects may have sought the Judge's 
 robes while off his back, none will venture to appear 
 upon the ermine that bedecks his person. Mercer and 
 Banks gave me not less than two hours of their company, 
 which, whether considered with regard to the elegance 
 and interest of Mercer's conversation, or the friendly 
 concern testified by Banks for the issue of the trial, con- 
 stituted one of the most agreeable visits I have received 
 since my imprisonment. Mercer promised to bring me the 
 earliest tidings of the decision to-morrow. Alston is too 
 much occupied to call upon me, when such an effort is 
 not indispensable. 
 
 The influenza has arrived here, and found its way into 
 half the families of the town. I am severely affected 
 with it; this is the third illness I have had here, which 
 has compelled me to resort to medicine. As we were 
 
LUTHER MARTIN. 377 
 
 chatting over some of Mrs. Gamble's fruit after dinner, 
 in came the whole rear-guard of Burr's forensic army — I 
 mean the celebrated Luther Martin, who yesterday con- 
 cluded his fourteen hours' speech. His visit was to Major 
 Smith ; but he took me by the hand, saying, there was 
 no need of an introduction. I was too much interested 
 by the little I had seen, and the great things I had heard, 
 of this man's powers and passions not to improve the 
 present opportunity to survey him in every light the 
 length of his visit would permit. I accordingly recom- 
 mended our brandy as considered superior, placing a pint 
 tumbler before him. ~No ceremonies retarded the liba- 
 tion ; no inquiries solicited him on any subject, until 
 apprehensions of his withdrawing suggested some topic 
 to quiet him on his seat. Were I now to mention only 
 the subjects of law, politics, news, etc., on which he de- 
 scanted, I should not be believed when I had said his 
 visit did not exceed thirty-five minutes. I imagine a man 
 capable, in that space of time, to deliver some account of 
 an entire week's proceedings in the trial, with extracts 
 from memory of several speeches on both sides, including 
 long ones from his own, to recite half columns, verbatim, 
 of a series of papers of which he said he is the author, 
 under the signature of " Investigator," to caricature Jef- 
 ferson, give the history of his acquaintance with Burr, 
 expatiate on his virtues and sufferings, maintain his credit, 
 embellish his fame, and intersperse the whole with sen- 
 tentious reprobations and praises of other characters. 
 Some estimate, with these preparations, may be formed 
 of this man's powers, which are yet shackled by great 
 embarrassment of delivery. In this his manner is rude, 
 
378 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and his language ungramm itical, which is cruelly aggra- 
 vated upon his hearers by the verbosity and repetitions 
 of his style. "With the warmest passions that hurry him 
 like a torrent over those characters or topics of his con- 
 versation that lie most in the way of their course, he has 
 by practice acquired the faculty of curbing his feelings, 
 while he never suffers to charge the enemy until broken 
 by the superior numbers of his arguments and authorities, 
 by which he always outflanks him ; then he lets loose the 
 reserve upon the center with redoubled impetuosity. Yet 
 fancy has been as much denied to his mind as grace to 
 his person or habits. These are gross, and incapable of 
 restraint, even on the most solemn public occasions. 
 Hence his invectives are rather coarse than pointed ; 
 his eulogiums more fulsome than pathetic. In short, my 
 amiable young friend Mercer, in his accustomed classical 
 neatness, gives me every trait of his portrait, when in one 
 word he calls him the " Thersites of the law." Yet, 
 though Mr. M. did not intend to sit here to so bad an 
 artist, he has literally promised me his portrait by a bet- 
 ter hand, and I believe he is not without many moral 
 good qualities, not very inconsistent with the sketch I 
 have attempted of his character. I have no doubt he is 
 unrivaled for zeal in the service of his friends, while he 
 retains them from the concern with which he spoke of 
 Burr's financial difficulties, declaring his friend could find 
 security in Baltimore for §100,000, which I doubt, though 
 I do not at all question Martin, as he said so, would be 
 his bail for $10,000. I regret to find Smith neglected, not 
 only by Burr, but Burr's satellites. I asked Martin if the 
 prosecutors won't succeed, as I predicted by letter to B., 
 
INDISPOSITION. 879 
 
 before I got here to put him upon a defense on the trea- 
 son bill, that will nearly amount to a confession of the 
 misdemeanor ? I think this has actually happened. Mar- 
 tin thought that because Burr alleges he expected war 
 between Spain and the United States, his expedition was 
 lawful. But may not a jury think Burr did not expect 
 the war, and find their verdict then on the confession ? 
 
 Monday, August 31, 1807. 
 
 I suffered total privation of sleep last night, by the un- 
 remitting severity of my cough. This is the most 
 oppressive day I have yet endured in this place, and my 
 lassitude was so great, that after seeing Strickland, who, 
 I am glad to hear, sets out for Natchez about Saturday, I 
 read for two hours, but was obliged to go to bed, where 
 T slept until awaked by Mercer, with a report of the 
 Chief Justice's opinion, stating, in substance, that all the 
 points of so much expectation had been established in 
 favor of the accused, and my indictment virtually got rid 
 of, by the Judge's opinion, that the evidence adduced to 
 prove the overt acts did not prove such an assemblage as 
 the law required to constitute a traitorous one. Mercer 
 took much pains to state every detail his memory could 
 suggest; but I was little revived with the news. I have 
 yet too many other trials to pass. The Court adjourned 
 to six o'clock this evening, when the prosecutors are to 
 be prepared to state the course they will now pursue. 
 The result I shall learn to-morrow morning, and be 
 thereby probably enabled to look to the period of my 
 imprisonment. When I shall have access to Burr and 
 Alston, it will be my fault if I do not see them when I 
 
380 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ought. My chest is very sore; I will take some medicine, 
 and endeavor to sleep, after first offering up my cares and 
 prayers to Heaven for my wife and boys. 
 
 Tuesday, September 1, 1807. 
 
 This morning I find my influenza much abated by the 
 good effects of the medicine I took last night. Visited, 
 as usual, by a variety of persons, before and after the ad- 
 journment of the Court, by whom we learn, Hay observed, 
 with an affectation of terseness, that he had examined 
 the opinion of the Court, and had no further arguments 
 or evidence to offer, by which I should understand he 
 meant to envelop in uncertainty the course the prose- 
 cutors will now pursue, of which no conjecture can be 
 formed before to-morrow. A diversity of opinions, how- 
 ever, seems already to dissect the speculations of the 
 prosecutors ; some supposing all the indictments will be 
 abandoned by nolle-prosequis ; others, that Burr will be 
 proceeded against immediately on the misdemeanor ; and 
 some more, that a motion will be made to have him sent 
 to the District of Kentucky, where things may work 
 more favorably to convict him of overt acts, suggested to 
 have been committed by him at the mouth of Cumber- 
 land river ; while, on the other hand, it is said, Burr will 
 to-morrow move for nothing less than to be discharged 
 from the indictment for the misdemeanor. But this 
 seems to me too bold a dash on the part of the accused. 
 I should rather presume, on the contrary, that the Judge 
 would allow the prosecutors all the latitude of discretion 
 they may desire in adducing evidence to prove that de- 
 gree or probability of guilt that may induce the Court to 
 
ARGUMENTATION. 381 
 
 transmit the accused to another district, from which they 
 had precluded themselves by the form in which they had 
 framed the indictment for treason. Yet I can not believe 
 the Chief Justice will ever say, a man once put in jeop- 
 ardy of life in one district for treason, charged to have 
 been therein committed and acquitted thereof, may after- 
 ward be put to answer charges of other overt acts of the 
 same treason in another district. Though a man may be 
 responsible to the law, in twelve districts severally, for a 
 distinct treason committed in each, provided the animus 
 or design quo (with which) he sought his object by the overt 
 acts in each be proven to have operated the overt acts, as 
 their immediate preceding motive, within the district 
 where they are laid in the indictment to have been com- 
 mitted. Thus, a man may successively meditate, and 
 mentally organize or arrange, eleven separate treasons, in 
 as many States, the execution of all which he may aban- 
 don ; but finally, in a twelfth, he may attempt to reduce 
 his project into action. But evidence of overt acts in the 
 last State can not borrow evidence of the design from any 
 of the former to complete his crime. The jury, I hope, 
 have to-day evinced more of caprice than party spirit, by 
 affecting to bring in something like a special verdict of 
 acquittal. It will, however, be entered generally on the 
 record. Burr has written to me to solicit Alston to as- 
 sume the amount of the bill Luckett holds, and felicitates 
 me on the events of yesterday. I have gratified Luckett 
 with a letter to that effect to Alston, whom I have not 
 seen since Thursday. 
 
382 the blenneriiassett papers. 
 
 Wednesday, September 2, 1807. 
 
 My cough still causing me some loss of rest, I had not 
 risen this morning before seven, when I was visited by 
 Wickham and Botts. They staid about fifteen minutes, 
 and called to acquaint me they meant to-morrow to offer 
 the special plea to my indictment, on which account they 
 had come to invite me to visit the folks at the capitol. 
 They told me Burr was not solicitous about his discharge, 
 which they thought would not take place for three or 
 four days. They apprehended an attempt would be made 
 to have us all transmitted to the Kentucky or other dis- 
 tricts, which they did not appear to think would prevail. 
 After breakfast, being very languid, we did nothing but 
 read until a little after noon, when a Deputy Marshal un- 
 expectedly roused us into action, by a summons to attend 
 the Court. "We dressed in five minutes, and accompanied 
 the officer in a distressing warm walk. We did not re- 
 turn till the Court adjourned, about half-past four. On 
 our arrival, the Court seemed disengaged, as if it had 
 been waiting for us. During this pause I could only col- 
 lect from Botts, that some motion was before the Court, 
 which he had not time to explain, before Hay rose to ob- 
 serve, that as Major Smith and myself were present, and 
 as we were similarly circumstanced with A. Burr, the 
 same course should be pursued with us all. This called 
 up Botts, who was followed by Wickham, both in very 
 able arguments, contending that our cases were totally 
 separate and distinct from Burr's; the latter not being 
 now, on account of his acquittal of the treason, legally 
 present before the Court ; the only proper means to bring 
 
burr's guard. 383 
 
 him there, to answer to the indictment for the misde- 
 meanor, being, by summons or venire facias, according to 
 the laws and practice of Virginia, where process of capias 
 is not allowed for any offense less than capital. Burr 
 said he was ready to enter an appearance to the indict- 
 ment for the misdemeanor, insisting, until he did so, he 
 was not legally in court on that charge; from whence I 
 inferred, that the motion made before my arrival was 
 probably for his discharge under the proclamation that 
 should have ensued, on recording the verdict yesterday 
 of his acquittal. "Wickham and Botts supported their 
 arguments with not only English and Federal authorities, 
 but with the doctrines of Hay himself, delivered by him 
 in his evidence on Chase's trial, which they dressed up in 
 such comments and strictures as exhibited Hay the most 
 bewildered spectacle of confusion and mortification I 
 ever saw exposed to a public assembly. The Chief Justice 
 said he should proceed to assign counsel to Major Smith 
 — for which purpose the latter got me to write a letter 
 for him yesterday — if the counsel of the United States 
 meant to proceed against him on his treason bill, to which 
 Hay answered, " it would be unnecessary, he believed." 
 The Judge then observed, that the arguments would 
 require his postponing his opinion until to-morrow morn- 
 ing. After the Court was adjourned, Burr and ourselves 
 were detained about ten minutes by the absence of the 
 Marshal and his deputies, who had stepped aside some- 
 where out of my sight, I believe, upon some consultation 
 respecting the expense of Burr's guard until to-morrow; 
 for I soon heard Burr tell Botts he would pay the ex- 
 pense himself. The guard over him, at his present 
 
384 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 quarters, lias hitherto cost the United States seven dollars 
 a day, which, it is now understood, he must pay himself 
 until discharged, since his "life has heen redeemed from 
 the mortgage the Government had on it. Burr, during 
 this detention, said he hoped he should be able to come 
 to see us to-morrow or next day ; but I fancy we shall 
 have the liberty of the town as soon as his highness ; and 
 so after all, it is one hundred to one, I shall never be ever 
 arraigned for treason. On entering the dome of the 
 capitol I was indemnified for the severity of my walk, 
 not merely by the pleasure of the transition from the 
 heat abroad to the shade and lower temperature of that 
 part of the building, but by the enjoyment of beholding 
 a face I had not yet seen in town. I passed close by 
 Phelps, whose visage exhibited so high-colored a picture 
 of the disappointment of his malice, that I involuntarily 
 smiled upon him with such satisfaction as almost tempted 
 me to wish him joy. My hurry, however, did not permit 
 me to speak. I must reserve my words for something 
 more human. Tupper expects letters this evening. I 
 have charged Billy to see him, and be with me as early 
 as he can. If I but wake to good tidings from Natchez, 
 how shall I sacrifice to the God of fathers, for his pre- 
 servation of my Harman, whom I have again dreamed I 
 have lost. 
 
 Thursday, September 3, 1807. 
 
 I opened my eyes first this morning in quest only of 
 that object, in exclusion of all others, that occupied my 
 heart last night. But instead of letters through General 
 Tupper, Billy brought me early a note from him, to an- 
 
INCERTITUDE. 885 
 
 nounce that there were three letters from my wife, not 
 here, arrived for me, but at Marietta. To Almighty God 
 be first offered my grateful and humble thanksgiving. I 
 am hereby enabled to conjecture, with much probability, 
 my beloved wife, at least, was well about the middle of 
 July. But I dare not so far presume upon the favor of 
 Providence as to conclude my boys, particularly Harman, 
 were in health at that period, much less, how long they 
 and their mother have since continued well. This note 
 has given me, however, a vivacity to-day, in spite of the 
 oppressiveness of the weather, I have not before experi- 
 enced in this prison, where, it is true, my friends have 
 sometimes made me bear a part in the humor or interest 
 of the story ; but I have ever felt on such occasions in the 
 state Mcholas described, when he gives us the account 
 of that part of his life during which he was conscious 
 of being under the influence of two minds at the same 
 instant. Or, at least, my heart would pity the momentary 
 fluttering of my spirits, which, on such occasions, could 
 never soar above its trouble. That truly worthy Irish- 
 man, Mr. Hendren, has come again to town, apparently 
 on purpose to see me. (See notes of 8th ult.) If I shall 
 be detained here, as is probable, for some time, after I 
 shall be bailed or discharged, I have engaged to visit him 
 at Shirley, twenty miles from here. Not having seen any- 
 one since the risino- of the court this evening; we are 
 without any knowledge of the proceedings there to-day. 
 Luckctt called, this morning, to tell me Alston required 
 me to write to him again, to desire he would settle or 
 assume the amount of the bill Luckett holds, with my 
 indorsement, saying my last letter to him on Monday to 
 
386 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 do so, did not express my desire with sufficient certainty. 
 This is admirable ! Major Smith has seen that letter, and 
 only wanted to hear this statement by Luckett, which, if 
 true, settles Mr. Alston's intentions and mine. The first 
 to put off, the last to hasten ; if he leaves this town, with- 
 out his having reasons I shall approve of for not making 
 the settlements he has undertaken, my purpose is fixed to 
 follow him to the " Oaks " with a friend, very soon after 
 my discharge, when it shall not exceed forty-eight hours 
 to conclude all my business Avith him. I have written to 
 William Thompson a long letter, accepting his tender of 
 a correspondence, and returning him my sincere disposi- 
 tion to improve our acquaintance into a friendship. Re- 
 curring with Mr. Smith to some incidents that happened 
 soon after our arrival at Natchez, and speaking of Cowles 
 Meade, I was much surprised to learn what I had never 
 heard before, that Meade had seriously taken up an idea 
 of Col. Burr's being then deranged, alleging that he 
 could not be mistaken, as he, Meade, had very long 
 known him. Be this as it may, Burr, yesterday, looked 
 fifty per cent, better than I have ever seen him, and dis- 
 played a command of tone and firmness of manner he 
 did not appear to me to possess before the verdict of 
 Tuesday. 11, P. M. 
 
 Friday, September 4, 1807. 
 
 Visited this morning by Ellis and Doctor Monholland, 
 who inform us yesterday was spent in Court in a desultory 
 disputation on Hay's attempt, moved or suggested to 
 have Burr transmitted to the Kentucky District; on 
 which the Chief Justice has yet made no rule, as they 
 
MISDEMEANOR. 387 
 
 understand lie conceives the indictment for the misde- 
 meanor must be first got rid of here. They also tell us 
 Burr went out about 1 o'clock to procure bail, which 
 the}' supposed he did not. effect, as his guard wore in 
 statu quo this morning. I have written a thankful letter 
 to two : I have received one from Jas. 0. Hennessy, a 
 Kerry schoolmaster, who appears to be settled as a private 
 tutor in the family of Hudson Martin, Esq., near York 
 Post-office, Albemarle county, and is very solicitous to 
 serve me. Read the best part of this morning, as is 
 generally my practice when not otherwise employed, and 
 which will show I have not been idle, wherever it might 
 appear by this diary the minutes of any particular day 
 are few or uninteresting. Hay has made, a special return 
 instanter, to a subpeena, duces-tecum, ordering him to pro- 
 duce a letter from Jefferson to Wilkinson, which Hay 
 did not wish made public, as parts of it were confidential. 
 But his return was not accepted, and he has been co- 
 erced to produce the letter. The whole day has been 
 spent in altercation on this subject, and the question 
 whether evidence should be gone into to determine upon 
 the transmissal of us all to another district, before our 
 indictments for the misdemeanor are here disposed of. 
 In Burr's case, the Chief Justice has determined his dis- 
 charge from his treason bill, and ordered his trial for 
 the misdemeanor to proceed directly. 11, P. M. 
 
 Saturday, September 5, 1807. 
 
 Burr is to-day to give bail to the misdemeanor, the 
 Chief Justice having yesterday determined a capias is the 
 proper process, and not a summons, on grounds I am 
 
388 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ignorant of. The sum was settled at $5,000, Burr having 
 prayed it might be reduced below what it had been for- 
 merly fixed at since his acquittal ; and his being in cus- 
 tody on civil process, altered his situation, and now made 
 it more difficult for him to find bail than before. Strange! 
 I should never before have heard of this arrest on civil pro- 
 cess having been made upon him, and still being unre- 
 moved. I observed to Alston, who has just left me, that 
 I found by to-day's papers, Col. Burr and the Judge had 
 both referred to this circumstance as influential in settling 
 the quantum of the bail. He did not like it, and asked, 
 peevishly, " What is it the papers will not talk about ? " 
 This man, with his most active associates, Bollman and 
 Sam. Swartwout, to whom probably young Dayton may 
 now be added, has, I believe, been more active with every 
 thing than his purse to serve the interests of Burr ; his 
 industry enabled him, rather than his judgment or 
 knowledge of the subject, to anticipate the opinion of the 
 Chief Justice on the late arguments of an entire week, 
 long before anybody else scarcely would venture an opin- 
 ion, or conjecture about it. And if the Coryplvvi of the 
 prosecution were solicitous to collect, from every opportu- 
 nity they could derive from the Judge's conduct, materials 
 to fabricate an impeachment against him, the Triumviri 
 above mentioned were not less busy in their preparations, 
 by rumors or publications, to arraign him for timidity be- 
 fore the tribunal of public opinion, in case his judgments 
 had been adverse to their wishes. Notwithstanding the 
 dignity and independence of the .Fudge's mind, I suspect 
 from some hints dropped to me by Mercer, Mr. Marshall 
 early perceived his course lay between Scylla and Charyb- 
 
DOUBTS. 389 
 
 dis, though he equally disregarded the dangers that men- 
 aced him on either side. Again, Alston has detected, by 
 his spies, some curious governmental manoeuvres, that 
 have been going on in Kentucky, nothing less than prep- 
 arations by Bibb, the District Attorney there, for our 
 prosecution in that State to be instituted, if not already 
 commenced, the moment we are discharged here, provided 
 only the necessary witnesses can be trained and suborned, 
 and a grand jury packed for the purpose. Alston assures 
 me the grand jury was actually to have been embodied 
 yesterday, if the scheme had succeeded, of which he ex- 
 pected to be advised by Monday. Hence we learn to ac- 
 count for Hay's delays, to dismiss the other treason bills 
 here, which he may yet possibly proceed upon, though 
 he has declared he would enter nolle prosequis if he finds 
 his speculations in Kentucky likely to miscarry. Why 
 else has Major Smith been served to-day with copies of 
 his indictments ? Alston tells me, Duncan was yesterday 
 evening examined upon interrogatories by consent, by 
 Burr and Botts, preparatory to his, Duncan, leaving town 
 to-day. The object was to obtain matter to discredit 
 "Wilkinson. It is pretended Duncan has proved Wilkin- 
 son guilty of forgery, in erasing and altering the cipher 
 letter. But I do not place implicit reliance on the full 
 extent of this statement. Burr's guard, it is added, will 
 be dismissed to-day. But the business of bailing may 
 undergo some procrastination, I suppose, if any part of it 
 depends upon expectations from Alston, who has not 
 to-day said a word to me upon money matters, from 
 which I do by no means imagine he has yet concluded 
 any thing with Nicholas or Luckett. I Avas not . sorry he 
 
390 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 did not call me out. I shall not forget to construe his 
 silence upon my last note to him, to settle with Luckett 
 for the bill as an acceptance of one demand, at least, 
 beyond the limits of his letter of guarantee. Though had 
 he spoken to me in private, I was prepared to express to 
 him my surprise at the freedom he used in speaking of 
 what passed during my visit from Duane, after I had 
 apprised him I did not wish it published; also, to warn 
 him of my being acquainted with the officious inquiries 
 his friend Bollman had been making about me, and to ac- 
 quaint him, that though his agent in Philadelphia would 
 probably exonerate me from one of the attachments, yet 
 he had not paid the bill, in the manner stated to me on a 
 former occasion. (See notes of 27th and 29th ult.) 
 
 Since writing the above, before dinner, I find this even- 
 ing I have been much mistaken in my conjectures of the 
 morning respecting the hero of these notes. Luckett has 
 just stepped off with Alston's letter of guarantee to me, 
 on which I have seen a special receipt from Nicholas to 
 him, for a bond and mortgage. Luckett brought it to me 
 to request I would also endorse on it an order to settle his 
 demand for the bill, which I did very readily. The news 
 by this arrival is, that Burr, besides his bail already men- 
 tioned, procured security to-day, also, for $30,000, in civil 
 suits, which have been here commenced against him ; that 
 he enjoyed a long walk this evening with Mrs. Alston, 
 in which he exhibited himself through the greater part of 
 the town, and will probably honor me with a visit to-mor- 
 row. It is again threatened that Alston will be off to- 
 morrow, but not without seeing me; I fancy he will, in 
 case he comes pour prendre conge, take away with him, 
 
SPECULATION. 391 
 
 from my valediction, more matter of reflection for him to 
 ponder on, at the Oaks, than has yet troubled him on my 
 account, Half past 10, P. M. 
 
 Sunday, September 6, 1807. 
 
 As I learned yesterday, which I 've omitted to mention, 
 that Burr's trial for the misdemeanor had been ordered 
 by the Court to commence to-morrow, the uncertainty of 
 its duration has caused me no small uneasiness, lest it 
 might prolong my imprisonment until the period of its 
 termination. This apprehension lias led me this morn- 
 ing to suggest, by note to my counsel, the expedient of 
 my pleading in abatement to both my indictments, to- 
 morrow morning on the opening of the court, at once 
 before the trial begins. I have had a short line in answer 
 from Botte, saying, he will this evening confer with Ran- 
 dolph and Wickham, and endeavor to have me brought 
 into court, pursuant to my desire. My speculation, on 
 the success of this manoeuvre, opens to me a prospect of 
 no small interest and amusement, as it may affect the 
 recovery of my liberty, at least for a time, and promises 
 to occasion no little embarrassment to the prosecutors, 
 who can not, I believe, support a demurrer to the plea, 
 which when established will, of course, destroy both of 
 the present indictments against me, and thereby reduce 
 Hay to the dilemma of seeing me fully discharged by the 
 Court, or oblige him to apply for a recommitment, in 
 order to have me transmitted to another district. But to 
 open and examine the evidence from which alone he 
 could exhibit even the semblance of probable cause to 
 induce the Court to grant such a motion, would occasion 
 
392 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 such an interference and obstruction of Burr's trial now 
 pending, that he must be inevitably distanced, unless he 
 can prevent my pleading until the present trial is at an 
 end, which I also expect he will fail in, because I conceive 
 it a matter of right that I should plead when I am ready 
 to do so. Besides, the Court will have sufficient leisure ; 
 for I understand from Mercer and Kerr, that Burr's trial 
 will not, in fact, commence before Tuesday, or perhaps 
 Wednesday. These gentlemen, in giving me this intelli- 
 gence this morning, acquaint me with some curious cir- 
 cumstances, which have occasioned the expected suspen- 
 sion. It seems, after Hay's special return to the subpoena 
 duces-tecum on Friday, stating that he deemed certain 
 parts of Wilkinson's letter, of 12th of November, to Jef- 
 ferson, confidential, which he therefore could not part 
 with, etc., was held insufficient, after an animated discus- 
 sion by the Court, which threatened to enforce Mr. Hay's 
 compliance with its orders. He then begged time to learn 
 Wilkinson's pleasure, as to his producing the letter. 
 Yesterday, however, he took new ground, and prayed to 
 amend his return, which now set forth, " that on a fur- 
 ther perusal and examination of the said letter, he dis- 
 covered it contained some secrets of state, whereupon he 
 prayed time to obtain Jefferson's consent or dissent to his 
 producing it," Four days, I am told, is the extent of the 
 time allowed for his receiving an answer from Monticello. 
 But it is a little curious, that in order to learn his master's 
 pleasure lie should send the letter to him, which I am 
 assured he has actually done, so that we may, by possi- 
 bility, be gratified with the scene that may ensue on Jef- 
 ferson's heroism, opposing his shield to the onset of the 
 
ANECDOTE. 393 
 
 Chief Justice upon his attorney. But the bewildered 
 Hay has, in the mean time, " let the cat out of the bag ;" 
 for the great secret of state is now all over the town. It 
 happened thus. While the guardian of state secrecy and 
 private confidence was yesterday descanting before the 
 Court on the sacred obligations of these duties, the deities 
 or demons of theft and discord, combining with the evil 
 genii of Jefferson and Hay, directed the keen scent and 
 piercing eye of a vulture to that prey most natural to his 
 appetite. John Graham, whose name may find a place 
 perhaps in the history of the present administration, from 
 his exploits as a spy and informer in their service, politer- 
 stepped up to the table where the letter lay, and while 
 Hay was earnestly defending the inviolable secrecy of its 
 contents, this " Bird of Paradise " was pecking at the for- 
 bidden fruit. The example was followed by other fowl, 
 I know not how far, of the same feather. But some 
 magpies, I find, were so delighted with the fruit, of which 
 they had eaten in the same manner, that they flew through 
 the streets in the evening, intoxicated with its flavor, and 
 chattering the words, " Militia traitors ! " These fine 
 birds could not speak in detail of all the sweets on which 
 they had regaled themselves ; yet can they rival that cel- 
 ebrated parrot that detected a Prince of Orange incog., 
 and squall, when a little man passes by them, " Great 
 General." The oracles of intrigue, however, at the capi- 
 tol, have been resorted to on this occasion, who have 
 answered, " that a great General expressed his opinion, 
 as a secret of state, that the Mississippi and Orleans mil- 
 itias should not be trusted." I am a little pleased with 
 this anecdote, and have some thoughts of giving it to the 
 
394 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 public. I find Tupper and many other witnesses are 
 about to return home, some being discharged as they 
 arrived; i. e., unexamined, some having, by consent of 
 parties, left their affidavits. I am inclined to infer, from 
 these appearances, that poor Hay rather feels craw-sick, 
 than that he is not yet fully gorged with the banquet of 
 professional fame, at which he has made so long a sitting. 
 As for McEae, he is utterly chop-fallen ; an object of dis- 
 gust to his friends, and pity to his enemies. Luther Mar- 
 tin sat some time with us this morning. He said he 
 came to see his client Major Smith ; but his vanity as an 
 author and a father led him to bring me his strictures on 
 the barbarous and sanguinary toasts that were drank on 
 the Fourth of July, against Burr and himself, at Elktown, 
 in Maryland, and also to read two letters from two of his 
 daughters. His retort on the toasters is a good philippic 
 on their bloody ignorance of the law, but a mass of verbi- 
 age, engrossing more than one page of a paper, the points 
 and arguments of which might all be neatly expressed in 
 half a column. He improves in interest, as I get a nearer 
 view of his sensibilities, through which he shines far 
 brighter as a father or a friend than he will ever appear 
 through his oratory or his writings as an advocate or an 
 
 author. 
 
 Monday, September 7, 1807. 
 
 This day, at 11 o'clock, A. M., ended my captivity, 
 which has lasted fifty-three days. I was taken down to 
 Court about ten o'clock, when Mr. Botts called upon Hay 
 to know what he meant to do with my treason-bill, which 
 Hay agreed to have discharged, but required my deten- 
 tion in custody on the indictment for the misdemeanor, 
 
OUT OF PRISON. 395 
 
 which produced a conversation on the subject of bail, 
 during which I). "Woodbridge offered me his services. 
 After an examination on the amount of his property, he 
 was accepted as my security in $5,000, myself being bound 
 in the same sum, on condition that I attend the court on 
 "Wednesday, and not depart the same from day to day, 
 without license, until discharged. John Banks had also 
 come up to court to assist me in the way of bail. He 
 afterward accompanied me in quest of a lodging, which 
 I have found at a Mr. Walton's, who seems a good sort 
 of man, and will, upon my solicitation, if necessary, come 
 forward to-morrow to bail Major Smith, though L. Mar- 
 tin will take that friendship on himself. We then re- 
 paired to the Post-office, where I was made happy by a 
 letter from my beloved wife, of the 3d ult., whom the 
 favor of Almighty God permitted the blessing of her 
 health, and that of our boys. I then visited Aaron Burr, 
 now settled in the house occupied lately by Alston, who 
 has at last gone off this morning in the way he has so 
 long threatened, that is, without taking leave. In the 
 evening, I returned to the Penitentiary to visit Major 
 Smith, and, after acquainting him with my having pro- 
 vided more agreeable quarters for him, I came away with 
 L. Martin, and took up my abode at my lodgings, under 
 a severe headache, the forerunner of another day's sick- 
 ness, which I shall probably undergo to-morrow. But it 
 is just the happiness conferred by a letter from Natchez 
 should be tempered with an alloy. 
 
 Wednesday, September 9, 1807. 
 As I apprehended on Monday night, I spent yesterday 
 
396 THE BLENNERHASSETT TAPERS. 
 
 in bed, under much fever and sickness. In the morning, 
 I fortunately begged Mr. Walton to take my cloak, as he 
 was an invalid, and it was very rainy, and step up to 
 court, in case of his assistance being wanted to bail Major 
 Smith. Mr. W. had on Monday agreed, after much 
 solicitation on my part, to come forward as the Major's 
 bail, if necessary. But as I had some slight fears of 
 Martin's forgetting engagements he had made while in 
 his cups, thought it most prudent to have Walton on the 
 spot, and the event justified my prudence; for though 
 Martin had not forgotten his promise, he was incapable 
 of executing it, through the effects of yesterday morn- 
 ing's potations. I was informed by Major Smith, that 
 had not Mr. Walton arrived when he did, the Court 
 would very soon have remanded him for want of bail, 
 Martin having in vain endeavored to express his purpose, 
 in which Burr interrupted him, not liking the statement 
 he was trying to make to the Court, though Martin 
 would gladly have entered bail to any amount, for he is, 
 I am now convinced, one of the best-hearted men alive. 
 I slept badly last night, and am very weak to-day, though 
 I have attended my place in court, where the trial of 
 Burr proceeded on the misdemeanor, Hay having pre- 
 sented from Jefferson a mutilated copy of Wilkinson's 
 letter, out of which Jefferson has reserved all the parts 
 alleged to be confidential, in disregard of the opinion of 
 the Court rejecting the special return to the subpoena 
 aleady offered to that effect by Hay. How far the Court 
 will accept from Jefferson, what it has refused from Hay, 
 will not appear until the fate of six points, made by Botts 
 to-day, to arrest all further evidence in this case similar 
 
CONSULTATION. 397 
 
 to what was done in the treason case, shall be determined. 
 The arguments on this motion will not probably be 
 closed before the end of the week. I had, this evening, 
 a pretty long tete a tete with Burr, during which General 
 Dayton was sequestered in another room. This old sly- 
 boots, or Burr, who is often closeted with him, did not 
 mention a hint of my seeing him, though Burr had the 
 candor to tell me, when I was taking leave, he would 
 return to General Dayton in the next room ; so that 
 both were equally conscious I should despise the intro- 
 duction. Our conversation turned altogether on the 
 subject of my involvment in pecuniary claims upon him, 
 in which I represented distinctly, and with firmness, that 
 I should expect indemnity from him for every loss I 
 might incur by his paper or my disbursements for him, 
 specifying to him, at the same time, many instances in 
 which my property on the Ohio had already been sacri- 
 ficed on those accounts, and adding, that I particularly 
 held Alston answerable to me for any bills, with the 
 charges upon them, which I might have indorsed beyond 
 the amount of Alston's guarantee to me by letter, unless 
 Burr would settle such claims. He assured me he would 
 adjust all such demands, whenever he can be freed from 
 the present prosecutions, and can have reasonable time to 
 collect Ins resources ; until when, he expressed a desire 
 that I should employ Jacob Burnet, now here, to procure 
 as much procrastination of execution on Miller's attach- 
 ment as he can, Alston having got Nicholas and Luckett 
 to accept of his paper for their demands to the amount 
 of $12,500, with charges. I will have one more consulta- 
 tion with Burr before I make my first demand upon 
 
398 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Alston for the balance of his guarantee by letter, which 
 will be $2,500, at least. When that is disposed of, I shall 
 meditate upon other demands, on his verbal guarantee to 
 me. 10 o'clock, P. M. 
 
 Thursday, September 10, 1807. 
 
 I have, this morning, conferred with J. Burnet, who 
 tells me Miller may be delayed in effecting sales against 
 me in Ohio for twelve months to come. I have also en- 
 gaged him to act as my attorney in Ohio Federal Court, 
 against old Wooclb ridge. The Court heard Botts and 
 Martin argue further on Botts's motion, and adjourned 
 early, on account of the absence and indisposition of 
 some of the other counsel. I then enjoyed a further 
 repast, prepared for me by my beloved wife, which had 
 been withheld, I know not how long, from me. It was 
 the letters she had addressed to me at Marietta, with 
 others inclosed in them, to the amount of nine dollars 
 postage. These being without dates, I knew they must 
 be old. The profiles they inclosed of my dear boys were 
 morsels of such exquisite and uncloying flavor, that they 
 have developed within me sensations of delight I did not 
 know I possessed. How many parts of all the lines and 
 curves of these dear heads I shall scan and reflect upon, 
 in many a precious reverie, it is given to few besides 
 myself to care or comprehend. But did I truly know 
 my patience had obtained for me any particular bless- 
 ing, among the many I derive alone from a beneficent 
 Providence, then how much better should I know the 
 pre-eminent value of that blessing, and study the holy 
 tenure by which I could preserve it. I will never dare to 
 
IN DEBT. 399 
 
 ask, but will receive from Divine dispensation, in this 
 sense, its- permission of the health and comfort of my 
 little family, which I yet know not, but beseech Almighty 
 God to teach me how I may deserve it. I went this 
 evening to the Harmonic Society, at which I could not 
 assist for want of my spectacles. The vice-president 
 requested I would consider myself an honorary member 
 while in town. The flutes are good, with four moder- 
 ately good violins, two tenors, two bass players, one 
 telerably good and three excellent singers, who performed 
 some charming trios of Doctor Calcott's, new to me, and 
 composed for some affecting extracts from Ossian. The 
 instrumental music was all old, and known to me. I 
 passed a pleasant evening, and came away at 12. Next 
 Thursday I shall take a. part. 
 
 Friday, September 11, 1807. 
 
 Saw Burnet again this morning, and showed him Al- 
 ston's letter of guarantee, which I assigned to Sanders, 
 and is now returned to me, by his agent Nicholas, with 
 the batter's receipt indorsed upon it for Alston's paper, 
 which he has taken in satisfaction of his principal's 
 demand. I have written to Lewis, to state this settle- 
 ment, and hope it will restore my credit with his house, 
 from whence I have requested a remittance of $200, as 
 I am in debt and without funds. Court, to-day, was 
 occupied with further arguments on Botts's points. I 
 heard Wirt for the first time. He is a handsome speaker, 
 but faulty in his figures, rather through defect of study 
 'ban genius. Edmond Randolph followed on the other 
 tide; he has suffered a depression, in manner and 
 
400 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 matter, of fully one-half, since I saw him display here 
 in 1800. 
 
 Saturday, September 12, 1807. 
 
 Randolph finished his argument this morning, and was 
 as labored, inanimate and uninteresting as on yesterday. 
 He advanced nothing new, except an objection to the in- 
 dictments not setting forth with sufficient certainty that 
 the expedition was carried on from the United States, 
 pursuant to the manner in which the offense is described 
 in the statute; as he insisted, in the present indictment, 
 the words " from thence " referred to the Island, and not 
 to the United States. The point seemed to me a good 
 one, and the Chief Justice took a note of it. Martin 
 followed for two hours, and was, besides being clear in 
 his positions, though, as usual, totally regardless of ar- 
 rangement, less cumbrous than in common with his 
 verbiage. But Wickham, who closed on that side, ex- 
 hibited a masterpiece of strong, condensed argumenta- 
 tion, followed with a severe, but measured philippic on 
 the motives, ignorance and misconduct of the prose- 
 cutors. This occasioned such agitation to Hay, who was 
 alone hardy enough, of the three on that side, to with- 
 stand the impression, that he declared his feelings ought 
 not to be trusted with the duty imposed on him, to offer 
 remarks on expressions so unprovoked and unmerited, 
 which Mr. Wickham would retract. He therefore re- 
 quested to be heard on Monday ; the Court then immedi- 
 ately adjourned. But I trust the Judge will not allow 
 Hay to prove what he can alone do ; namely, Tutius est 
 igitur jictis contendere verbis quam pugnare manu. I have 
 
NO CAPITAL. 401 
 
 this evening progressed with letters to A. Martin, so long 
 delayed. (See notes of the 29th ult.) Should I ever suc- 
 ceed to the large estates which Martin supposes now awaits 
 me, who would imagine, that did not know my indiffer- 
 ence to wealth, I should be so careless of it. 
 
 Sunday, September 13, 1807. 
 
 I was this morning informed by Mr. Walton, a gentle- 
 man had arrived in town last night from the country, 
 who had come a considerable distance to see me, and 
 would call at 9 o'clock. I therefore staid within to 
 receive him — certain it must be either Mr. Hendren or 
 O'Hennessy — and was called upon to the minute, when a 
 stranger appeared somewhat agitated. I inquired whether 
 it was Mr. O'Hennessy I had the pleasure to receive, and 
 being answered in the affirmative, I invited him up stairs. 
 This man, I soon found, who had seen me only once or 
 twice in Kerry, when I was one of the counsel attending 
 John Crosbie's election, I believe, in 1793, who had never 
 spoken a word to me in his life until this day, has suf- 
 fered many a sleepless night through his anxiety for me 
 under the present prosecutions, and the first moment he 
 learned he could have a chance of seeing me, he set out 
 and rode 105 miles for the purpose. This is not all ; he 
 intreats me to suffer him to follow me to any indefinite 
 distance, declaring he regards it as the first object of his 
 heart to settle near me. He has no capital ; but, as a 
 schoolmaster and a skillful dealer in horses, can command 
 the means of a comfortable livelihood any where in 
 America. At Natchez he can soon get rich. He will, 
 
 therefore, accompany me with a Mr. O'Connor, a mathe- 
 
 26 
 
402 THE BLENNE11HASSETT PAPERS 
 
 matician, who will follow his fortune, so that I have 
 secured a good tuition for my boys in the dead languages, 
 English, and the elementary branches of the sciences, 
 until a prospect of bettter means for their advancement 
 may be more /clearly opened in Europe — the only con- 
 tingency that can draw me from the Mississippi. O'llen- 
 nessy has besought me to command a fine horse, and 
 what money he can raise. The latter I have thankfully 
 declined. I visited Burr this morning; he is as gay as 
 usual, and as busy in speculations on reorganizing liis 
 projects for action as if he had never suffered the least 
 interruption. He observed to Major Smith and me, that 
 in six months our schemes could be all remounted; that 
 we could now new-model them in a better mould than 
 formerly, having a clearer view of the ground, and a 
 more perfect knowledge of our men. We were silent, 
 feeling the full force of his last remark on men; which, 
 however, we did not fail, I believe, duly to apply both to 
 him and ourselves. It should yet be granted, that if 
 Burr possessed sensibilities of the right sort, with one- 
 hundredth part of the energies for which, with many, he 
 has obtained such ill-grounded credit, his first and last 
 determination, with the morning and the night, should 
 be the destruction of those enemies who have so long 
 and so cruelly wreaked their malicious vengeance upon 
 him. But time will prove him as incapable in all his 
 future efforts as he has been in the past. Honest ITen- 
 nessy dined and spent the evening with me. 
 
 Monday, September 14, 1807. 
 Major Smith, soon after breakfast, brought me a letter 
 
HAY UNHORSED. 403 
 
 from the office, from my wife, dated the 11th ult. This 
 letter, too, has announced to me, through the favor of a 
 preserving Providence, the good health of my wife and 
 boys, up to that date. I dare not, then, indulge a wish 
 to lament the grief occasioned her by my arrest in Lex- 
 ington, and the anguish that has festered in her breast 
 from her reflections on the severity of my confinement in 
 the Dog-<h:iys. To-day, the Chief Justice has delivered 
 an able, full, and luminous opinion as ever did honor to 
 a judge, which has put an end to the present prosecution. 
 But I have no doubt the prosecuting counsel will show 
 their ignorance and malevolence by carping at it as they 
 did at the other in the treason case. The jury must to- 
 morrow deliver a verdict of acquittal — Hay, in the mean 
 time, having prayed the Court to adjourn, to give time to 
 study the opinion, and thereby shape his future course. 
 But in this he could not avoid showing his petulance, by 
 pretending the prosecutors should exclusively be accom- 
 modated with the opinion, which lie would not say, when 
 he would return to the other side. An application, how- 
 ever, from Botts, to have it left with the clerk for the 
 benefit of both parties, corrected this insolence, under 
 which Mr. Hay sunk as usual. O'llennessy could not 
 leave town to-day until he heard the opinion, and saw 
 Burr, to whom I introduced him in court, lie was 
 highly delighted with both, and again visited me after 
 dinner, and will return to Amherst county to-morrow — I 
 mean as far toward it, of his 105 miles, as he can. 1 
 have this evening progressed further in my letter to A. 
 Martin. 
 
404 the blenneriiassett papers. 
 
 Tuesday, September 15, 1807. 
 
 Saw Burnet, this morning, who tells me he has given 
 such information to D. "Woodbridge as will probably in- 
 duce him to become bail to the attachment against me at 
 suit of Miller, by which I hope to procure time enough 
 for Burr or Alston to settle that demand, and exonerate 
 my property at Marietta from it. The prosecutors, still 
 true to evil purposes and malicious designs, attempted to- 
 day to get rid of the prosecution against Burr by a nolle 
 prosequi. This produced an argument, in which they 
 were overthrown, having nothing to rely upon on their 
 side but a dictum in Foster's Treatise on Homicide. The 
 jury were ordered out, and after an insidious attempt, but 
 which failed, with one of them to bring in a special ver- 
 dict, they returned into court, in half an hour, with a 
 general verdict of acquittal. Hay then said he would to- 
 morrow enter nolle prosequis on Smith's and my indict- 
 ments, and proceed with his motion to the Judge to com- 
 mit and transmit us all to some other district. All are 
 busy in preparing for this new contest, in which I shall 
 probably personally take a part, from want of instruc- 
 tions in my counsel, absence of witnesses, and other rea- 
 sons which will appear hereafter. 
 
 Wednesday, September 16, 1807. 
 
 On opening the court this morning, Hay, after some 
 desultory conversation on both sides of the bar, exhibited 
 a general charge against us in writing, of having levied 
 war against the United States, at Cumberland Island, in 
 Kentucky, at Bayou Pierre, on the Mississippi, or at 
 
BURR AGAIN. 405 
 
 some intermediate place. We were all three, that is, 
 Burr, Smith and myself, proposed to be subjected together 
 to the inquiry, leaving it to the Judge to separate and 
 apply to each such evidence of overt acts as the testimony 
 might disclose. The Judge acquiesced in this proposition 
 of Hay's, and one James McDowel was called, who 
 proved nothing more at Cumberland than that Burr 
 formed there a circle, and said, " he would not tell his 
 secrets at that place." There are, however, a dozen 
 other witnesses on the ground here who were at Cum- 
 berland at that time, and will swear that nothing of the 
 sort took place there. Hay then attempted to examine 
 as to facts in the Mississippi Territory, which called up, 
 after some conversation, an argument on four points 
 made by Botts ; namely, want of power in the Judge to 
 transmit, under the judicial act; right of Burr to a bar 
 by two acquittals here; his discharge by a grand jury 
 already in Mississippi Territory; and all his acts taken 
 together constituting but one offense, for which he has 
 already been tried and acquitted, within a district which 
 the prosecutors have selected out of the whole for the 
 purpose. Botts was very able and perspicuous in opening 
 the argument, which Burr very neatly summed up and 
 condensed, before the Court adjourned, about half-past 3. 
 I had no opportunity that presented the least necessity 
 for my rising, and think that will probably be the case 
 until the motion for our recommitment is disposed of and 
 defeated altogether. I was glad to find that Burr had at 
 last thought of asking us to dine with him, as I was 
 rather curious again to see him shine in a jpartie quarrie, 
 consisting of new characters. We, therefore, walked 
 
40G THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 with him from court, Luther Martin, who lives with 
 him, accompanying us. We found but one other face 
 that was strange to us, and a foreigner, who, I hoped, 
 might turn out to he Bollman. Martin, by the way, 
 told me, "he thanked his God he should not now labor 
 under the lock-jaw, which had hitherto restrained him 
 before Democratic juries. He should now be no longer 
 tongue-tied." Our foreigner was very taciturn and re- 
 served, and turned out to be a cousin of Judge Prevost's, 
 and of the same name. The dinner was neat, and fol- 
 lowed by three or four kinds of wine — splendid poverty! 
 During the chit-chat after the cloth was removed, a letter 
 was handed to Burr, next to whom I sat. I immediately 
 smelt musk. Burr broke the seal, put the cover to his 
 nose, and then handed it to me, saying, "This amounts 
 to a disclosure." I smelt the paper, and said, "indeed I 
 think so." His whole physiognomy now assumed an 
 alteration and vivacity that, to a stranger who had never 
 seen him before, would have sunk full fifteen years of his 
 age. " This," said he, " reminds me of a detection once 
 very neatly practiced upon me in New York. One day a 
 lady stepped into my library while I was reading, came 
 softly behind my chair, and giving me a slap on the 
 cheek, said, ' Come, tell me directly what little French 
 girl, pray, have you had here?' The abruptness of the 
 question and surprise left me little reason to doubt the 
 discovery had been completely made ; so I thought it best 
 to confess the whole fact, upon which the inquisitress 
 hurst out into a loud laugh on the success of her artifice, 
 which she was led to play off upon me, from the mere 
 circumstance of having smelt musk in the room." We 
 
ARGUMENTS HEARD. 407 
 
 all applauded this anecdote as it deserved; but I have 
 given it a place here only to convey an idea of that tem- 
 perament and address which enabled this character on 
 certain occasions, like the snake, to cast his slough, and, 
 through age and debauchery, seem to uphold his ascend- 
 ancy over the sex. After some time, Martin and Prevost 
 withdrew, and we passed, to the topics of our late adven- 
 tures on the Mississippi, on which Burr said little, but 
 declared he did not know of any reason to blame Jack- 
 son, of Tennessee, for any thing he had done or omitted. 
 He has not heard of J.'s letter to Claiborne, which Wat- 
 kins talked so much about in the executive council at 
 Orleans, on the question respecting the legislative memo- 
 rial to Government. Such a general may well continue 
 to sacrifice to Venus, rather than to Mars; but he de- 
 clares he will not lose a day after the favorable issue of 
 the present contest at the capitol, of which he has no 
 doubt to devote his entire attention to settling up his 
 projects, which have only been suspended on a better 
 model ; in which work, he says, he has even here already 
 made some progress. Martin presented Smith and my- 
 self each with his portrait, tolerably engraved, as he had 
 long since promised. I intend to have it neatly framed 
 by Prichard. 
 
 Thursday, September 17, 1807. 
 
 This morning, the Court heard a continuation of the 
 arguments on both sides, which lasted until 5 o'clock this 
 evening, when Randolph begged the Judge to indulge 
 him with about an hour's hearing to-morrow morning, 
 promising that he would show, under the Constitution 
 
408 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and the spirit and genius of the laws of their country, 
 that the Court could not comply with Hay's present 
 motion, to have us again committed and transmitted to 
 another district. Of the success of such an attempt I can 
 see no prospect, even if the Judge should be of opinion, 
 contrary to what has been so ably contended by Burr's 
 counsel, that the Court has a power to commit under the 
 judicial act; as a total failure of evidence to prove any 
 overt act upon us must undermine the motion. I spent 
 the evening at the Harmonic Society, where I took a part 
 in a symphony and a quartette by Pleyel, but with less 
 effect than if I had been provided with my own specta- 
 cles. I had the pleasure of meeting there Neville, Spence 
 and other visitors ; besides hearing several good glees, in 
 some of which a Miss Coniers took the upper part. She 
 is a very pretty girl, and is said by Neville to be accom- 
 plished. The society broke up, however, early — the music 
 not producing the best effect, from the state of the 
 weather, and the room being too much crowded. I found 
 an old letter in the Post-office, announcing protest of the 
 bill held some time since by Luckett, with my indorse- 
 ment for $2,500, so that every thing that little shop- 
 keeper had told me of no proceedings having ever been 
 taken against me, as an indorser, was utterly false. I 
 was called upon this evening by David Meade, who 
 seriously assured me that vicious partisan, Scot, the Mar- 
 shal, had been trying to make a bargain with him to 
 undertake the office of a Deputy, for the purpose of re- 
 conducting us to Kentucky, anticipating the success of 
 the present motion, though Hay has certainly said out c f 
 court, this evening, he does not expect he shall succee 1. 
 
DOUBTFUL POSITION. 409 
 
 Such are the tricks of these jugglers, in and out of 
 court. Midnight. 
 
 Friday, September 18, 1807. 
 
 Randolph kept his promise this morning, so far as 
 making out his hour, but did little more service, having 
 offered nothing new, except one argument to show that 
 where a man had been charged for the same murder in 
 different States, the law arising upon his acquittal in the 
 first was different from what it would be on an acquittal 
 of an overt act of the same treason in the first district, 
 where the offender was tried. Then the Judge delivered 
 his opinion, condensing the four points made by Botts 
 within the observations he made on two of them ; 
 namely, power of the Court under the Constitution and 
 the laws of the United States, to arrest and transmit to a 
 Territory, which he decided in the negative ; and the 
 effect of Burr's acquittal, which, he hoped, it would not 
 be necessary for him to decide upon, as he should prefer 
 a decision by the Supreme Court of the United States. 
 It followed, as he laid it down from this adjudication, that 
 the prosecutors might adduce any evidence in their power 
 to prove any overt acts against us, Burr included, com- 
 mitted any where in the United States, to authorize him 
 to transmit us to any district thereof. But, does it not 
 thence follow, that a persecuting and vindictive Govern- 
 ment may order its attorney to harrass an obnoxious, but 
 innocent, victim of its wrath, by playing off the farce of 
 a prosecution against him, in a district of its own selec- 
 tion, without effect, and afterward ruin him, by dragging 
 him through every other district in the Union ? What 
 
410 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 better answer can be given to this supposition than say- 
 ing such a case is rendered improbable, by supposing no 
 government will be wicked enough to contrive such a 
 villainy? But this is begging the question. I have here 
 put a case, which has not been supposed at the bar ; but, 
 with very little alteration, it is our own case. How long 
 is it since the prosecutors began to digest all the infor- 
 mation it collected by the most illicit means, from the 
 most foul sources, not of our acts, but of our designs, 
 before we committed any acts ? Did they not order 
 prosecutions fifteen hundred miles from the present ? Did 
 they not make two selections of their ground, besides an 
 attempt at a third, by Graham, their agent, or at his in- 
 stance as a spy and informer, in the State of Ohio, which 
 was only avoided by my flight, and after having failed in 
 all of proof, do they not now seek to drag us back again 
 to the same district where they have already miscarried 
 and failed in every thing, but the success of the plunder 
 and outrage committed on my family and property, by 
 informers and personal enemies — the dregs of all the 
 human society — in my absence, when I had incurred no 
 forfeiture? 
 
 The Judge having further declared the prosecutors 
 might now proceed with their evidence, they called up 
 James McDowel, who swore to some unimportant state- 
 ments, which, if necessary, we can disprove by a dozen 
 witnesses. But they attempted repeatedly to go into 
 evidence, not only of alleged facts, but even of declara- 
 tions of third persons, to prove overt acts and designs 
 within the United States; and the Judge, for reasons I 
 can not imagine, seemed disposed to countenance the pro- 
 
PARTIALITY. 411 
 
 ceeding, which is certainly in direct hostility with his 
 own opinion this day delivered; unless as a commiUiiKj 
 magistrate, he thinks he ought to indulge a greater lati- 
 tude of investigation than he would permit on a trial. 
 But to-morrow's proceedings will further elucidate these 
 matters. 10 o'clock, P. M. 
 
 Saturday, September 19, 1807. 
 
 Strickland called upon me before the sitting of the 
 Court this morning, to say he should in two hours set off 
 for Natchez. I wrote a short letter to Harding, to give 
 him some account of my situation, and tell him I hoped 
 the present demands of the Government on our persons 
 would he satisfied on Monday ; after which, I hoped to 
 be at Marietta in fifteen or sixteen days, whence I should 
 proceed to Natchez as speedily as my affairs would per- 
 mit. But T since regret to find, from the complexion 
 of affairs in court to-day, that our detention may yet ex- 
 tend even to a month, unless our counsel shall succeed, in 
 efforts they will not cease to make, to confine the prose- 
 cutors within the limits of the established rules of evi- 
 dence, and the adjudications already pronounced b} T the 
 Court ; for this whole day was spent in arguments and 
 altercations in violation of both. This was chiefly occa- 
 sioned by the prosecutors persisting in the conduct they 
 pursued yesterday, which produced a corresponding op- 
 position, which I lamented to see the Judge not only 
 permit, but in some degree participate in; for instance, 
 Dunbaugh was allowed to-day to testify to facts at and 
 below Bayou Pierre, while two or three witnesses yes- 
 ten lay were always stopped, with the concurrence of 
 
412 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the Court, as often as they attempted to speak of any 
 thing \juthout the lines of the United States. How this 
 is reconcilable with the opinion of the Court, I have yet 
 to learn. Altercations on points already settled, or on a 
 series of topics, where the contest is a logomachy, have 
 always a narcotic influence on me. Nor could any sense 
 of the interest I had in the consequences, or any stimulus 
 the ingenuity of Wickham or Botts could apply to all 
 the intensity of my admiration of their talents, prevent 
 my passing the day in a sort of doze ? Burr, I observed, 
 seamed so irritated with the Judge's apparent incon- 
 sistency with himself, that he would not trust himself 
 to rise to sum up and condense the forces displayed by 
 his counsel, into compact columns, after the engagement, 
 toward the close of the day, as is generally his practice. 
 He has no fear of the final result, but feels what a 
 mortifying check he has received. 
 
 Sunday, September 20, 1807. 
 
 I proposed this morning to devote the entire day to 
 writing, my attendance in court through the week totally 
 preventing almost the whole of the labor demanded of 
 my pen. But a solicitude to confer separately with Burr 
 and Mercer, on the course indulged to the prosecutors by 
 the Court the last two days, forced me to go in quest of 
 those so oppositely interesting characters : and the debts 
 yet unpaid, that laid so heavy a burden on my reflections, 
 which I wanted to discharge to Mrs. Gamble, Mrs. Chev- 
 alier and Col. de Pestre, who had long been confined with 
 the influenza, hurried me out of doors immediately after 
 breakfast. I found Burr, just after a consultation with 
 
RICHMOND LADIES. 413 
 
 his counsel, secretly writhing under much irritation at 
 the conduct of the Judge, but affecting an air of contempt 
 for his alleged inconsistency, as he asserted His Honor did 
 not for two days understand either the questions or him- 
 self; had wavered in his opinions before yesterday's ad- 
 journment, and should in future be put right by strong 
 language, I am afraid to say abuse, though I think I 
 could swear he used that word, on the part of the de- 
 fense. I observed, that though I believed the Judge's 
 the purest of all human hearts, I could not, in my best 
 judgment, reconcile the latitude he permitted the prose- 
 cutors, either with the letter or spirit of his last opinion 
 delivered on Friday. Burr replied nothing to my offer 
 of tribute to the Judge's heart, but said his — Burr's — 
 opinion should draw him back from his deviations from 
 it, and he would hang him, not so facetiously, indeed, as 
 Eaton swore he would hang Miranda, but upon every 
 comma of his opinion. He then inquired where Mercer 
 was, and expressed a strong desire to know his thoughts 
 on the Judge's late conduct. I answered, " that I had 
 come out chiefly to gratify the same desire, and should 
 go directly to seek Mercer." I left Smith with him, and 
 took leave. I bent my way to Mr. Chevalier's, to see De 
 Pestre, whom I found at home. Mrs. Chevalier received 
 me very kindly, and prevailed on her husband, who was 
 confined to his room, to come down stairs to see me, and 
 beg of me to partake of a family dinner with them, 
 which I accepted. After an hour's conversation, I then 
 made a visit to Mrs. Gamble, who seems a most amiable 
 old lady, and so fraught with the generous humanity 
 characteristic of her sex, as to suffer not the connections 
 
414 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of her daughters, Mrs. Cabell, the Governor's wife, and 
 Mrs. Wirt, to prevent her expressing not merely a con- 
 cern for the general hardships we have suffered, but even 
 to censure the last two days' proceedings in court. I was 
 not fortunate enough to find Mercer before I returned to 
 Chevalier's to dinner, where I spent a pleasant evening, 
 save so far as Mr. Chevalier was not of our company, 
 being confined to his bed. Mrs. C. is as lively and agree- 
 able as it is possible for any woman to be with limited 
 endowments and without beauty. I had an hour's inter- 
 esting conversation by means of a walk before tea with 
 De Pestre in the garden, which, however, touched on no 
 new matters, except his informing me that Mrs. Alston 
 had expressed to him a wish that lie would engage in 
 nothing before next spring that might prevent her father 
 from having an opportunity of forming another connec- 
 tion with him, conveying an intimation which he avoided 
 as delicately as he could. We again harmonized in repro- 
 bation of Alston, in every point of view, when I hinted to 
 the Colonel some expectations and reasons I entertained 
 for urging Burr or Alston to give me an obligation, if 
 they can't raise money, for (lie amount of my losses by 
 them, yet unsatisfied, which he approved of. lie will 
 spend some time with me to-morrow evening, when w T e 
 will prosecute our thoughts. 
 
 I visited Mr. C. in his bedroom, after tea, for awhile, 
 and on my return home, I learned from Smith, a confirma- 
 tion of what De Pestre had already mentioned to me, that 
 Burr sets off immediately for England, after his libera- 
 tion from the present motion before the Court, to collect 
 money for reorganizing his projects, which I now have 
 
suspicions. 415 
 
 ascertained to be as baseless as the interests of the parties 
 or persons to whom he discloses them arc opppsed or 
 variant. For he assures his creditors here — at least he 
 has done so to Smith — that when he raises money in 
 England, he will not be strict in questioning demands 
 upon him in this country, which he will fully discharge. 
 In London, no doubt, he will pledge himself to appropri- 
 ate every guinea they will advance him to the promotion 
 of such operations on this continent as will best serve the 
 interests of Britain; and if he had not already exposed 
 his duplicity and incapacity in his favorite art of intrigue 
 to Yrujo, he would again as readily promise to advance, 
 with Spanish dollars and Spanish arms, the fortunes of 
 the Spanish minister and his master. But is it not a 
 little strange that he should have never dropped even a 
 hint to me of his projected trip to England. I have had 
 more of his confidence than either Smith or De Pestre; 
 for he has insinuated to me that the former was not dis- 
 posed to fight on the Mississippi, when I thought he had 
 the disposition not to do so himself; and he has, during 
 our embarrassments on that river, through Wilkinson, 
 spoken, in the presence of Major Smith, myself, and 
 others, of the probability of Do Pestre's being hanged, 
 through failure of an enterprise he had sent him on, as 
 an event which he treated with the utmost indifference. 
 Surely I may repeat, that whatever feeling this man pos- 
 sesses, is confined within the sensuality of his tempera- 
 ment ; if indeed his conduct, in the eyes of all whit really 
 know him, does not warrant the suspicion of Cowles 
 Meade, and fully prove, while the whole bar as little 
 knew him as Col. Swartwout, whose attachment is still 
 
416 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 unshaken, that there is at best but method in his mad- 
 ness. 
 
 Monday, September 21, 1807. 
 
 Dunbaugh was reproduced to-day, with no other effect 
 than to contradict himself, by saying Burr communicated 
 to him in secret his having been betrayed by Wilkinson, 
 though he swore, on Saturday, Burr imparted to him no 
 secrets. The Judge has noted enough in this witness to 
 destroy all credit in his testimony. The day passed in 
 the examination of other witnesses called by prosecutors, 
 whose evidence was altogether favorable to us, though I 
 was mortified to see the Judge, considering himself as an 
 examining magistrate, open so wide the door to the wan- 
 ton discretion of the prosecutors, as to allow them to offer 
 testimony of any sort, which they alleged to be explan- 
 atory of the so-called overt acts on Cumberland Island, at 
 which place, it is confessed, the assemblage, at most, was 
 doubtful or equivocal in its character. I can not com- 
 prehend the distinction taken by the Court between ad- 
 missible and operative evidence ; nor do any of the bar 
 here, I believe, perceive how evidence that can not oper- 
 ate upon the subject be admissible. It seems to me, that 
 perhaps the Judge has at last thought it necessary to sac- 
 rifice a little to public prejudice, when the concession can 
 not cause any serious consequences in the issue of this 
 strange contest. This evening De Pestre spent an hour 
 with me, which was passed in a more dilated view of his 
 past concerns with Burr. He gave me a description of 
 the manners and character of Yrujo, who is reconfirmed 
 in his embassy to this country, in spite of all the efforts 
 of this Government for his removal. This minister is, 
 
burr's management. 417 
 
 according to De Pestre's portrait of him, a shrewd politi- 
 cian, who pierced the cobweb tissues of Burr's intrigues 
 with him at a single glance. Though he assured De 
 Pestre, who was charged in Kentucky, last October, with 
 a special mission to him, that had Burr opened his designs 
 with frankness, and really projected a severance of the 
 Union, and nothing hostile to the Spanish provinces, he, 
 Burr, might have had an easy resort to the Spanish treas- 
 ury and its arsenals, while his confidence would have been 
 safely lodged in the honor of a Spanish nobleman. But 
 Yrnjo laughed at the awkwardness with which Burr en- 
 deavored to mask his designs on Mexico, and expressed 
 his concern for De Pestre's having lost his time in such a 
 service. But Burr, if he had capacity or money for re- 
 animating his projects, has lost a season never to be 
 recalled. He might, last winter, have had the whole 
 equipage of two French ships of war, who offered to 
 bring their small arms with them into his services. If 
 lie had not talents, or spirits to use them, he is where 
 he should be. 
 
 Tuesday, September 22, 1807. 
 
 A variety of witnesses, examined to-day by the prosecu- 
 tors, seem to me to advance their cause but little, though 
 their newspapers pretend they throw great light on the 
 mysterious proceedings of Burr. But his nrysteriousness 
 is surely an impenetrable shield to cover his treasonable 
 designs, if lie had any. I have seen a complete tile of all 
 the depositions made before the grand jury in Burr's pos- 
 session. It must be confessed that few other men in his 
 circumstances could have procured these documents out 
 
 s>*7 
 
418 
 
 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of the custody of offices filled by his inveterate enemies. 
 I have long been at a loss to imagine the means he used, 
 of which I am not yet fully informed. But I have learned 
 accidentally that Skelton Jones has become friendly to 
 him. This Jones, a noted duelist, the brother of the late 
 Reviewer, and he who formerly conducted the Examiner, 
 an influential Democrat, I am told, received a letter some 
 time since from Burr, covering u bank-note, without 
 specifying for what purpose the money was sent. Jones 
 returned it, with civil remonstrance, which gave Burr an 
 opportunity of requesting an interview, which, if it did 
 not succeed in removing the easy scruples of this honor- 
 able patriot, has, however, since that event, completely 
 attached Mr. J.'s interest, as I have learned from a Mr. 
 Braxton, a young lawyer here of some talents. Burr has 
 again asserted to-day, in court, that lie expects, by the 
 mail, documents to enable him to show that Eaton must 
 be an incompetent witness in any court. This, if estab- 
 lished, will give the coup de grace to the fame of the Der- 
 nean hero, who, I am assured by Robison, has sworn the 
 peace against a Mr. Smith, of Pctersburgh, who threat- 
 ened to kick this General out of the room ; and yet he 
 appears every day in court, affecting by his looks an air of 
 defiance. Wilkinson also exhibits his boasted arrogance, 
 sometimes in the same place. But his examination can 
 not come on for some days. When it takes place, it must 
 be of the highest interest in the eyes of those who, know- 
 ing his character and the insidiously artful deposition he 
 has made before the grand jury, will contemplate a spec- 
 tacle of depravity seldom equaled; while such a sum- 
 mons to the address, I will not vet add the firmness of 
 
SANDY HENDERSON. 419 
 
 Burr, will leave no nerve untouched. But /may venture 
 to predict that Burr will sink under it. For, apart from 
 the merits or demerits of either, there are reasons why it 
 should be so in this country, if not in any other upon 
 earth, which I will unfold at large hereafter. I find by D. 
 Woodbridge, many people have died at Marietta, within 
 two months past, of a malignant disease prevailing there. 
 Did God's mercy place us elsewhere ? Midnight. 
 
 Wednesday, September 23, 1807. 
 
 It chiefly engaged my attention in court to-day to hear 
 Burr contend, that conversations by me with others, 
 respecting him while he was absent, and prior to the 
 period of any alleged ads, should not affect him. This 
 attempt was made to obviate the effect he apprehended 
 from the testimony of the Hendersons ; but the Judge was 
 pleased to overrule it. Woodbridge has expressed some 
 wish to be discharged, and return with Belknap to Mari- 
 etta, but assures me he will still wait until the whole 
 affair is finished, or while he can be of any service to me. 
 1 have begged he may not, observing, his being my bail 
 need not detain him ; and have told him, at the same 
 time, to take no trouble on my account, etc. Tie seems 
 satisfied, as I have informed him of the fact of General 
 Dayton having gone to Ohio, though not discharged from 
 his recognizance. 
 
 Thursday, September 24, 1807. 
 
 This morning I was treated to the narrative of Sandy 
 Henderson, which is considered to bear more particularly 
 on me than any other testimony. I had projected a long 
 
420 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 cross-examination of Mm, which I should have pursued 
 with good effect, but our counsel feared it might operate 
 quite contrary to my expectations from the uniform ex- 
 perience they have, that within these virtuous States, 
 when once witnesses determine to swear for a purpose, 
 all attempts to involve them in inconsistency only tend 
 to render them more desperate. I therefore agreed to 
 postpone my cross-examination until the next day, that I 
 might, in the mean time, confer with Mr. Wickham on 
 the subject, as he feared, I suppose, that something might 
 break out injurious to Burr, through my pressing Hender- 
 son ; and Mr. Botts, from his connection with that family, 
 wished to be excused from taking any part in this exam- 
 ination. I had here another check, from the obligations 
 Mr. Botts has already imposed upon me. But I assured 
 him I had discovered his connection too late to prevent 
 his having been concerned for me. It was yesterday I 
 should have mentioned as having seen Henderson first 
 called, and in consequence of the difficulties affecting 
 Wickham on account of Burr, and myself on account of 
 Botts, I last night drew up a series of interrogatories, 
 which I wished Henderson to answer upon affidavit by 
 consent, with which I called upon Wickham in the even- 
 ing. He also conferred with Burr upon them ; all ap- 
 proved of the questions, but still feared the effect of them, 
 from the apprehended hostility of the witness; so that 
 we concluded on one only of them, which we put to him 
 this morning in court: namely, "whether, at the time of 
 my alleged communications to him, he did not, and doth 
 not yet, entertain a strong prejudice against Col. Burr?" 
 which he answered in the affirmative. I met this even- 
 
MORE EVIDENCE. 421 
 
 ing with an introduction, at the Harmonic Society, to a 
 very handsome woman, a Mrs. Meyio, who has been too 
 many years a widow, though I hear she is soon to be 
 married. I mention her as being the niece of the amia- 
 ble and highly esteemed Mrs. Carrington, whom I have 
 not yet visited to thank her for her generous offer, more 
 than once made through Mercer, to send me refresh- 
 ments to the Penitentiary. I took a part in a quartette 
 of Haydn's, and in a glee, and returned home after mid- 
 night. 
 
 Friday, September 25, 1807. 
 
 Yesterday, John Henderson gave his testimony to the 
 same effect Sandy had done, and underwent little or no 
 examination. John Graham also delivered his to the 
 same purport with that he gave against me, before Toul- 
 min and Rodney. But, in cross-examining him, I asked 
 him to say " who was to pay the $1,000 for forfeiting his 
 recognizance to appear to prosecute me in the Mississippi 
 Territory:" he applied to the Court to be excused answer- 
 ing this question ; denied he had applied to Col. Scott to 
 invite A. Burr to his house to dinner to have him kid- 
 napped, and said, he has got his present office of chief 
 clerk in the Secretary of State's office, lately. To-day, 
 after consultation with our counsel, I agree to waive ob- 
 jections I had offered against reading the "Querist" in 
 print, or Henderson's evidence of my having shown him 
 only a manuscript of a composition by me with such 
 signature. The reading of the fourth number by the 
 prosecutors, with examination of Dana and Gilmore, 
 finished the day. 
 
422 the blenneriiassett papers. 
 
 Saturday, September 20, 1807. 
 
 To-day, the long-expected examination of Wilkinson 
 came on, after that of Eaton, upon matter and conversa- 
 tions between him and Burr, which had been excluded as 
 improper evidence on the trial-in-chief, hut was now 
 ill ought admissible before the Judge as an examining 
 magistrate. I have taken, I believe, faithful notes of 
 everything that fell from both of these persons, by which 
 it will appear that Eaton's testimony is indefinite as to 
 any bearing that it should have upon Burr's designs, 
 without seeking for those inconsistencies with his former 
 story before the grand jury, and on the trial-in-chief, 
 which Martin, under the signature of " Investigator," is 
 endeavoring to establish in the Virginia Gazette here. 
 The General exhibited the manner of a Serjeant under a 
 court-martial, rather than the demeanor of an accusing 
 officer confronted with his culprit. His perplexity and 
 derangement, even upon his direct examination, has 
 placed beyond all doubt " his honor as a soldier, and his 
 fidelity as a citizen." It will appear from the gauntlet 
 he has begun to run, which he will not finish before 
 Monday evening, that he has confessed he altered a du- 
 plicate of the original cipher letter for the express purpose 
 of erasing from it an acknowledgment by Burr, of 
 Burr's having received a letter from him, Wilkinson, of 
 the 27th of February ; that this was done for the avowed 
 purpose of concealing from the Legislature of Orleans a 
 part of that letter, from which that body might infer that 
 he was privy to, or concerned in, the projects of Burr; 
 that he substituted other words in the room of the 
 
ADJOURNMENT. 423 
 
 erasure as a translation of the erased ciphers afterward, 
 but at what time he, could not recollect ; that the transla- 
 tion of the document sent to Government was from this 
 mutilated original ; and that he had sworn, by an affidavit 
 he produced himself in court, that such translation faith- 
 fully rendered the substance of the original. On the 
 other hand, Burr, who was very unwell, preserved a com- 
 posure, inspired by Wilkinson's self-condemnation, and 
 supported by his indisposition, contrary to the expecta- 
 tions I had formed a few days past, The cross-examina- 
 tion progressed but a little way, and was adjourned until 
 Monday. Yesterday evening, Woodbridge called upon 
 me in the most abrupt manner, to repeat to me what he 
 had before observed on Wednesday evening, that he was 
 very desirous to return home, and hoped I would that 
 evening look out for other bail. But he hardly allowed 
 me time to answer, " that I would, and whether I suc- 
 ceeded or not, I wished him not to stay a moment on my 
 account," before he had the unfeeling ingratitude to add, 
 " that if I did not, he should give me up in the morning.'-' 
 I was accordingly prepared on the opening of the court 
 this morning, to state to the Judge, " that Mr. Wood- 
 bridge was about to be discharged ; but previous to his 
 leaving town he wished also to be discharged from the 
 recognizance he had entered into on my account, for 
 reasons I did not inquire into ; that it thence became 
 necessary I should find other securities, or be recommitted, 
 of which I should prefer the latter, rather than solicit 
 bail in a place where I was almost an utter stranger. 
 But I believe two citizens of this place were voluntarily 
 attending, for the purpose of entering with me into 
 
424 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 another recognizance. John Banks and a Mr. A 
 
 then were called forward, and thus ended, I wish I could 
 say my last concern, with the Woodbridge family. Of 
 Dudley, it must not be concealed, that although he is 
 reputed to have given a fair, candid, and to us advan- 
 tageous testimony, he has not yet told the whole truth — 
 having suppressed my communication to him of our 
 designs being unequivocally against Mexico, which I 
 suppose he kept back, because he embraced and em- 
 barked in the plan on the first mention of it to him, 
 though he afterward receded from it, upon his own re- 
 flections or the counsels of others.* 
 
 Sunday, December 27, 1807. 
 While at breakfast, this morning, I received a verbal 
 message from Burr, importing that he wanted to see me. 
 On my arrival soon after at his house, I found him in 
 bed. He informed me he wanted to see me, to know 
 what I would advise him to do in his complaint, observ- 
 ing, he had no confidence in the physicians here. I sug- 
 gested to him my being of the same opinion, unless I 
 accepted McClung, whom I believed to be a man of some 
 genius, and probably possessing considerable skill in his 
 profession. Burr said he was a creature of rule ; and 
 calling again for my opinion, I said I would have some 
 pills made up for him, which he could take for two or 
 three nights. I left him to go to the druggist's, where I 
 had the medicine carefully prepared, which I sent him 
 
 * Tho integrity and respectability of Mr. Woodbridge is undoubted by all who knew him. 
 From a personal acquaintance for some years previous to his death, I am enabled to add, that 
 such was the purity of his character, through a long and useful career, as to stamp with un- 
 truthfulness any reflection upon his honor as a man or his veracity as a witness. 
 
INTERVIEW SOLICITED. 425 
 
 about two o'clock, accompanied with a note conveying 
 directions for his diet, and the use of the medicine. I 
 called there again in the evening to see him ; but while I 
 was engaged in the parlor with several persons, where 
 Martin was reading to us a heavy manuscript of his next 
 Investigator, I found on going into Burr's bedroom, soon 
 after Martin had done, that he had just taken, instead of 
 my medicine, a dose of laudanum. He said he felt so 
 weak, and was in such want of rest, he thought it best to 
 take an opiate. I told him he must then omit my pills 
 for this night, wished him good rest, and took leave. 
 On my return to the parlor, Baker told me a Mr. Smith, 
 who knew my family in Ireland, and might probably 
 recognize me, solicited him to bring us together. "He 
 should accordingly bring Mr. Smith, with my leave, to 
 my lodgings." I assented, and thanked him. He also 
 acquainted me that Mrs. Broughenbrough, commonly 
 called Brokenberry here, who is regarded as the nearest 
 approximation in this town to a savante and bel-esprit, has 
 expressed no small solicitude, and has insisted that Hay 
 will enable her to read the " Querist," which is much 
 praised here. Martin boasts of the fourth number, not a 
 little, as a piece of argumentation which the prosecutors 
 had better conceal from the public, while they wish to 
 keep them uninformed on the merits of the question re- 
 specting a severance of the Union. Martin has also 
 assured me Judge Tucker, though a violent Democrat, 
 seriously contended at a party, with Judge Marshall, in 
 this town since May last, that any State in the Union is 
 at any time competent to recede from the same, though 
 Marshall strongly opposed this doctrine. I find Robin- 
 
426 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 son, the only correct stenographer, who takes exact notes 
 of all the proceedings at the eapitol, and is besides a 
 scholar, who understands five or six languages, will give 
 the " Querist " a longer life by incorporating it in his book 
 than it was likely to enjoy in the barren soil of the " Ohio 
 Gazette," where it appeared to bloom but as an humble 
 flower, and trampled under the feet of the sovereign peo- 
 ple. Baker is a young lawyer, whom Burr employs, 
 more for the benefit of his influence out of doors than 
 from the aid of talents or services in court, where he is 
 only of use through his humor and the freedom with 
 which he lavishes his abuse. I believe he possesses as 
 good a heart as is permitted to a Democrat, and his 
 spirits and popularity are perhaps, in effect, as valuable 
 to Burr as the talents of Wickham or Botts. 
 
 Monday, September 25, 1807. 
 
 I had, this morning, a long double letter from my 
 adored wife. Its red seal was as welcome to my eyes 
 as the evening star to the mariner after the agitation of 
 a storm. For I had, last week, suffered no small anxiety 
 from the want of a letter. But the seal, notwithstanding 
 its color, and every curve and turn of the letters in the 
 superscription, had long passed under jealous inspection, 
 to undergo every scrutiny from which I could augur the 
 import of the intelligence within, before I would venture 
 to break it open. But I was assured by the seal there 
 was no mortality, at least on the 25th ult., as by the post- 
 mark. I trust, then, the heartfelt offerings of thanksgiv- 
 ing I tried to breathe forth to Heaven were borne to 
 Almighty God, before I consulted the contents of the 
 
DREAMS. 427 
 
 letter. There I soon saw how industriously my beloved 
 continued to practice the only fraud her pure soul is capa- 
 ble of conceiving — that of endeavoring to hide from me 
 all she feels for me, and has suffered for our dear boys. 
 Her complaint in her chest is mentioned in a way to alarm 
 me, through the vail of disguise she has attempted to 
 throw over it. But the weekly reports she will not fail 
 to see of the criminal proceedings here, will, I trust, 
 lighten much of the anxiety she labors under, which, I 
 know, so much aggravates the affection in her breast. I 
 next find my boys have, both of them, had fevers ; and 
 my dear Harman, who has suffered most, was perhaps at 
 the height of his disease, about the period when I last 
 dreamed I had lost him, and has perhaps been spared to 
 us, through the merits of his incomparable mother, which 
 have not been beheld with the less favor of Providence, 
 while I was offering up my prayers, in the Penitentiary, 
 for his preservation. I have, I find, in concluding my 
 notes of the 2d inst., observed, I again dreamt I had lost 
 my Harman. Did m}^ first dream of his irrecoverable 
 injury from a dog typify the disease of which he was to 
 suffer ? and did my second dream, Mdiich was visited upon 
 me in the Penitentiary, a night or two before I noted it on 
 the 2d inst., come upon me as another vision to announce, 
 perhaps, a relapse he has undergone, since his mother's 
 letter of the 25th ult. was written. These things are 
 only known to the Eternal and All-wise Dispenser of 
 our mortality. But while reason shall continue my only 
 guide to faith, I will yet wonder in mysterious awe of 
 such dreams as those, which my understanding can not 
 scan, while they appall my heart. If I shall be blessed 
 
428 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 with the sight of another red seal next Monday, I shall 
 put off a heavy burden of anxiety which now oppresses 
 me. The Court does not sit to-day, on account of Burr's 
 illness. I find he is much worse than yesterday. He says 
 he will take my medicine to-night, and has rejected bleed- 
 ing, proposed to him by McClung, in which I fully agreed 
 with him that he should not part with his blood, even at 
 a Joe a drop. I called upon De Pestre, this morning, at 
 Mr. Chevalier's, where Mr. C. kindly pressed me to dine 
 en famille, which I declined, through a desire to write at 
 home and attend a private quartette-party at the Har- 
 monic Society's room this evening. The invitation of 
 Chevalier was given in the most friendly manner, with a 
 reprobation of the restriction imposed on the hospitable 
 dispositions of the families of this town by the effects of 
 a system of espionage, which is kept up by Government 
 and its agents to a degree that has generally prevented 
 those attentions we should otherwise receive. This must 
 be the case, as I have not received a visit from any family- 
 man, much less an invitation, since my release from im- 
 prisonment, though Mr. Pickett, who lives in the first 
 style here, informed my landlord, Walton, the other day, 
 he means to invite me to his house. So that etiquette 
 seems also to be totally disregarded ; and, no doubt, here, 
 as in other countries, a want of better breeding is received 
 by strangers as a proof of inhospitality not merited. 
 
 Tuesday, September 29, 1807. 
 
 .Burr took my medicine last night as he promised, 
 rested well, and is much better this morning. But he 
 has prudently declined attending court, though he is evi- 
 
CORRUPTION. 429 
 
 dently mortified, he is not able to witness the progress of 
 his recrimination of Wilkinson, conducted by his counsel, 
 in which he is so desirous to take a part, especially as 
 Botts has retired to Fredericksburg, to attend to other 
 professional calls upon him. I perused this morning, at 
 Burr's, some interesting documents, forwarded to him 
 from New Orleans by Ed. Livingston and Alexander, all 
 tending to overtake Wilkinson with a portion of that re- 
 tributive justice he has so fairly earned. Of these papers, 
 I trust the Chief Justice, in the spirit of that latitude he 
 has so liberally permitted to the prosecutors, will, as an 
 examining magistrate, allow the affidavits of Derbigeny 
 and Mercier to be read, as both go to prove the Bri- 
 gadier's corruption in having received from Carondelet, 
 in 1796, a douceur of $9,000 at Cincinnati, which, added 
 to every thing else that will appear against him, should 
 surely settle his integrity and credit, if not his admissi- 
 bility as a witness.* On opening of the court, Graham 
 
 -•John Mercier, jun., of the city of New Orleans, being duly sworn, 
 maketh oath, that he was one of the clerks in the office of the Governor 
 in the time of the Spanish dominion, during a period of nine years, from 
 the year 1792 to the year 1801. That while this deponent was employed 
 in the said office, to-wit, in the years 1795 and 1796, a secret correspond- 
 ence was carried on in cipher between the said Governor, then the Baron 
 de Carondelet, and some person of note, who then was in the western part 
 of the United States, and, as this deponent believes, on the waters of the 
 Ohio. That this deponent had no certain knowledge of the name of the 
 said person, but that it was a matter of notoriety, among those who were 
 employed in the said office, that the said person was General Wilkinson. 
 That this deponent was intrusted with the care or charge of deciphering 
 some of the letters which were received from the said person, and of copy- 
 ing some of the answers which were made to them by the Governor. Thai 
 the cipher was understood by means of a small English dictionary; and 
 that so far as this deponent now recollects, the number of the page and 
 the line where the word was in the dictionary was made use of, instead 
 
430 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 voluntarily came forward to explain a part of his testi- 
 mony, and, I know not why, was pleased to declare I had 
 told him at Marietta, " that both Burr and myself per- 
 ceived the people were not ripe for a severance of the 
 Union; that we should not hurry it, as it would take 
 place from natural causes of itself, and we had no per- 
 
 of the word itself. That this deponent very well recollects that the project 
 treated of in the said correspondence was the dismembering of the West- 
 ern States and Territories from the Union, but that, he is not able to recol- 
 lect the particulars. And this deponent further swears, that some time 
 toward the end of the year 1795, Mr. Thomas Power, who was employed 
 as the confidential agent of the Spanish Government for this secret nego- 
 tiation, was intrusted with a sum of nine thousand dollars, or thereabouts, 
 destined for the said person, which sum was delivered to the said Power, 
 in the office of the Governor, in the presence of this deponent. That the 
 said Power set off with it, and, as this deponent believes, with the dis- 
 patches which were prepared on that occasion for the said person. 
 
 J. Meecier. 
 Sworn before me at New Orleans, the 31st August, 1807 
 
 Bonamt, Justice of the Peace. 
 
 John McDonaugh, jun., being duly sworn, doth depose, that some time 
 in the month of March, in the year 1804, General Wilkinson consulted with 
 this deponent, as a commission merchant, on the probability of sugar or 
 cotton shipped from this country to the Atlantic ports turning to advan- 
 tage. The advice of this deponent was, to ship sugars in preference; upon 
 which the General requested this deponent to purchase for him sugars to 
 the amount of nine or ten thousand dollars, payable in cash. This depo- 
 nent, accordingly, purchased for the General, through Messrs. Dusan and 
 Dubourg, brokers, one hundred and seven hogsheads of sugar, and char- 
 tered the ship Louisiana, in which the General took his passage, to transport 
 it to New York, the said sugar being shipped on the sole risk and account 
 of the General. That the amount of the said sugar, as invoiced, was eight 
 thousand and forty-five dollars and thirty-five cents ; and this deponent 
 gave the General a bill of exchange on New York for one thousand dollars, 
 the sugars not amounting to the sums which the General risked to be in- 
 vested in them. That the amount of the said two sums, being $0,045 35, 
 was paid to this deponent by the General, in Mexican dollars, and that 
 some of the hags containing the said money were Mexican bags, such as 
 come from Vera Cruz; and this deponent recollects that the said purchase 
 excited at the time much speculation among the American inhabitants of 
 
COMPARISONS. 431 
 
 sonal interest in the event," Then came on the little 
 Brigadier, whose demeanor, to-day, was no doubt as op- 
 posite to that arrogance in which he strutted at Orleans, 
 during the reign of his brief authority, as was the car- 
 riage of Dionysius at Corinth, compared with his royal 
 port before at Syracuse. But I should not have degraded 
 
 New Orleans, as to the resources of the General which enabled him to pay 
 so large a sum of money in cash ; and the Governor himself, some time 
 after the departure of the General, spoke to this deponent upon the subject 
 appearing to be desirous of ascertaining the amount of the sugars which 
 had been purchased, and the means by which the General had been enabled 
 to pay for them. John McDonaugii, jun. 
 
 Sworn before me, this 4th September, 1807, at the city of New Orleans. 
 
 John Lynd, Justice of the Peace. 
 
 Peter Derbigeny, of New Orleans, Counselor-at-Law, being sworn on 
 the Holy Evangelist of Almighty God, deposeth, that some time in the year 
 1796, this deponent being then a resident at New Madrid, on the Missis- 
 sippi, Mr. Thomas Power, then employed by the Spanish Government on a 
 private agency, went up the Ohio as far as Cincinnati, as this deponent 
 was told, and returned some time afterward to New Madrid, in quest of a 
 sum of money, which was delivered to him by Dr. Thomas Portall, the then 
 commandant of that post. That this deponent was informed by a Spanish 
 officer, on whose veracity he had every reason to depend, that the said 
 money was destined for General Wilkinson, who was in secret coi'respond- 
 ence with the Spanish Government, That Mr. Thomas Power, in order to 
 conceal the said money, which was, as far as this deponent can recollect, 
 a sum of nine thousand dollars, or thereabouts, bought from this deponent 
 some barrels of sugar and coffee, in the center of which the said money 
 was packed up in small bags which were made for that purpose in this 
 deponent's family. That after these preparations were gone through, Mr. 
 T.Power set off on his way back to Cincinnati; and that, on said Power's 
 return from thence, this deponent was told that the said money had arrived 
 safe, and had been delivered to General Wilkinson. And this deponent 
 further saith, that shortly after the surrender of Louisiana to the United 
 States, a rumor having circulated that General Wilkinson had shipped in 
 the vessel in which he returned to the Atlantic States a large quantity of 
 sugar, the price of which he had paid him in dollars lately coined, con- 
 tained in bags not yet unsewed, and such as they are when scut from the 
 Spanish mint, this deponent grew suspicious that it was again money paid 
 by the Spanish treasury to General Wilkinson, and felt it his duty toward 
 
432 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the fortunes of that tyrant by a comparison with this 
 urchin. I continue to take notes of his testimony to his 
 own turpitude, which I shall not transcribe here, as they 
 may he seen among my papers, by my friends. But it is 
 here I should ohserve, that the address of "Wickham, in 
 conducting the cross-examination to-day, was masterly 
 and ingenious, not only in regard to the witness, but to 
 the Administration which so embarrassed Hay, as well as 
 the General, that it would be impossible to say which of 
 them most heartily welcomed a sudden adjournment, in 
 
 the Government, to whom he had of late sworn allegiance, to inform the 
 Governor of this province of the facts to him known concerning the money 
 sent up to General Wilkinson in 1796; that Governor Claiborne then re- 
 quested this deponent to write to the President of the United States on the 
 subject; that this deponent wrote accordingly to the President of the 
 United States, and delivered his letter into the hands of Gov. Claiborne, 
 after having shown him the contents, which he approved of; and that, as 
 the said letter was not signed, this deponent, by the advice of Gov. Clai- 
 borne, mentioned therein to the President that he might know the name 
 of the writer from Gov. Claiborne himself, if he should wish it. 
 
 And this deponent further swears, that in the winter of 1804 to 1805, 
 this deponent being then at Washington City, in the capacity of a deputy 
 from the inhabitants of Louisiana to Congress, jointly with Messrs. Dos- 
 trehan and Sawis, he was introduced to Col. Burr, then "Vice-President of 
 the United States, by General Wilkinson, who strongly recommended to 
 this deponent, and, as he believes, to his colleagues, to cultivate the ac- 
 quaintance of Col. Burr, whom he used to call " the first gentleman in 
 America;" telling them that he was a man of the most eminent talents, 
 both as a politician and as a military character; and this deponent further 
 swears, that General Wilkinson told him, several times, that Col. Burr, so 
 soon as his Vice-Presidency would be at an end, would go to Louisiana, 
 where he had certain projects; adding, that he was such a man as to suc- 
 ceed in any thing he would undertake, and inviting this deponent to give 
 him all the information in his power respecting that country; which mys- 
 terious hints appeared to this deponent very extraordinary, though he 
 could not then understand them. P- Derbigeny. 
 
 Sworn before me, at New Orleans, the 27th of August, 1807. 
 
 Bonamt, Justice of the Peace. 
 
SHORT-SIGHTEDNESS. 433 
 
 which Hay hastily sought the only retreat that was left 
 to his confusion. The Judge had hardly risen from the 
 bench, when a general buzz about Wilkinson's embarrass- 
 ment ran through the crowd, and in five minutes every 
 Democrat in the capitol was expressing his surprise at 
 the effect with which we had so suddenly changed our 
 characters and turned accusers. I sat this evening an 
 hour with Burr. Bollman and Major Smith were the 
 only other persons of the party. Here was an oppor- 
 tunity to confirm my conviction, that neither Burr nor 
 Bollman desired I should have any acquaintance with 
 the latter, for neither solicited nor proposed an introduc- 
 tion. Both, no doubt, have discovered, long since, I am 
 not of a temper to further their intrigues, but they are 
 short-sighted in not perceiving how effectually I can and 
 will assuredly frustrate them. "Well ! we chatted, never- 
 theless, on the exclusive topics of our present concerns 
 with the Government, among which, it was observed by 
 Burr, " that he should not be surprised if the next ' In- 
 quirer ' attributed his absence from court, at this time, to 
 fear of confronting Wilkinson." I remarked, " that such 
 misrepresentation could have no effect, as the " Virginia 
 Gazette " would contradict it. Burr said, " this last 
 paper had no circulation ; " and if $300 could be raised 
 immediately, the press of the " Impartial Observer," 
 which has been obliged to stop for want of funds, could 
 be again set to work. The editor was bold and ingeni- 
 ous, passed for " a good Democrat, would represent things 
 right, and print every thing that was required of him." 
 He then asked me, "if I could not raise even $120, with 
 
 which a beginning could be made ? could not I get twenty 
 28 
 
434 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 subscribers, even to advance $10 each? How sorry he 
 was Tupper and Mercer were gone away. They would 
 readily contribute. Would not I look about," etc. I 
 said, "I knew not a man that would advance a dollar." 
 He seemed surprised that I did not eagerly offer my 
 services as a runner to beg for him, and said, " I might 
 look out if I pleased; that is," he added, "if I felt any 
 interest in the thing." Now, I 'm at a loss to divine the 
 drift of this set upon me. Was it to remind me to 
 smother any rising thoughts within me, to renew my 
 hints to him, of other calls for money? Was it to ex- 
 hibit me to Bollman in a character he would not appear 
 to impose upon him ? I own I am at a loss for a solu- 
 tion. But certainly, however solicitous he may be to 
 revive the impartial observer, he was not indifferent to 
 making use of this occasion for some other purpose. 
 Smith, however, said, " he would look about him ; " and I 
 abruptly took leave. Bollman kept silent during the 
 most of the visit. He is engaging in his appearance, but 
 I have yet had no opportunity to catch any lines of his 
 character, which I hope will not hereafter escape me. 
 Swartwout is dispatched to Washington on some secret 
 mission, which is as mal-apropos, during Wilkinson's ex- 
 amination, as Burr's disappearance from court. Swart- 
 wout, it is said, will be back on Thursday. Eaton has 
 come forward to-day in court, to say the toast* was first 
 
 * General Eaton's evidence on the trial went to prove that Burr medi- 
 tated a dissolution of the Union. Eaton, in order to rid himself of Burr's 
 importunities, proposed the following toast at a dinner given to him 
 (Eaton) at Philadelphia or Georgetown; he could not distinctly recollect 
 which : " The United States — palsy to the brain that should plot to dismem- 
 ber, and leprosy to the hand that will not draw to defend, our Union." 
 
FORTUNATE ESCAPE. 435 
 
 given at a public dinner given to him at Georgetown, 
 which, being in or before December, 1805, contradicts 
 what he before swore to on that subject. 
 
 Wednesday, September 30, 1807. 
 
 The court having been only opened to-day for the pur- 
 pose of adjourning until to-morrow, to accommodate the 
 bar, who are obliged to attend the Court of Chancery, I 
 spent an hour with Burr in miscellaneous conversation, 
 during which Bob. Robison and Smith were present. 
 The arrival in town of Poindexter and Williams, from 
 Natchez, being mentioned, and conjectures offered as to 
 what Poindexter could say as a witness for the Govern- 
 ment, Robison observed, " he was inclined to think Col. 
 Burr was fortunate in having made his escape when he 
 did from that country, as, had he delayed it for another 
 day, he would probably have been seized, and have fallen 
 into the hands of Wilkinson." Robison seemed unin- 
 formed altogether of the nature of Meade's stipulations 
 with Burr, last January or February, in what was called 
 the armistice at Natchez. Burr now entered into a train 
 of statements to show Robison how Meade had violated 
 his engagements on that occasion. If he had made out 
 such a story as he now told in the presence of Smith and 
 myself, where we were not by, it might perhaps pass like 
 other representations which have, I know not in how 
 many instances, been received upon the credit of his 
 word. But that he should tell any one, in our hearing, 
 that Meade pledged his honor to him that our people 
 should all keep their arms, when we know the solicitude 
 
436 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 with which he afterward had them all hid, and sunk in 
 the river, — and say, he was not taken a prisoner, under 
 guard, to Washington in the Mississippi Territory, from 
 the interview he had, as it was called, with Meade, at 
 Cole's Creek, in pursuance of his forbearing to prefer 
 resistance, which he might have made to a surrender of 
 his person, — it would indeed surpass all credibility, if he 
 had not with the same temerity assured Wickham, the 
 other day in court, " that the Mississippi militia, while 
 ordered out against him, could hardly be kept by him 
 from deserting to him by whole companies. What they 
 might have been disposed to do, had he shown himself 
 worthy of their support, is too far removed from what 
 they did to need any attestation from us, or our friends, 
 in that country. But young men, whom I can redeem 
 from future connections with every incapacity but the 
 talents for intrigue, must not be entangled in those snares, 
 so imprudently or so rashly laid for their credulity. In- 
 deed, I am again disposed to call to my aid Cowles 
 Meade's impression last winter, that Burr was at times 
 deranged, as the only means of accounting for his occa- 
 sional rashness in his assertions. Certain I am, he ex- 
 hibited at that season every derangement but that of 
 avoidable hazard ; and as his memory is confessedly 
 strong, he can not now surely rely upon his facts, without 
 a similar, if not a worse, apology. I saw to-day a curious 
 parallel of Burr's character and my own, drawn by Wirt, 
 in his speech, reported in the " Enquirer," on Wickham's 
 motion to arrest the evidence in the treason case. I'll 
 transcribe it hereafter. 
 
poindexter. 437 
 
 Thursday, October 1, 1807. 
 
 Wilkinson's cross-examination was continued this 
 morning by "Wickham, with great ability, and suspend- 
 ed until to-morrow, to give him time he desired for re- 
 flection, and further recurrence to his papers, and also to 
 enable Burr to finish it to-morrow, as the latter is not 
 well enough to attend to-day. Then came forward the 
 ingenious Poindexter, who delivered a very petulant and 
 dogmatical testimony, in the course of which he had the 
 effrontery to state the whole affair of the alleged recog- 
 nizance of Burr taken by old Rodney, in a manner to in- 
 duce, if he could, a belief that Rodney was perfectly cor- 
 rect; that Burr had forfeited an original recognizance, 
 and that Rodney was one of the best men living ; while 
 no honest man in the Territory believed a word of the 
 stories that were told there of another recognizance or 
 memorandum for one having been suppressed ; he even 
 went so far as to say, he heard, and believed, that Hard- 
 ing had begun to write an original, but got tired before 
 he finished it, and it was thrown under the table. ! 
 Harding, my estimable friend, may you soon be able to 
 scourge this paltry pettifogger, who further declared, on 
 his oath, that the matter was now before the Supreme 
 Court of the Territory, where the securities would get 
 off, not upon the merits of the case, but because the 
 Judge who bound them had not cognizance of the offense. 
 
 Friday, October 2, 1807. 
 
 Burr attended to-day in court, and concluded the cross- 
 examination of Wilkinson ; after which, Poindexter was 
 
438 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 again called for, and was, if possible, a greater curiosity 
 as a witness than he had been yesterday. His parade of 
 his opinion of the jurisdiction of the courts in the Mis- 
 sissippi Territory, his strictures on the presentments by 
 Burr's grand jury there, his justification of his conduct 
 as honorary aid-de-camp and Attorney General, and his 
 insolence to Burr and his counsel, all exhibited him in a 
 light which introduced a character into the piece now 
 performing at the capitol, as novel as it was unexpected. 
 Then succeeded a witness of a very opposite cast, a Mr. 
 Trisley, one of the late grand jury here, who has riveted 
 on "Wilkinson's character and credit those fetters Jeffer- 
 son and himself were so long forging together for the 
 fame and liberty of others. After a close struggle be- 
 tween opposite counsel, Wickham succeeded by his usual 
 address in wresting from the prosecutors a very curious 
 letter by Jefferson to Wilkinson, of the 3d of last Janu- 
 ary, which I must, if possible, get a copy of. Martin 
 was both yesterday and to-day more in his cups than 
 usual, and though he spared neither his prudence nor his 
 feelings, he was happy in all his hits. 11 o'clock, P. M. 
 
 Saturday, October 3, 1807. 
 
 Wilkinson, though it was thought by many yesterday 
 that his cross-examination was concluded, was, this morn- 
 ing, again further interrogated as to the import of his 
 instructions to Lieutenant Pike, and the nature of his 
 confidential intercourse with Kibby. But nothing could 
 be got out of him as to the former; and, as to any deal- 
 ing with Kibby, of the sort alluded to in Ivibby's pub- 
 lished affidavit, he would no more confess it than that he 
 
CHALLENGE. 439 
 
 is said, by the records of scandal, to have had in his youth 
 with General CI - ;: :;: * . He produced two copies of 
 alleged instructions to Pike. These papers, being of his 
 own manufacture, left his adversaries, of course, to con- 
 tent themselves with whatever effect the suspicions aris- 
 ing from their questions might produce in the minds of 
 the auditors, if not of the Judge. But the publication in 
 the "Argus," to-day, of no less than six documents, of- 
 fered by Wilkinson in the course of his examination, and 
 rejected by the Judge as improper to be given in evidence, 
 will operate a preponderating counterpoise in his favor. 
 Before he withdrew, he appealed to the Court on the 
 attempts that had been made, during his examination, 
 upon his honor and veracity ; observing, " that it now 
 would be easy for him to show his whole conduct in its 
 true light, freed from all manner of doubt or suspicion 
 of his motives, if Burr would produce the letter of the 
 13th of May, alluded to in the ciphered letter, which 
 would enable him to expose other letters from Burr 
 which occasioned that letter/' He then declared that 
 Burr's assertion, " that the letter of the 13th of May had 
 been put out of Burr's power into the hands of a third 
 person, with Wilkinson's knowledge," was unfounded, 
 and destitute of all manner of truth ; that Burr knew 
 the very reverse was the fact ; and with warmth and as- 
 perity of language, he again challenged him to produce it. 
 Burr, with an air of dignity and composure which, I think, 
 he borrowed from an opinion that he is not bound to give 
 Wilkinson a meeting out of court, demanded whether this 
 sort of language and such topics were giving testimony; 
 
440 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and then observed, " that the General was there to tell 
 the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, upon his 
 oath, and should reserve other matters for another place." 
 Wilkinson now withdrew ; but who can not perceive that, 
 in this scene, the craft of the advocate shrunk from the 
 charge of his enemy. I examined, soon after this, Gates 
 and Jones — the latter of whom fully proved the terms of 
 a parole agreement to go down the river with me last 
 winter — in a manner to defeat every effect the testimony 
 of the Hendersons could possibly produce to my preju- 
 dice. I find Burr has a heavy bill against the United 
 States, on account of advances he says he has made to 
 agents employed for summoning his witnesses. How 
 many have undertaken this service for him I know not ; 
 some I do know who advanced their own money, in ex- 
 pectation of being refunded by Burr or the United States. 
 But how far Burr will be indemnified for his advances in 
 this business may be guessed from the transaction already 
 narrated of the manoeuvre, by which he put Ellis, one of 
 his creditors, in cash. (See conclusion to notes of 23d of 
 August.) But Ellis, who was to-day examined, parried 
 some lounges made at him, during his examination on 
 this subject, by saying, "it was a verbal summons he got 
 at Natchez — the proper one was served upon him here." 
 I will now set down here Wirt's parallel of Burr's char- 
 acter and my own. After having stated that Burr was 
 manoeuvring to effect his escape from the prosecutions, by 
 having me sacrificed in his stead, he asks, " By what sort 
 of legerdemain is it, that Burr wants to shuffle himself 
 down to the bottom of the pack, and turn me up, princi- 
 
ABOUT TO TRAVEL. 441 
 
 pal traitor ?"* He then proceeds as follows : " Who, then, 
 is Aaron Burr — and what the part which he has borne in 
 this transaction ? " 
 
 Sunday, October 4, 1807. 
 I called on Burr this morning, when he, at last, men- 
 tioned to me, during a short tete a tete, that he was 
 preparing to go to England ; that the time was now aus- 
 picious for him ; and he wished to know whether I could 
 give him letters. I answered, " that I supposed when he 
 said England, he meant London, as his business would 
 probably be with people in office ; that I knew none of 
 
 * Will any man say that Blennerhassett was the principal, and Burr 
 but an accessory? Who will believe that Burr, the author and projector 
 of the plot, who raised the forces, who enlisted the men, and who procured 
 the funds for carrying it into execution, was made a cat's-paw of? Will 
 any man believe that Burr, who is a soldier, bold, ardent, restless, and 
 aspiring, the great actor whose brain conceived, and whose hand brought, 
 the plot into operation, that he should sink down into an accessory, and 
 that Blennerhassett should be elevated into a principal? He would startle 
 at once at the thought. Aaron Burr, the contriver of the whole conspiracy, 
 to every body concerned in it, was as the sun to the planets which sur- 
 round him. Did he not bind them in their respective orbits, and give 
 them their light, their heat, and their motion ? Yet he is to be con- 
 sidered an accessory, and Blennerhassett is to be the principal, who, 
 thus deluded from his interest and his happiness, thus seduced from 
 the paths of innocence and peace, thus confounded in the toils that were 
 deliberately spread for him, and overwhelmed by the mastering spirit 
 and genius of another — this man, thus ruined and undone, and made to 
 play a subordinate part in this grand drama of guilt and treason, this man 
 is to be called the principal offender; while he, by whom he was thus 
 plunged in misery, is comparatively innocent, a mere accessory ! Is this 
 reason? Is it law? Is it humanity? Sir, neither the human heart nor 
 the human understanding will bear a perversion so monstrous and absurd ! 
 so shocking to the soul ! so revolting to reason ! Let Aaron Burr, then, 
 not shrink from the high destination which he has courted; and having 
 already ruined Blennerhassett in fortune, character, and happiness for- 
 ever, let him not attempt to finish the tragedy by thrusting that ill-fated 
 man between himself and punishment. — Extract from W. Wirt's Speech. 
 
442 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the present ministry, nor did I believe I had a single 
 acquaintance in London." He replied, " lie meant to 
 visit every part of the country, and would be glad to get 
 letters to any one." I said, that I would think of it ; that 
 I might discover whether I had any friends there, whom 
 it would be an object worth his attention to know, and 
 took leave. Thus it is, this strange man continues to 
 expose his inconsistency with himself, rather than lay 
 aside the mysterious mask, with which he has ever 
 sought, and still continues, to disguise his very hints — a 
 practice, I believe, he has not departed from in any 
 instance, from Wilkinson down to myself. We can only 
 conjecture, therefore, his designs. For my part, I am 
 disposed to suspect he has no serious purpose of reviving 
 any of his speculations in America, or even of returning 
 from Europe, if he can get there. His anxiety to elude 
 his creditors is, I believe, occupation enough for his 
 energies, which are little, except in his reveries. Out of 
 them he tells different stories to different persons, enjoin- 
 ing confidence from all, but committing himself in noth- 
 ing to any one. I have suspected for some time, however, 
 he really does dream of appearing in London, with some- 
 thing, according to his ideas, in the nature of a suite. 
 Some weeks past, he consulted De Pestre, to learn from 
 him how much money would be wanted to enable him to 
 go and return. He said, he supposed that $10,000 might 
 answer. De Pestre told him, that would depend on the 
 nature of his business, and the time it would require to 
 transact it. But he has more lately been eng: ged in en- 
 deavoring to attach to him some young men who may 
 accompany him. I yet only know, positively, two. Sam. 
 
FRIENDLY INTERPOSITION. 443 
 
 Swartwout was enraptured with tlie prospect, and still 
 may feast his imagination upon it ; though I could not 
 resist the propensity I felt to convey to this fine young 
 man, without his suspecting from whence it came, a curb, 
 which may restrain his generous ardor and innocent 
 credulity. His relation, Major Smith, has endeavored to 
 apply it. Bob. Robison was the other, and, to save him, 
 my breast heaved with indignation against his tempter, 
 wbile my heart labored for the danger of my young 
 friend, when I found that his property was Mr. Burr's 
 object; for Burr, it seems, in the first place, certified 
 himself by inquiries of Major Smith, that Robison's 
 father was wealthy, and Robert an only child, before he 
 proposed the voyage to him, which I find he had the 
 insolence to introduce by telling him, Smith, Robison 
 would be much pleased to accompany him, as Mr. Blen- 
 nerhassett had assured him, than which nothing is more 
 false. But Burr is as careless of his facts as of his 
 religion, where neither is exposed to scrutiny; and any 
 liberty with them may advance his purpose for the mo- 
 ment. I had seasonably prepared this young man, who 
 will to-morrow make his escape to Pittsburgh, from the 
 fascinations of this serpent. I was much entertained for 
 two or three hours by the performance on the piano by a 
 young Frenchman, who is a fine performer, and made me 
 acquainted with some new music of Haj'dn and others, 
 which he executed with masterly skill and expression. 
 
 Monday, October 5, 1807. 
 
 This day was chiefly consumed with hearing testimony 
 adduced to prove Eaton's incompetency or discredit ; 
 
444 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 which failed, according to the legal rules of evidence, 
 though Eatou himself has already fully anticipated the 
 object of his adversaries. I am very unhappy in failing 
 to hear from Natchez, to relieve my anxiety for Harman. 
 But why should I presume to pray for the removal of my 
 trouble for him and his mother, when I know how un- 
 worthy I have been of the many blessings I have already 
 enjoyed in them. I have ever thought too highly of 
 Dominick, in prejudice to his brother ; my late cares for 
 the latter have equalized the account. 
 
 Tuesday, October 6, 1807. 
 
 Burr and Martin made a considerable blunder to-day, 
 by producing a Major Brough, to the discredit of Wil- 
 kinson, as they thought. The Major, it is true, told some 
 curious stories to the Court and to the General, as unex- 
 pected by the Judge, probably, as they were unpalatable 
 to the Brigadier ; but the effect only tended to show both 
 equally rivals in treachery to the State, if not to them- 
 selves. Burr would gladly have pretermitted the exhi- 
 bition of this scene, but it was too late ; the curtain had 
 risen, and "Peacham" and "Locket" stood confessed in 
 every line of their characters, except a compromise of 
 their differences. But as, in such cases, ." honest men 
 come by their own," the public feelings on the Mississippi 
 will necessarily be relieved, by the disclosures of this wit- 
 ness, from the insult and mortification of again seeing 
 Wilkinson command in that country. It is in vain that 
 Wilkinson has promised to destroy the credit of this wit- 
 ness. The Major has brandished his sword with such 
 effect and address, on this occasion, that he has not only 
 
gift. 445 
 
 cut down the General, but even disarmed his auxiliaries 
 
 Jefferson, Dearborn and Rodney — who have so long 
 fought by his side throughout this criminal warfare. In 
 short, unless this testimony, which, from its effect upon 
 Jefferson, etc., I regard as the most interesting that has 
 occurred, can be totally obliterated from the reports of 
 the present motley proceedings at the capitol, and the 
 Major be absolutely foxed, the execration of the admin- 
 istration will soon be sown on the Mississippi, to produce 
 a crop similar to that which sprung from the teeth of the 
 hydra. I regret the whole narrative will not probably 
 appear in full before Robertson's report of the whole 
 proceedings. This evening, my friend Hendren, who has 
 again come up to town chiefly to see me, has called to 
 express his satisfaction at the near prospect of my restora- 
 tion to my family, and to solicit my acceptance of a 
 horse he has a long time destined for me, together with 
 whatever money I may have occasion for. He has duly 
 tempered the frankness of these propositions with senti- 
 ments of corresponding delicacy. I, alas ! have made no 
 better return to this generosity than words that lightened 
 not the burden that he had laid upon my heart, which, I 
 hope, God will give it strength to carry to my grave. 
 How long have I sought, through life, friends without my 
 family; and where have I found any, until the hand of 
 Divine mercy pointed their regards to that piety that has 
 supported the patience of my distress. I have declined 
 Heiidren's favors, and quieted his solicitude to serve 
 me, by requesting him to look out for a few negroes 
 T want to purchase. He will see me again next Monday. 
 
446 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Wednesday, October 7, 1807. 
 
 Wilkinson was not ready to-day to undertake his attack 
 upon the credit of Major Brough, but lie will attempt it 
 to-morrow. Nothing was done, of any consequence, in 
 court to-day. Soon after it adjourned, I took a letter for 
 my wife to the " Eagle," to go by Col. McKee, who leaves 
 for Natchez to-morrow. I had there the happiness to see 
 Doctor Commins, just arrived. He made me happy, by 
 assuring me my boys were running about on the 25th of 
 August, when he last saw them, and has brought me a 
 packet, which I shall receive in the morning. I find I 
 have omitted to note a very curious discovery made in 
 court last Saturday. Nothing less than letters of McKee's, 
 some of them dated in January and February last, pro- 
 duced by Wilkinson, proving the Col. to have been with 
 us on the Mississippi, far more as a spy than a friend. 
 The capillaries of the Colonel's physiognomy, during the 
 reading of the said letters, were swollen to bursting. The 
 man, I believe, would have hissed upon immersion in 
 cold water. He was struck dumb, and, upon his release, 
 went off in a tangent. Burr can't endure a hint of this 
 incident ; and yet he has since been more than once 
 closeted with the Colonel. Can he find no better friends, 
 or is he really deranged ? 
 
 Thursday, October 8, 1807. 
 
 Wilkinson has not kept his promise of to-day, dis- 
 crediting the testimony of Major Brough. An unim- 
 portant witness or two were examined by way of killing 
 time, which now seems to be the favorite object of the 
 
EXCITEMENT. 447 
 
 prosecutors. Afterward, Hay at last announced that the 
 evidence was closed on the part of the prosecution, but 
 reserved his right to examine, without restriction, all of 
 those witnesses that may arrive, according to his fancy, 
 which was conceded to him. He then entered upon his 
 speech, to comment on the evidence, which appeared to 
 me the best effort I have yet heard from him ; it was per- 
 spicuous and somewhat ingenious. I have therefore 
 taken pretty close notes of all such parts of it as appeared 
 to me to be worthy of notice, or particularly applicable to 
 myself. He spoke, however, to empty benches until the 
 rising of the Court, which was, for his accommodation, 
 protracted half an hour longer than usual. A few 
 minutes before he stopped, I was much diverted by a 
 display of his irritability, which was excited by McRae's 
 interrupting him with a whisper to stop at 4 o'clock. 
 Upon this, the attorney fired with indignation, and in 
 his wrath very plainly exhibited his contempt for his co- 
 adjutor, by telling him he would not be interrupted by 
 him ; and then endeavoring fruitlessly to compose his ire, 
 he lamented the condition of counsel, that could neither 
 agree with those on their own side, or those who were 
 opposed to them. I sent to Doctor Commins, this morn- 
 ing, for the packet he brought me from Natchez, but not 
 having received it, I called upon him this evening, 
 when he delivered it to me in a wretched state, it hav- 
 ing been taken from him in the Creek Nation of In- 
 dians, by Col. Hawkins, the agent of that tribe, who, 
 after examining my letter-hag, and every original letter 
 my wife had sent me, except perhaps two sealed letters 
 from herself, and, after taking such extracts and copies 
 
448 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of the whole as he chose, then returned to Doctor Com- 
 mins as many as he thought proper. This outrage I 
 shall have formally stated in an affidavit by the Doctor, 
 in order to procure an attachment against the Colonel. I 
 spent a very pleasant evening at the Musical Society, 
 where I met Mrs. Chevalier and Mrs. Wickham. They 
 seemed pleased with some performances, in which I took 
 a part, particularly a quartette of Pleyel's. Mrs. Chev- 
 alier gave me some hospitable reproaches for the scarcity 
 of my visits. I believe her husband a most generous and 
 benevolent man, which his countenance fully bespeaks. 
 
 Friday, October 9, 1807. 
 
 It is a little singular that my birthday should yesterday 
 have passed by without my having noticed it ; but this 
 has been the case for several of the last years of my life, 
 and T suppose the reason is, that my mind is hardly occu- 
 pied once a year in thinking of myself. I may have 
 taken my height and weight, perhaps full twenty times in 
 the course of my life ; but I am certain I never remem- 
 bered, much less noted, the amount of either, so that I 
 could recollect it one hour after trial. Yesterday, then, I 
 completed my forty-second or forty-third year; for my 
 father and mother could never agree whether I was born 
 in 1764 or 1765, though they coincided as to the day, fix- 
 ing it on the 8th of October. But at such a distance from 
 my suffering family, I can not estimate how much hap- 
 piness or misery they have been preparing for my future 
 years. Hay finished his speech to-day. He was followed 
 by Randolph, in a style that will read much better than 
 it was delivered. He relied chiefly on the effect of Burr's 
 
RAISING MONEY. 449 
 
 acquittal, and arguments drawn from. the Constitution. 
 As to me, he seemed to forget my case altogether, save 
 so far as his concern for Burr obliged him to mention my 
 name and writings. This, I suspect, will also be the case 
 with Wickham. Nous verrons. 
 
 Saturday, October 10, 1807. 
 
 The Court does not sit to-day, at the request of the 
 prosecutors; yet they are eternally complaining of the 
 tedious length of the trial, and their own confinement 
 and sufferings by it. The accused have no sufferings, it 
 seems, worthy of their notice. I have to-day spent much 
 time in painful reflections on the state of my affairs with 
 Burr. It appears by a statement of my private account 
 with him, so far as I can now collect all my charges 
 against him here, for he has but two credits, he is in- 
 debted to me in a balance of $2,864.96, independent of 
 my account against him, for what I have already paid 
 and lost, by my indorsement of the bill held by Miller for 
 $4,000. It will be useless, or worse, for me to attempt to 
 appear at Marietta without a sum of money, if not suffi- 
 cient to discharge Miller's claim, at least necessary to 
 enable me to get my negroes away from Ohio, if that is 
 now possible, and to redeem some few valuable articles 
 of my property that have been sacrificed at sheriff's 
 sales. I have therefore imagined a method of forcing 
 Burr's exertions to raise money for me, which is the most 
 likely to succeed, It is founded on the principle of 
 effecting through his vanity and interest what it is now 
 evident I .should in vain seek through his justice or 
 geuerositv. I will hint to him my ability to introduce 
 29 
 
450 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 him into the first circles in England, by introductory 
 letters ; at the same time, showing him my expectations 
 of becoming soon possessed of a large fortune in Europe, 
 from which, I doubt not, I shall be enabled to engage his 
 best endeavors, if not his warmest interest. This plan 
 I shall put in execution to-morrow, of which I will note 
 the effect upon him. Leaving it to ripen in his medita- 
 tions for a week, I shall then open my present distresses to 
 him in detail, and present him with his account. It is 
 a little painful, I own, to feel oneself obliged to bring 
 even a bad man into the path of his duty by artifice. 
 But the details of the manoeuvre, when examined, will, I 
 trust, do me no discredit with my friends. 
 
 Sunday, October 11, 1807. 
 
 It being very warm and dusty this morning, I sent to 
 John Banks for a horse to visit his family and Chevalier's, 
 they living two miles apart, and take the benefit of a 
 short ride. But I previously called upon Burr, whom I 
 found alone and in good spirits. lie attributed the re- 
 moval of his indisposition exclusively to the effect of my 
 pills, and his inflamed eye was nearly cured. Daniel 
 Clark and Mr. Powers had arrived from Orleans to sup- 
 port the depositions of Derbigeny and the younger Mer- 
 cier, to the confirmation of Wilkinson's character and 
 ruin. Availing myself of such a state of things, I en- 
 tered into desultory conversation affecting all freedom of 
 thought from any particular object. The affair of the 
 Leopard and Chesapeake being mentioned, Burr observed, 
 that though the difference between the United states and 
 Great Britain on that account might be expected to be 
 
"FRIENDS AT COURT." 451 
 
 soon settled, there were many other causes of dispute 
 which would not soon be removed ; that this was a most 
 auspicious moment for his purposes to visit England, and 
 he had no doubt he could, in serving himself and his 
 friends there, show them, the ministry, their best interests 
 in a manner that would convince their judgment. This 
 was the best opportunity I could have desired for my pur- 
 pose. I now told him, as he happened to be alone, I had 
 been reflecting on the application he had lately made to 
 me for letters to England, to assist the better means he 
 no doubt possessed of establishing his intercourse with 
 the best society in that country. I regretted that, through 
 the fluctuations of parties there, I had no acquaintance 
 with any member of the Administration. But I had 
 thought of three noblemen, with whom I had been at 
 school at Westminster, and there intimate with them all, 
 though I had never since met with any of them, except 
 Lord Sackville, who had visited me in Ireland. To Lord 
 S., therefore, I could write, and also to Lords Elgin and 
 Courtenay. The latter I was very intimate with at 
 school ; and the former, I presumed, from the circum- 
 stance of his having been not long since ambassador at 
 the courts of Petersburgh and Constantinople, must be 
 much respected by the present ministers, if not in oflice 
 with them. To all these personages, I said, I thought I 
 could -properly address a mere letter of introduction, 
 which if it would not of itself produce the end proposed, 
 would not fail to do so when supported by the appear- 
 ance he would make in London, the address with which 
 he would be as impressive there as here, and the distin- 
 guished rank he lately occupied in the American Govern- 
 
452 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ment. The effect of this communication was' rapture. 
 The whole man was changed. With all his studied re- 
 serve, he could not restrain his transports, which agitated 
 his countenance and his movements far more than the 
 news of a capital prize in the lottery could have done. I 
 now, after pausing a little, to give his reflections time to 
 recover his usual composure, asked if he remembered a 
 hint I had sometime since given him, that I entertained 
 some expectations of hereafter becoming easy in my cir- 
 cumstances, and perhaps wealthy. " Yes," he hastily 
 replied, "very well." I then alluded to a communication 
 by letter from a friend in Ireland, which I would now 
 acquaint him with, and from which I might expect, if my 
 prospects should be realized, possibly to meet him in 
 those circles in Europe, into which I proposed to intro- 
 duce him ; now drawing from my pocket A. Martin's 
 letter of 16th of last May, which luckily contained no 
 other matter than that I wished him to see, and some 
 political news. I presented it to him. He read it delib- 
 erately, over and over, and I now beheld myself estab- 
 lished in an influence upon his feelings, and a considera- 
 tion from his notice, to which I am persuaded I had 
 never before possessed the least title. Hey-day ! behold 
 the wretched and beggared Blennerhassett about to rise 
 out of the misery in which I have plunged him, and his 
 unhappy family, into wealth and eonsecmence. The heir, 
 too, of a nobleman ! His new wealth and his dignified 
 connections must supply me with better materials for my 
 projected speculations than all others I have hitherto col- 
 lected. His connections and his purse shall lay the foun- 
 dation under which I will again bury his credulity and 
 
" ONE THOUSAND." 453 
 
 rear upon it my aggrandizement. I am persuaded all 
 this, and probably much more to the same purpose, en- 
 tered and pervaded the mind of this arch-financier, with 
 the velocity of light, in an instant. Be it so. Let him 
 outwit himself. He shall have my letters to the British 
 nobleman, and may make his own use of them, if he 
 will first exonerate me from Miller's demand, and pay 
 or secure the balance he owes me before we part. Other- 
 wise, we break upon a writ, and for every thing else, I 
 fear not his address in future. 
 
 Chevalier, as usual, pressed me to dinner. I have such 
 full confidence in his goodness that I believe I shall ven- 
 ture to request him to indorse or negotiate a bill on Phil- 
 adelphia for me. 
 
 Monday, October 12, 1807. 
 
 I am miserable this morning, by being denied a letter 
 from Natchez. The season advances, and witnesses con- 
 tinue to arrive so constantly, that I am filled with appre- 
 hensions of being unable to descend the Ohio before the 
 breaking up of that river. Martin commenced his speech 
 on the evidence this morning, and only reached the first 
 full stop at the hour of adjournment. He will probably 
 hold out full two days more. 
 
 Tuesday, October 13, 1807. 
 
 Martin kept on his feet again to-day until the adjourn- 
 ment. He has only come to the second period. I had 
 this morning an extremely friendly note from Chevalier, 
 telling me he never lends his name to any body, but has 
 one thousand dollars at my command, which I have ac- 
 
454 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 cepted, to send to the sale by Commins. I have spent a 
 pleasant evening at Banks', where I often take Smith 
 with me, as he knows no one here. Banks has given me 
 
 some lines he made on the late Miss , which I will 
 
 here transcribe, as they deserve preservation :• 
 
 SWEET SHADE. 
 
 Within our hearts, thy mem'ry is embalmed 
 Beyond the usual gifts that grace thy sex ; 
 Thy various virtues and acquirements shone: 
 The dignity of worth (like thine) it would 
 Degrade to blazon each peculiar claim 
 That marked thy value here ; for all who knew 
 Thee felt its force, and every tongue seemed 
 Emulous to praise. The young, enraptured, 
 Hung upon thy name; with equal rev'rence 
 And grateful love hailed the bright exemplar 
 That adorned the sex. Pleased with the theme, 
 The aged matron, too, for this laid by 
 The frigid caution of maturer years ; 
 With joy exulting, joined the general praise, 
 And wished, a pious wish, her offspring might 
 Through life's alluring scenes tread the chaste paths 
 That marked Eliza's steps. 
 
 One kindred trait, that marked thy latest hour, 
 Unknown to all but to thy weeping friends, 
 Who clung around the sable couch of Death, 
 'T were impious not to note. The God who smote 
 Still blessed thee to the last. Its powers thy mind 
 Retained ; while, conscious of th' approaching call, 
 Thy steadfast soul still stood serene and firm. 
 No tumult there, no dread, no terror could 
 Disturb the heart which purity inspired. 
 'T was Resignation's calm ! Thy closing eyes, 
 'T is true, a transient tremor felt, and o'er 
 The fevered cheek a drop let fall. ! 't was 
 
MARTIN AND M<-'RAE. 455 
 
 A sacred gem, incalculably rich ! 
 A legacy divine; for others' woes 
 It fell. 'T was filial sympathy, which, like 
 A shock electric, struck the palsied nerve, 
 Impervious but to this. Dim though thy sight, 
 Yet still thou sawest a parent's 
 Agonizing pangs ; a precious pearl 
 Thou gav'st; and with the boon expir'd. 
 Sweet Shade ! this tribute is not half thy due. 
 Alas ! too soon we pay the solemn meed ; 
 Yet bear it on thy wing; 't will pleasing prove 
 A passport to the skies ; and when, blest Shade, 
 Thy sister-spirits, who thy flight await 
 At Heav'n's portal, shall peruse the scroll, 
 In strains celestial, not unknown to thee, 
 They '11 chant the theme divine, until it reach 
 The Throne of Grace. There, in regal state, 
 The King of Kings, in all the majesty 
 Of Heaven arrayed, with sweet solacing smile, 
 Shall hail thy welcome to the realms above, 
 While myriads of the just around him sing: 
 "This the reward of virtuous acts below, 
 Eternal life and bliss for evermore I" 
 
 Wednesday, October 14, 1807. 
 
 Martin at last concluded at 4 o'clock, with the adjourn- 
 ment this evening. Want of arrangement, verbosity, and 
 eternal repetitions, have more than sated the malice of 
 his enemies. 
 
 Thursday, October 15, 1807. 
 
 McRae consumed this whole day with somewhat less 
 discredit to himself than might have been expected. It 
 appears that he is now the only one of the three prose- 
 cuting counsel that labors to bolster up the credit and 
 
456 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 consistency of Wilkinson. Hay has declared, out of 
 court, " he has washed his hands of him." I had a 
 friendly letter from Devereux, announcing his being 
 about to return to Ireland, where he expects to recover 
 his estate, and assuring me, with much concern for my 
 present sufferings, his actions shall prove his friendship, 
 whenever his means can give it that operation he now so 
 generously laments he can not direct to my succor. He 
 assures me, however, Pierce Butler, Esq., of Philadelphia, 
 has directed him, without solicitation, to invite me to call 
 upon him for any pecuniary aid I may need. 
 
 Friday, October 16, 1807. 
 
 Wiekkam followed Martin, instead of McRae, yester- 
 day, and was, I think, far below his former efforts. He 
 occupied the day nearly. It was to-day Mcliae exhib- 
 ited, as I have just mentioned, not having had time to 
 write down yesterday's notes till this evening. 
 
 Saturday, October 17, 1807. 
 
 Wirt spoke very much to engage the fancy of his hear- 
 ers, to-day, without affecting their understanding ; for he 
 can not reason upon the facts before him, and can no more 
 conduct a law argument than I could raise a mountain. 
 As Junius says of the king, " The feather that adorns 
 him supports his flight." " Strip him of his plumage 
 and you fix him to the earth." He attempted to be sar- 
 castic on all his opponents. Randolph he charged with 
 a decay of professional and oratorical powers, which keep 
 pace with the march of his years. Martin he upbraided 
 with ill earned and unmerited fame, which had disap- 
 
VISITING. 457 
 
 pointed the expectations of the Virginia bar, before which 
 he had shone through so many moons, but had never yet 
 appeared in any of the phases of the law. I mention this, 
 as a specimen of his efforts in the figurative style, to show 
 how unhappy he is in his researches into those minds of 
 taste and study which the fancy of an orator never ex- 
 plores in vain. Wickham he boldly accused of unadorned 
 plagiarism, in appropriating to himself the arguments of 
 Dallas and Lewis in the case of Fries, and even express- 
 ing their ideas with inferior eloquence. I took some notes 
 of this orator's performance, which "Wickham was very 
 glad to get, as he was absent during the delivery of what 
 was so pointedly applied to himself. " O that mine enemy 
 would write a book ! " Wilkinson is writing one, which, 
 some say, is to ruin not only Burr, but Jefferson too. 
 
 Sunday, October 18, 1807. 
 
 I staid at home until evening, owing to the high wind 
 and dust that annoyed every one who ventured abroad. 
 But I drank tea, and spent the evening until 10 o'clock, 
 at Mrs. Chevalier's. I there met Mrs. David Randolph, 
 who is a middle-aged lady, and very accomplished; of 
 charming manners, and possessing a masculine mind. 
 From this lady, the near relation of the President, and 
 whose brother is married to his daughter, I heard more 
 pungent strictures upon Jefferson's head and heart, be- 
 cause they were better founded than any I had ever heard 
 before, and she certainly uttered more treason than my 
 wife ever dreamed of; for she ridiculed the experiment 
 of a Republic in this country, which the vices and incon- 
 stancy of parties and the people had too long shown to 
 
458 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 be nothing more than annual series of essays to complete 
 a work ill begun, and which appeared to be nearly worn 
 out before it was half finished. But " she always was 
 disgusted with the fairest ideas of a modern Republic, 
 however she might respect those of antiquity." And as 
 for the treason, " she cordially hoped, whenever Burr, or 
 any one else, again attempted to do any thing, the Atlan- 
 tic States would be comprised in the plan." She talked 
 much of Thomas Moore, with whom she was highly 
 pleased here, and recited some favorite extracts from 
 him ; but she is very much mortified by the indiscrimi- 
 nate censure of Virginia, with which he has requited the 
 hospitality and consideration with which he was uni- 
 versally treated in this State — his only two exceptions 
 from his strictures being Wickham and the Chief Justice ; 
 but in the former he could discover no accomplishment, 
 beyond professional skill and a slight knowledge of 
 French, with a talent for repartee, and an imagination 
 denied all favors which it would in vain solicit from 
 nature and the sciences. Of the Chief Justice, I can not 
 speak, out of the precincts of the law, or his politics, 
 which I already begin to fear will exhibit his heart, as 
 unlike those of Hardwick or Cambden, as his mind may 
 resemble theirs." I also obtained from this interesting 
 lady some sketches of the characters of General Dayton 
 and Bollman, with both of whom her acute penetration 
 seems to have had sufficient opportunities of informing 
 her judgment. The sentence of my moral craniology on 
 these heads thus presented to me was this, that the one 
 is that of an unprincipled speculator and crafty politician, 
 who never appeals to his reason but to deceive, and never 
 
A CHALLENGE. 459 
 
 departs from it but to be sensual. The other is that of 
 an individual possessing similar talents, more highly re- 
 fined by nature, but less consolidated by experience, with 
 syren faculties of speech and manner, never exerted to 
 captivate, but to destroy their victim, and a temperament 
 of antipathy, rather than of inclination to the sex. I, 
 this morning, closed long letters to A. Martin, for Ireland, 
 after, I believe, full two months' neglect. I have so long- 
 been dosed with the incessant vexations of my prosecu- 
 tion, that I sometimes imagine my apathy is better lent 
 me to befit me for the future frowns of unsteady fortune, 
 than to prepare me for the insidious smiles. I am already 
 her puppet. 
 
 Monday, October 19, 1807. 
 
 "Wirt concluded with perhaps a better two hours' dis- 
 play of his powers than he has yet exhibited. Lieutenant 
 Jackson, at last, made his appearance, but fell very short 
 of what the prosecutors expected of him, from the pur- 
 port of his affidavits, which they have published in the 
 " Argus," and of his own infamy : though he made out 
 enough of treachery and perjury, probably, to swell the 
 current of suspicion against Burr's treasonable designs. 
 Swartwout* has sent Wilkinson a challenge, but with- 
 out effect. 
 
 * Swartwout sent a challenge to General Wilkinson by Israel Smith, 
 which he (W.) refused to read, saying that "he held no correspondence 
 with traitors or conspirators." This raised Swartwout's ire, and induced 
 him to publish the following in the "Virginia Gazette:" 
 To His Excellency Brigadier-General James Wilkinson. 
 
 Sir : — When once the chain of infamy grapples to a knave, every new 
 link creates a fresh sensation of detestation and horror. As it gradually 
 
460 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Tuesday, October 20, 1807. 
 
 I have said nothing of my relief, yesterday, by a letter 
 from my beloved, bearing the intelligence of her recovery 
 from a fever. Who would think I was glad to receive 
 this letter ! I had been miserable for three weeks in ap- 
 prehension for Harman. This new calamity has affected 
 me with a kind of lethargy, from which I awake often in 
 surprise, to wonder that we are all four alive, as if life, 
 upon any terms, was unnatural in our present prospects. 
 O, Melancholy ! how long wilt thou brood upon me. I 
 have begun a letter to my wife. Sustain her strength, 
 God, who approvest her virtue, and can best assuage her 
 sufferings. Mr. Marshall, at length, has delivered an 
 
 or precipitately unfolds itself, we behold in each succeeding connection, 
 and arising from the same corrupt and contaminated source, the same base 
 and degenerate conduct. I could not have supposed that you would have 
 completed the catalogue of your crimes by adding to the guilt of treachery, 
 forgery and perjury, the accomplishment of cowardice. But every succeed- 
 ing day presents you in a new light to the public, and plunges you still 
 deeper in crime and ignominy. Having failed in two different attempts to 
 procure an interview with you, such as no gentleman of honor could refuse, 
 I have only to pronounce and publish you to the world as a coward and 
 paltroon. One word more before I take my leave. This is a critical moment 
 in the life of your Excellency. Your reputation is gone for ever, and your 
 life totters on the verge of dissolution. As you can not pretend to the es- 
 teem of any man. living, you should have sought a momentary reputation 
 in the applause of even your enemies. You should have been brave, and died 
 like a man. Your enemies would then have forgotten the wrongs you had 
 done them. Your country would have been appeased, and even Judas for- 
 given. You should have considered that there is some small merit in even 
 a villain's bravery ; it was all you were supposed to possess this side of 
 the grave. You should have made much of it; it might have served to 
 wipe away some portion of the stain which your treachery and turpitude 
 have fixed upon your character. S. Swartwout. 
 
 Richmond, list October, 1807. 
 
LONGINGS. 461 
 
 elaborate opinion, purporting that he can not commit any 
 of us for treason ; not because we had none in our hearts, 
 but because we did none with our hands. But the last 
 article has determined him to commit me for trial, to 
 Ohio, for a misdemeanor. Burr is, of course, ordered on 
 this new dance. I shall, however, I fancy, leave the little 
 emperor to exhibit in it alone ; for it is now time I 
 should withdraw behind the scenes, even though I should 
 employ Duane to shift them. I shall therefore set out to 
 Philadelphia, first for this object, and next to close my 
 pecuniary affairs with Burr there, which I could not do 
 here. I have given bail for my appearance at Chil- 
 licothe, the 4th of January; bondsmen, Smith and 
 Commins. 
 
 Wednesday, October 21, 1807. 
 
 Burr is in a sort of keeping at his own house, en- 
 deavoring to get all his bail renewed in the civil suits 
 here depending against him. Martin has become his 
 security, I believe, to the amount of $15,000. How much 
 of this he may eventually sink in the purchase of the 
 old staple of experience, he will ascertain in about six 
 months. 
 
 Thursday, October 22, 1807. 
 
 Wrote to my wife a letter to go by Ashley, which I 
 will not close until the moment before I leave this town. 
 It will reach her, and, I trust, tend to support her until I 
 can escape, and then into Florida with her, if necessary, 
 which I am determined to attempt, rather than play a 
 part in a second trial, which would separate me from my 
 family, probably, for not less than a year from hence. 
 
462 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Was I criminal in seeking some little refuge from my 
 trouble this evening at the Musical Society ? I met there 
 Mesdames Wickham, Chevalier and the Misses M. I 
 only took a part in one quartette, by particular desire of 
 those ladies. Midnight. 
 
 Friday, October 23, 1807. 
 
 Breakfasted at Mrs. Chevalier's, where I met a pleasant 
 party. At ten o'clock I rode out to visit Banks, and pre- 
 scribe for an indisposition with which he is affected. 
 Smith, being finally discharged by the Chief Justice, left 
 me yesterday for New York. I am endeavoring to ob- 
 tain a lot of negroes, in partnership with Dr. Commins, 
 though I fear we shall not succeed. This evening visited 
 Wickham, to fee him with a few — words. He thinks, in 
 case Government should be disposed to desire my convic- 
 tion at Chillicothe, Woodbridge's evidence will enable 
 them easily to affect it. Revisited and spent the evening 
 with Banks. He has offered to lend me one hundred 
 dollars, which I shall probably accept, to enable me to 
 return Chevalier's money. I take a horse and gig from 
 Banks, as there is no conveyance from hence, in any pub- 
 lic or private carriage, for ten days to come. Burr, Mar- 
 tin, Commins, and myself, with two servants, will proba- 
 bly form a cavalcade to move to-morrow or next day. I 
 must raise money in Philadelphia, on chances, and even 
 strain a point with Commins, there to aid me whatever 
 success I may have with Burr. 
 
 Saturday, October 24, 1807. 
 I have been all day too ambulatory to spend a moment 
 
METAL. 463 
 
 with these notes, before now, 11, P. M. I am just re- 
 turned from a two-mile walk in the dark, to take leave 
 of the family of my friend, John Banks, who has kindly 
 pressed me to borrow the largest sum, I believe, he could 
 spare. And before I lie down to take two hours' rest, 
 before I am called up to set off in the stage for the Fede- 
 ral city, I must note my having closed a letter I began 
 several days ago to my wife, to go by Ashley, who will 
 commence his journey to-morrow or the next day. My 
 excellent friend Jos. Lewis, I find by letter from him this 
 evening, has removed my fears for my credit and honor, 
 by remitting to Mr. Chevalier $1,000, to replace that sum 
 lately lent me by Mr. C. The house it seems, in Phila- 
 delphia, must still suspend my credit, on account of the 
 removal of Sander's attachment. But J. L. will lend his 
 generous friendship to succor that honor of a friend in 
 distress, who is not, I trust, unworthy of the sympathies 
 of his liberal heart. His counsel will soon direct my dis- 
 tracted cares to peace. 
 
 Washington City, Tuesday, Oct. 27, 1807. 
 
 Luther Martin has just made his final immersion into 
 the daily bath of his faculties, after a series of appari- 
 tions, in all the phases of his accustomed orbit. Whether 
 in a stage-coach, or a tavern, he is indefatigable, under 
 the united stimulus of egotism and benevolence, to harrass 
 the gratitude or tax the patience of his friends. At 3 
 o'clock, A. M., on Saturday morning, at Richmond, he 
 joined us in the coach, and neither the privation of sleep, 
 nor the fatigue of the journey, have in the least checked 
 his loquacity, or lessened his good humor. He read to 
 
464 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 me an able pamphlet, on the subject of Jefferson's rejec- 
 tion of the new British Treaty, while we were jolting and 
 jarring over as bad a road as any country can lament, 
 with more dispatch than I could peruse it in my chair. 
 His strong memory made him interesting all the way, in 
 his anecdotes and stories ; and he is not unhappy in his 
 powers of ridicule, which is well pointed, until it soon 
 becomes blunted by the suggestions of his benevolence 
 and the abrasions of his verbosity, which, like the revo- 
 lutions of a grindstone, soon wear away the subject ap- 
 plied to it, without undergoing in itself any sensible dim- 
 inution. We spent last night at Alexandria, where we 
 recruited our strength by a good night's rest, and reached 
 this city to-day, by a packet-boat, about 1, P. M. Here, 
 
 at Hotel, Martin has kept up an incessant fire 
 
 against Democrats and the Administration, for he has 
 had no want of that ammunition with which he always 
 primes and loads for such duty. In our own room, occu- 
 pied by Commins, Martin and myself, he is not content 
 to confine his feats for the gratification of ourselves and 
 a few occasional visitors. He has several times carried 
 his arms into the enemies' country — I mean the public 
 room occupied chiefly by members of Congress, with 
 many of whom he has no acquaintance, while all admire 
 and acknowledge him privileged. I had the satisfaction 
 of reading the President's message in half an hour after 
 it was communicated to-day to Congress. The news is 
 here, that Jefferson will yet support Wilkinson, though 
 he may not find a more respectable Democrat than McEae 
 to back him. Yet he says nothing in the message of the 
 General's honor as a soldier, or his fidelity as a citizen. 
 
PAMPHLETEERING. 465 
 
 He now speaks only of his energy, which, in conjunction 
 with the exertions of the army and the patriotism of the 
 militia, dissipated the plots that were formed on the Mis- 
 sissippi. The same paragraph of the message opens by 
 implicating a contingency that may induce the Govern- 
 ment party in Congress to impeach Mr. Marshall, by sig- 
 nifying a doubt, whether we have not still the use of our 
 necks through the misconduct of the Judge. Should the 
 latter suffer, 't were penance for that timidity of conduct, 
 which was probably as instrumental in keeping him from 
 imbruing his hands in our blood as it was operative in 
 inducing him to continue my vexations, to pacify the 
 menaces and clamorous yells of the cerberus of Democ- 
 racy with a sop which he would moisten, at least, with 
 the tears of my family. Should this be well founded, 
 what pity would sacrifice to his sufferings ; and if it is 
 undoubtedly true, that in a private conversation lie had 
 with Martin, soon after the latter first arrived in Rich- 
 mond, he observed to him, " that it would be difficult or 
 dangerous for a jury to venture to acquit Burr, however 
 innocent they might think him," who hence will believe 
 that the greatest talents lodged in such nerves are not, 
 when exercised in the judgment-seat, rather a public 
 curse executed on a nation, than a natural blessing con- 
 ferred upon the individual. Besides, the seasonable ap- 
 pearance, at this crisis, of a pamphlet by J. Daveiss, the 
 Judge's brother-in-law, and late District Federal Attorney 
 for Kentucky, removed from his office, for his premature 
 and unsuccessful prosecution of Burr ; the indiscriminate 
 censure, in this pamphlet, of Jefferson, Wilkinson and 
 
 Burr; the probable information the Judge must have had 
 30 
 
466 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of this intended publication, when he opened to the pros- 
 ecutors as wide a field of investigation as they desired on 
 their motion for our recommitment ; and, in short, the 
 well-known spirit of clanship and co-operation with 
 which the Marshalls and all their connections are so uni- 
 formly animated — all these motives will clearly explain 
 how readily the Judge must be disposed to favor alike 
 the ruin of Burr, Wilkinson and Jeiferson, in every thing 
 short of murder. Ah ! generous and accomplished Mer- 
 cer, how will your virtues hereafter receive my devotions, 
 if you should think them polluted with these blasphemies 
 against the admired relative of your adored? But as my 
 reflections are penned for no eye but that of my wife and 
 two or three confidential friends, it will not be suspected 
 by those who know my heart, that whatever share of 
 further sufferings may result to me from the conduct of 
 the Judge, can in the least generate my suspicions of his 
 integrity, or warp my judgment of his behavior. Com- 
 mins leaves this early to-morrow morning, for Balti- 
 more, where I expect to join him the day after to-mor- 
 morrow. I entertain strong hopes of being able to 
 obtain some negroes in partnership with him. Burr did 
 not come along with us from Richmond, but will, we all 
 believe, be through here in a day or two. I am enabled 
 to say, from separate information I have obtained from 
 Martin and Commins, he has made use of all the confi- 
 dence he could inspire them with, to the utmost extent at 
 Richmond, where he has induced them to become his 
 securities, in all the civil suits instituted there against him, 
 to amount of $36,000. I have no doubt he has set every 
 engine of his ingenuity at work to effect this object. The 
 
PECULATING. 467 
 
 credulity and good nature of Martin, who worships even 
 his vices, and is as assiduous in enlarging upon his looks 
 and sayings as ever Boswell delighted in such drudgery 
 for Johnson ; and the vanity of Commins, to purchase the 
 interest of a man whose resources appear to his under- 
 standing inexhaustible ; both needed but little the col- 
 lateral security of Pollock, which, however, Burr lias not 
 only exhibited to them, but he has besides laid before 
 them my expectations of succeeding to a large fortune 
 in Europe; thereby meaning to persuade them also, no 
 doubt, that he will then control my finances ; although 
 lie had promised me he would not communicate my pros- 
 pects of the probability of that event to any one. Such 
 is his honor ; such his unerring purpose to take every 
 chance of converting even the hopes of his acquaintances 
 to his own interest. On the whole, I should be well 
 pleased with this last liberty he has taken with me, if it 
 should hereafter make a part of that basis on which I 
 shall endeavor to ground his effects to arrange my present 
 pecuniary demands upon him. It is quite unaccountable 
 how lie has disposed of all the cash he raised in Kentucky 
 last year. Jourdan has convinced me that he, Burr, actu- 
 ally received through his hands, at Lexington, not less 
 than $40,000, of which he never advanced more than 
 §15,000 to all his agents and associates, to say nothing of 
 all the property he procured upon his drafts. He 
 could since have spent but little money, having received 
 much from the United States, and having been in custody 
 until very lately. I shall, to-morrow, endeavor to investi- 
 gate the further views of Government upon me. 
 
468 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Wednesday, October 28, 1807. 
 
 I have, this morning, written by Martin to Rodney, 
 the United States Attorney-General, to request him to 
 inform me, officially, whether Government is now dis- 
 posed to prosecute me any further, in conformity with 
 the late adjudication of the Chief Justice, or will finally 
 discharge me, as has been done, I hear, in the case of 
 Tyler ; or will dispense with my personal appearance at 
 Chillicothe until the September session of the Court 
 there, as Government can not probably be prepared to 
 prosecute at the next January term ; and, in the mean 
 time, the occasions of my family, and the serious de- 
 mands of my private affairs, require my presence at 
 Natchez. I am very anxious to receive an answer before 
 dinner, in which I much fear I shall not be gratified, 
 through my friend M.'s more indispensable devotion to 
 his libations. I shall, however, note the result, I hope, 
 to-night. 
 
 But I have been disappointed; for, though I spent a 
 dollar in coach-hire to go with Martin, this evening, in 
 quest of Rodney, we could not see him, as he was hot 
 returned from the President's, where he dined. Martin, 
 I find, is very incontinent of every thing, which ordinary 
 discretion should not disclose, where there is no injunc- 
 tion, in terms of secrecy. He assured me, to-day, he is 
 prepared to sacrifice $10,000 for Burr, if the collateral 
 security of Pollock should fail ; that it will be nothing 
 more than diminishing a provision of so much he had 
 made by will for his three daughters, which he had orig- 
 inally destined for a Miss Thompson, now Mrs. Living- 
 
WASHINGTON CITY. 469 
 
 ston, to whom lie gave an allowance of $600 a year, for 
 six or seven years. But her husband is now richer than 
 himself; "however, let the worst happen," he added, 
 " he had signed blank bonds, which he left to be filled 
 up by the attorneys employed against Burr ; " and such 
 bonds, he says, are void by late decisions of the English 
 Courts, adopted by the Courts here. This would seem 
 inconsistent with the warm spirit of integrity which 
 seems to breathe in all his thoughts and actions. And 
 he declared accordingly, he would not take advantage 
 of the circumstance. I also find his idolatrous admira- 
 tion of Mrs. Alston is almost as excessive as my own, 
 but far more beneficial to his interest, and injurious to his 
 judgment, as it is the medium of his blind attachment to 
 her father, whose secrets and views past, present, or to 
 come, he is, and wishes, to remain ignorant of. Nor 
 can he see a speck in the character or conduct of Al- 
 ston, for the best of all reasons with him ; namely, that 
 Alston has such a wife. 
 
 This city has certainly no resemblance to any other 
 upon earth. Its extent, as originally laid out, has been 
 known for some years past, upon paper; but a few of 
 its singular features, as they now smile or frown upon 
 the Potomac, are remarkable. As to streets, literally 
 speaking, there is not one yet in existence, unless the 
 few wide paths and half-made roads that intersect each 
 other can be called streets. On a hill, at the head of 
 one of these, about a mile from the river, stand the two 
 wings, without the body, of what is to constitute, but is 
 already called, the Capitol. They are cumbrous, ill-pro- 
 portioned, piles of building to my eye ; with too small a 
 
470 THE BLENNEMIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 space for the central building, if ever reared. About 
 another mile's distance, to the westward, stands the Presi- 
 dent's house, with a low dead-wall in front, and an 
 ordinary post-and-rail fence in the rear of it. On either 
 side of it, stands what are called its wings, which any 
 person would require to be told were such before he could 
 believe it; for they are of brick, and at too great a dis- 
 tance to appear to belong to the large White House be- 
 tween them any more than to the Capitol. They are each 
 a row of ordinary brick houses ; in those to the West is 
 kept the Post-office ; in those to the East, the Secretary 
 of State's office is, etc. ; and both, it is said, are to be con- 
 nected with the center by a garden. But the last feature 
 of architecture has not yet made its appearance. From 
 the Capitol you behold, in four or five different directions, 
 at the distance of from one to four miles apart, rows of 
 houses, each of five or six together, so that the whole 
 appears like a jumble of fragments of villages, except 
 that part, being one and a half mile north-east of the 
 Capitol, where the Navy-yard is said to stand, which is 
 more built up than any other quarter of the city. But 
 after all, every foreigner, after his arrival here, will in- 
 quire for fifty years to come, as is now very common, 
 " where is the city of Washington ? " Martin visited Rob. 
 Smith this evening, where he heard Wilkinson extolled, 
 and Burr as heavily denounced, as if he had not yet been 
 tried. Mr. and Mrs. Smith declared Government had 
 abundant proofs against Burr, which they could not pro- 
 duce from confidential restrictions. Martin, before he 
 left them, convinced himself they would gladly dispense 
 with his visit. 
 
no war! 471 
 
 Thursday, October 29, 1807. 
 
 I went this morning with Martin, in a carriage, to visit 
 Rodney, before breakfast. R. is a trifling negative char- 
 acter, from whose manner I could at once perceive he had 
 yesterday spoken with Jefferson of my arrival here. lie 
 abruptly told us, " Government meant certainly to pro- 
 ceed against us ; " on which he was received with a volley 
 of abuse by Martin, who thanked his God for the news, 
 as Government would thereby hasten the consummation 
 of their own infamy. Eodney seemed surprised to learn 
 from us that not a single witness had as yet been bound 
 or summoned to appear in Ohio. I told him, as my call 
 upon him was in his official character, I would leave him 
 the letter I had yesterday written to him, which lie prom- 
 ised he would, and did, answer this evening, by three or 
 four lines, saying, " he could only observe, at present, that 
 I would be bound to attend, pursuant to the recognizance 
 I entered into at Richmond. So he is also trained to 
 teaze, if he can not injure, the infidels who worship not 
 the divinity of Jefferson. Martin has solemnly pledged 
 himself to meet Government, at the sitting of the Court 
 in January, in Ohio ; to see things are conducted regu- 
 larly, so far as may concern Burr and me, whether we 
 personally appear there or not. lie has found out from 
 Robert Smith, that Jefferson has no thoughts of war 
 with Britain, of which he has so much affected the con- 
 trary ; for he will never act as he speaks or writes; he 
 will always counteract his political professions b} T his 
 back-stairs committees, until Jack Randolph shall finally 
 sever him from them. Burr, I hear, is arrived at George- 
 
472 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 town, three miles from hence, up the river. If so, he 
 will probably be of our party to-morrow, to Baltimore. 
 We set off at five in the morning, in the stage. Several 
 northern members of Congress, whose names I know not, 
 have had the curiosity or politeness to visit us. From 
 one of them I was truly concerned to learn the death of 
 Mr. Hunt, which happened last July, as he himself pre- 
 dicted, on his new purchase at French Grant, on the 
 Ohio. This place has been extremely tiresome to me. 
 The taverns are very dear, and badly kept; so that I shall 
 leave it with pleasure. I wrote to-day to my landlord, 
 Walton, John Banks, and my wife, to gratify, as far as I 
 could, all their cares and solicitude for my future desti- 
 nies. To all I acknowledged that tribute I so justly owe 
 to Martin, who, with better breeding, and a redemption 
 from his habits of inebriety, would be a perfect character. 
 His heart is truly overflowing with the purest milk of 
 benevolence. His potations may sometimes, perhaps, co- 
 agulate, but they will never acidify the fluid with which 
 it is so well replenished. May it never be wasted on the 
 unworthy. 
 
 Washington, October 30, 1807. 
 
 Eose before five this morning ; but, as the coach then 
 drove up with a cargo of eleven passengers, I have been 
 detained here another day. I have borne the ennui, with 
 which I have spent it, with such patience that I would 
 not walk fifty yards from the tavern to visit the Hall of 
 Congress, or observe how they ballot there for their 
 officers or their committees; though I certainly should 
 have gone so far to hear a debate, had there been any. 
 
GENEROUS BARBER. 473 
 
 The election of officers reminds me of a curious Repub- 
 lican caper at Richmond, last winter, which, as it was of 
 a negative nature, can not be recorded in that State, but 
 should be known every-where else, to convict it of im- 
 moral conduct, if not of impiety. It was nothing more 
 than a " remembering to forget," on the part of the Legis- 
 lature, I mean the house of delegates, during the whole 
 session, the immemorial custom to appoint a chaplain. 
 Burr, I hear again, is somewhere in this city. But I no 
 more depend upon his appearance than on that of a new 
 comet. We start to-morrow again. 
 
 Baltimore, November 1, 1807. 
 
 Before I mention my having arrived here, at last, I shall 
 note the generosity of my barber at Washington, who re- 
 luctantly received three-quarters of a dollar from me, be- 
 cause I observed to him, " I should give him more than 
 his charge, if I was not rather poor at present." And he 
 evinced his sincerity by assuring me he had $100 at my 
 service, which he requested me to accept. How is this to 
 be accounted for? Devereux, Hendren, OTIennessy, and 
 Butler will all exclaim, " He was an Irishman ! " So he 
 is : his name is Dixon, and it shall ever remain recorded 
 in the duties of my gratitude. Yesterday, Martin and 
 myself were wedged in among ten other passengers in the 
 coach. A Mr. Blount, brother of the late Governor of 
 Tennessee, was of the number. He is an infuriated Demo- 
 crat, was at the battle of Germantown, and ordered the 
 aim of the riflemen who shot General Agnew in that 
 affair. I saw Tyler on alighting from the coach, who 
 showed me his discharge, in the handwriting of Rodney, 
 
474 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 whom lie declares lie Las not seen, Laving- received it 
 from Captain Pike, who escorted him to Washington 
 City. Tyler denies Lis Laving made any deposition 
 against me any wliere, and professes Lis friendship and 
 attachment to Burr, whom lie is very anxious to see 
 before he sets out for New York with Sam. Swartwout. 
 To-day I left my cards at Pringle's and the Gilmore's. 
 Of these families, I only saw Mrs. Wm. Gilmore, who 
 seemed glad to see me. I have a little curiosity to collect 
 in my fallen fortune as many exceptions as I can establish 
 to tLe general condemnation of mankind pronounced 
 upon tLem by the adversity of individuals. I break- 
 fasted with Martin, and shall dine with him to-morrow, 
 as well as all the B unites in town. Burr, I Lear, was, 
 last nigLt, at Georgetown. His appearance Lere is as 
 mucL a matter of curiosity with his enemies as of inter- 
 est with his friends. But the elements of Lis orbit, I 
 repeat, are as unsettled as tliose of a new comet. Mar- 
 tin thinks he might have been detained to raise money 
 enough to pay his tavern-bills, etc., while Commins says 
 Burr assured him he should suffer no detention on that 
 account. So it uniformly turns out, that no two persons 
 of Lis acquaintance will ever understand him alike ; and 
 yet all who still adhere to him profess a unity of con- 
 fidence in him. Commins Las brought on a fever by 
 Lis debauclieries. I shall stay here at least till Wed- 
 nesday. 11, P. M. 
 
 Baltimore, November 2, 1807. 
 
 I spent the principal part of the morning with Martin, 
 reading the papers and conversing with various visitors 
 
rogues' march. 475 
 
 he received. The news we deemed worth}- of most notice 
 before dinner, was that of two arrivals in town, namely, 
 "Wilkinson's baggage, preparatory to his taking up his 
 quarters at Fort McIIenry, near this city, and Burr's 
 appearance at the French Hotel in Gay street. So the 
 Brigadier, as I expected, will probably never revisit the 
 Mississippi in his present command, nor probably long 
 retain it here, notwithstanding all the control he may pos- 
 sess over the heart of Jefferson, and though he boasted, 
 not long since, at Richmond, that he would be at Natchez 
 in thirty days. Burr will probably show himself as little 
 as possible to the public. He has, therefore, sneaked into 
 obscure quarters, though Steward, who now manages this 
 house since Evans's death, declared he would accommo- 
 date Col. Burr and his friends with as much attention in 
 their adversity as he could have done in the days of their 
 better fortune. The expression of this sentiment was 
 drawn from him on the occasion of some liberal Demo- 
 crats threatening to leave the house, if we were received 
 into it. I dined with Martin, who had a select party, 
 though he left out two Burrites, Tyler and Luckett. 
 Burr called upon Martin, for a few moments, before din- 
 ner. He returned in the evening, and had a long confer- 
 ence with Tyler in an adjoining room; during which the 
 attention of our party in the dining-room was called forth 
 to receive, at the windows, some public honors offered 
 to us from the street. A desperate Democratic printer, 
 commanding a company of one of the city regiments, 
 whose name is Frely, drew up his men under the win- 
 dows, and there halted, while his fife and drum played 
 the " Rogues' March " for us ; then gave three cheers, and 
 
476 THE BLENNEKHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 marched oft'. This salutation has prepared fresh fuel to 
 keep up the blaze of Martin's wrath against all his oppo- 
 nents. Burr, on his return with Tyler to us, said, " these 
 excesses of indecency always recoil on those who enter 
 into them ; " and he soon after withdrew, not evidently 
 indifferent to such manifestations of public regards, 
 which, however, I am sure, Martin will make his own 
 use of with good effect against "Wright, the Governor of 
 Maryland, whom Martin first brought into notice, which 
 the Governor no longer remembers. I left soon after, that 
 is, about 8, P. M., but did not go to bed till 11. At 10, 
 I had a long conversation with Tyler, who, I find, has 
 long since taken up all my impressions of Burr, and will 
 spare no labor to infuse his opinions into the prejudices 
 of Colonel Swartwout, whom, he has no doubt, he will 
 induce to adopt his sentiments. 
 
 Tuesday, November 3, 1807. 
 
 Having accidentally met Hay den, the dentist, this 
 morning, who mentioned to me the late arrival, at the 
 Academy, of a grand electrical machine, I could not sup- 
 press my wishes to see it. Hayden obligingly offered to 
 walk there with me, which I accepted. He introduced 
 me to the Principal of the Seminary, who received me 
 very politely, and presented me to a Mr. Paguet, who 
 took upon him the exhibition of the powers of the ma- 
 chine. This was a superb plate of forty-six French inches 
 diameter, with a conductor, forming three sides of a par- 
 allelogram, one of them in front of, and parallel to, the 
 plate ; the two others, perpendicular to it. The machine, 
 with two turns of the plate, gave sparks twelve inches 
 
JUDGE LYNCH. 477 
 
 long, and charged a battery, about fifteen feet of coated 
 glass, in ten turns, which killed a duck. On my return \ 
 from the seminary, I repaired to L. Martin's, where one ' 
 of his students informed me he expected a mob would 
 this evening attack the house, and offer violence to Mr. 
 Martin, Col. Burr and myself, of which notice had been 
 given by hand-bills, which had been circulated through 
 the town. Martin was not at home. I eagerly sought a 
 view of one of the bills, which is in these words : 
 
 " Awful ! ! ! 
 
 " The public are hereby notified that four ' choice spir- 
 its ' are this afternoon, at 3 o'clock, to be marshaled for 
 execution by the hangman, on Gallows Hill, in conse- 
 quence of the sentence pronounced against them by the 
 unanimous voice of every honest man in the community. 
 The respective crimes for which they suffer are thus 
 stated on the record : first, Chief Justice M. for a repeti- 
 tion of his X. Y. Z. tricks, which are said to be much 
 aggravated by his felonins capers in open Court, on the 
 plea of irrelevancy ; secondly, His Quid Majesty, charged 
 with the trifling fault of wishing to divide the Union, 
 
 and farm Baron Bastrop's grant ; thirdly, B , the 
 
 chemist, convicted of conspiring to destroy the tone of 
 the public Fiddle ; fourthly, and lastly, but not least. 
 Lawyer Brandy-Bottle, for a false, scandalous, malicious 
 Prophecy, that, before six months, ' Aaron Burr would 
 divide the Union.' X. B. The execution of accomplices 
 is postponed to a future day." 
 
 My first inquiries of the few acquaintances I met in the 
 streets, who now know me, were directed by a desire to 
 
478 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 acquire some estimate of what we might expect in the 
 evening ; but I obtained little satisfaction. I then thought 
 Burr might be best informed, as his vigilance I had be- 
 fore proved to be lively at all times, was most sharp on 
 the approach of danger. I know not whether Tyler had 
 smelt out what was brewing before I had heard any thing 
 about it, but found, on my return from the seminary, be- 
 fore I had heard the news, he had fled rather precipi- 
 tately ; for he had declared to me, not two hours before I 
 last went to seek him, that he should not go away until 
 to-morrow. I therefore bent my course straight to Burr, 
 at his shabby quarters, in Gay Street, where I waited full 
 fifteen minutes before I could see him. I afterward found 
 he was packing up his things to escape in the mail, which 
 was to leave in ten minutes. He labored hard within, I 
 could plainly see, to exhibit that composure of manner, to 
 which he has devoted so much of his life, to form his 
 exterior by. He would not wait to write the superscrip- 
 tion of a letter, which he requested me to direct for him 
 to David M. Randolph. I bid him adieu, with an assur- 
 ance that I would follow him to-morrow, and he said I 
 
 should find him at G , in Philadelphia. On my return 
 
 to Evans's, I found Martin, Luckett and Commins in my 
 bed-room. Martin defied the menaces of the mob, but 
 he assured me he had just left the mayor, who had prom- 
 ised him to make all necessary arrangements to secure 
 the peace of the city, and protect every one from per- 
 sonal injury. 
 
 Luckett having come by a different way from that I 
 took, though I was walking the streets in every direction 
 all the morning, told me Burr and Swartwout had been 
 
KIND TREATMENT. 479 
 
 escorted by a guard sent them by the mayor, from their 
 lodgings to the stage-office, from whence he had seen 
 them start, under the good wishes of many spectators. 
 Commins denounced the Government and its rabble, and 
 said, it was impossible any thing should be attempted 
 against us ; but I thought otherwise. I deliberated a lit- 
 tle on the various reports I had heard, however different 
 in particulars, yet all agreeing that Martin and myself 
 should at least receive an addition to our wardrobe, of a 
 suit of tar and feathers. I thought it would not be im- 
 proper to leave town, or at least change my lodgings 
 forthwith. But I soon reflected, how naturally Burr 
 might expect to receive unwelcome obloquy for his flight, 
 and I at once determined to keep my ground. At din- 
 ner, therefore, I took my seat, amidst a very large com- 
 pany, at the long table, and remained there conversing a 
 long time with a Frenchman, who sat next me, at least 
 half an hour after 3 o'clock, the time designated in the 
 hand-bills for the spectacle that was to take place in the 
 evening. I should have sat, I know not how much 
 longer, had not Steward, who manages the house, brought 
 a man up to me, who inquired my name. On giving it 
 to him, he said he belonged to the police of the city, and 
 had been sent, with several others of that body, to watch, 
 and give notice of any attempt upon the public peace, or 
 on the persons of individuals. " That the mayor had 
 particularly mentioned me to him by name," which I be- 
 lieved, as he said Mr. Thoroughgood Smith observed to 
 him, " he had formerly known me and my lady here." I 
 took this man out; his name is Goldsmith. I then 
 ordered liquor for him and his companions in another 
 
480 THE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 room, where I thanked them for the service they, in the 
 way of their duty, were come to render me. They 
 informed me, two troops of horse were ordered out, 
 and I had nothing to fear. The time passed away in 
 conversation with these men, about twelve in number, 
 until near 5 o'clock, when I sent Goldsmith to request 
 Martin to come to me, as I wished to share his fate, hav- 
 ing understood from them that I ought not to go out 
 of the house, which I interpreted into something like 
 a wish on the part of the mayor. Soon after I returned 
 to my room to write, Goldsmith came to me with intel- 
 ligence that Martin could not be seen at his house ; that 
 his students and some friends were armed, and well 
 prepared to repel an expected assault on the house ; " but 
 that the people were in motion in great force, had every 
 thing prepared for tarring and feathering," and would, 
 he believed, if disappointed or opposed, tear Martin and 
 myself to pieces. He then begged of me not to leave the 
 room I was in, adding, " that his companions would 
 drown him, if they could, in a basin of water, for his 
 attention to me, though he was as good a Republican as 
 any of them." I now suspected this man might possibly 
 direct the drunken desperadoes of an enraged multitude 
 to my apartment. I therefore determined to change it 
 for another the moment he left me. In a few minutes. 
 Steward came up stairs, and told me to go into the gar- 
 ret, which I soon did, under an apprehension that I was 
 betrayed or sought after. In the garret, I observed two 
 trap-doors opening through the roof of the house, on 
 which I resolved to take my station, from whence I 
 might contemplate at my leisure, if I could not distinctly 
 
THE MOB. 481 
 
 see the scenes that might shortly pass in the streets 
 below. Both the trap-doors were open. I shut down 
 one of them, and intended to cut off my return into the 
 nouse by shutting the other, should it become necessary. 
 But an uproar soon rose to my ears from below, and 
 from one of the garret windows I saw the mob pass by 
 the house, to the amount of about fifteen hundred, as 
 well as I could estimate, in full huzza, with fife and drum 
 playing the " Rogue's march." I have since learned, they 
 drew along with them, in two carts, the representatives, 
 habited for execution, of the Chief Justice, Burr, Martin 
 and myself. They passed on to Martin's house, in 
 Charles-street, where they broke some of his windows, 
 and performed some other feats, of which I have not yet 
 learned the particulars. In the mean time, two troops of 
 cavalry patrolled the streets, not to disperse the mob, but 
 to follow and behold their conduct. They, the mob, 
 made as much noise as if they were about to destroy the 
 city, and returned about 7 o'clock to the point from 
 whence they came, headed, I hear, by one Patterson, who 
 lives there ; while the cavalry have, I suppose, been long 
 since dismissed, in full confidence in the honor of the 
 mobility. I have been down stairs to supper at the long- 
 table. It is now near 10 o'clock, and I have not these 
 two hours heard any more of either of them. How far 
 the respectable part of the city will think it worth their 
 while to show they had no participation in this frolic, 
 which, I am informed, was chiefly made up at the " point," 
 we shall hereafter learn. I believe it altogether orig- 
 inated with the Democratic printers here, who are but 
 
 little controlled by one spiritless Federal paper, which is 
 31 
 
482 THE BLENNERHAS3ETT PAPERS. 
 
 all there is at present on that side; while there are three 
 or more Federal prints supported in Philadelphia, where 
 I have no expectation of receiving similar public honors 
 to those conferred upon me here. Wrote to Natchez, to 
 counteract, by anticipation, the alarms my friends there 
 might take up for my safety, from the rapid circulation 
 of rumors, etc. 
 
 Wednesday, November 4, 1897. 
 
 Went early this morning to Martin's, where I saw Mr. 
 Ray, a warm friend to him, who had taken, last night, 
 the direction of the gentlemen who had volunteered to 
 defend the house. Martin and his property, I found, were 
 untouched last night, the mob having contented them- 
 selves with menaces and abuse, offering a defiance to the 
 party within and the cavalry without, from whence I 
 conclude that the mayor was intimidated by them and a 
 large majority of the two troops of horse, well disposed 
 to their views or their leaders ; namely, one Biayo, and 
 others from the "point/* Martin did not appear to his 
 friends until this morning. I took leave of him on my J 
 way to the packet, by which I set out for Philadelphia, 
 where I arrived, with no occurrence during the journey, 
 on Thursday, 5th of November, at 3 o'clock, P. M. Put 
 up at the Mansion House, late Bingham's, kept by an 
 Englishman, in the best style I ever saw in America. 
 Dined, dressed, and visited Burr and my worthy friends, 
 Mr. and Mrs. Jos. Lewis. Burr pretended he should 
 have waited, if he had not believed every thing at Balti- 
 more would have ended with the hand-bills. He was 
 very glad to hear of Martin's having so well escaped, and 
 
IN PHILADELPHIA. 483 
 
 said he would give Bollman, who boarded where I did, a 
 letter of introduction to me. I observed to him, that 
 probably Dr. Bollman did not wish my acquaintance, as 
 he had never called upon me in Richmond. Burr tried 
 to excuse this, hut failed. He is trying to live here 
 incog., hut every one knows he is in town. I supped 
 with Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, en famille, where my friendly 
 reception, kind inquiries, and the interesting conversa- 
 tion of my amiable friends, agreeably detained me until 
 midnight, when I took leave, with a promise to dine 
 with them to-morrow. 
 
 Friday, November 6, 1807. 
 
 Spent the morning chiefly in examining the newspapers 
 
 and visits to the Lewises, Conrad, C h and TurnbulPs 
 
 families, as my friend Joe Lewis's dinner-hour is 2 o'clock. 
 Before I went there, I had a call from R. Lewis, to bring 
 me a letter from Walton, of no importance, and engage 
 me to dinner with him to-morrow. Passed the evening 
 sociably, tSte-a-tete, with Joe L. ; during which I was 
 chiefly occupied in conversation with him on the subject 
 of Burr's trials and adventures, and also that of my pres- 
 ent financial derangements. About 7, P. M., we were 
 called into the street by an alarm of fire, which turned 
 out to he groundless; and I saw him hack to his house, 
 where I then left him, to return to my lodgings, as I Lad 
 a severe headache. Before I went to bed, I observed that 
 the "American," a Democratic paper of Baltimore, con- 
 tained an invidious paragraph approving of the insults 
 offered to us there last Tuesday evening. Bollman has left 
 his card with me, with a letter of introduction from Burr. 
 
481 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Saturday, November 7, 1807. 
 
 At breakfast, this morning, Bollman presented himself 
 to me upon his credentials, and I received him into my ac- 
 quaintance with all the ease of courtly etiquette I am mas- 
 ter of. I invited him to take a seat by me, and entered 
 into conversation with him on general topics, which was 
 sustained for half an hour, and succeeded by his obliging 
 me with his view of the Mississippi country, and particu- 
 larly the environs of ISTew Orleans, for which he enter- 
 tained a decided preference to any other quarter, and pro- 
 jects, probably without the command of a dollar, nothing 
 less than the purchase of an estate, at $60,000, within five 
 miles of that city. Daniel Clark has assured him it is a 
 great bargain, as it will yield a revenue of $15,000 a year 
 by adding a few slaves to those already on it; and Boll- 
 man only wants a friend or two to join with $10,000 each, 
 and he can effect the rest, I have little doubt Bollman 
 has conceived I may be of use to him in this affair ; but 
 I am certain he can not serve me in it. Mrs. David Ran- 
 dolph had no small trial of her skill in detecting this 
 man's character, if her judgment has not erred in the 
 attempt ; for his countenance, manner and address possess 
 every qualification to engage the warmest interest in his 
 favor as a scholar, a gentleman, or perhaps a gallant. Yet 
 lie has formerly failed in this town as a merchant, rather 
 through his excesses in speculation and intrigue than from 
 any natural inaptitude to that sort of life. And his late 
 wife's family discovered enough in him to determine them 
 to oppose his connection with the N". family as far as was 
 possible. But I will, at present let him rest. I dined 
 
HEALTH RESTORED. 485 
 
 and spent the early part of the evening with R. Lewis, in 
 the same way I did yesterday with his brother, that is, 
 in the enjoyment of good wines and friendly conversation. 
 I must, however, partake of no more of these early din- 
 ners, as the long sittings that succeed them leave no time, 
 these short days, to transact whatever business may yet 
 detain me here. Duane has announced the arrival of 
 Admiral Blennerhassett, at the Mansion House, and re- 
 published, from the " Baltimore Whig," its invitation to 
 invest us with a suit of " Yankee ermine," as well as the 
 process-verbal of the mobility of that city. But I shall 
 visit this apostle of Democracy on Monday. 
 
 Sunday, November 8, 1807. 
 
 Visited, this morning, by Tom. Butler, who made me 
 very happy, by learning from him my beloved wife had 
 quite recovered from her fever, and she and the boys were 
 well after the middle of last September, when he saw them. 
 While I was attending the service at the Roman Catholic 
 chapel in Fourth Street, I had the honor of morning vis- 
 its from sundry great personages, who left their cards for 
 me; namely, Burr, Boll man and George Pollock, reputed 
 to be very rich, whose education, I have heard, Burr lias 
 had some concern with, and at whose house here he has 
 taken up his quarters. After my return from Mass, I was 
 visited by a Mr. Reckless, of Xew T Jersey, who seems a 
 warm partisan of Burr, and is engaged in endeavoring to 
 do away an indictment, pending in that State against 
 Burr, for the killing of General Hamilton. Upon the re- 
 moval of this impediment, I find Burr means to try the 
 effect of recmisitions upon a considerable party he consid- 
 
486 THE BLENNEBHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ers attached to him in that quarter. Mr. R. treated me with 
 much consideration, and said, " while I was abroad, some 
 members of the Jersey Legislature had come with him to 
 wait upon me." I find, indeed, the greater part of the 
 numerous strangers who frequent the Mansion House re- 
 gard me with no common attention. I form acquaintances 
 among them without previous introductions ; but this is 
 more to be attributed to the sinking of Democracy here 
 into the coalition of the Federals and Quids, which has 
 nearly annihilated the faction of Duane, than to any 
 claim I could have upon public favor from the merit of 
 my acts or the singularity of my fortune. I have, among 
 others, met here with a Mr. B., from Charleston, South 
 Carolina, who has traveled much, and has embellished 
 good talents with much accomplishments. 
 
 Monday, November 9, 1807. 
 
 Conversed for half an hour, after breakfast, with Boll- 
 man, chiefly upon medical and physiological subjects, in 
 which I was much pleased with some novelty of fancy 
 recommended by that suavity of manner and easy address 
 which endanger the judgment of those who listen to him. 
 I had invitations from Pollock and Joe Lewis for din- 
 ner to-morrow. Dined with Turnbull, spent part of the 
 evening with Tom. Butler, and supped with Joe Lewis en 
 famille, where I sat until midnight. 
 
 Tuesday, November 10, 1807. 
 
 Soon after breakfast, visited Burr and Pollock. Burr 
 has again opened an audience-chamber, which is much 
 occupied. Although I found two or three friends with 
 
SUDDEN FLIGHT. 487 
 
 him at breakfast, he was called out the moment lie had 
 finished, and was absent about an hour and three-quar- 
 ters, during which interval Mr. Pollock gave me his 
 company. I find him a very well-bred man, who has had 
 advantages in Europe. He spoke less of Mrs. Alston than 
 I expected, and has never seen her husband, whose vari- 
 ous talents, however, he does not the less correctly esti- 
 mate. With respect to Burr, whatever may have been 
 the ground of his present intimacy with Mr. P., I can ven- 
 ture to affirm, it has already been abused on the part of 
 the former, although the latter, as yet, is evidently un- 
 aware of it. Pollock withdrew, and I entered upon the 
 objects of my visit. After informing Burr that Martin was 
 resolved to appear for us at Chillicothe, he seemed all sur- 
 prise ; and nothing could be more natural than the colli- 
 sion of such generosity with his own ingratitude ; for he 
 fled from Baltimore, without waiting even to thank his 
 friend for the long and various services he had rendered 
 him. Further, he had not written to him from hence. 
 On recovering from this new charge of Martin's benevo- 
 lence upon his feelings, he exclaimed, " What a man ! " 
 but told me I must write to him not to think of the jour- 
 ney till he should hear from him; that I should direct 
 him, in the mean time, to write to Burnet and Michael 
 Baldwin, the late Marshal of Ohio, to retain both (no 
 doubt, with Martin's advance of their fees), and that he 
 still had no thoughts of going to Ohio, though he had 
 given notice to Scott, the Virginia Marshal, to be prepared 
 with a guard of gentlemen, by the tenth of December, at 
 Richmond, to conduct him from thence to Chillicothe. 
 He added, " that Martin's too great zeal and indiscretion 
 
488 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 would do us great mischief in Ohio, and the skill of Bur- 
 net, with the influence of Baldwin, who was popular with 
 the blackguards, and exasperated against the Administra- 
 tion since the loss of his office, were the best means to 
 frustrate the efforts of Government to have bills found 
 against us, which they would exert themselves to effect, 
 to divert his, Martin's, attention from other objects." He 
 now again assured me he would be glad I could extri- 
 cate myself from the Government upon any terms agree- 
 able to my own feelings, and fully approved of my effect- 
 ing that object through Duane, in any way my judgment 
 might suggest. This business being thus dispatched, I 
 next solicited him on the subject of his finances, on which 
 indeed he had partly anticipated me, by inquiring, " what 
 were my prospects through my friends, the Lewises?" 
 I informed him I had no expectations from that quarter, 
 and should absolutely starve, while I was possessed of 
 such splendid hopes in Europe, if I was not relieved in 
 the mean time. He regretted much the absence from 
 town of two persons with whom he expected to do some- 
 thing; but he had, he said, negotiations on foot, the suc- 
 cess of which he could not answer for, but should know 
 in two or three days. I now represented to him the 
 probable necessity I could not resist, of urging Alston, 
 but hoped such a measure would not be displeasing to 
 him or to Mrs. Alston. Upon this suggestion, he was 
 less reserved than he had been with me at Tvichmond, 
 before he was acquainted with my pecuniary views and 
 nry means of advancing him in Europe, and freely de- 
 clared neither Mrs. Alston nor himself would be dis- 
 pleased with any steps I might take against Alston, who 
 
STILL CRAVING. 489 
 
 had treated him in a manner I could well enough judge of, 
 to save him the mortification of expressing his opinion of 
 it. He even assured me he had demanded from Alston 
 an explanation of his conduct in addressing the letter to 
 Pinckney, immediately on his arrival in custody at Rich- 
 mond, observing, " that no humiliation of his condition 
 could make him forget what he owed to his own dig- 
 nity ; " that Alston had shown much contrition, and 
 made every possible concession, including an offer of 
 a public reconciliation in print ; but Burr said he thought 
 it would be prudent to spare him this extreme of humili- 
 ation, I suppose, for his daughter's sake. By the by, it 
 is remarkable that many persons of penetration and in- 
 telligence, who have indulged an eager interest in investi- 
 gating every thing during the last year relating to Burr, 
 within the reach of their inquiries, should have preter- 
 mitted that irredeemable passage of Alston's letter, im- 
 puting to Burr a design to bereave his infant grandson 
 of his patrimony. Before Burr returned from the audi- 
 ence chamber, I found Mr. Pollock had made a like omis- 
 sion ; and, upon my acquainting him with the circum- 
 stance, he expressed his feelings suitably of the con- 
 founded folly and turpitude of the writer, who had long 
 before repeated to me assurances he had given his father- 
 in-law, that his property was worth one hundred thou- 
 sand guineas, and he would, if necessary, embark the 
 whole of it in the furtherance of Col. Burr's plans. I 
 did not leave Burr until he had again reminded me of his 
 hopes of my forwarding his views in England ; to which 
 I answered, " I could only lend my endeavors to serve 
 him by the letters I had already offered him." He said, 
 
490 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 it was to those only lie alluded ; so the baits I have 
 thrown out to him do not yet glitter in vain, which further 
 appeared, by his observing to the party present, when 
 first I called upon him, "that he supposed I had not yet 
 taken the trouble to find out whether a certain man was 
 dead or alive, upon whose death I should be entitled to a 
 fortune worth, at least, one hundred thousand guineas," 
 adding, " I had a strange fund of indifference to objects 
 few other men could resist." This was truly well thrown 
 out for Pollock, etc. But I was not a little amused to 
 observe he had been calculating how many years' pur- 
 chase my expected estates of £6,000 a year would sell 
 for; so that while this bait glitters he will not lightly 
 break from me. Dined and spent the evening with a set 
 party at Joe Lewis's. I have found it due to so worthy 
 a friend, to offer him a perusal of these notes, as I hope 
 they will more fully develop to him my character and 
 necessities than he ' could otherwise become acquainted 
 with either; and I took to his aid and counsel, rather 
 than to any other present means, to lighten the actual 
 burdens that bear so heavily upon my family. He has 
 perused the first volume with so much interest and satis- 
 faction that he has given it a second reading. This alone 
 would be an ample compensation for the little labor I 
 have spent upon it. I feci I have penned many reflec- 
 tions, and passed many characters with my own, in review, 
 in a light which should be admitted to few eyes besides 
 those of my wife. But I fully rely upon the safe keeping 
 of the confidence I have ventured with my friend, who 
 will therefore be enabled to take a better view of my suf- 
 ferings and necessities. I have lost some time in visiting 
 
occupations. 491 
 
 Duane, which 1 shall not effect before Thursday. There 
 are two excellent papers here lately set up against him; 
 namely, the "Spirit of the Press" and the "Tickler," 
 which would be perfect, if they were not too local. 
 
 Wednesday, November 11, 1807. 
 
 Soon after breakfast, I was called, by note, to Lewis's 
 counting-house, to meet Bartlett, the partner of Tom 
 Hart, of Lexington, who kept me waiting there for him 
 the best part of the morning ; but, at last, arrived, and 
 paid me $832, being so much saved out of my losses by 
 Hart, in 1805. Dined with a formal party at my friend 
 E. Lewis's, where I sat with a pleasant set, after dinner, 
 until 11 o'clock, and received an invitation to dinner from 
 Mr. Tightman, an amiable and convivial } T oung merchant 
 of this city, and son of the Judge of that name. Reeve 
 let freely loose the flow of soul and of wine. lie is an 
 excellent mimic, and a truly comic character, and might, 
 if he had not a far better calling, excel upon the stage. 
 
 Thursday, November 12, 1807. 
 
 Occupied this morning, chiefly, by reading the papers, 
 particularly a London Courier, containing an excellent 
 speech of Sheridan's, or rather only a skeleton of it, on 
 Irish affairs. This paper Mr. Bee was kind enough to 
 procure for me, without solicitation on my part. Until 
 dinner time, I passed the remainder of the morning in 
 walking and buying a few articles for my wife. Bun- 
 has taken an excursion of about twenty miles up the 
 Delaware, to return, I expect, on Saturday, when I pro- 
 pose, in the event of his being still out of cash, to make 
 
492 THE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 rny last demand upon him so long projected ; namely, a 
 requisition to him to procure security, to which my family 
 can resort, in this country, for my claims upon him, to 
 the amount of about $9,000, made up by my account 
 already presented to him, and the debt and charges aris- 
 ing from Miller's demand. The mercantile folks are 
 much alarmed with the news of to-day, threatening a 
 speedy war with Britain. And I have heard it said, that 
 shares in some of the Insurance Stocks have fallen to-day 
 ten per cent. But I observe the successful energies of 
 my native country against Copenhagen have a petrifying 
 effect upon the Democrats, while nineteen-twentieths of 
 the merchants, who are Federalists, awfully contemplate 
 the approaching crisis with England. This evening, I 
 received a novel remedy for a sharp toothache, with 
 which I was affected. It was grounded on a principle, 
 that great mental engagement and exertion would operate 
 a diversion of inordinate action expended upon a small 
 diseased portion of the body. I attempted to put this 
 fancy to the test, by effecting my too long-neglected in- 
 terview with Duane. After tea, I set out upon this 
 adventure, and arrived at his dwelling in much pain, 
 about 8, P. M. I think it deserves notice that I should 
 mention, because my feelings were singularly affected by 
 the preparation I found I had to undergo, to obtain not 
 only an audience of this high priest of Jacobinism, but 
 even admission within the walls that contained his Holi- 
 ness. I had pulled the bell three times, without produc- 
 ing the common effect of bringing any one to the door 
 from within, and was in the act of applying my band to 
 a fourth experiment, when a man answered from with- 
 
IRISH WELCOME ! 493 
 
 out, an Irishman. He inquired my name, in a full Cork 
 accent, but very low voice, and on hearing it, said Mr. 
 Duane was not at home, but if I would leave my name 
 and business he would mention it to him. I said, I 
 should suppose my name was now become familiar 
 enough with every one in the employment of Mr. Duane 
 to render my leaving it in writing unnecessary. The 
 printer's devil replied, " to be sure, every one knew Mr. 
 Hassett, and Mr. Duane would be glad to see him." 
 While this conversation was passing, Duane, who had 
 been listening in the alley adjoining the house, came for- 
 ward without his hat ; for he had passed from the rear 
 of the house into the alley, to spy secretly the chances of 
 safety, as he could ascertain them by observing what he 
 could see or hear, between his scout and me. The Colonel 
 has been further seasoned to the service of his party, of 
 which he now begins to feel a little tired, by two drub- 
 bings, since his return from Richmond ; and as he rises 
 in military rank, and suffers in service, he grows more 
 wary in caution, and has learned from experience the 
 folly of exposing his person by night, without full assur- 
 ance of the peaceful intentions of his visitor. All scru- 
 ples of this sort being removed upon the present occasion, 
 I apologized for the unusual hour I had fallen upon for 
 my visit, which had seemingly broken in upon the Col- 
 onel while he was engaged with business or company, as 
 he had been denied to me, though I w^as fortunate enough 
 to find him at home. To this I received some blundering 
 answer; the scout withdrew, and I was invited into the 
 house, where I was introduced to Mrs. Duane. 
 
 In a few minutes I signified a desire to speak with the 
 
494 THE BLENXERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Colonel in private. Upon this suggestion he took up a 
 candle, and I followed him up stairs. I opened the inter- 
 view by informing him that I could not leave town with- 
 out calling to thank him for the visit and friendly offers 
 I had received from him during my imprisonment in 
 Richmond ; that I felt disposed to regard his motives to 
 that visit as distinct from considerations of party or poli- 
 tics, the mere dictates of national feelings, and the natu- 
 ral impulse of an Irishman to serve a Buffering country- 
 man in distress ; that, besides this motive to my visit, I 
 felt much curiosity, and some personal interest, to learn 
 how far he approved of the determination of Government 
 to pursue me with further and indefinite prosecutions, 
 which could add nothing in their result to the public 
 interest or the credit of the Administration, however they 
 might diminish or ruin my fortune; that, although it 
 might be deemed politic to keep Col. Burr busy by such 
 vexations, Government could apprehend nothing from 
 me, and at all events I was sure he could not approve of 
 the vindictive spirit that had even refused to dispense 
 with my personal appearance at Chillicothe, next Janu- 
 ary, when Government can not be prepared to go to trial, 
 much less shall I ; then, reminding him of the offers he 
 had made me at Richmond, I said, my situation at present 
 was very different, as it regarded my connection with 
 Col. Burr, from what it was at that time ; for I now re- 
 garded myself as cleared from all charges that the Gov- 
 ernment had failed to establish against mo, and no longer 
 felt it incumbent upon me to undergo endless prosecu 
 tions to vindicate whatever concern I had in Col. Burr's 
 speculations, especially as he probably will never renew 
 
WITH DUANE. 495 
 
 them; and if lie could, I should have no further concern 
 in them. 
 
 I had no need to sound any deeper in the shallow wa- 
 ters of my research, which by no means possess that 
 depth that is commonly supposed. Burr had advised me 
 that this man loved wonderfully to hear himself talk, 
 and that the best way was to let him run on until he 
 was out of breath, and afterward take him back to those 
 points on which he had stumbled, and on which I wished 
 to fasten his attention. The hint was serviceable, and I 
 made more use of it than I might have done if I had de- 
 pended upon the reserve Duane affected on his visit to me 
 in the Penitentiary, which I now see arose from a dis- 
 covery he soon made on that occasion, that he durst not 
 broach the unhallowed purpose for which he then visited 
 me, which was a bargain to induce me to betray my en- 
 gagements or connections; while, on the present occa- 
 sion, he considered me rather as a politician assailing his 
 interest underhand, than a suitor soliciting his good 
 offices. I concluded my observations with stating that I 
 understood Colonel Burr meant again to surrender him- 
 self into the custody of the Marshal of Virginia, with 
 intent to be conveyed from Richmond, about the tenth of 
 next month, to Chillicothe, at the public expense, and if I 
 should not soon discover that Government would decline 
 further proceedings against me, I should immediately 
 prepare to commence the expenditure of so much of the 
 public money as the law would allow me toward the 
 charges of my defense, which had not hitherto cost the 
 United States a dollar. But I wished him to be assured 
 it was not my purpose to ask any favors from Govern- 
 
496 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 ment at any time, or through an3 r quarters whatever, my 
 chief object in making him this present visit being to 
 learn, as far as I could through him, whether the Admin- 
 istration still preserved a spirit of hostility to me person- 
 ally? He now launched out into abuse of Burr and 
 Marshall, and said, the Government were committed with 
 the sentiments of the majority of the people, who would 
 never be satisfied without our conviction on such full evi- 
 dence as had come out, particularly that of Wilkinson, 
 Dunbaugh and the Hendersons ; that it would look like 
 persecution of Burr, to grant me any forbearance, and 
 that the Chief Justice must atone for his conduct to the 
 country. Luther Martin, he declared, had lately done 
 Burr more harm than his enemies could have wished in 
 the public sentiment, by his silly and intemperate publi- 
 cations. Wilkinson, he acknowledged, was as much con- 
 cerned in Burr's schemes as Burr himself; but his excul- 
 pation was not only due to him, from his seasonable 
 discovery and overthrow of the plot, but his country 
 should canonize him for it, and the Government could 
 never sufficiently requite him. He declared he, Duane, 
 had a regular correspondence with Hay, who, he would 
 not believe, had ever censured or neglected to vindicate 
 the General. I expressed my surprise at his entertaining 
 such sentiments seriously, however he might advance 
 them in his paper ; but he was frank enough to protest 
 to me that he considered Gallatin* now the most danger- 
 ous man in the country ; Randolph was mad ; Burr might 
 still play the part of Coriolanus or Alcibiades ; but Jefi'er- 
 
 Albert Gallatin, Secretary of the Treasury. 
 
SEMPER PARATUS ! 497 
 
 son and Madison were the only men on whom the coun- 
 try could depend, though he had no doubt Monroe would 
 have been President, had it not been for the interference 
 of Randolph, which had ruined his prospects. As for him- 
 self, he had been proposed as senator, during his attend- 
 ance at Richmond, without his knowledge, which was the 
 reason he had lost his election. Mr. Erskine's dispatches, 
 which had been used as a trap to ensnare him, only con- 
 tained some newspapers, and he had defeated the scheme 
 by forwarding them after the mail. It appears plainly 
 from this sketch, that we have authority for knowing the 
 present party in power are divided among themselves ; 
 that the Chief of the nation is still afraid of Burr, which 
 is further proved by his own indiscretion ; for Jeft'erson 
 has lately said, that whenever Burr could get to the 
 Netherlands, he could command $400,000. Yet Duane 
 continues his daily attacks upon Burrism, and complains 
 a good deal of Burr being in town, though his bothered 
 runners can not find out where he lives. Before I left 
 him, he affected to disapprove of the late rising in Balti- 
 more, no doubt, because he can't excite the good people 
 of this town to another here. He seemed surprised to 
 learn I had the hardihood to dine and sup in public, on 
 the day my efiigy was executed ; and when I told him I 
 was always provided with a brace of pistols, he twirled 
 on his seat. Having given him this impression for the 
 benefit of himself and his friends, I left him, in perfect 
 freedom from my toothache. I returned to the Mansion 
 House, where T passed the remainder of the evening in 
 
 miscellaneous conversation with several agreeable men. 
 32 
 
498 the blennerhassett papers. 
 
 Friday, November 13, 1807. 
 
 I have nothing material to note to-day, except my din- 
 ing and spending the evening with Mr. Edward T , 
 
 whose hospitality but too successfully seduces the pru- 
 dence of his guests. 
 
 Saturday, November 14, 1807. 
 
 Took a family dinner, to-day, with Jos. Lewis, who had 
 yesterday appointed to take me, this evening, to see a fine 
 grazing farm, about six miles from town, belonging to a 
 man of the name of Sickle, at the confluence of the Dela- 
 ware and Schuylkill. We set out in Lewis's carriage, in 
 company with a Mr. Hamilton, a very amiable English- 
 man, who formerly belonged to the Navy, is curious in 
 paintings, of which he has a handsome collection that I 
 have not yet seen, and keeps a small and well-regulated 
 academy with much credit. We reached the place early 
 enough to see it and the fine cattle belonging to it, to- 
 gether with a remarkably beautiful heifer, at a neighbor- 
 ing plantation of Sickle's, on our way homeward. This 
 heifer, about three years old, besides her fine make, would 
 weigh, it is said, fifteen hundred pounds. The farm was 
 remarkable for its banks, faced with stone, and luxuriant 
 pastures of which, however, a great deal is wasted for 
 want of better care, notwithstanding the crops of hay 
 taken off every spring and summer. 
 
 Sunday, November 15, 1807. 
 
 I am much mortified by my detention here, through the 
 probably delusive hopes Burr has held out to me of the 
 
BAD TASTE. 499 
 
 probable success of Lis efforts to raise money. I have 
 almost let slip the season for descending the Ohio, for 
 there is much appearance of an early winter; and thus 
 will another item be probably added to the long account 
 of my sufferings by this man. 
 
 Wrote to my wife ; read and dined at home with a com- 
 pany of about thirty, among whom were counted individ- 
 uals of thirteen different nations, and General Moreau, 
 who sets out, to-morrow, for New Orleans, with a single 
 companion, in the stage, b} T the way of Pittsburgh. The 
 General spoke to nobody ; but his companion, Bollman, 
 assures me he is a man of little speech and no ideas, 
 except on military affairs; so that I had no loss in dining 
 with a conversable party at a distant part of the table. 
 Wrote this evening to Luther Martin and Doctor Com- 
 mins, to put the former off his design of going to Chilli- 
 cothe for Burr and myself, and to remind the latter of my 
 intention to travel with him, and have a concern in his 
 negro purchases. 
 
 Monday, November 16, 1807. 
 
 Bollman, to-day, handed me a printed estimate of the 
 value and yearly profits of sugar estates in the Orleans 
 territory, furnished him by Daniel Clark, now here, who 
 will decline visiting me, I apprehend, until I shall have 
 extinguished the last spark of Burrism within me, with 
 which, I suspect, he has been sufficiently singed to dread 
 the fire. Spent the best part of the morning shopping, 
 after some conversation with Bollman, who further rec- 
 ommends himself by a di*elosure of his family affairs and 
 narrow circumstances, unsought altogether on my part. 
 
500 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The result of Clark's statement is a yearly return, in 
 Acadia county, of twenty-eight per cent, on the capital 
 invested, and twenty-two in the vicinity of Orleans, which 
 is represented superior to any thing farming can produce 
 any where else, because no more, in fact, than one-third 
 of the capital is advanced for the first installment, the 
 produce of the estate clearing itself in four years. But, 
 though examples are given of what has been done by two 
 or three planters for as many successive years in the vicin- 
 ity of Orleans, the counties of Acadia and La Fourche, as 
 yet, do not furnish experience of what might be expected 
 in those situations, and the best management and no acci- 
 dents are presumed. 
 
 Supped this evening with Joe Lewis, and on my return 
 home was blest with a letter from my beloved wife, which 
 I found on my bedroom table, and probably was for- 
 warded, under cover from Baltimore, to Burr, as it had 
 no postmark, and did not reach me through Lewis. This 
 letter is of 28th of September, at which time all was well 
 at Natchez. 
 
 Tuesday, November 17, 1807. 
 
 Had a note from Burr, this morning, to dine with 
 him to-morrow at 4 o'clock, which invitation I have 
 accepted, in anticipation of mixing, probably for the last 
 time, with a few of his choice spirits. Spent the evening 
 and supped, en famille, agreeably with Joe Lewis. There 
 is a great fall of snow since yesterday. R. Lewis has 
 solicited to see my notes, which I could not refuse. He 
 pledged his discretion, in which I fully confide. 
 
DAVIESS S PAMPHLET. 
 
 501 
 
 Wednesday, November 18, 1807. 
 
 So much of these short mornings is consumed with 
 visits, the papers, and the unavoidable waste of time 
 that can not be denied to acquaintances only, that little 
 business can be dispatched by me before dinner, when 
 that call must be answered at 2, or even 3, o'clock. 
 To-day, however, I did a little shopping before I came 
 home to dress for Burr's party, which I joined at half- 
 past four, consisting only of Mr. Biddel, one of his most 
 attached friends, and brother to the notary public here, 
 Dav. Randolph, Tom. Butler, Doctor Commins, Mr. Pol- 
 lock, Burr and myself. The party was as insipid as pos- 
 sible. Burr is evidently dejected; and though he often 
 affected to urge and enliven the conversation, it lan- 
 guished through the stupidity of Randolph, the uncon- 
 cern of Pollock, the vacant reserve of Commins, the in- 
 capacity of Butler, the nothingness of Biddel, and the 
 aversion of myself to keep it up, until 8 o'clock, when 
 it expired ; and I took leave soon after the entrance of a 
 General ISTichol, who seemed another of Burr's gaping 
 admirers, and much resembles, in maimer, breeding and 
 intellect, General Rupel, of Kentucky. Thus ended the 
 last invitation I shall ever probably receive from this 
 American Chesterfield, who is fast approaching the limits 
 of that career he has so long run, through the absurd 
 confidence of so many dupes and swindlers. I had yes- 
 terday put into my hands, for the first time, by David 
 Randolph, Joe Daviess's pamphlet. It is a hasty, pas- 
 sionate performance, seldom alluding particularly to me 
 by name, but bearing hard upon Jefferson's hypocrisy 
 
502 THE BiLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and neglect of the author, and the early information he 
 gave him of Burr's designs and first movements. The 
 book will, with all its defects, mortify Jefferson, by prov- 
 ing to the world that he would at no time open his eyes 
 or ears to Wilkinson's intrigues with the Spanish Govern- 
 ment, and, therefore, to use an expression of the author, 
 " the President is as much cspanishized as the Brigadier." 
 It has also great merit in its comments, and the parody it 
 contains on Jefferson's communication of last January to 
 Congress, on Burr's operations last winter on the Ohio and 
 Mississippi, which has very much diverted me. This per- 
 formance, together with Judge Marshall's last volume of 
 the Life of "Washington, exposing the origin and views of 
 the present Democratic party in power, have, by this time, 
 I have no doubt, inspired Jefferson with a more deadly 
 hatred of the Marshall faction than he has ever con- 
 ceived of all the Burrites he ever heard of. I was present- 
 ed, to-day, by a Mr. ISTolta, a young Italian, who has often 
 met Wilkinson at parties in New Orleans, with a caricature 
 of that General a la FalstafF. It is a good resemblance, 
 and pleased me, though it is not thought as well done as 
 another he has made of Edw. Living-ston, as a companion 
 to the first, under the title of Lawyer Greyhound. I have 
 paid my second week's bill here, amounting, in the whole, 
 to about thirty dollars ; and for this, though I do not dine 
 at home half my time, I can not have a fire in my room. 
 
 Thursday, November 19, 1807. 
 
 Visited, this morning, the infant Academy of the Arts, 
 lately established here, with Joseph Lewis, who is a sub- 
 scriber to the Institution, and showed me the way from 
 
PAINTINGS. 503 
 
 his counting-house, where I pass half an hour every 
 morning. The present collection, in a well contrived 
 building, at the upper end of Chestnut Street, is slender 
 in paintings; all of which, however, I did not stay long 
 enough to examine. Two fine large ones, by West, of 
 scenes from Lear and Hamlet, are lent for exhibition 
 by their owner Mr. Fulton ; and there are few other orig- 
 inals of much value, for painters will, for at least a 
 century yet, find too much encouragement in Europe to 
 permit the establishment of an American school. But 
 the many fine casts taken, by permission, of Bonaparte, 
 and now exhibited here, offer a feast to better connoisseurs 
 than myself, of high relish. During the little time I 
 spent there, however, I was highly pleased, among a 
 great number my notice was directed to by Lewis, to 
 contemplate, particularly, a large and a small Venus de 
 Medicis, of which I did not like the line of straight con- 
 tinuation between the nose and the forehead, so justly 
 condemned by Lavater. I speak of the larger of the two, 
 which otherwise is exquisite. The other one is a copy in 
 marble of Venus coming out of the bath ; has a better 
 face, and is extremely beautiful. The group of Laacoon 
 and the Apollo of Belvidere are perfect to my admiration, 
 which would not be exhausted upon them for hours; and 
 the Famesian Hercules is as well copied in our Lavater 
 as ever an engraving represented a pieee of sculpture 
 But Lewis's early dinner hour was at hand, and my appe- 
 tite for these morceaux was obliged to give way to his for 
 his beefsteaks ; so I made only a first offering, on this 
 occasion, of my admiration to the artists of antiquity, 
 with a devout hope of discharging the full debt of my 
 
504 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 homage hereafter to them, when I shall speak more of 
 this Institution. 
 
 Dined with Lewis very agreeably, as usual, and, in the 
 evening, young Mr. Coates, son of Samuel Coates, whom 
 we knew here in '96, stepped in and invited me to dinner 
 tor next Monday, at his country place on the Schuylkill, 
 to join a small party. 
 
 Friday, November 20, 1807. 
 
 Having determined, last Wednesday, I would not see 
 two days more pass away without leaving my ultimatum 
 with Burr, I set out this morning for his quarters, re- 
 solved to burst the cobweb duplicity of all his evasions 
 with me upon money matters. It will be seen every- 
 where in these notes, how long and how insidiously he 
 has trifled with my claims upon him, from the time when 
 he assured Barton I was a bankrupt, and denied to him 
 my possessing any legal claims upon Alston or himself; 
 while, at the distance of fifteen hundred miles, he was 
 writing most affectionately to me until the last interview 
 I have this day had with him, in which he treated me 
 not as a faithful associate, ruined by my past connection 
 with him, but rather as an importunate creditor invading 
 his leisure or his purse with a Questionable account. The 
 time therefore has fully arrived, at which I should deter- 
 mine whether I should attempt to secure upward of 
 $7,000 for my family, or sacrifice it to an absurd and am- 
 phibious character of an associate and confidant in his 
 views to future projects, without principle or object, and 
 destitute of all means to promote them. Under these 
 reflections, patience now became exhausted, and to pro- 
 
OLD SCORES. 505 
 
 crastinate any longer now appeared treason to my family. 
 I therefore set seriously about the task I had allotted 
 myself for this morning. I found him alone, and had 
 not been ten minutes with him, after he had discharged 
 a shop-boy, with whom he had been trifling, I know 
 not how long, about some article of dress, before he asked 
 me if I had heard of Mr. Luckett's treatment of him? 
 On my answering in the negative, he informed me that 
 Luckett had sent a marshal to him yesterday, and obliged 
 him to give bail to the amount of about §10,000, Luck- 
 ett's claim, I suppose, being about half that sum. This 
 intelligence mortified me, as it convinced me I had lost 
 time. I expressed my concern for this new embarrass- 
 ment he had experienced, as it might narrow his means 
 to satisfy other claims which he did not consider cpies- 
 tionable, like Luckett's. He asked me upon this, what 
 claims I alluded to ? I said it was with great regret I 
 should mention my own; namely, the amount of the 
 account I had furnished him with in Richmond, and my 
 claim for his protested draft held by Miller, with my in- 
 dorsement for $4,000, on account of which my property 
 on the Ohio had been sacrificed to four times the amount. 
 !STow, had you seen how " that eye of his did from its 
 lustre fly," you would have beheld a little man indeed. 
 He was dumb and motionless ; but he soon recovered his 
 accustomed affectation, and asked, what was the amount 
 of my account, declaring he had never looked into it 
 since I had handed him it. I said it was a small one, ob- 
 viously meaning by comparison with most others he had 
 settled or secured. "A pretty small one," he replied, 
 
506 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 "of only about $3,000;" and said, he had not yet ex- 
 amined it. This sneer, at the amount of my account, 
 and the questioning of its fairness, by referring it to ex- 
 amination, which he falsely said he had not given it ; for 
 he looked it over the evening I presented it at Richmond, 
 asked a question or two on some of the items, which I 
 answered, informing him I had vouchers for most of 
 them, which he said he did not want to see, and was 
 satisfied it was correct ; such a diminution of that suav- 
 ity of address, with which he had already too often 
 diverted me from my purpose, now exhibited him a heart- 
 less swindler in the last swoon of his disorder, and de- 
 termined me to hasten my departure. I suppose I testified 
 my feelings sufficiently by my looks and manner, with- 
 out removing his doubts of the impression this treatment 
 made upon me, by now telling him, as I did, that my 
 time and expectations were exhausted, and I should stay 
 in Philadelphia no longer; that I perceived he could 
 give me no hopes of money, which I did not expect, but 
 that, though I was contented to starve myself, I must 
 secure something for my family, since I knew he had 
 found means in that way to accommodate every other 
 creditor, which was all that detained me in town. He 
 now pretended he had nobody he could call upon. I 
 observed, I thought it very possible he might never 
 return from Europe, in which case my family must have 
 a security to resort to in this country. To this remark 
 he had the kindness to reply, "that when I said my 
 family, I meant myself, and that I knew all his friends." 
 "You do," said he, "Mr. Blem?.ahassett " — so he has 
 
A crisis. 507 
 
 frequently pronounced my name before, when he has got 
 beyond self-management, "Sir," said I, "I must insist 
 upon it, I do not know all your friends." Upon this 
 contradiction, he begged my pardon, and said lie really 
 thought he had informed me of all who were his friends 
 in that city. 
 
508 THE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER XIV. 
 
 Washington City, Oct. 29th, 1807. 
 
 My dear Wife : — To-morrow I set out from here for 
 Baltimore, in company with Luther Martin, who has 
 pledged himself to attend, on the part of Col. Burr and 
 myself, at the Circuit Court of the United States, to sit at 
 Chillicothe, on the 4th of January next, whether we shall 
 personally appear or not, to see that all matters respect- 
 ing us are properly conducted. It is probable I shall not 
 regard a non-compliance on the part of Government with, 
 not a request, but a desire, I have expressed through Bod- 
 ney, the United States Attorney General, that they would 
 dispense with my personal appearance until the ensuing 
 term in September, through my wishes, in the mean 
 time, to revisit my family and attend to my private af- 
 fairs ; for the proceedings that should necessarily precede 
 a forfeiture of the recognizance I have entered into can 
 not be gone through before January, 1809. The courts 
 of the United States sitting in Ohio only twice a year, 
 namely, in the months of January and September, Hard- 
 ing can explain to you how two writs of scire facias must 
 be returned, in case of my absence from the district, 
 before my recognizance becomes forfeited. So that my 
 present plan is to push for Natchez, about the middle of 
 November, in company with Doctor Commins, by way of 
 
MARITAL SOLICITUDE. 509 
 
 the Ohio. Government, while they smart under the mor- 
 tification arising from the issue of the proceedings at 
 Richmond, seem determined to pursue Burr and myself 
 until we cry mercy ; but the world shall first cry shame ! 
 This evening I shall receive Rodney's answer to my let- 
 ter, probably negativing my demand, but that will not 
 affect my movements. My affairs will detain me about 
 ten days in Philadelphia, after a stay of two in Baltimore. 
 I have strong expectations of putting my claims upon 
 Burr and Alston on a desirable footino-. 
 
 As to news, you may inform those most interested, par- 
 ticularly our esteemed friend Mr. Hunt, there will be no 
 war with Britain, much less with Spain. This conclusion 
 is not drawn merely from the President's message to Con- 
 gress, but from better authority. Electioneering, secretly, 
 is very active here on the part of Madison, Clinton and 
 Monroe, for the exclusion of Jefferson from the next Pres- 
 idency, while the efforts of others to obtain the Vice 
 Presidency, establish a schism in the present party in pow- 
 er which exhibits a warning type of the future destinies of 
 this country. Tyler left this for Baltimore, this morning. 
 I shall see him there and learn the manner in which he 
 has obtained his discharge, which has been given him 
 only verbally, by Rodney. Duane, I expect, will soon 
 take a decided part against Jefferson, because he has not 
 been less awkward in tampering with letters that have 
 passed through his hands. 
 
 I hope you will keep up a rational confidence in my 
 resources to preserve my health and spirits ; and I beseech 
 you to seek continually the utmost variety and change of 
 scene, which I so well know the happy effects of upon 
 
510 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 you, as the only means of restoring you to my eyes in the 
 state I beseech God to grant I may find you. 
 
 Luther Martin is certainly one of the most benevolent 
 men alive. His heart is overflowing with the milk of 
 philanthropy, which his potations may sometimes coagu- 
 late, but will never acidify. 
 
 Kiss my boys for me. Your sickness has diverted my 
 reflections from them of late ; but our preserving Provi- 
 dence will restore us in its own time according to our 
 merits. H. B. 
 
 Baltimore, Tuesday, Nov. 3d, 1807. 
 
 Col. Burr set off to-day at 1 o'clock, P. M., in the mail, 
 for Philadelphia, wutli S. Swartwout, as he had no par- 
 ticular desire to behold a representation of his execution. 
 I was a little more curious ; and, notwithstanding hand- 
 bills were this morning scattered through the town, pur- 
 porting that the execution of Judge Marshall, A. Burr, 
 Luther Martin and myself would take place at Gallows 
 Hill, at 3 o'clock this evening, I both dined and supped at 
 the public table, with very large companies, here at 
 Evans's, and am, after all, hearty and in good spirits. 
 The mob was made up from the Point, but pledged their 
 honor, which they did not violate, that they would hurt 
 no person. They were followed by two troops of horse 
 through the streets, to see they did their business orderly. 
 All have dispersed at least three hours ago, it being now 
 11, P. M. 
 
 I start to-morrow for Philadelphia, where I am sure 
 I shall not receive such public honors. I tire you with 
 
IN BALTIMORE. 511 
 
 too many letters ; but it is to prevent your paying any at- 
 tention to the newspapers. I expect Doctor Commins and 
 myself will travel together to Natchez. I pray God this 
 may find you and the »boys well. This is the only care 
 that occupies 
 
 "fc our husband, Harman Blenneriiassett. 
 
 Baltimore, Nov. 14th, 1807. 
 
 Dear Sir : — Your favor of the 8th inst. I have received, 
 and thank you for the friendly and affectionate sentiments 
 you have expressed for me. Should you return by this 
 place, you will certainly see me. I shall, I flatter myself, 
 occasionally hear from you, should you leave Philadelphia 
 by a different route. I have written to Baldwin and Bur- 
 net, and have inclosed for -Judge Todd an open letter, 
 under cover, to Col. Burr. T certainly should wish to 
 avoid a journey to Chillicothe at so severe a season of the 
 year, if thought unnecessary. Whether witnesses will at- 
 tend against Col. Burr or yourself, is uncertain. Whether 
 bills will be found, is more uncertain ; and it is impossible 
 that trials should take place at next term, even should 
 bills be found. Under these circumstances, the presence 
 of neither of us ought to be necessary. We are once more 
 at peace; I mean in the city of Baltimore. The conduct 
 of the mob is most unmercifully condemned and dis- 
 cussed; and the leaders are, in truth, though they keep 
 up the best appearances they can, heartily ashamed of 
 themselves. Dr. Commins leaves me to-day, by the 
 water-stage. I direct this to Ins care, lest you should 
 have left Philadelphia. Though J shall ever feel pleased 
 
512 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 in having been introduced to your acquaintance, yet I 
 must regret, on your account, the circumstances under 
 which that acquaintance hath been formed. You will 
 introduce me, though not personally, yet with my best 
 regards, to your lady and your little ones ; to hear of 
 their and your happiness will increase mine. 
 
 I am, my dear Sir, with great sincerity, your friend 
 and obedient servant, 
 
 Luther Martin. 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 To Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Philadelphia, Nov. 11th, 1807. 
 
 My dear Wife : — As I expected when I wrote last 
 from Baltimore, this day fortnight, I have found my 
 reception in this city easy and undisturbed. I have 
 been here a week last Wednesday, having arrived the 
 5th inst. I hope you received that letter to prepare 
 you for a just reception of the accounts that must 
 reach you by the papers of a rising at Baltimore, of 
 which my effigy only was one of the objects. 
 
 I am much teased by various causes of detention here 
 which I can not control. The arrangement of my pecu- 
 niary claims on Col. Burr, and the acquisition of slaves, 
 neither of them yet effected, are the principal. It is un- 
 certain still how soon I can even hope to leave this town. 
 Many motives incite me to go round by sea, in a fine ves- 
 sel, with Bollman and other agreeable passengers, to sail 
 about the middle of next week ; for there are reasons why 
 
DIFFICULT TRAVEL. 513 
 
 I should not even appear at Marietta, though so many de- 
 mands call thither. But I yet think that will he my 
 course. I receive the most friendly attentions from my 
 friends, the Lewises, and others. 
 
 To-morrow I dine with Mr. Pollock, a gentleman of 
 fortune and great respectability, where Col. Burr has 
 taken up his quarters. I wonder you have not yet drawn 
 upon J. S. Lewis, for any sum not exceeding $500, 
 through Harding. I am at a loss to conceive what you 
 have resorted to, particularly as you call upon me, in your 
 most welcome letter of 28th September, to direct the dis- 
 position of about $1,200 you expected to receive on your 
 negro speculation. My only wish is that you should 
 apply the money to your own occasions, calling to the aid 
 of your judgment the advice of that excellent friend 
 whom you will one day further discover I have justly 
 appreciated. Butler, who is now here, made me very 
 unhappy, by telling me he left him very sick, and I sin- 
 cerely sighed to be at his bedside. 
 
 A large fund of stoicism will be necessary to support 
 the want of letters from you till we meet ; for I suppose 
 you have, according to directions long since given you, 
 ceased to write ; ami it would be impossible to instruct 
 you how to direct to me, my change of place will be so 
 variable. 
 
 "We have to-day a heavy fall of snow here, and I fear 
 I shall not be able to take water on the Ohio before it 
 breaks up. This, with other considerations, lends much 
 to determine me upon the voyage by sea to New Orleans. 
 But I can not make up my mind until 1 again sec D. 
 Commins, whom I hourly expect here from Baltimore, 
 33 
 
514 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 with whom I must endeavor to procure some negroes, or 
 by some other means, as I can not think of returning 
 without some new ones, or at least our old ones from 
 Ohio. 
 
 I live here at the Mansion House Hotel, late Bing- 
 ham's, in Third Street, kept by an Englishman in the 
 best style I have yet seen in America. My expenses are 
 heavier than I wish, on every account, but I have become 
 so public a character, any thing tending to shabbiness or 
 obscurity would bring discredit upon you, to avoid which 
 I know you would prefer a larger share of future sacri- 
 fices. The company are genteel and numerous, princi- 
 pally foreigners, and not a Democrat in thirty, the general 
 number at the house. 
 
 My silence on your recovery and the health of the boys 
 arises from inability to express my joy and thanksgiving 
 to God. But I beseech you to seek the utmost change of 
 company and occupation. Nothing can better insure my 
 hopes of finding you re-established in your constitution ; 
 and every day's experience convinces me of the wisdom 
 and facility of not only mitigating the ills of life, by 
 resolving to contemn their mischief, but even of our 
 capability to be happy in spite of them. "Without disap- 
 pointing contrary conclusions you would draw from our 
 separation, I could give you man} 7 examples, during my 
 reverses, since I left you; but you will hereafter find 
 them with more satisfaction in my notes. I shall only 
 add. that you should never forget that a steady pursuit 
 of gaiety will prove the best prescription for the longest 
 enjoyment of the summer season, and prepare the largest 
 and most serene, autumn of life. We have prospects 
 
LOVE OF STYLE. 515 
 
 already opened to you that beckon us to wealth and 
 repose; if they should prove delusive, our piety and 
 moderation will insure tranquillity. 
 
 I am much at a loss to know how to buy any thin- 
 here for you. I shall, however, procure some things. 1 
 have rigged myself out in consideration of the extrava- 
 gant prices of things at Natchez ; and have not forgo 
 the boys' shoes, though God knows when they will get 
 them, and I can badly guess the sizes. I could tell you a 
 good deal of what might pass for news with you, but it 
 is not worth while, and could not find room here. I 
 must not refuse, however, to mention that I have heard 
 here young Michael de Courcy is married to a rich lady 
 in England, and has a child or two. The Admiral's 
 daughter is married to a Captain Pashwood, of the Navy. 
 I learned no other particulars of the family. Wilkinson, 
 I hear, has taken passage from Baltimore for New Or- 
 leans, contrary to every expectation I could form, which 
 I mention as a circumstance, if true, not quite indifferent 
 to my future tranquillity on the Mississippi. 
 
 You forgot to put Kitty Percy's, and your own, hair 
 into your letter, with the boys' drawings. The disap- 
 pointment, I hope, has not arisen from my knowing how 
 to prize both. How happy I should feel, hereafter, in the 
 pleasure Miss P. might enjoy, and confer upon us, by 
 making a trip with us to Europe. Burr has given notice 
 to the Marshal of Virginia, to be prepared with a guard 
 of gentlemen at Richmond, to conduct him from thence, 
 on the 16th of next month, to Chillicothe ; but some in- 
 tervention or other, I apprehend, will prevent that jour- 
 ney. Harding will smile at this ; but let him mourn 
 
516 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 over the misery of talents without strength of nerve or 
 energy of character, which have only shone to consume 
 the tame of the Chief Justice, who has disappointed 
 every lawyer and friend he possessed, and may possibly 
 fall a sacrifice to the mob government of the day, for 
 attempting to stroke, while he should have muzzled, the 
 
 tiger of Democracy. Remind II g continually of my 
 
 attachment; and assure the Scotts, Major Trask, and all 
 other friends, of my warm regards. "War direct with 
 Britain is even yet the dread of the Democrats ; but 
 should it happen in six months afterward, down fall Jef- 
 ferson and company. 
 
 From your husband, Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 To Aaron Burr, Esq. 
 
 Mansion House, Phil a., Nov. 28th, 1807. 
 Sir: — I have reflected, with much concern, on an ob- 
 servation which fell from you yesterday ; namely, that 
 my account was not a small one, and that you had not yet 
 examined it. You may recollect, when I presented it to 
 you at Richmond, I told you I had vouchers for most of 
 the items it contained; to which I will now add, that I 
 can substantiate the whole, whenever it may become nec- 
 essary ; and, on receiving it from me, you said you were 
 satisfied it was correct, and wanted to see no vouchers. 
 If I have misunderstood you, on either of these occasions, 
 I shall expect to hear from you in the course of this even- 
 ing, with a statement of your objections, if any, to my 
 charges. 
 
TO HIS WIFE. 517 
 
 The exact amount of my demand, on account of my 
 indorsement of the bills upon which I have been sued by 
 Miller, I can not immediately ascertain. I believe the 
 damages are £10, chargeable with interest, as well as the 
 principal, from the time the bill was returned. 
 
 In the close of the late interesting intercourse that has 
 so long subsisted between us, you must perceive, sir, I 
 feel myself released from the performance of an offer I 
 made you of introductory letters to the Lords Elgin, 
 Courtenay and Sackville. I feel that I could not solicit 
 their attentions to you as my friend ; and I should wish 
 to decline doing so on any other grounds. 
 
 I am, sir, w T ith all respect and consideration, your 
 obedient servant, Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 To Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Philadelphia, Nov. BOth, 1807. 
 My dear "Wife : — I have just closed a trunk which, 
 with a box, a bundle of coach-harness and a demijohn of 
 lamp oil, will leave to-day by the brig Mary, directed to 
 you to the care of Lenlow, Turner & Co. In the bottom 
 of the trunk you will find tw r o small volumes of my 
 notes, intended for no eye at Natchez but Harding's and 
 your own. You will, therefore, when not in your hands, 
 alw T ays keep them under lock and key. The ducks are to 
 be put upon water, and the pointed end of the magnet 
 brought near their beaks to make them approach you ; 
 the blunt end will make them recede. Keep the mag- 
 net from wet, and do n't let it fall. 
 
518 THE BLENNER1IASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I hope yon will soon safely receive the things I sent 
 before me, which I will follow as soon as I can ; but I find 
 it impossible to avoid going to Marietta, without irrep- 
 arable prejudice to our affairs, and I think it better to 
 be a month longer away before we meet, than to have to 
 leave you again in August, which might probably happen 
 if I did not appear in Ohio, where I may prevent the 
 finding of other bills against me, or otherwise get rid of 
 the criminal proceedings against me altogether. I there- 
 fore set out at 4 o'clock to-morrow morning, in the Pitts- 
 burgh coach, and shall not delay to write to you from 
 thence or from Marietta. 
 
 As you will observe by my notes, I apprehend I have 
 broken with Aaron Burr on a writ, and shall succeed that 
 way, since all others have failed to secure a demand upon 
 him of §8,000, as you shall better understand hereafter. 
 
 You may depend upon my exertions to get upon the 
 water as speedily as the season and my circumstances will 
 permit. I shall give charge of the key of the trunk to 
 the Captain of the Ifarij, or Doctor Bollman, who goes 
 passenger in her. I have told him he is recommended to 
 your polite attention, if he should visit Natchez, as he 
 proposes to do ; but beware of the most insidious influ- 
 ence of his manners and address, as they are irresistible 
 by ordinary minds. 
 
 It is already reported in the best circles here, that I 
 have become a friend to Jefferson. This is amusing, and 
 may be very serviceable. 
 
 I have not time to add more, as the mail is near clos- 
 ing. Tom. Buller is to travel with me as far as Carlisle. 
 From vour husband. Har. Blennerhassett. 
 
BURNET AND BALDWIN. 519 
 
 Marietta, Bee. 17th, 7, P. M., 1807. 
 Dear Wife : — I have been hero since Tuesday morning, 
 and find appearances of every sort infinitely more flatter- 
 ing than I had expected. Col. Cashing has been up to 
 see me, raid will not leave me before noon to-morrow. 1 
 
 have an opportunity, by the favor of Wilkins, on his 
 
 way to Natchez, of speedily informing you I shall endeavor 
 to fly from the declining storm of Jacobin malice in eight 
 or ten days, if the waters will favor my escape. But if they 
 do not, you may be assured I have nothing to fear at Chil- 
 licothe, where I can overawe the miserable speculations 
 of the marshal, based upon the profits lie expects to make 
 of the trials there. I have seen all the negroes, except 
 Ransom and Clara ; I think they are well disposed to ac- 
 company me, and I shall get them off, with more or less 
 difficulty. I even propose purchasing Daniel, and a fam- 
 ily of six heads, for $1,400. I look daily for the arrival 
 of Commins, whom I have joined in fitting out a boat at 
 Pittsburgh. My coming on here without Commins, was 
 to dispatch as much of my business in this quarter as I 
 could, while his detained him some time above. I have 
 only time to add, I have retained Burnet and Baldwin ; 
 the former will be a host of law with the decent part of 
 the citizens of Ohio; the latter, a giant of influence with 
 the rabble, whom he justly styled his "bloodhounds," and 
 has in good training to bait Wilkinson, whenever he gives 
 them the scent. God bless you and our dear boys. I hope 
 I shall soon embrace you all in health, if Mr. Wilkins was 
 not mistaken when ho informed me he heard by letter 
 from Mr. Elliot, dated in October, you were then well. 
 Your husband, Hah. Blennerhassett. 
 
520 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 To Mrs. M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 ISTlne Miles above Natchez, 
 Sunday, Feb. 8th, 6, P. M. 
 
 To secure the success of the two objects of my present 
 journey ; namely, the conveyance to you of what pro- 
 perty I could bring away from the Ohio, and the enjoy- 
 ment of a few months' repose with you, I have deter- 
 mined not to yield to the hopes or fears with which I 
 have approached you, by leaving my boats until Harding, 
 to whom I have written, may advise me to venture my 
 appearance on shore. 
 
 Uncertain whether Dr. Shaw or my other enemies are 
 yet apprised of my having failed to make my personal 
 appearance at Chillicothe, on the 4th of last month, and 
 ignorant how far they may speculate upon whatever news 
 they may have received from that quarter since that 
 period, I am resolved to continue afloat, that I may, at a 
 moment's warning, start with my light keel-boat, and be, 
 in about four hours, beyond the line, about sixty miles 
 below Natchez, whither you can follow with your family 
 and effects by my flat-boat, under the care of my friend 
 Mr. Weaver, who has traveled with me. 
 
 If this arrangement takes place, I shall want one of 
 your black men, in lieu of whom I shall leave a boy; 
 and you will also forward to me, or bring with you, 
 such letters from Grand Pre, as can be obtained from 
 "Minor, Yidal and Mr. Dunbar. 
 
 You may now privately make your way to my boat, 
 under the guidance of Mr. Weaver or Honest Moses ;* 
 
 *A family servant. 
 
DIARY ENDED. 521 
 
 one of whom will deliver you this letter. You must 
 not mention my arrival to the boys or servants until I 
 see them, or shall have left the shore. 
 
 Heaven grant that I may happily embrace you in 
 health and spirits. 
 
 From your husband, Har. Blennerhassett. 
 
 P. S. — I refer you to Moses for all intelligence you 
 may desire upon small matters. 
 
 Thus, after the close of this memorable trial, which 
 had occupied the public attention for several months, 
 Blennerhassett returned to Natchez. The continued 
 anxiety attendant on a tedious investigation of the charge 
 of treason, in which character and life were involved ; 
 the accumulation of debts ; the neglect of domestic inter- 
 ests, and the rapid decline of his resources, were discour- 
 agements, indeed, under which stouter hearts might well 
 have sunk without the charge of effeminacy. 
 
 The creditors, who had advanced funds upon his obli- 
 gations, finding his pecuniary affairs becoming daily more 
 embarrassed, were insolent and exacting. Liquidation 
 was demanded ; and, when they saw that he neither had 
 the funds to meet them, nor the ability to procure further 
 credit, they pursued him with the precepts of the law, 
 with a rapacity equaled only by their uncharitable invec- 
 tives. A portion of his library and philosophical appa- 
 ratus, which had been his amusement in prosperity, and 
 the solace of his darker hours; the remaining furniture 
 possessing value to him, wholly unappreciated by others, 
 were attached and sold at a criminal sacrifice. 
 
522 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS 
 
 His beautiful mansion, together with its surrounding 
 shrubbery, had been regarded and used as public prop- 
 erty. Its fair gardens bad been destroyed, not less by the 
 hands of the ruthless freebooter than the negligence of 
 his tenants and the floods of the Ohio. Xot satisfied 
 with that which might be removed without injury to the 
 freehold, the window-casings were torn out, to procure 
 the leaden weights by which the sashes were raised. 
 Even the beautiful stone roller, used for leveling his 
 grounds, was crushed to pieces, to obtain the iron axles 
 on which it ran. The island itself was extended, by a 
 writ of elegit, at the suit of Robert Miller, of Kentucky, 
 who commenced the culture of hemp, and the manufac- 
 turing of cordage. 
 
 Such is but the every-day lesson of human experience ! 
 Such is the sympathy of unfeeling man with the misfor- 
 tune and distress of his fellow man! To-day he kneels 
 at the shrine of friendship, as the bestial Caliban at the 
 feet of Stephano, and calls the object of its worship, 
 "god;" to-morrow shrinks cowardly from it, and returns 
 his gratitude in foul misdeeds and wanton injuries. 
 
 Cotton, at that time, commanded an exorbitant price. 
 Investments in lands adapted to its culture, and slaves to 
 work it, afforded rich returns for the amount of capital 
 employed. Many were turning their attention to it. 
 Blennerhassett conceived it a favorable mode of retriev- 
 ing his shattered fortune. He therefore concluded a pur- 
 chase of a thousand acres of land, in Claiborne county, 
 at St. Catherine's, near Gibsonport, Mississippi, and 
 placed upon it a small number of slaves. Here, again, 
 after the varied incidents of two long years, in which he 
 
AT HOME AGAIN ! 523 
 
 had been buffeted about, by the whirlwind of uncourted 
 excitement, he found a home. 
 
 Those accustomed to battle with the vicissitudes of for- 
 tune but struggle tk^2reater when encountered by oppos- 
 ing difficulties. On the contrary, those cradled in the lap 
 of ease, are but poorly prepared to meet adversity, unless 
 endowed with unusual perseverance. This latter quality 
 it was not Blennerhassett's fortune to possess. Accus- 
 tomed not only to the comforts but the elegancies of life, 
 he was a stranger to want. His sleep had never been 
 disturbed by visions of distress; nor his energies excited 
 through cupidity or avarice. It may well be imagined; 
 therefore, that he was but slightly cmalified to sustain 
 himself, under his present embarrassments. For him, 
 life had but few attractions, save those that were found 
 in the pursuits of science ; and to deprive him of these, 
 was to deprive him of the happiness of existence. 
 
 With a full appreciation of her husband's feelings, Mrs. 
 Blennerhassett undertook to aid him in the management 
 of his farm. At the early dawn, she mounted her horse, 
 to convey to the overseer the instructions committed to 
 her charge. In this, however, she never neglected the 
 affairs of her household, or those affectionate attentions 
 to her family, which render the felicities of home bright 
 to the recollection of husband and child, when the mem- 
 ory of all else has perished. 
 
 Devereux to Blennerhassett. 
 
 London, Sept. 7th, 1808. 
 My dear and respected Sir: — This makes my second 
 letter to you since my arrival in this country. In my for- 
 
524 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 mer, I acknowledged with gratitude and thanks the re- 
 ceipt of your dear and most welcome letter from Iiich- 
 mond. What trials, what misfortunes, have you not un- 
 dergone, and your dear and worthy Mrs. Blennerhassett 
 too ! But, my friend, though great your misfortunes, 
 what are they when compared to those which the gener- 
 ous and ill-fated Barry family have lately undergone ? I 
 am really so overwhelmed with grief at the sad tidings I 
 have had within these few days of that family, that I can 
 scarcely arrange my thoughts so as to be understood. 
 Only think of it, that poor Mrs. Barry, after the demise 
 of her beloved husband in JSTew York, hastened with her 
 only remaining daughter to Madeira, in hopes of preserv- 
 ing her existence by a change of climate ; but, alas ! it 
 was too late : she died soon after her arrival there ; and 
 her poor mother, broken-hearted, is now left the last of 
 her family. This melancholy and deplorable event has 
 awakened all my woes. My dear friend, what is this life, 
 after all ? 
 
 From the trying afflictions you and your worthy Mrs. 
 Blennerhassett have so lately experienced, I should not 
 thus obtrude my griefs upon you. But they are griefs pro- 
 duced by the sufferings of one of the best of families, and 
 who, with yours, most attract my regards of any in this 
 world. Enough of this painful subject — too painful to 
 dwell upon. 
 
 As I mentioned to you in my last letter, I perfectly 
 agree with you in the sentiments you expressed to me 
 from Richmond, and which I have long felt, I assure you. 
 Yes, nry friend, from what is past, and from what is gone, 
 never to be recalled again, I could most willingly estrange 
 
" WHAT IS LIFE?" 525 
 
 myself from this world to share a little content with you 
 in any corner or in any obscurity. 
 
 I have already mentioned to you that I failed in my 
 application to this government. They will not even per- 
 mit me to visit my native country. I, knowing the cause, 
 am not surprised at it; for you must know they inter- 
 cepted one of O'Connor's letters to me, about three years 
 ago, in which he offered me a nattering rank to enter the 
 French service w T ith him. This offer, though made to aid 
 misfortune more than rebellion, has operated very seri- 
 ously against me ; and, was it not for the precaution I took 
 previous to my leaving the United States, I might now be 
 immured in the Tower. But, my dear friend, the disap- 
 pointment does not now affect me ; for, truly, I never 
 cared so little as to independence in money matters as 
 I do at this moment. 
 
 Without adverting to the cause of my inquiry, I asked 
 two or three gentlemen from about Cork as to the per- 
 sons you have named, but could gain no satisfactory in- 
 telligence. Had I been permitted to have gone to Ire- 
 land, I should have gone every length in tracing that 
 subject. As I feel extremely anxious to hear from you, 
 and of your estimable lady and children, I entreat you to 
 write me as speedily as possible of your future plans, and 
 where we are yet to meet. 
 
 As I can not express to you, my dearest friend, what 1 
 feel, I shall end this scrawl with best wishes and regards 
 to you, dear Mrs. Blennerhassett, and my young friend 
 Dominick. 
 
 Your most truly attached and distressed friend, 
 
 J. Devereux. 
 
526 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 P. S. — I do 'nt mean to return to the United States 
 immediately. There is no prospect I should think of 
 the embargo's being very soon raised, unless for a more 
 active scone of operation ; and, of course, if so, there 
 could be nothing to engage my attention particularly 
 there; and by remaining here, I am more to myself 
 from the sight of the world. Hoping that you will not 
 omit writing to me by the first opportunity, I am, again, 
 Yours, most sincerely, J. D. 
 
 A remittance of £300 from Ireland, being a balance 
 from Lord Ventry, on the sales of his estates, enabled 
 Blennerhassett to start afresh in his new field of enter- 
 prise. The business correspondence between himself and 
 his consignee, Joseph S. Lewis, of Philadelphia, is vo- 
 luminous, and of but little interest to the general reader, 
 further than showing his efforts were not altogether in- 
 effectual. A few of these only, together with one or two 
 letters from his old friends, are here inserted : 
 
 Joseph S. Lewis to Blennerhassett. 
 
 Philadelphia, July, 1809. 
 
 My dear Sir : — On Saturday, I received from Mr. 
 Harding your esteemed letter of the 9th of June, ac- 
 quainting me with your having consigned your son 
 Dominick to me. I accept this trust with pleasure, ac- 
 companied, at the same time, with great anxiety: and 
 you may assure yourself my care of him shall only be 
 second to that of my own children. 
 
 Mr. Harding will inform von that the Board of Health 
 
ADOPTION. 527 
 
 will not permit him to come into the city before the 4th 
 of August, although every one on board the ship was in 
 good health, and that, therefore, they have stopped at 
 Darby, about seven miles from town, where I have been 
 twice to see them, and, yesterday, took Mrs. Lewis with 
 me, who feels all a mothers anxious care, and enters into 
 Mrs. Blennerhassett's feelings on parting with so beloved 
 an object as a son. I have the pleasure to say that I 
 have procured a situation for Dominick, such as I think 
 you would every way approve, if you were here yourself 
 — one equally removed from the bigotry of a monastic 
 education, and the more nncourtly forms of our society. 
 The Academy to which I refer was established, about four 
 years ago, by a number of our most respectable gentle- 
 men, for the education of their own children, and is 
 conducted by two French gentlemen of the name of 
 Carre*. 
 
 The situation of the school is high, healthy and pleas- 
 ant, about four miles north of Philadelphia, a distance 
 which will afford me an opportunity of seeing Dominick 
 often, and of bringing him home occasionally to spend a 
 holiday. Mr. Harding being obliged to leave this morn- 
 ing for ISTew York, Dominick has been placed under the 
 charge of a respectable old lady, where I shall see him 
 every day or two until his quarantine is out; after which 
 I shall bring him home, and, as soon as every thing is 
 prepared, place him with Messrs. Carre, who are nun of 
 amiable and respectable character, sufficiently rigid to 
 keep their boys within a correct line. Present my best 
 regards to Mrs. Blennerhassett, and also those of Mrs. 
 L. ; tell her to dissipate all anxiety about her son. that 
 
528 THE BLENNEKHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Mrs. L. will take upon herself a mother's care, and that 
 my affection for his parents will insure my attention to 
 his comforts, to his wants, and to his well-doing. * * * 
 Yours, with great esteem, J. S. Lewis. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 From Thomas Addis Emmett. 
 
 New York, Sept. lbth, 1809. 
 
 My dear Blennerhassett : — It was not without con- 
 siderable emotion and pleasure that I received yours a 
 few days since by Mr. Harding, and heard from him the 
 first news I had been able, authentically, to collect of 
 your present situation. Of what is past, it is not fit I 
 should say any thing in a communication of this kind ; 
 of the future*, you will believe me perfectly sincere, when 
 I assure you that your prosperity and happiness will 
 always interest me very strongly. In return for the 
 pleasing intelligence I have had of you, accept similar 
 accounts of me and my family. My success has been 
 greater than I could have calculated upon. My health 
 has been extremely good, and Mrs. Emmett and the 
 children enjoy the prosperity which has succeeded to our 
 trials; such, I trust, will also be the event of your present 
 situation. Mr. Harding mentioned to me that he had 
 brought along with him your oldest son, Dominick, and 
 placed him at an Academy at Germantown, Pennsylvania. 
 
 As Mrs. Blennerhassett has brought her mind to part 
 with him, a thought struck me, which I now lay before 
 you. I have three sons at school at Flatbush, Long 
 
FROM FRIENDS. 529 
 
 Island, five miles from this city, under the care of a Mr. 
 Thompson, who is very competent, a graduate of Trinity 
 College, Dublin, and of very unexceptionable character ; 
 his wife is a Mary Anne Connell, cousin to Maurice Con- 
 nell, of Iveragh ; came over here a widow, of" the name 
 of Yielding, with strong letters from Kerry friends to 
 Mrs. Emmett, and was married in my house to Mr. 
 Thompson. I have mentioned your son to them both, 
 and can answer that he would be treated with more than 
 common affection and care ; and, being at the same school 
 with my own, I should have opportunities of showing 
 him, perhaps, some attention, which, situated where he 
 is, would be out of my power. I am not fond of sup- 
 planting a person like his present master, who, I presume, 
 would discharge his duty, but I submit the proposition to 
 your consideration. 
 
 Adieu, my dear Blennerhassett. Do you and Mrs. B. 
 receive the best wishes of me and my family for every 
 thing that concerns you, and believe me sincerely 
 Yours. Thos. Addis Emmett. 
 
 From, Joseph S. Lewis. 
 
 Philadelphia, Sept. 22d, 1810. 
 My dear Friend : — About ten days ago I received your 
 esteemed letter of 8th August, and I enter with much 
 warmth into your situation and the means proposed for 
 improving it. I have been engaged, in my mind, since 
 its receipt, to contrive some way of meeting your desire 
 of obtaining the sum you want to borrow, but I do not 
 find any one here who is willing to lend money on such 
 34 
 
530 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 distant security ; and even the offer of more than usual 
 interest would serve to introduce in the mind of strangers 
 a doubt of the goodness of the security ; and there are 
 none of our money-lenders who would be willing to take 
 the chance of being compelled to go to Ohio or the Mis- 
 sissippi Territory, to look after his payment. I propose, 
 then, that after the sale of your cotton, which we hourly 
 expect from New Orleans, you should draw, in addition 
 to what our advance may then be, as much as will make 
 $5,000, which you shall have at six per cent, interest per 
 annum. You are to consign to us all your cotton for 
 sale, on Avhich we shall charge the usual commission 
 of five per cent. * * * * * 
 
 Very respectfully your friend, J. S. Lewis. 
 
 From the Same. 
 
 Philadelphia, Dec. 17th, 1810. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Your favor of 14th November I 
 received yesterday, and am much pleased to learn the 
 happy effect of my last letter upon your uneasiness about 
 Dominick, whom I have not seen for a few weeks, but 
 I hear from him frequently ; and, a few days ago, I saw 
 Mr. Carre", who said he was well, and spoke favorably 
 of an increased attention to his studies. There is no 
 doubt you can obtain excellent lodgings in the neigh- 
 borhood of the city, at a moderate rate, say five or six 
 dollars a week each, for Mrs. Blennerhassett and yourself, 
 including board. I suppose your passages would cost 
 each ; about half that for your son, and the same 
 
COTTON TRADE. 531 
 
 rate for your servants. I should think $1,100 or $1,200 
 would be an ample allowance for your expenses for a trip 
 of five or six months, bating the temptations such a large 
 shop as our city would afford you to lay out money for 
 luxuries, etc., which, of course, your own prudence would, 
 in some measure, guard you against. On the score of 
 health the jaunt would be desirable, and I shall be glad 
 you make ' use of any excuse to give Mrs. Lewis and 
 myself the pleasure of seeing you and Mrs. Blenner- 
 hassett. 
 
 Very respectfully your friend, J. S. Lewis. 
 
 From the Same. 
 
 January 6, 1811. 
 
 I can not conceive any reason why the New York mar- 
 ket should offer a better price for cotton than ours. It is 
 not quite so steady, and the people are more speculative. 
 If your cotton goes there to our correspondent, we must 
 pay his commission, and we should not be quite so well 
 satisfied of the solidity of the persons to whom sale 
 would generally be made as here. 
 
 Your cotton has arrived, but I can not at present effect 
 a sale on such terms as I like. The gloomy prospect of 
 our affairs with England is such, that we do not consider 
 a speculation in cotton as safe, and its value here will also 
 be much affected by the proceedings of Congress regard- 
 ing the Bank of the United States. If the charter should 
 not be renewed, and there seems much doubt of it, prices 
 of every article will fall very materially. In addition to 
 this, the situation of exchange is such, that bills can not 
 
532 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 be drawn on London without the utmost difficulty, and 
 then at a loss of seven or eight per cent. 
 
 The proceeds of your cotton now on hand, and for 
 which at present there is no sale, we estimate at $2,000. 
 Yours very respectfully, J. S. Lewis. 
 
 In viewing the complacency with which Blennerhas- 
 sett had heretofore regarded Burr's actions toward him- 
 self, we are at a loss whether to attribute his silence to 
 the mildness of his temper, or a lack of courage to vin- 
 dicate his honor from the aspersions of his enemies. 
 But, for his unfortunate alliance with Burr, he might still 
 have reposed in the shady groves of the isle. But for 
 Burr, he might have continued to enjoy those peaceful 
 pursuits for which he had abandoned Castle Conway, to 
 secure a home in the secluded forests of America; but 
 for him, he might yet have enjoyed a competency beyond 
 his wants, and luxuriated in the fields of literature, with- 
 out the fear of pecuniary distress. 
 
 It was not, however, until driven to it by necessity, that 
 Blennerhassett attempted to show how much he had 
 really been injured by the man whom he had regarded 
 and cherished as his friend ; but who had now deserted 
 him in the hour of misfortune. Almost bankrupt in 
 purse, with a large family dependent upon him for sup- 
 port, to whom could he look for indemnity for the losses 
 sustained in the enterprise of Burr? He had contributed 
 largely, if not entirely, to the procuring of boats, imple- 
 ments and provisions for the expedition, and, as yet, had 
 received nothing in return. Both Burr and Alston had 
 turned a deaf ear to his petitions for relief: indeed, Burr, 
 
LETTER TO ALSTON. 533 
 
 had it been his desire, could afford but poor satisfaction 
 from the meager remains of a once large fortune. Blen- 
 nerhassett, accordingly, addressed the following letter to 
 Governor Alston : 
 
 Blcnnerhassett to Gov. Alston. 
 
 La Cache, Port Gibson, Miss. Ter., 
 March 2d, 1811. 
 Sir : — As a letter from me, after so long a suspension 
 of our correspondence, will probably be as little welcome 
 as expected, I anticipate, on inditing it, only such atten- 
 tion on your part to its object as your reflections may 
 deem consonant to your interest. I proceed accordingly, 
 without further preamble, to apprise you, that having 
 long since despaired of all indemnity from Mr. Burr for 
 my losses, by the confederacy in which I was associated 
 with you and him, I count upon a partial reimbursement 
 from you upon grounds and motives which it is the ob- 
 ject of this letter to develop and recall to your recollec- 
 tion. Having mentioned Mr. Burr, I wish you, sir, to 
 observe, that I shall never more consider a reference to 
 his honor, good faith, or resources in any other light than 
 as a scandal to any man offering it who is not already 
 sunk as low as himself. You will therefore feel, I hope, 
 as little disposed to speak, at this day, of his intentions 
 as of his means to indemnify his friends. It is on you, 
 sir, that as regards myself, devolves this duty. The 
 heroic offer you made to co-operate with your person and 
 fortune in our common enterprise, gave you, in my esti- 
 mation, a color of claim to that succession in empire you 
 boasted you would win by better titles — your deeds of 
 
534 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 merit in council or the field. For examples of these 
 exploits, I anxiously invoked the season of their achieve- 
 ment; but I confess, sir, I attached a more interesting 
 value to the tender you so nobly pledged of your whole 
 property to forward and support our expedition, together 
 with your special assurances to me of reimbursement for 
 all contingent losses of a pecuniary nature I might indi- 
 vidually suffer. These considerations, sir, as the} T in- 
 volved me oil your responsibility, naturally refer me to 
 you for the acquittal of it, and possessing such ample 
 powers to discharge it, I flatter myself I shall be able to 
 induce you to the full exercise of them. To this end I 
 now apprise you, that the period has arrived in which I 
 feel myself warranted to toll you, that in virtue of your 
 oral and written assurances to guarantee me against all 
 injuries to my property by reason of my participation 
 in the confederacy of 1806, I finally determined to em- 
 bark with you, and have thereby sustained damage to the 
 amount of $50,000, of which sum I now demand $15,000, 
 payable at New Orleans or Philadelphia, in August next. 
 The respective sums you have paid already in part dis- 
 charge of your written obligation, I believe, $12,500, 
 together with the $15,000 now required, will leave a 
 balance of $22,500, which you may, if you please, adjust 
 by your obligation, on receipt of which, if required, I 
 will dismiss my demand against Mr. Burr by suit in 
 Philadelphia. 
 
 Here, sir, you perceive is a demand instituted on the 
 guarantee of the good faith of a gentleman, who can 
 never plead specially thereto but out of a court of honor. 
 Within that jurisdiction, he must acquiesce or rely on the 
 
REMEMBRANCERS. 535 
 
 general issue. Your adjusting this affair in the manner 
 proposed, I would, at a certain period of our acquaint- 
 ance, have suffered no man to question ; but the cruel, 
 cold-blooded indifference with which you have so many 
 years beheld a distressed family, in vain endeavoring to 
 collect some fragment of the property embarked and 
 wrecked in the voyage you had insured, without acquit- 
 ting the debt of your guarantee — such a demeanor, sir, 
 naturally obliges me, as a further and final result of all 
 my labors and deliberations that relate to you to submit 
 to your reflections, other motives of action besides those 
 already offered. These are certainly of a character and 
 complexion I regret it should be my lot to exhibit to the 
 public. To you, however, it belongs to say whether they 
 shall remain shrouded within the sanctuary of your 
 own breast, or stalk forth the heralds of the private trea- 
 son and public perjury they will proclaim infallibly to the 
 honest Democratic electors of South Carolina, who would 
 thence remove you from the chair of their assembly with 
 a different kind of zeal from that through which they 
 placed you in it. Yes, sir, I submit it to your discretion, 
 to keep concealed from your friends and from your coun- 
 try that led you to take part in our confederacy, which 
 you pledged yourself to me to back with all your prop- 
 erty, worth, as you stated, 200,000 guineas, to join and 
 support us at New Orleans, at the head of 2,000 to 
 3,000 men, to leave with me, besides your oral and writ- 
 ten guarantee of indemnity for all my losses, a private 
 cipher, the inscrutable vehicle of our correspondence ; 
 afterward, to commit the shabby treason of deserting from 
 your parent by affinity, and your sovereign in expectancy ; 
 
536 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and then, finally, in your letters to your Governor, to 
 vilify your father-in-law, and perpetrate an open perjury 
 by publicly denying all privity or connection with his 
 views or projects. Assuredly, sir, a picture of this kind, 
 on which I have occasionally worked during the last four 
 years, can not, you must imagine, be viewed by your 
 Democratic friends with less horror than a death's head 
 in a phantasmagoria ; and yet, after all my labors, I feel 
 no wish to exhibit it to vindicate my character in associ- 
 ating with Mr. Burr and yourself in the judgment of the 
 mobility of the low people, or to appease the impotent 
 vindictiveness of Mr. Jefferson and his miserable parti- 
 sans. The fact is, I have survived all the labors of body 
 and mind imposed upon me by the evil genius of Jeffer- 
 son and of Burr, except the remaining one of exposing 
 both. 
 
 But I must bequeath to my children and friends a 
 memorial of that honor, loyalty and courage, to which 
 you and I made our first offerings on entering into the 
 association, but which you did not follow with me in 
 the expedition ; such a remembrance, containing sketches 
 of Mr. Burr's cabinet and correspondence with myself 
 and other associates; the history of my interviews and 
 consultations with Mr. Alston, relative to Mr. Burr's 
 designs upon New Orleans and Mexico, with ample 
 references to letters and other rare and original docu- 
 ments, that will be lodged in Charleston or Philadelphia, 
 for the inspection of the curious, — the whole, sir, is now 
 ready for the press, but shall not be sent away for pub- 
 lication until you shall have failed to announce your com- 
 pliance with the engagements of honor herein required 
 
listen ! 537 
 
 of you, by forwarding a credit for $15,000, payable as 
 before mentioned, and accompanied with your obligation, 
 or some other equivalent proposal, for adjusting the 
 balance. Now, sir, to conclude, you may gather from 
 what you have read, that I hold myself bound by no 
 obligations of secrecy to any one who has broken faith 
 with me, provided the disclosure work no injury to an 
 innocent third person. That you may have full notice, 1 
 have no objection, in apprising you of the nature and 
 design of the proposed publication ; but to give you an 
 opportunity of keeping it out of view, by discharging 
 the debt of honor you have contracted, whereby, in doing 
 an act of justice, you will prevent the necessity of my 
 selling to the public that detail of infamy and falsehood 
 which you should exclusively purchase ; that your past 
 experience of my principles and temper will guarantee 
 the sincerity of these sentiments, and to exemplify this 
 assurance, I promise you, that whether the demand I have 
 made upon you be complied with or not, I will, at any 
 time after publishing my book, which shall be suppressed 
 or expedited by your determination, promptly attend to 
 any call you may think proper to make upon me. 
 
 I have to add, that I have no doubt of my book's 
 producing $10,000, if you do not think proper to prevent 
 its appearance. Should you decide in the negative, you 
 may rest assured I shall not, to save the trouble of smelt- 
 ing, abandon the ore I have extracted, with such expense 
 of time and labor from the mines, both dark and deep, 
 not, indeed, of Mexico, but of Alston, Jefferson and Burr. 
 I send, besides the original, a duplicate and triplicate of 
 this letter ; namely, one directed to Columbia, one to 
 
538 THE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Charleston, and the third to Georgetown. This is done 
 with a view, by lessening the chances of my letters' mis- 
 carrying, to expedite your answer, for which I shall wait 
 double the time necessary to bring it to me in the regular 
 course of the mails. 
 
 I am, sir, your most obedient servant, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 Col. J. Alston. 
 
 The success of his new undertaking animated Blenner- 
 hassett in the hope of reclaiming his losses in a very 
 short time. Such, indeed, would have been the result 
 had not the war of 1812, and the embargo which fol- 
 lowed, put a decided check to our commercial transac- 
 tions. Produce, of every description, immediately fell in 
 price, until the commodity would scarce pay the expenses 
 of marketing. A bare subsistence, therefore, was all he 
 could promise himself, until a termination of hostilities 
 between the contending nations. 
 
 But misfortunes seldom come singly. It was but a 
 short time previous that he had heard of the fate of his 
 island residence, rented by him to one of his Belpre" 
 friends, but who was afterward dispossessed by the Ken- 
 tucky creditor. As the beauty of the grounds had been 
 entirely destroyed, and the mansion itself much injured, 
 through carelessness and neglect, it had lost its primitive 
 attractions, and was now regarded as a mere convenience 
 in farming. In the year 1811, the tenant raised an un- 
 usual quantity of hemp, which was stored in one of the 
 wings of the building. On a very cold night, several of 
 the slaves, who had been permitted to visit their Virginia 
 
KINDNESS. 539 
 
 friends, overturned the boat in which they were return- 
 ing, and one of their number was drowned. Suffering 
 under intense cold, they proceeded to the cellar where 
 the spirituous liquors were kept, to obtain the stimulus 
 for counteracting the ill effects of their accident. Pass- 
 ing through the entrance of the hemp-room, to which 
 the stairway led, by accident they communicated the 
 flame of the candle to the hemp, and, in a few moments, 
 the destroying element was beyond their control. Stupid 
 with astonishment, at the awfulness of the spectacle in 
 the darkness of the night, they neglected to apprise the 
 inmates, who would all doubtless have perished, had not 
 some one of them fortunately awakened in time to give 
 the alarm. Escaping, with nothing biit their night- 
 clothes and a few articles of furniture, they beheld with 
 awe this beautiful mansion, which, but a few years previ- 
 ous, had been the abode of peace and happiness, adorned 
 with all that could embellish or beautify its appearance, 
 rapidly reduced to a mass of ruins. 
 
 From Joseph 8. Lewis. 
 
 Philadelphia, March 26th, 1811. 
 
 Dear Sir: — Your favor of 27th ult. has just reached 
 me, and it affords mo much pleasure in hearing from you. 
 It would be very gratifying if it were often er. I regret 
 extremely that you should be thrown back by want of a 
 sufficient capital to work your estate to the best advan- 
 tage, and I should be extremely happy in offering you an 
 increase of the credit sometime ago granted you ; but 
 
540 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 even that credit is very inconvenient, in consequence of 
 the uncommon situation of the time-!. Owing- to the 
 charter of the United States Bank having expired, and 
 the severance of our intercourse with England, a total 
 stagnation of business has occurred, and we want all our 
 means to make ourselves comfortable, when our stores 
 are overloaded with goods, etc. Your cotton we have 
 not been able to sell a bale of, and our advances for you, 
 at this moment, are about $8,000. Under all these cir- 
 cumstances I can not encourage you to draw any further, 
 but certainly I will not dishonor those already drawn, 
 and which you have advised as payable at September and 
 January next, and the one to Capt. Vidal of $700, rely- 
 ing that you will, as early as possible, send your cotton 
 down to our friends at New Orleans, with orders to sell 
 it, or send it round here as soon as they can, as we may 
 meet some chance of selling it ; and you may be assured, 
 that whenever I can do it, I will extend the credit, 
 
 I hope you may succeed in making a sale of your 
 Island. I have recently heard from Mr. "Woodbridge, 
 who was in town a few days ago, that your house on the 
 Island was burned down, and it happened in consequence 
 of Miller having stored it with hemp, which took fire 
 from a candle taken in by a negro woman. I most 
 heartily regret this circumstance, which must injure the 
 value of the property ; but I should conceive Miller was 
 liable in having done what his lease could not authorize, 
 making a storehouse of a dwelling. As to Alston, there 
 seems no chance of a recovery from him. 
 
 Your letter for Dominick I will send to him ; he con- 
 tinues in good health, and is improving in his studies. 
 
BUSINESS. 541 
 
 Mrs. L. and my family are all well. I hope you will be 
 able to make your arrangements in such a way as will 
 enable us to see personally that you and Mrs. B. are so 
 too. Present my best respects, and believe me ever 
 Yours, Jos. S. Lewis. 
 
 Philadelphia, June 21st, 1811. 
 
 Dear Sir : — Your favors have all been replied to. We 
 have not been able to dispose of your cotton, and the 
 price is nominally thirteen cents. We see no better pros- 
 pect for what is to come, and we therefore recommend 
 your sending your new crop to Amory Callender, New 
 Orleans, with orders to sell it at once, and remit us as 
 soon as they can. Our political affairs do not promise 
 us much amendment in the article of cotton, and the 
 sooner, therefore, it can be turned into money the better. 
 Dominick is well, and improves in his studies considera- 
 bly. Your cotton here is still on hand. 
 
 Jos. S. Lewis & Co. 
 
 September 7th, 1811. 
 
 We see no prospect of a rise in the cotton, and would 
 willingly sell yours at twelve cents, if to be had, for 
 there is no use in keeping it. Jos. S. L. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Philadelphia, Dee. IZth, 1811. 
 Bear Sir : — Your esteemed favor of 19th ult., dated at 
 Natchez, reached us yesterday, and affords us pleasure to 
 
542 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 learn that you and your family were recovering from 
 your sickness, which has been so generally fatal upon the 
 Mississippi this year. On the score of confidence in you, 
 we should not decline to accept your bills for any reason- 
 able sum, in addition to what we are already in advance, 
 but these are not times when we can do so without very 
 great inconvenience. Business generally is suspended, 
 and the usual facilities of procuring money are cut off. 
 In fact, two years ago, the advance of $6,000 could not. 
 have been so inconvenient as $1,000 now. Our advance 
 now is about $13,000, and taking into view your cotton 
 here, and what we may receive of your next crop, the 
 whole will not amount to $3,600, and this will be a long 
 time first. Under these circumstances, we have con- 
 cluded not to accept your last bill of $600 to W. Jackson 
 & Co., although the alternative is extremely painful to 
 us ; but as there seems a prospect of making sale to Mr. 
 Anthony, of your Island, we shall immediately write to 
 him, and if it should seem likely the business can be con- 
 cluded in a reasonable time, we will take care that your 
 bill shall not go back. We have given as a reason for 
 non-acceptance, that it is for Avant of advice. After 
 offering your cotton upon every occasion for sale, with- 
 out effect, and seeing no prospect of a favorable result by 
 keeping it longer, we have concluded to ship it to Liver- 
 pool, and have put it on board the ship United States,' 
 which being intended for your interest, we have no doubt 
 you will approve. With respect to the present crop, we' 
 recommend you to direct to Messrs. Amory, Callender & 
 Co., to make sale of it immediately, and remit at once to 
 us, or, if they can not do tins, to lose no time in shipping 
 
HOPE DAWNING. 548 
 
 it to Liverpool, consigned to Messrs. Leigh & Shellock. 
 Here, it will not sell for more than at New Orleans. Our 
 brother in New York sold a large parcel last week at 10J 
 cents. We see no prospect of an improvement in cotton 
 while the continent is shut. England has now two years 
 supply on hand, and unless this market is opened to her 
 manufactories, cotton will go down. Dominick is in 
 excellent health, and very contented with his situation. 
 With our best respects to your good lady, and our sincere 
 regards for yourself, we remain, 
 
 Your friends, Jos. S. Leavis & Co. 
 
 From, the House of Jos. 8. Lewis $ Co. 
 
 December 1st, 1811. 
 Agreeably to our annual custom, we wait on you with 
 your account to this date, showing a balance in our favor 
 of $12,150 T 3 5 o- We also inclose you, on account of the 
 charges on your cotton, which we have shipped by the 
 United States, amounting to $909 T 2 n 7 ff, which is included in 
 the above balance. We have no reply to our letter to 
 Mr. J. C. Anthony, concerning the Island. 
 
 December Slst, 1811. 
 Your esteemed lines of 1st instant I received on Sun- 
 day, and should be very sorry that our private corres- 
 pondence should be suspended on account of the state of 
 our mercantile affairs. It is true, the advance is particu- 
 larly inconvenient just now, but I hope soon to hear of 
 your crop reaching New Orleans, and if your correspond- 
 ent there ship it at once to Liverpool, it may do well, as 
 
544 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the article lias risen by the last accounts, and I hope we 
 shipped yours by the United States at a favorable moment. 
 
 Jos. S. Lewis. 
 
 February 22d, 1812. 
 
 My dear Friend : — Your few lines of 11th ult., accompa- 
 nying a letter to the house, lies before me. No circum- 
 stance for a long time has given me as much pain as the 
 necessity of staying my hand from any further uncovered 
 advances to you ; but I am satisfied, however distressing 
 it may be to you, that you have correctness of mind suffi- 
 cient to estimate the true reason, and not feel offended at 
 the circumstance. Dominick is well, but has not been in 
 town since his Christmas holidays. I trust Avhat the 
 House have proposed will meet your object, and afford 
 you relief. J. S. Lewis. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 Philadelphia, Feb. 22d, 1812. 
 Dear Sir: — Your favor of 11th January has reached 
 us only yesterday, and its perusal has caused us some very 
 unpleasant feelings, in the reflection of your situation, as 
 you now paint it. We would willingly make any sacri- 
 fice in reason to help you, but the reasons which induced 
 the refusal of your bill still operate, and with our capital 
 locked up with you, and more largely in other places, we 
 have not the means, without great inconvenience, to ad- 
 vance further. The bill of $600 has gone back, and is 
 now too late to help it, or Ave would go that step further ; 
 but we will do this : Send your cotton to our friends at 
 
GOOD ADVICE. 545 
 
 New Orleans, with orders to sell the same, if it will bring 
 a price that you think enough, and if it will not, to ship 
 it immediately to Messrs. Leigh & Shellock, of Liverpool, 
 and you may, on its arrival at New Orleans, draw upon 
 us for two-thirds of whatever our friends say would prob- 
 ably be the net proceeds of the cotton if sold at the cur- 
 rent price at that time at New Orleans. This, it appears 
 to us, will relieve you, and, at the same time, make us a 
 small payment on account. Your cotton will probably net 
 you 12 cents, which, on 40,000 lbs., is $4,800, two-thirds 
 of which is $3,200, which is about the sum you have 
 stated as being wanted by you to meet your debts and 
 provide for family expenses. You have never mentioned 
 to us what quantity of ground you hold, and the number 
 of your negroes which would be a satisfaction to us to 
 know, that in case of accident to you, these would be 
 something for your family, as well as lor us. 
 
 We have corresponded with Mr. J. C. Anthony, and 
 prepared to meet him at Washington, to complete the 
 contract. We inclose you copies of his letters to us, by 
 which you will see you are very wide in your idea of the 
 value of the Island ; we should think that money is 
 worth more to you than any rise in the property will ever 
 realize, and if lie comes near your mark, should accept 
 the offer. 
 
 As to the removal of Dominick, on account of the cost 
 of his education, that is quite out of the question, and no 
 more need be said on that business. 
 
 Tt will afford us the highest gratification to learn that 
 the plan proposed meets your view, and will answer your 
 
 purpose. 
 
 35 
 
546 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 "We hope for better times, which will enable you to 
 resume that feeling of independence which you so much 
 enjoy ; and, in the mean time, we remain, very sincerely, 
 Your friends, J. S. Lewis & Co. 
 
 H. Blennerhassett Esq. 
 
 We are informed, by his biographer,* that, after the 
 trial at Richmond, Colonel Burr, believing that the polit- 
 ical situation of Europe afforded opportunities for ac- 
 complishing the object he had long contemplated, of 
 emancipating the Spanish American colonies from the 
 degrading tyranny of Spain, conceived the design of 
 soliciting the aid of some European government in such 
 an undertaking, and that with these views he sailed from 
 New York for England on the 7th of June, 1808. 
 
 During the first three months of his residence in Lon- 
 don, he made various unsuccessful efforts to approach the 
 English Government, but there were two obstacles in the 
 way, both of which were insuperable. The Spaniards 
 were then resisting the invasion of Napoleon ; and 
 the enthusiasm of the British nation in favor of the 
 Spanish patriots, as well as the policy of the British 
 Government, were absolutely opposed to any scheme for 
 separating the colonies from Spain. "But, in addition to 
 this obstacle," continues his biographer, "Colonel Burr, 
 from the moment of his landing in England, was an 
 object of suspicion and distrust to the Government.'' 
 
 He afterward visited Edinburg, where he remained for 
 several months; but the suspicions of the Government 
 
 Matthew L. Davis's Memoir of Burr, Vol. II, p. 412 
 
COOL TREATMENT. 547 
 
 becoming daily more aroused, lie was peremptorily or- 
 dered back to London by Lord Melville. Here he was 
 seized, conveyed to Stafford Place prison, and bis papers 
 searched. After an imprisonment of two days, he was 
 set at large, with orders to quit the kingdom; but, linger- 
 ing for a few days, he received a more decided mandate 
 from Lord Liverpool to leave London on the following 
 day, and the kingdom in forty-eight hours. 
 
 In April, 1800, be embarked from Harwich for GTotten- 
 burgh. On leaving England, bis future movements 
 seemed undetermined, lie was unwilling, says bis biog- 
 rapher, to renounce the projects which carried him to 
 Europe, and all hope from England being ended, he 
 looked next for aid to ISTapoleon, whose policy, from the 
 resistance of Spain and the preponderancy of the British 
 navy, was now in favor of the independence of the Span- 
 ish American colonies. He finally resolved to wait in 
 Sweden until he received advices from America, and then 
 proceed to Paris, to communicate with the Emperor. 
 From Sweden he passed through Germany to Paris, vis- 
 iting Hamburgh, Hanover, Saxe-Gotha, Weimar and 
 Frankfort. He arrived in Paris in February, 1810. 
 Here be made a long and unsuccessful attempt to obtain 
 an audience of the Emperor. He attributed bis failure 
 to the unfavorable representations of Talleyrand and the 
 United States Minister. Several months of neglect and 
 inattention, at length, discouraged him, and he resolved 
 to return home. But here again an unforeseen difficulty 
 presented itself. On applying for a passport to the 
 United States, he Avas informed by the police that he 
 could not have one to go out of the empire. After four 
 
548 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 mouths' detention, during which time he had exhausted 
 his entire means, lie addressed a memorial to Napoleon, 
 praying permission to return home. This also passed 
 without notice. He next addressed notes to Jonathan 
 Russell, American charge d'affaires at Paris, and Mr. 
 McRae, the American Consul, for a certificate of citizen- 
 ship. Russell thus harshly replies : " The man who 
 evades the offended laws of his country,abandons, for the 
 time, the right, to their protection. This fugitive from 
 justice, during his voluntary exile, has a claim to no 
 other passport than one which shall enable him to sur- 
 render himself for trial for the offenses with which he 
 stands charged ; such a passport will Mr. Russell furnish 
 to Mr. Burr, but no other." 
 
 His situation seemed one of almost hopeless despair. 
 In his diary of November 25th, 1810, he writes: "Noth- 
 ing from America, and really I shall starve. Borrowed 
 three francs to-day. Four or five little debts keep me 
 constantly in alarm — altogether, about two Louis." 
 
 " December 1st, 1810. — Came in upon me this morning, 
 just as I was out of bed, for twenty-seven livres. Paid 
 him, which took literally my last sous. When at Denous, 
 thought I might as well go to Pelasgie ; set off, but 
 recollected I owed the woman who sits in the passage 
 two sous for a cigar ; so turned about to pursue my way 
 by Pont des Arts, which was within fifty paces; remem- 
 bered I had not wherewith to pay the toll, being one 
 sous ; had to go all the way round by the Pont Royal, 
 more than half a mile." * 
 
 * Davis's Memoirs of Burr, Vol. II, pp. 423-4. 
 
CORRESPONDENCE. 549 
 
 At length, in July, 1811, a ship being about to sail, in 
 ballast, he received permission to return. He arrived at 
 Amsterdam in August, and, after a delay of a month, 
 embarked for the United States ; but the vessel in which 
 he sailed was captured by an English frigate and carried 
 into Yarmouth. The Vigilant, for such was its name, 
 and the effects of her passengers were taken possession 
 of by the Government ; and as Burr had paid for his 
 passage, and was reduced in funds, he found it necessary 
 to remain for a time in England. Finally, on the 6th of 
 March, 1812, he sailed in the ship Aurora, and arrived in 
 New York in June, 1812, just four years after his depart- 
 ure from America. 
 
 Blennerhassett having instituted proceedings against 
 him at New Orleans, during his absence, to recover some 
 securities which had been pronounced available, ami, 
 learning of his arrival, addressed him a communication 
 upon the subject, when the following correspondence 
 occurred : 
 
 New York, March Stk, 1813. 
 
 Sir : — Your letter of the 24th January has been some 
 days in my hands, and I have been searching but in vain 
 for something to enlighten me as to the nature of the 
 action which you would propose to bring against Wilkins, 
 etc. No objection, however, occurs to me against making 
 the assignment you ask. When you shall inform me of 
 the grounds of the proposed suit, if they shall appear to 
 me to be well founded, and not calculated to produce a 
 reaction on myself, it is probable I may accede to your 
 
550 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 wishes without delay, not, however, with any reservation 
 of an interest as you have proposed. 
 
 I am, sir, your obedient, A. Burr. 
 
 To Aaron Burr. 
 
 La Cache, Port Gibson, April 16th, 1813. 
 
 Sir : — Perceiving you seem disposed to assign to me 
 your interest in the contract you entered into with \Vil- 
 kins and Morrison, in 1806, provided "I can enlighten 
 you as to the nature of the action I would bring against 
 them," I hasten to acquaint you that I should prefer 
 suing them directly, in the character of your assignees, 
 for the amount of the advance you made to them, in bills 
 rendered negotiable by my indorsement, to the contingent 
 recovery I might obtain against them as garnishees in a 
 suit already instituted at New Orleans. 
 
 Copies of the contract, and of the receipt of Wilkins 
 and Morrison for $15,000, in bills, shall be forwarded to 
 you, and if you think proper, without delay, to transmit 
 me a properly authenticated assignment of all your 
 claims for the above advance, and for damages on account 
 of the non-fulfillment of the contract, I will order the 
 present suit commenced against you at New Orleans to 
 be dismissed. As your letter of the 8th ult. appears to 
 have been dictated by a spirit of accommodation, permit 
 me now, sir, to test its character by suggesting that I 
 have no view "to reaction " upon you in whatever opera- 
 tions I may essay to obtain some indemnity for my losses. 
 These, Governor Alston may have stated to you, I esti- 
 mate at $50,000, of which his Excellency has already 
 
THREATS. 551 
 
 reimbursed, I believe, $12,500, and it is very probable 
 nothing short of the publication of my book, hitherto 
 postponed only by sickness, will bring me any part of 
 the balance so long sought in vain from his honor and 
 engagements. His well-earned election to the chief ex- 
 ecutive office of his State, and your return from Europe, 
 will, however, now render the publication more effective 
 than it would have been prior to these events, and it will 
 be expedited within three months from this date, if all 
 other means of indemnity fail within that period. I 
 would still agree to accept from any other source $15,000, 
 in lieu of the balance I claim of $37,500, and, of course, 
 withhold the book, which is entitled, "A Review of the 
 Projects and Intrigues of Aaron Burr, during the years 
 1805-6-7, including therein, as parties or privies, Thos. 
 Jefferson, Albert Gallatin, Dr. Eustis, Gov. Alston, Dan. 
 Clark, Generals Wilkinson, Dearborn, Harrison, Jackson 
 
 and Smith, and the late Spanish Ambassador, , 
 
 exhibiting original documents and correspondence hith- 
 erto unpublished, compiled from the notes and private 
 Journal, kept during the above period ; by II. Blenncr- 
 hassett, LL. B ; " with this motto, which will find appli- 
 cability in every page of the book: "It is only the Phi- 
 losopher who knows how to mark the boundary between 
 celebrity and greatness." 
 
 You will now, sir, I hope, perceive distinctly upon 
 what terms I would execute a general acquittance to 
 Gov. Alston and yourself. I have long since abandoned 
 every chance of reimbursement from either of you, un- 
 less I should succeed in forcing the object through the 
 
552 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 alarms of his Excellency, or the fears and interest of other 
 characters. I have only to add, respecting those of Wil- 
 kins and Morrison, who have pocketed the money with- 
 out a consideration, that as an action would not lie by 
 me against them, the credit having moved from you to 
 them, after it had passed from me to you, it is therefore 
 I have applied for the assignment desired, which would 
 enable me to sue them directly, which I should prefer to 
 continuing the suit now pending against yourself. Be 
 pleased, sir, to inform me whether Gen. Jackson is or is 
 not indebted to you in a balance of $l,726 T 6 o 2 o, as is stated 
 on the face of an open account in his own hand-writing. 
 While he was here with his militia, I had him summoned 
 as a garnishee to the Circuit Court of Adams county, 
 where having made default, if he does not personally ap- 
 pear at the next October term, I understand judgment 
 will go against him for $5,000, that being the sum sworn 
 to in the affidavit on which the attachment was issued. 
 From, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 H. Blennerhassett. 
 
 From Mr. Emmett. 
 
 New York, August 24th, 1815. 
 Dear Blennerhassett : — I hope, and am willing to 
 believe, that a letter I wrote you now some four or five 
 years since, and which remains unanswered, was never 
 received by you. It was directed in the same way as 
 this, and the uncertainty of its fate makes me wish I 
 knew a more safe and sure direction. I can not, how- 
 
T. A. EMMETT. 553 
 
 ever, permit the inclosed,* which I have recently received 
 from Ireland, to go forward without accompanying it by 
 a few words from myself. 
 
 Mr. Berwick has written to me alsq, and so far as I can 
 judge, considering your situation, and the almost impos- 
 sibility of your pursuing your claim, I think the proposal 
 contained in his letter very advantageous. It is very sel- 
 dom that an opportunity occurs here of learning any par- 
 ticulars respecting individuals in your part of the world ; 
 but I have been led to hope that you have found it pleas- 
 ant and profitable to yourself and family ; and I assure 
 you few persons would more rejoice at your prosperity 
 than myself. 
 
 Mrs. Emmett presents her best compliments to you, 
 and joins in sincere regards with, dear Blennerhassett, 
 Yours affectionately, Tuos. Addis Emmett. 
 
 * The letter inclosed by Mr. Emmett, was from Mr. Berwick, a solicitor 
 in Dublin, who was engaged to collect information respecting a property 
 in Ireland, called the Bawn estate, to which Blennerhassett was entitled 
 in right of his descent from the Haruian family. 
 
554 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Most, if not all, of the characters involved in the en- 
 terprise of Burr have passed from the theater of life; 
 their acts are left to the anxious scrutiny of an impartial 
 posterity. The sanctity of the sepulcher should cover 
 their remains with the mantle of charity. But an ac- 
 count of the origin, and a relation of the circumstances 
 attending the event, may not be unacceptable to the 
 readers of the present day, and will prove a theme of 
 historical interest to those who follow us. 
 
 The disaffection which had existed in the West, al- 
 though greatly diminished by the failure of the designs 
 of the French minister, had never been entirely recon- 
 ciled. The zeal of the Spanish emissaries received but a 
 temporary cheek in the abortive attempt of "Wilkinson 
 and Miro. Wilkinson was yet a pensioner of Spain, and 
 an officer of rank in the American army. Miro had been 
 gratified in his long-cherished wish to return to the 
 mother country, and the Baron de Carondelet had suc- 
 ceeded to the government. 
 
 In the year 1795, Governor Gayoso ascended the Mis- 
 sissippi with a detachment of the King's troops, destined 
 to erect and garrison the fort of San Fernando de las 
 Barancas. Thence he proceeded to New Madrid, and 
 held an interview with Don Thomas Portell relative to 
 
PLANS. 555 
 
 the affairs of the western country. It was resolved 
 to send Thomas Power with important dispatches to 
 General Wilkinson. Power had twice before been in- 
 trusted with similar important missions. In 1794, he had 
 penetrated Kentucky as a Spanish spy on the movements 
 of Genet, and had also accompanied the captive Span- 
 iards, who had robbed and murdered Owen, the bearer 
 of six thousand dollars from the Spanish Government to 
 Wilkinson, it being the pension granted by the Court at 
 Madrid to him and other Spanish-American emissaries in 
 Kentucky. 
 
 Power proceeded up the river in a pirogue, as far as 
 Red Banks, whence he diverged across the country to 
 Cincinnati, and, after numerous delays, occasioned by 
 sickness, reached Lexington on the 8th of October. Here 
 he found Wilkinson, to whom he delivered his dispatches 
 and the verbal messages which had not been committed 
 to writing. As yet, Power had been but partially admit- 
 ted to the secret, but Wilkinson now disclosed the whole 
 design, which embraced a separation of the Western 
 from the Eastern States. 
 
 As a means of effecting this, among other plans, it was 
 proposed that the mouth of the Ohio should be formida- 
 bly fortified ; that the works to be erected should be of 
 sufficient strength to arrest the progress of an army for 
 an entire campaign ; that in its construction Kentuckians 
 only were to be employed — this, it was presumed, would 
 dissipate national prejudices and patronize the citizens of 
 the respective governments. The manufacture of neces- 
 sary ordnance was to be carried on in the district of 
 Kentucky. The establishment of a bank, with a capital 
 
556 THE 15LEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 of one million of dollars, the directors of which were to 
 be chosen from the most distinguished and leading men 
 of the country, was expected to wield an irresistible influ- 
 ence over the public councils and private sentiments of 
 the Territory. Money was to be conveyed by packing it 
 in barrels of coffee or sugar, unknown to the parties 
 transporting it, and effectually concealing it from public 
 observation. Under no circumstances was the fort of 
 San Fernando to be surrendered by Spain, as such an act 
 would lessen her importance and invite the rapacity of 
 the American Government. As the seeds of approaching 
 rupture had already been sown, it was important that 
 additional fortifications should be erected, and an in- 
 creased number of Spanish agents distributed through 
 the disaffected districts, with a sufficiency of funds for 
 any and every emergency. General Clark and his ad- 
 herents, who were involved in the intrigues of the French 
 and in the pay of the French Republic, were to be trans- 
 ferred to the service of Spain, with promises of greater 
 emoluments, and equal participation in benefits. New 
 Madrid was designated as a depositary for the munitions 
 of war, of which an adequate supply was to be kept 
 always on hand. 
 
 Power was directed by Wilkinson to proceed to the 
 French settlement, at Gallipolis, to sound the disposition 
 of the people, who, it was conjectured, were favorable to 
 the measure, and were willing to proclaim their inde- 
 pendence whenever, by concert of action, on the part of 
 other districts, the act should be deemed available. From 
 thence he was to proceed to Red Bank, where he should 
 meet Sebastian, Innis, Murray and Nicholas, whom he 
 
HOSPITALITY. 557 
 
 was to convey to the mouth of the Ohio, where Gayoso 
 was iu waiting to receive them. 
 
 Having performed this mission, Power again reached 
 New Madrid, where, purchasing a pirogue for the accom- 
 modation of his companions, toward the beginning of 
 December, he set off for the Red Banks. 
 
 On his arrival he found Sebastian only, as Innis had 
 been detained at home through indisposition; Nicholas, 
 through fear that his absence from court might occasion 
 suspicion ; and Murray, in consequence of his habits of 
 dissipation, rendering him incompetent for business. 
 Sebastian had already engaged a passage in a flat-boat, 
 and the two set out for the mouth of the Ohio. Here 
 they found Gayoso encamped on the opposite bank of 
 the river, where he had been amusing himself in con- 
 structing a small triangular fort, more for the purpose 
 of eluding suspicion than from any necessity the occasion 
 demanded. Wilkinson's dispatch, in cipher, was delivered 
 by Power to Gayoso ; a conference between Sebastian and 
 himself was held ; and, after a detention of several days 
 by rain, the whole party descended to Natchez, where 
 they were hospitably entertained by Gayoso at the Gov- 
 ernment House. 
 
 Sebastian had been invested with plenary powers to 
 co-operate with Gayoso in perfecting the plans of Wil- 
 kinson and his Spanish associates. Power proceeded in 
 advance to New Orleans, whither he was soon followed 
 by the Governor and Sebastian. 
 
 The succeeding spring, the latter, accompanied by 
 Power, sailed for Philadelphia, to reconnoiter the route 
 across the Alleganies. Proceeding as far as Shippens- 
 
558 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 burg, they placed their baggage in a wagon, and con- 
 tinued their journey to Red Stone on foot. Here they 
 embarked in a flat, bound to Cincinnati, where they 
 arrived about the middle of May. At this point the two 
 separated, Sebastian descending to Louisville and Power 
 proceeding to Greenville, then the head-quarters of Wil- 
 kinson. 
 
 Wilkinson had but recently learned of the arrival, at 
 New Madrid, of a large sum of money, forwarded from 
 the authorities in Louisiana, and requested Power to pro- 
 ceed immediately thither, and have the same safely 
 delivered in Kentucky. Power, having satisfactorily 
 performed the mission, by delivering it to Philip Nolan, 
 the accredited agent of the General, returned to New 
 Orleans. * 
 
 But Power was not destined long to remain inactive. 
 He had proven himself an adroit and energetic agent, 
 and stood high in the estimation of the Spanish Govern- 
 ment. In 1797, he was again intrusted with a similar 
 mission to Kentucky. Among others, he presented his 
 scheme to George Nichols, an attorney at Lexington, 
 who, Wilkinson had informed him, was favorable to 
 Spanish interest. But no sooner had he disclosed his 
 designs than Nichols rebuked him for his impertinence, 
 and spurned the idea of receiving foreign gold. Power, 
 finding but little encouragement in Kentucky, sought an 
 interview with Wilkinson, then at Detroit. He was 
 received by the General with cold civility; nay, with 
 haughty abruptness. This was in public. In private he 
 
 * Wilkinson's Memoirs, Vol. II, Appendix No. 45. 
 
INSTRUCTIONS. 559 
 
 whispered, " we are both lost, without being able to de- 
 rive any advantage from your journey." Rumor had 
 connected him with the Spanish intrigue. Power was 
 known as a Spanish spy, and Wilkinson had been often 
 observed in conference with him. His complicity with 
 the authorities of Louisiana had been the subject of a 
 communication from Wayne to Washington; and Elli- 
 cott, the commissioner, was instructed to watch him. 
 Through the medium of a person in the service of the 
 Governor-General, Ellicott had learned of the mission of 
 Power, and of the instructions with which he was 
 charged. As they disclose a plan similar, in many re- 
 spects, to that of Burr, and as there is now but little 
 doubt that it was, at least, suggestive, it is here inserted 
 for future illustration. After stating the ostensible object 
 of his visit to be the adjustment of the difficulties and 
 securing the delay of the Spanish Government, in sur- 
 rendering to the United States of the forts of Walnut 
 Hills and Natchez, under the second article of the treaty, 
 Of which fortifications Wilkinson had previously advised 
 the Baron de Carondolet he was preparing to take forci- 
 ble possession, the instructions proceed : 
 
 " The second object of your commission, which no one 
 must penetrate, and for which reason you must retain in 
 your memory, is to sound and examine the disposition of 
 the people of the Western States, whose militia, it is 
 reported to me, has received orders to march on the 
 first advice; and, in case that be true, you will inform the 
 commandant of H"ew Madrid of it, by the first oppor- 
 tunity you find. But, in order not to render yourself 
 suspected, you will content yourself with putting the 
 
560 ' THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 date of your letter at the bottom, and will only treat of 
 indifferent subjects. If hostile preparations are making, 
 you will put before your signature a stroke like that 
 which freemasons use, and which you see at the bottom 
 of this letter ; the number of dots above will designate 
 that of thousand men, and that below, the hundreds of 
 which this expedition is to be composed. You will point 
 out the number of pieces of artillery by a number of 
 points placed in your nourish, according to your custom, 
 the points on the left signifying tens, and those on the 
 right units. This letter will be immediately sent me by 
 the commandant of 'New Madrid, in consequence of the 
 orders I shall give him. On your journey, you will give 
 to understand adroitly, to those persons to whom you 
 will have an opportunity of speaking, that the delivery 
 of the posts, which the Spaniards occupy on the Missis- 
 sippi, to the troops of the United States, is directly op- 
 posed to the interests of those on the West, who, as they 
 must one day separate from the Atlantic States, would 
 find themselves without any communication with Lower 
 Louisiana, from whence they ought to expect to re- 
 ceive powerful succor in artillery, arms, ammunition and 
 money, either publicly or secretly, as soon as ever the 
 Western States shall determine on a separation, which 
 must insure their prosperity and their independence ; that 
 for this same reason, Congress is resolved on risking 
 every tiling to take these posts from Spain ; and that it 
 would be forging fetters for themselves to furnish it with 
 militia and means which it can only find in the Western 
 States. These same reasons diffused abroad, by means 
 of the public papers, might make the strongest impres- 
 
ANTICIPATIONS. 561 
 
 sion on the people, and induce them to throw off the 
 yoke of the Atlantic States ; but, at the very least, if we 
 are able to dissuade them from taking part in this expe- 
 dition, I doubt whether the States could give law to us, 
 with such troops alone as they have now on foot. 
 
 " If a hundred thousand dollars, distributed in Ken- 
 tucky, could cause it to rise in insurrection, I am very 
 certain that the minister, in the present circumstances, 
 would sacrifice them with pleasure; and you may, with- 
 out exposing yourself too much, promise them to those 
 who enjoy the confidence of the people, with another 
 equal sum to arm them, in case of necessity, and twenty 
 pieces of field artillery. You will arrive without danger, 
 as bearer of dispatches for the General, where the army 
 may be, whose force, discipline and dispositions you will 
 examine with care; and you will endeavor to discover, 
 with your natural penetration, the General's disposition. 
 I doubt that a person of his character would prefer, 
 through vanity, the advantage of commanding the army 
 of the Atlantic States to that of being the founder, the 
 liberator, in fine, the Washington, of the Western States. 
 His part is as brilliant as it is easy. All eyes are drawn 
 toward him. He possesses the confidence of his fellow- 
 citizens and of the Kentucky volunteers. At the slight- 
 est movement the people will name him the General of 
 the New Republic; his reputation will raise an army for 
 him, and Spain, as well as France, will furnish him the 
 means of paying it. On taking Fort Massac, we will 
 send him, instantly, arms and artillery; and Spain, limit- 
 ing herself to the possession of the forts of Natchez and 
 Walnut Hills, ns far as Fort Confederation, will cede to 
 36 
 
562 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the Western States all the eastern hank to the Ohio, 
 which will form a very extensive and powerful republic, 
 connected by its situation and by its interest with Spain, 
 which, in concert with it, will force the savages to become 
 a party to it, and to confound themselves in time with its 
 citizens. The public is disconcerted with the new taxes; 
 Spain and France are enraged at the connections of the 
 United States with England ; the army is weak and de- 
 voted to Wilkinson ; the threats of Congress authorize 
 me to succor, on the spot and openly, the Western States ; 
 money will not then be wanting to me, for I shall send, 
 without delay, a ship to Vera Cruz in search of it, as 
 well as of ammunition. Nothing more will consequently 
 be required but an instant of firmness and resolution to 
 make the people of the West perfectly happy. If they 
 suffer this instant to escape them, and that we should be 
 forced to deliver up the posts, Kentucky and Tennessee, 
 surrounded by the said posts, and without communica- 
 tion with Lower Louisiana, will ever remain under the 
 oppression of the Atlantic States. 
 
 " If you represent forcibly these reasons to Wilkinson, 
 Sebastian, La Casagne, etc., and if you diffuse these no- 
 tions among the people, gaining by promises, which shall 
 be fully realized, the best writers, as Breckenridge and 
 others, you will be able to effect the most fortunate and 
 most glorious commotion; you will cover yourself with 
 glory, and you may expect the most brilliant fortune; if, 
 on the contrary, you should fail in this commission, it 
 will not deprive me of the opportunity of obtaining for 
 you, from the minister, an appointment which will render 
 you independent of hatred or jealousy." 
 
RECEDING. 563 
 
 When Wilkinson, therefore, found himself publicly 
 approached by Power, he conceived it prudent to dissem- 
 ble, to cast from himself any suspicions which this visit 
 of Power might have occasioned. Hence he informed 
 him that the Executive had given orders to the Governor 
 of the North-West Territory to arrest him, and scud him 
 to Philadelphia; that there was no other resource of 
 escape but by permitting himself to be conducted under 
 guard to Fort Massac, and from thence to New Madrid. 
 With reference to the Baron's instructions he said, that 
 the project was chimerical; that the inhabitants of the 
 Western States, having obtained by treaty all they de- 
 sired, would not wish to form any other political or com- 
 mercial alliances ; that they had no motive for separating 
 themselves from the interests of the other states of the 
 Union, even if France and Spain should make them the 
 most advantageous offers; that the fermentation which 
 had existed four years back was then appeased ; that the 
 depredations and vexations which American commerce 
 suffered from the French privateers had inspired them 
 with an implacable hatred for their nation ; that some 
 of the Kcntuckians had proposed to him to raise three 
 thousand men to invade Louisiana, in case war should be 
 vied ared between the United States and Spain; that the 
 latter had no other course to pursue, under the circum- 
 stances, but comply with the recent treaty which he de- 
 clared had overturned all his plans, and rendered useless 
 the labors of more than ten years. As tor himself he 
 had destroyed his ciphers, and burned his correspondence 
 with the Spanish Government; that duty and honor did 
 not permit him to continue it, and that the Governor of 
 
564 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Louisiana ought not to be apprehensive of his abusing 
 the confidence which he had placed in him. He added, 
 that Spain, by delivering up to the United States the ter- 
 ritory of Natchez, might, perhaps, name him governor 
 of it, and that then he would not want opportunities to 
 take more effectual measures to comply with his political 
 projects.* 
 
 These facts disclose the continued complicity of "Wil- 
 kinson with the Spanish Government, long after his ap- 
 pointment as Brigadier-General of the American' forces 
 in the West, and at and after the death of Wayne, upon 
 which event he became Commander-in-chief. 
 
 A descent upon Mexico, on the part of many of the 
 Spanish American settlers, was a subject of secret agita- 
 tion during a period of years prior to the cession of 
 Louisiana to France. "The emigration from the west- 
 ern part of the United States," writes Don Luis de Pen- 
 alvert y Cardenas, Bishop of Louisiana, in 1799, " and 
 the toleration of our government, have introduced into 
 this colony a gang of adventurers who have no religion, 
 and acknowledge no God. They have made much worse 
 the morals of our people, by their coming in contact with 
 their trading pursuits." 
 
 " The adventurers I speak of have scattered themselves 
 over the districts of Attakapas, Opelousas, Ouachita and 
 Natchitoches, in the vicinity of the province of Texas, in 
 New Spain; they employ the Indians on their farms, 
 have frequent intercourse and conversation with them, 
 and impress their minds with pernicious maxims, in har- 
 
 * Wilkinson's Memoirs, Vol. II, p. 54. 
 
PRECAUTIONS. 565 
 
 mony with their own restless and ambitious temper, and 
 with the customs of their own western countrymen, who 
 are in the habit of saying to such of their boys as are 
 distinguished for a robust frame, while patting them on 
 the shoulder, ' you will be the man to go to Mexico.' "•* 
 
 Since the year 1785, the United States had aimed at 
 taking possession of Natchez and all the Territory which 
 had been assigned to them by the treaty of 1783. Spain 
 had persistently opposed the measure, and, through her 
 emissaries in the western provinces of the Union, and her 
 protracted negotiations, had succeeded in suspending the 
 hostilities with which she was afterward threatened. 
 Until the year 1797, she successfully eluded the claims 
 of the American Government, when she was compelled 
 to accede to its demands, in order not to expose herself 
 to the loss of the whole of Louisiana. 
 
 As the Americans had now become in possession of 
 the new frontiers, it became more than ever urgent to 
 secure to the Spanish Government an effectual barrier 
 for the protection of Mexico. There were two ways sug- 
 gested by which this object was to be accomplished ; f 
 first, to establish in Louisiana a population sufficiently 
 large to defend her against any aggression ; second, to 
 form a union with Kentucky and the other districts of 
 the West, with the obligation, on their part, to serve as a 
 rampart against the United States. 
 
 * Gayarre's Hist. Louisiana, Vol. III. p. 408. 
 
 f M. de Pontalba to the First Consul of the French Republic— Gayarre, 
 VoL III, p. 410. 
 
566 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 In a memoir addressed to the First Consul of France, 
 by M. de Pontalba, who had been directed to collect in- 
 formation on the resources of Louisiana, he says : " All 
 this proves that the only commercial outlet for their pro- 
 duce is the Mississippi ; that Louisiana can never cease to 
 be the object of their ambition, as they depend on her in 
 the most absolute manner; that their position, the num- 
 ber of their population, and their other means, will ena- 
 ble them to invade this province whenever they may 
 choose to do so ; and that, to preserve her, it is necessary 
 to conciliate and control them by keeping up intelligences 
 with the most influential men among them, and to grant 
 them privileges until this province be sufficiently strong 
 to defend herself with her own resources against the tor- 
 rent which threatens her. Should its waters be let loose, 
 there is no doubt but that they would sweep every thing 
 on their passage; for the Kentuckians, single-handed, or 
 allied with the inhabitants of the neighboring districts, 
 may, when they choose, reach New Orleans with twenty 
 or thirty thousand men, transferred on large flat-boats, 
 which they are in the daily habit of constructing, to carry 
 their produce to market, and, protected by a few gun- 
 boats, loaded with more provision than they need. The 
 rapidity of the current of the Ohio, and of the other 
 waters which discharge themselves into it, makes it an 
 easy undertaking; and the paucity of their wants would 
 accelerate its execution. A powder-horn, a bag of balls, 
 a rifle, and a sufficient provision of flour — this would be 
 the extent of their military equipment. A great deal of 
 skill in shooting, the habit of being in the woods and of 
 
EXPECTATIONS. 567 
 
 enduring fatigue — this is what makes up for every de- 
 ficiency."' * 
 
 Again, he remarks, " what entitles Louisiana to pecu- 
 liar attention is the fact of her being a port in the Gulf 
 of Mexico, where no other power than Spain has any ; 
 but what gives her still more value is, her position in 
 relation to the kingdom of Mexico, whose natural barrier 
 is the Mississippi. 
 
 " It is necessary to make this barrier an impenetrable 
 one. It is the surest means of destroying forever the 
 bold schemes with which several individuals in the United 
 States never cease filling the newspapers, by designating 
 Louisiana as the high road to the conquest of Mexico, 
 particularly ever since the occurring of differences with 
 regard to its limits." 
 
 Pontalba advised that peace should be observed be- 
 tween France and the United States ; for otherwise the 
 inhabitants of the West would precipitate themselves 
 upon Louisiana, and wrest it by force from the dominion 
 of France. This, he declared, had been the policy of 
 Spain since 1797. " It was assisted in this policy," he 
 says, "by a powerful inhabitant of Kentucky,! wno P os " 
 sesses much influence with his countrymen, and enjoys 
 great consideration for the services lie has rendered the 
 cause of liberty when occupying high grades in the army 
 of the United States; who, from that time, has never 
 ceased to serve Spain in all her views, and who will 'put 
 the same zeal at the command of France, because he thinks, 
 
 * Gayarre's History of Louisiana, Vol. Ill, p. 410. 
 t General Wilkinson. 
 
568 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 with reason, that an intimate union between her and 
 Louisiana is more advantageous to his country, Ken- 
 tucky, than its present relation with the United States." * 
 
 M. de Pontalba discloses the fact that he also had been 
 in secret conference with Wilkinson, who had imparted 
 to the French agent his knowledge of the policy and 
 designs of Spain, and his own complicity with the Span- 
 ish authorities. " This individual," he continues, " whose 
 name I shall not mention, in order not to expose him, 
 but which I shall make known when his services are 
 Avanted, came to New Orleans in 1787. He informed the 
 Spanish Government of the state of tilings then existing 
 in Kentucky and the adjoining districts, and of the efforts 
 which the inhabitants of those provinces were making to 
 obtain their independence and the free navigation of the 
 Mississippi. He also declared that there was a general 
 disposition among the people to place themselves under 
 the protection of Spain, should Congress refuse to do 
 justice to their claim. 
 
 " It is on that refusal that this inhabitant of Kentucky 
 had founded all his hopes, and, in that case, he had 
 offered to declare himself the vassal of his Catholic Ma- 
 jesty. He proceeded as such to give information of all 
 that the inhabitants of that region would undertake for 
 or against Louisiana, in order to increase our strength. 
 It was with this disposition he went back." 
 
 In a note at the bottom of the manuscript he adds: 
 "Four times, from 1786 to 1792, propositions were made 
 to Kentucky and Cumberland to attack Louisiana ; and 
 
 * Gayarre's History of Louisiana, Vol. Ill, p. 414 
 
WILKINSON. 569 
 
 every time this same individual caused them to fail, 
 through his influence over his countrymen. I make 
 these facts known to show that France must not neglect to 
 enlist this individual in her service ." * 
 
 A minute detail of events, which occurred subsequent 
 to these transactions, and prior to the organization of the 
 Burr expedition, belongs more particularly to the province 
 of history. Taken in connection with the facts afterward 
 developed, they point unerringly to Wilkinson, as the 
 author of that famed event. From the year 1787 to 
 within a brief period preceding the movements of Burr, 
 he has been shown to have been closely allied to the in- 
 terests of the Spanish crown. He had not only secretly 
 advocated disunion, but was undoubtedly a pensioner of 
 the Spanish Court. From his intimacy with the affairs 
 of Louisiana, and the designs of Spain and the French 
 Republic, his intelligence upon all subjects involving the 
 interests of either, was seldom surpassed by those of their 
 own officials. A life of restless activity, an intimacy with 
 the inhabitants, both of the western country and Lou- 
 isiana ; a thorough knowledge of the topography of the 
 country and the routes which penetrated the Spanish 
 dominions ; a lust for power and position, with an unholy 
 ambition for wealth, at the sacrifice even of honor, in- 
 tegrity and patriotism ; a cultivated talent for intrigue 
 and a dissembler in national diplomacy, with a spirit of 
 adventure, which time had not subdued, and surrounded 
 by restless spirits, to whom war was preferable to repose, 
 he stood unrivaled as a leader of predatory incursions 
 and revolutionary leagues. 
 
 Gayarre's History of Louisiana, Vol. Ill, p. 414. 
 
570 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 He was known to bo the intimate friend and companion 
 of Burr. They had served in the revolutionary strug- 
 gles together. On the fatal occasion of the fall of Ham- 
 ilton, he had been among the first to rally to the support 
 of the declining popularity of his early associate. He 
 had spent the winter preceding the close of Burr's Vice- 
 Presidency, at Washington, and secured his agency in 
 procuring the governorship of Louisiana. He had held 
 secret counsels with him, introduced to his acquaintance 
 many of his personal friends, and, as Burr repeatedly 
 alleged, detailed to him all the information he possessed 
 respecting Mexico, and pointed out the facilities which 
 would probably be offered by the inhabitants in effecting 
 a revolution. As has been related in a former chapter, 
 on his first visit to the West, Burr visited Wilkinson, by 
 whom he was most graciously received, and furnished 
 with letters of introduction to many of the energetic and 
 influential characters of the South and West. 
 
 The project of a dismemberment of the Union, and the 
 annexation of the trans- Allegany Territory to Louisiana, 
 can not therefore be said to have originated with Burr. 
 It was a subject of almost constant agitation in the coun- 
 try for more than fifteen years prior to his undertaking, 
 and, at one time, embraced many leading supporters in. 
 the West. Nor was the invasion of Mexico a startling- 
 proposition, now for the first time advanced, for it too 
 had its advocates, and preceding the purchase of Louis- 
 iana, by the United States, might have been successfully 
 carried into execution. 
 
 There was another scheme, however, which had but 
 recently before been originated, and which, perhaps, aided 
 
MIRANDA. 571 
 
 more than all others in giving it vitality and setting it 
 on foot. 
 
 The provinces of South America had long felt a desire 
 to resist the authority of Spain. Miranda, a bold and 
 energetic leader, with other of his fellow-patriots, had 
 conceived the design of overthrowing the Spanish dy- 
 nasty, and establishing, on its ruins, an independent 
 republic. He hoped to procure, as allies, in tins hercu- 
 lean undertaking, both the United States and Great 
 Britain. With that view, he visited this country, in 
 1797— "8, and sought the acquaintance of the most distin- 
 guished Americans. Knox and Hamilton, who stood 
 high in influence and official station, favored his project. 
 He afterward proceeded to England, and presented 
 himself to the British ministry. They entered into his 
 views. The ^proposition was that the United States 
 should furnish ten thousand troops, and, in that event, 
 the British Government agreed to supply the necessary 
 funds and ships to carry on the expedition. From sev- 
 eral communications addressed by Miranda to General 
 Hamilton, it appears that the auxiliary land forces were 
 to be exclusively American, and that of the navy, Eng- 
 lish. The enterprise would, doubtless, have proceeded, 
 had not the elder Adams, who was at that time Presi- 
 dent, declined entering into the arrangement. 
 
 At the period of the commencement of the expedition, 
 various favorable circumstances rendered the undertak- 
 ing apparently auspicious. The difficulties with Spain, 
 before alluded to ; the restlessness and disaffection of 
 many of the officers and soldiers of the regular army in 
 the West, who had become tired of a life of inactivity 
 
572 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and ease, where there were no amusements to while 
 away their vacant hours, nor fields of battle from whence 
 to pluck the never-fading laurels of conquest ; a lack of 
 harmony, not only between the civil and military author- 
 ities, but in the ranks of the military themselves ; all 
 these considerations might well have flattered Burr that 
 the fates were favorable to the adventurer. " Indeed, I 
 fear treachery has become the order of the day," writes 
 General Jackson to Claiborne. " There is something 
 rotten in the state of Denmark." The facetious McKee, 
 in a communication to Wilkinson, remarks : — " Your 
 letter found me far gone in the blue devils, doubting 
 whether I had better expatriate myself, and try my for- 
 tunes amid the storm now gathering in Europe ; how- 
 ever, nil disperandum Tcucro duce auspice Teucro. I'll 
 remain here till X'mas." 
 
 An extensive correspondence with various distinguished 
 characters of the country, assured Burr of their counte- 
 nance and co-operation, in the event of a war with Spain. 
 Wilkinson writes him, under date of October, 1805 : " I 
 fear Miranda has taken the bread out of your mouth." 
 Wilkinson's regular force consisted only of about six 
 hunded men, around which the followers of Burr were 
 to form. These, in fact, were the only disciplined corps 
 relied on. It is said the commander had pledged him- 
 self to strike the blow, whenever it should be deemed 
 expedient. All that was wanting, with him, was a pre- 
 text for the commencement of hostilities against Spain. 
 " On his suggestion, Daniel Clark twice visited the coun- 
 try. He held conferences, and effected arrangements, with 
 many of the principal military officers, who engaged to 
 
INTRIGUE. 573 
 
 favor the Revolution. The Catholic Bishop, resident at 
 New Orleans, was also consulted, and prepared to pro- 
 mote the enterprise. He designated the priests of the 
 order of Jesuits as suitable agents, and they were accord- 
 ingly employed. The bishop was an intelligent and 
 social man. He had been in Mexico, and spoke with 
 great freedom of the disaffection of the clergy in South 
 America. The religious establishments of the country 
 were not to be molested. Madam Xavier Tarjcon, su- 
 perior of the Ursuline nuns at New Orleans, was in the 
 secret. Some of the sisterhood were also employed in 
 Mexico. So far as any decision had been formed, the 
 landing was to have been effected at Tampico." * 
 
 Daniel Clark engaged to advance, for the purpose of 
 the expedition, $50,000 ; but, being disappointed, was 
 unable to furnish it. Murray, the British Plenipotentiary, 
 resident in the United States, was consulted on the sub- 
 ject. He communicated to his Government the projecl 
 of Burr. Col. Williamson, the brother of Lord Balgray, 
 was dispatched to England on the business ; and, from 
 the manner of his reception and the encouragement he 
 received, it was expected that a British naval squadron 
 would have been furnished for the enterprise. 
 
 But of all the devices which his ingenuity suggested, 
 there was none so startling as his intrigue with the Span- 
 ish minister. Spain, although having surrendered her 
 dominion in Louisiana to France, who, in turn, had ceded 
 that Territory to the United States, still held possessions in 
 Florida. She yet cherished her old resentments against 
 
 Davis's Memoirs of Burr, Vol. II, p. 382. 
 
574 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the American Government, and would have willingly co- 
 operated to effect a severance of the Union. A protracted 
 and angry correspondence between the plenipotentiaries 
 of both governments had given rise to much acrimony 
 of feeling ; and an open rupture, if not an immediate 
 resort to arms, seemed almost inevitable. It was at this 
 juncture of affairs that Burr, having become familiar 
 with her former intrigues through "Wilkinson, dispatched 
 De Pestre, his confidential agent, to Yrujo, the Spanish 
 minister, offering the services of himself and followers to 
 the cause of the Spanish crown. Proposals were made 
 that Spain should furnish the means and arms, while the 
 forces were to be supplied by Burr. 
 
 Yrujo, however, learning, in the mean time, that so far 
 from aiding the cause of his Spanish master, it was 
 merely a device to procure the means and arms to wrest 
 from the possession of the crown its possession in Mexico, 
 withdrew his aid before the negotiations were entirely 
 completed. 
 
 " This evening," says Blennerhassett, " De Pestre spent 
 an hour with me, which was passed in a more detailed 
 view of his past concerns with Burr. lie gave me a de- 
 scription of the manners and character of Yrujo, who 
 is reconfirmed in his embassy to this country, in spite of 
 all the efforts of the Government for his removal. This 
 minister is, according to De Pestre's portrait of him, a 
 shrewd politician, who pierced the cobweb tissue of 
 Burr's intrigue with him at a single glance. Though he 
 assured De Pestre, who was charged in Kentucky, last 
 October, with a special mission to him, that had Burr 
 opened his designs with frankness, and really projected 
 
MISREPRESENTATIONS. 575 
 
 a severance of the Union, and nothing hostile to the 
 Spanish provinces, he, Burr, might have had an easy 
 resort to the Spanish treasury and its arsenals, while his 
 confidence would have been safely lodged in the honor 
 of a Spanish nobleman. But Yrnjo laughed at the awk- 
 wardness with which Burr endeavored to make his de- 
 sign on Mexico, and expressed his concern for De Pestre's 
 having lost his time in such a service." 
 
 Burr was much mortified and annoyed at the penetra- 
 tion of his intended victim, and at the time of his em- 
 barrassments on the Mississippi, by Wilkinson, declared, 
 in the presence of Smith and Blenncrhassett, that De 
 Pestre should be hung for his ineffectual negotiations. 
 
 Twice, as we have seen, Burr visited the West. Wher- 
 ever he went he spoke disrespectfully of the Government 
 of his country, with the view to facilitate the consumma- 
 tion of his own designs. He represented it as destitute 
 of energy to support or defend our national rights against 
 foreign enemies, and of a spirit to maintain our national 
 character; that, in fact, we had no character at home or 
 abroad. To those in whom he confided, he asserted, that 
 all men of property and influence were dissatisfied with 
 its arrangements, because they were not in a proper situ- 
 ation, to which they were entitled ; that with five hun- 
 dred men he could effect a revolution, by which he could 
 send the President to Monticello, intimidate Congress 
 and take the government of the United States into his 
 own hands; that the people of the Union had so little 
 knowledge of their rights, and so slight an inclination to 
 maintain them, that they would tamely acquiesce in this 
 shameful usurpation. This was addressed to the inhab- 
 
576 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 itants of the East. In the West, lie sought to arouse 
 their old and long-cherished prejudices. He told them 
 they were in a state of colonial dependence on the Atlan- 
 tic States, and annually paid millions to the Government, 
 from which they derived no benefit, nor received protec- 
 tion, in return. He urged that a severance of the Union 
 was necessary, and must inevitably take place ; that this 
 would not be effected by the operation of natural or of 
 moral and political causes, but as determined by a chain 
 of events ; that the destiny of the Republic was fixed, 
 and that this resolution would be accomplished in less 
 than two years. To the world at large, and to those with 
 whom he had not tampered, the object of his enterprise 
 was held forth as a settlement of the Bastrop lands. To 
 some, intimations were dropped of an approaching rupture 
 with Spain, against whose provinces the expedition was 
 intended ; and the conquest of Mexico was alluded to. 
 To a few only his real design was developed ; but to all, 
 he said, there was a great scheme in view ; that the en- 
 terprise was a just and honorable one, known and ap- 
 proved by the . Government, in which the co-operation 
 of the army was to be expected, in which great wealth 
 was to be acquired, and that it would be fully disclosed 
 at the proper time. 
 
 Such were the preparations : — a plan well matured, and 
 auguring success, in the event of a war with Spain ; for 
 upon this event alone, let it be remembered, had his prin- 
 cipal force consented to join the expedition. As soon, 
 however, as intelligence had been received, that such sat- 
 isfaction had been rendered, on the part of the Spanish 
 Government, as to obviate the necessity of a resort to 
 
LOSING GROUND. 577 
 
 arms, many of the warmest advocates of the plan aban- 
 doned their former designs, and turned their attention to 
 scenes less dazzling but more productive of substantial 
 enjoyment. "I had written a great deal," says McKee, 
 "about recruiting in Tennessee, about cutting and slash- 
 ing and packing dollars, and enjoying otium cum digni- 
 tate, but ' all our differences being settled with Spain' knocks 
 all my Utopia to the devil ! " 
 
 Burr had dreamed too long of the wealth and splendor 
 of the halls of the Montezumas, to resign their captivat- 
 ing pleasures for the tamer scenes of a government in 
 which he was becoming daily more unpopular; and 
 which, he now conceived, viewed his actions with un- 
 grateful suspicions. For years had he cherished the 
 hope of investing himself with the regal power of that 
 ancient kingdom, and transmitting its crown to his latest 
 posterity. For the realization of this, had he sacrificed 
 the comforts of home ; traversed the States to the ex- 
 tremes of Florida; often traveling through pathless wil- 
 dernesses, sometimes without shelter, and occasionally 
 without food, alluring to his standard men of every 
 grade, prompted by every motive of action. 
 
 Confident of the aid of Wilkinson, and the forces un- 
 der his command, he continued his exertions, after every 
 prospect of a war with Spain had ceased. Whatever 
 motive may have influenced the subsequent conduct of 
 that officer, there is but little doubt that he had given 
 Burr the most indubitable assurance of his firm adhesion. 
 In the vagueness of conjecture, charity would, indeed, 
 suggest such reasons for the change, as usually actuates 
 the soldier and the patriot ; but, unfortunately opposed 
 37 
 
578 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 to this conclusion, is his demand of the Spanish viceroy, 
 of the sum of two hundred thousand dollars, " for great 
 pecuniary sacrifices, in defeating Btfrr's plans, and, Leon- 
 idas-like, throwing himself in the pass of Thermopylae." 
 
 Notwithstanding the suspicions with which his move- - 
 ments were observed by the Government, the acts of the 
 Ohio legislature, and his arrest in Kentucky, Burr still 
 persisted in his measures, giving confidence to his follow- 
 ers by his unflinching determination. Even the procla- 
 mation of the President, and of the several Governors 
 within the respective States and Territories along his 
 route, could not deter him. But, when he was informed 
 that the measures adopted by the government for his 
 arrest were through the advice and at the instance of 
 Wilkinson ; that he had not only proved treacherous by 
 exposing the scheme and magnifying its object, but was 
 the chosen instrument for his arrest ; that courage, which 
 had before characterized his actions, completely aban- 
 doned him ; then, and not till then, did he sink under 
 the accumulated difficulties which beset his path. 
 
 He was arrested, tried and acquitted, " but his country 
 refused to believe him innocent. Though stout old Trux- 
 ton had testified in his favor; though Jackson had seen 
 nothing wrong in Burr's project, the popular voice con- 
 tinued to regard him as a traitor, whom accident alone 
 had prevented from dismembering the Union. 
 
 " The real secret of the popular belief is to be found in 
 the character of Burr. In him, the elements which make 
 great and good men were strangely mixed up with those 
 which we may suppose the spirits of evil to pride them- 
 selves. He was brave, affable, munificent, of indomitable 
 
JEFFERSON. 579 
 
 energy, of signal perseverance. In his own person, he 
 combined two opposite natures. lie was studious, but 
 insinuating; dignified, yet seductive. Success did not 
 intoxicate, nor reverse dismay him. Turning to the other 
 aspect of his character, these great qualities sunk to 
 insignificance, beside his evil ones. He was profligate in 
 morals, public and private ; selfish and artful ; a master 
 in dissimulation, treacherous, cold-hearted. Subtle, in- 
 triguing, full of promise, he shot upwards in popularity, 
 with astonishing velocity ; but a skeptic in honesty, a 
 scorner of all things noble and good, he failed to secure 
 the public confidence, and fell headlong from his dizzy 
 eminence. Here lies the secret of his ruin. There was 
 nothing in his character to which the great heart of the 
 people could attach itself in love; but they shrank from 
 him, in mistrust, as from a cold and glittering serpent. 
 The public rarely errs in an estimate like this." 
 
 It has been alleged of Mr. Jefferson, that he was 
 privy to Burr's arrangements ; and that they were tacitly 
 assented to by him. In viewing the various circum- 
 stances, particularly the conduct of the President himself, 
 it would at first appear that such an allegation was not 
 altogether groundless. Burr had been a formidable rival 
 in his master-struggle for the Presidency. It had re- 
 quired thirty ballotings to decide the question between 
 them, and Jefferson's final success was owing to a com- 
 promise of the members of the Senate, by which the 
 votes of Vermont, Delaware and Maryland were with- 
 drawn from the opposition, through no particular prefer- 
 ences for the latter, but to conciliate parties and bury in 
 silence the exciting topic. 
 
580 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The subject of the conquest of Mexico was daily con- 
 versed upon by the officers of the various Departments, 
 as is clearly established by the evidence on the trial. The 
 Spanish war was a theme of universal interest ; and, had 
 that event happened, what cared the President whether 
 the American forces paused on the banks of the Sabine, 
 or carried their arms into the heart of Mexico. Already 
 had arrangements been effected between the Government 
 and the Spanish officers of Louisiana and Florida, by 
 which those officers were to favor the Americans, in case 
 of a war, and rally under the standard of the forces of 
 the Union.* And such would, doubtless, have been the 
 
 * •' John Smith, a member of the United States Senate from Ohio, who 
 was arrested as an accomplice of Burr, in a conversation with his friends, 
 stated that, before the movements of Burr had attracted general notice, 
 Mr. Jefferson requested a confidential interview with him, Smith, at which 
 he inquired if he was not personally acquainted with the Spanish officers 
 of Louisiana and Florida. On being answered in the affirmative, he went 
 on to state, that a war with Spain seemed to be inevitable ; and that it was 
 very desirable to know the feelings of those men toward the United States, 
 and whether reliance could be placed on their friendship, if a war should 
 take place between the two countries. At the same time, he requested him 
 to visit the country, with reference to that object. Mr. Smith stated that 
 he did visit the country, as requested; and that, on his return, he re- 
 ported to Mr. Jefferson that the governor, the inferior officers, and the in- 
 habitants generally, were not only friendly, but were desirous of attach- 
 ing themselves to the United States. This was in the summer preceding 
 the ' war message' against Spain, which was sent to the two Houses of 
 Congress, in December, 1805. Although the message was confidential, it 
 soon became known to the diplomatic corps at Washington ; and the French 
 Ambassador was ordered, by his master, Napoleon, to inform the American 
 Government that France would take a part with Spain, in any contest she 
 might have with the United States. It is a matter of history, that, after 
 that notice, the project against Spain, communicated in the confidential 
 message, and referred to in the conversation with Mr. Smith, was aban- 
 doned ; and about the same time, measures were taken to stop the move 
 ments of Burr. — Burnet's Notes, p. 294." 
 
PROBABILITIES. 581 
 
 case, had a declaration of war boon proclaimed; but an 
 intimation from the French Ambassador, that the meas- 
 ure would call Napoleon to the aid of Spain, induced the 
 Government to abandon its designs, and arrest the opera- 
 tions of Burr. 
 
 But, whatever may be said to the contrary, it is hardly 
 to be presumed that any treasonable designs were known 
 to the President; at least, no satisfactory evidence lias 
 ever been disclosed to implicate him with the movement. 
 Had a collision with Spain actually occurred, it is prob- 
 able no prosecution would ever have been instituted ; for, 
 in that event, American arms proving victorious, Spanish 
 domination would have been swept from the continent of 
 the North, and the banners of Burr would have floated 
 proudly over the halls of the Montezumas. 
 
582 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 
 Ten years had passed rapidly away since the occur- 
 rences of the "Burr expedition." The prospect of re- 
 gaining his fortune became daily less flattering to Blen- 
 nerhassett. His means were insufficient to enable him to 
 procure a sufficient number of slaves to render the pro- 
 duction of cotton profitable. Hence he determined to 
 dispose of his Mississippi estate, and try his fortunes in 
 the growing metropolis of 'New York. An advertisement 
 of the sale describes his possessions as consisting of one 
 thousand acres of land, two hundred of which was under 
 cultivation ; a dwelling-house, orchard and cotton gin, 
 with many other improvements, within thirty-six miles 
 of "Washington, Mississippi Territory, and six from navi- 
 gation ; also, twenty-two negroes, the whole estimated at 
 the sum of $27,000. 
 
 From the proceeds of his sale he was enabled to satisfy 
 his clamorous creditors, and make a small investment in 
 the stocks of the banks of New York, to which city he 
 shortly after removed. 
 
 During the interval, from the time of his removal from 
 the Mississippi Territory until the year 1810, he has left 
 us no record of his history. The Duke of Richmond, an 
 old schoolmate, had been recently appointed Governor of 
 Canada. He had heard of the misfortunes of his friend, 
 
" TUE DESERTED ISLE." 583 
 
 and addressed him a communication tendering: his assist- 
 ance. Blennerhassett's legal attainments qualified him 
 for the duties of the bench, and, through the influence 
 of the Governor, he hoped to secure a judgeship in one 
 of the provincial courts. He accordingly removed to 
 Montreal in 1819, and resumed the practice of the law in 
 partnership with a Mr. Rossiter. Their success, however, 
 did not prove flattering. Clients were few, and, as it 
 appears from the correspondence which subsequently 
 passed between them, were not of that class which most 
 rapidly advance the fortunes of the profession. Blenner- 
 hassett entertained greater expectations of the bench than 
 of the bar, but no vacancy occurred in the judicial corps. 
 It was while here, with prospects of poverty and blighted 
 hopes thickening around them, that Mrs. Blennerhassett 
 wrote the following lines descriptive of the " Isle," her 
 former home. They are from the overflowing of a heart 
 which had passed through much sorrow, and are an 
 eloquent lament over the misfortunes and ruin of the 
 family and fortune of Blennerhassett : 
 
 "THE DESERTED ISLE." 
 
 Like mournful echo, from the silent tomb, 
 
 That pines away upon the midnight, air, 
 
 While the pale moon breaks out, with fitful gloom, 
 
 Fond memory turns, with sad but welcome care, 
 
 To scenes of desolation and despair, 
 
 Once bright with all that beauty could bestow, 
 
 That peace could shed, or youthful fancy know. 
 
 To the fair isle, reverts the pleasing dream. 
 Again thou risest, in thy green attire, 
 Fresh, as at first, thy blooming graces seem; 
 
584 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 Thy groves, thy fields, their wonted sweets respire ; 
 Again thou 'rt all my heart could e'er desire. 
 ! why, dear Isle, art thou not still my own ? 
 Thy charms could then for all my griefs atone. 
 
 The stranger that descends Ohio's stream, 
 Charm'd with the beauteous prospects that arise, 
 Marks the soft isles that, 'neath the glittering beam, 
 Dance with the wave and mingle with the skies, 
 Sees, also, one that now in ruin lies, 
 Which erst, like fairy queen, towered o'er the rest, 
 In every native charm, by culture, dress'd. 
 
 There rose the seat, where once, in pride of life, 
 My eye could mark the queenly river's flow, 
 In summer's calmness, or in winter's strife, 
 Swollen with rains, or battling with the snow. 
 Never, again, my heart such joy shall know. 
 Havoc, and ruin, rampant war, have pass'd 
 Over that isle, with their destroying blast. 
 
 The black'ning fire has swept throughout her halls 
 
 The winds fly whistling o'er them, and the wave 
 
 No more, in spring-floods, o'er the sand-beach crawis. 
 
 But furious drowns in one o'erwhelming grave, 
 
 Thy hallowed haunts it watered as a slave. 
 
 Drive on, destructive flood ! and ne'er again 
 
 On that devoted isle let man remain. 
 
 Too many blissful moments there I 've known , 
 Too many hopes have there met their decay; 
 Too many feelings now for ever gone, 
 To wish that thou couldst ere again display 
 The joyful coloring of thy prime array; 
 Buried with thee, let them remain a blot, 
 With thee, their sweets, their bitterness forgot. 
 
 And, oh ! that I could wholly wipe away 
 The memory of the ills that worked thy fall ; 
 
ADVERSITY. 583 
 
 The memory of that all-eventful day, 
 
 When I return'd, and found my own fair hall 
 
 Held by the infuriate populace in thrall, 
 
 My own fireside blockaded by a band 
 
 That once found food and shelter of my hand. 
 
 My children, oh ! a mother's pangs forbear, 
 Nor strike again that arrow to my soul ; 
 Clasping the ruffians in suppliant prayer, 
 To free their mother from unjust control, 
 While with false crimes and imprecations foul, 
 The wretched, vilest refuse of the earth, 
 Mock jurisdiction held around my hearth. 
 
 Sweet isle ! methinks I see thy bosom torn ; 
 Again behold the ruthless rabble throng, 
 That wrought destruction taste must ever mourn. 
 Alas ! I see thee now, shall see thee long ; 
 But ne'er shall bitter feelings urge the wrong, 
 That, to a mob, would give the censure, due 
 To those that arm'd the plunder-greedy crew. 
 
 Thy shores are warmed by bounteous suns in vain, 
 
 Columbia! — if spite and envy spring, 
 
 To blot the beauty of mild nature's reign, 
 
 The European stranger, who would fling, , 
 
 O'er tangled woods, refinement's polishing, 
 
 May find, expended, every plan of taste, 
 
 His work by ruffians render'd doubly waste. 
 
 " Misfortune having marked him for her own," Blen- 
 nerhassett's anticipated promotion was never realized. 
 Tlie caprieiousness of the British ministry had removed 
 from office the sympathizing friend, and he found him- 
 self cast hopelessly upon the world, at an advanced age, 
 without health, without energy, and almost destitute of 
 the means of a comfortable subsistence. 
 
586 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 As a last resort, he determined to prosecute a rever- 
 sionary claim still existing in Ireland, regarded by him 
 with indifference in his more affluent days, but which 
 now, in his destitute situation, recommended itself strong- 
 ly to his attention. Through the influence of friends, he 
 hoped also to obtain an office under the English Govern- 
 ment, by which he might the more readily gain the 
 means for conducting the suit. 
 
 Under these considerations he left the province of 
 Canada and sailed for Ireland, in 1822. As the receding 
 shores of the American continent were dimly shadowed 
 in the distance, he cast a glance toward the fading scene. 
 A recollection of the past was no pleasing retrospect. A 
 quarter of a century had passed since he had hailed those 
 shores, with buoyant hopes and joyful anticipations of 
 future happiness. To him, it was then a land wherein 
 was to be realized all that was lovely — all that was desira- 
 ble of earth — a land of freemen, with whom was the 
 abode of peace. Then, he was in the noontide of man- 
 hood ; blessed with health and a competency beyond his 
 wants. The smile of friendship, the marked and decorous 
 respect with which he was met, the welcome greeting — 
 all gave evidence of lasting enjoyment. But how mys- 
 terious are the dispensations of Providence toward the 
 children of men ! He had lived long enough to see every 
 one of those bright hopes perish ; his fortune had been 
 lost ; his health most seriously impaired ; and, to fill the 
 measure of unhappiness, he was branded, by public opin- 
 ion, with a design of overthrowing the liberties of that 
 government which had allured him across the Atlantic. 
 These were reflections gloomy in* the extreme, and still 
 
NO HOPE. 587 
 
 the future was not less cheerless. As the green fields of 
 his native isle broke upon his view, how like the Prodigal 
 Son, who had spent his substance in a foreign shore, did 
 he return to his fatherland. But for him, alas ! there 
 was no " plenty and to spare ; " no fatted calf was killed ; 
 no fond embrace of anxious friends. In the long space 
 of twenty-five years, how many changes had served to 
 break the ties which bound him to his childhood's home ! 
 As again he trod the fields of his former sports, memory 
 turned, with melancholy tenderness, to those boon com- 
 panions of his earlier years. Where, alas ! were they ? 
 Nought now remained to identify him with the past; 
 and he stood a stranger on his native land ! 
 
 On the next day after his arrival in Ireland, he called 
 upon his solicitor, Mr. Berwick, the gentleman referred 
 to in the letter of Mr. Emmett, to consult with reference 
 to the BaAvn estate, then in the possession of Lord Ross, 
 ci devant, Oxmantown.* But Dean Harman had been 
 dead for more than twenty years, and Blennerhassett's 
 
 * Lord Ross was formerly Sir Laurence Parsons, and was an able and 
 eloquent advocate of Emancipation in the Irish House of Commons. He 
 was not less a poet than an orator. Some effusions from his pen have 
 found their way into the standard history of his country, and are much 
 admired by his partisans, the United Irishmen. The following lines, from 
 his pen, are selected from " AVolfe Jones's Memoirs:" 
 
 " How long, Slavery ! shall thine iron mace 
 Wave o'er this isle, and crouch its abject race? 
 Full many a dastard century we 've bent 
 Beneath thy terrors, wretched and content. 
 
 " What though with haughty arrogance and pride 
 England shall o'er this long-duped country stride, 
 And lay on stripe on stripe, and shame on shame, 
 And brand to all eternity its name?" 
 
588 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 claim was barred by the statute of limitations. Besides, 
 Lord Ross was both wealthy and influential, and was not 
 disposed either to deliver up possession or suggest a 
 compromise. 
 
 Blennerhassett, on leaving Quebec, having inclosed his 
 will to his wife, she responded as follows : 
 
 From Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 Flatbush, July 29th, 1822. 
 
 Your dear and long-looked-for letter from Quebec 
 reached me a fortnight ago, and would have been much 
 more welcome without the melancholy memento that 
 accompanied it, though such precaution, I must confess, 
 is necessary where a family is concerned ; and I trust in 
 God we have yet two children worthy of all we can do 
 for them. Dominick * sailed three weeks ago for Savan- 
 nah, where he may, from all accounts, do well. As to 
 St. Domingo, that place is now out of the question, for 
 many reasons you may have heard respecting its present 
 situation. * * * * * * 
 
 You will be surprised to learn where I am now ; I there- 
 fore will endeavor to state every thing concerning us 
 since we parted, providing you have never received the 
 letter I wrote on leaving Troy, where I found it impossi- 
 ble to settle with either convenience or economy ; though 
 
 " 'T is right well done; bear all, and more, I say; 
 Nay, ten times more ; and then for more still pray ! 
 What State in something would not foremost be? 
 She strives for fame, thou for servility." 
 
 * Eldest son of Blennerhassett. 
 
ECONOMIZING. 589 
 
 Mr. Dickenson made every exertion in his power for my 
 accommodation. He then advised my coming to the 
 neighborhood of New York, and mentioned this place or 
 Greenwich. 
 
 I therefore came to Mr. Emmett for further advice, and 
 he thought this place would be best, and gave me a letter 
 to the Professor of the Academy here, who has been 
 very kind to me. I found boarding here very high, and 
 therefore engaged two rooms in a farm-house, at three 
 dollars a week, and have Harman* with me, who has 
 not, nor is likely to get, employment ; and I find, after 
 all the saving in my power, I can not maintain my two 
 children, Mary and myself, under ten dollars a week, in- 
 cluding every thing. * * * * 
 My dear kind friends, the Emmetts, have been my great- 
 est support. Could I tell you all the affectionate kind- 
 ness they have lavished on us, you would scarcely credit 
 even me. Mrs. Emmett was not in town when I first ar- 
 rived, but came in next day to see me. "We cried together 
 a long time, and Mr. Emmett said we were so foolish he 
 must leave us. I went out with them to the country, 
 where I spent three days. I did not wish to stay so long, 
 but Lewis was with me, and so delighted with the beauti- 
 ful place and all the attention he received, that I wished 
 to indulge him ; besides, I found Mrs. Emmett's advice 
 and consolation acted powerfully in restoring me to some 
 tranquillity; for never in my life have I been so com- 
 pletely wretched as since I parted from you. She would 
 not hear of my doing any thing in the way of gaining a 
 
 * Second son of Bleunerhassett. 
 
590 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 livelihood while any prospect remained of your prefer- 
 ment, but cheered me with hopes of your success. They 
 were then preparing to go on a visit to Potsdam, to their 
 daughter ; but Ilarman has seen them since, and told 
 them of my present plan, which they highly approve. 
 
 It is this : on finding what my expenses, at the lowest 
 calculation, amounted to here, I wrote to my sister to let 
 me know what we could get boarding for in Wilksbarre, 
 thinking, should you be detained any time, I might there 
 make out much longer than here. To this letter, written 
 a fortnight since, I have just received an answer. Sister 
 is delighted, and has engaged boarding at two dollars for 
 me and one for Lewis,* per week. As for Mary, I don't 
 know what they will charge ; for, intending to persuade 
 her to find a place here, I never mentioned her, and now 
 find it impossible to get rid of her. She positively de- 
 clares she will never leave me, nor suffer me to pay a 
 dollar for her traveling expenses ; she agrees only to let 
 me pay for her board, as she thinks my washing would 
 cost me as much. * * * * * 
 
 Mr. D. wrote to me to get Mr. Emmett to address a 
 recommendation to the Secretary of War for Harman ; 
 but no answer has been returned, and, from all accounts, 
 there are too many applicants for West Point to expect 
 success. Poor fellow ! he is one of the best children, 
 and the kindest of brothers. He managed Dominick as 
 if he had been an old man, and now labors hard in 
 teaching Lewis ; so he will not forget what he already 
 knows. You would be delighted to hear the Emmetts 
 
 * Third son of Blennerhaseett. 
 
DESPONDENCY. 591 
 
 praise him. Mrs. Emmett took me up to the top of the 
 house to show me the room she had prepared for him 
 when first he came, and complained of his not taking it. 
 Young Swartwout overpowers him with kindness, and 
 is, like many others, endeavoring to get him some em- 
 ployment, We shall set out for Wilksbarre in a few days. 
 * * * * This house is only three miles 
 
 from the bay ; and on a still night, when I could not sleep, 
 but listened to the roaring of the sea, O ! it was dreadful. 
 Poor Dominick, perhaps he is yet on it. God help me ! 
 I have lived too long, indeed, yet I still hope to be pre- 
 served to meet you again; and could I render the re- 
 mainder of your life happy, what matters all the present 
 sufferings I undergo. 
 
 Your affectionate wife, M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 As the biography of Blennerhassett is peculiarly en- 
 hanced in interest by his associations with this most 
 devoted companion, my readers will pardon a digression 
 which relates more exclusively to herself. 
 
 After the departure of her husband for Europe, Mrs. 
 Blennerhassett, with two of her sons, Harman and Lewis, 
 visited her sister, a Mrs. Dow, then residing at Wilks- 
 barre, Pennsylvania, where she remained until December, 
 1822. The separation from her husband, the limited 
 state of her finances, and the absence of her eldest son, 
 who was then in the South, and exposed to the diseases 
 of the tropics, had contributed to produce a state of de- 
 spondency from which she found it difficult to rail}'. To 
 add to her already overburdened distress, she received 
 information of the arrival in ISTew York of her unfortu- 
 
592 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 nate child, who had returned from Savannah, wrecked in 
 health, from an attack of yellow fever, and a penniless 
 wanderer in the streets of that crowded metropolis. He 
 had been liberally educated, and had prepared himself for 
 the practice of surgery. But through the indulgences of 
 his youth, he had contracted habits of dissipation, and 
 proved utterly incapable either of aiding his unfortunate 
 parents or of providing for his own necessities. The sad 
 history of her erring first-born son is thus feelingly 
 related by a mother, with whom many an aching heart 
 may mingle a sigh of sympathetic sorrow : 
 
 From Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 New York, March 12th, 1823. 
 My ever dear Husband : — Your letter of the 29th of 
 August, the first I have received since you sailed from 
 Quebec, brings with it sensations I can not describe. 
 After the dreadful despondency I have endured, for a 
 period longer than I could have ever conceived myself 
 capable, so extreme has been my wretchedness, that I 
 have often conceived myself sinking into a state that 
 promised a speedy termination of my sorrows : yet, as 
 often have I rallied again, and struggled against such 
 forebodings for the sake of my darling Lewis alone. 
 Another thing that has caused me more recently to hope, 
 was a communication from Mr. Dow, saying that he had 
 learned, by a letter from B. Stafford, that you had left 
 Ireland, and was in London, prosecuting a suit against 
 Lord Ross, in which it was generally thought you would 
 be successful. Here was, then, the dreadful fear of your 
 death removed, and though I had no idea that fortune 
 
BOARDING. 593 
 
 would ever again smile upon us, at least to any great 
 extent, I thought the celebrity of such a suit might be 
 favorable to your prospects in Canada. 
 
 I have only written once since my letter from Flatbush, 
 not knowing afterward where to direct. I remained at 
 Wilksbarre from the last of August to the 25th of De- 
 cember, when I was induced to come here, partly by the 
 hope of being more in the way of receiving your letters, 
 the cross mails being very uncertain, and partly, if pos- 
 sible, to save poor Dominick ; but I will not anticipate. 
 
 I wrote you that he had sailed for Savannah ; and, 
 endeavoring to discard him from my thoughts, I went 
 with Harman and Lewis to Wilksbarre. I placed the 
 former with Doctor Covel, a skillful and worthy Yankee, 
 who paid him great attention without, as yet, demanding 
 any remuneration; the latter had the benefit of a good 
 country school, which he attended regularly. Mary re- 
 sided with my sister, Mrs. Dow, where she did enough to 
 pay for her board, and washed for us. I obtained board 
 for the boys and myself at six dollars per week ; this 
 agreed with my finances, and I willingly endured the 
 canting and vulgarity of the people of Wilksbarre for 
 such advantages. But after getting my mind composed 
 on Dominick's account, having received two letters from 
 Savannah, saying he was doing well, his correspondence 
 suddenly ceased. Some ten weeks elapsed, when I re- 
 ceived another from New York, announcing his arrival 
 there in the most deplorable condition, after having 
 escaped, as he expressed it, burying his bones in the 
 sands of Savannah, where he had had a long and re- 
 peated attack of yellow fever. His life had been saved 
 38 
 
594 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 by a friendly physician ; but his protracted confinement 
 had involved him so in debt, that, when scarcely able to 
 walk, he shipped himself privately for New York, rather 
 than be taken to die, as he must certainly have done, in 
 jail. He had given his clothes and books to defray his 
 passage to ISTew York ; and, but for the humanity of an 
 Englishman, who is the keeper of a small tavern 'here, 
 might have lain down to rest in the streets of the city. 
 I wrote to Robert Enimett to give him twenty dollars out 
 of my half-year's dividend I had ordered to be paid to 
 him, with which request he complied, and answered me, 
 saying that his embarrassments prevented him from offer- 
 ing money, though Dominick had not communicated to 
 him his necessities. Afterward, I received another com- 
 munication from D., stating that he had determined no 
 longer to be a burden to me ; that he had gone to the 
 Navy- Yard, to enlist as a common marine, in hopes that, 
 by good conduct, he might be appointed to a good posi- 
 tion in the hospital ; but that on being referred to the 
 surgeon for examination, he was rejected, in conse- 
 quence of the critical condition of his health. Mr. Em- 
 mett had previously written me that D. was much 
 improved, and that he yet hoped he might do well. I 
 dreaded his enlisting, though the surgeon, on inquiring 
 his name, advised him against it, and promised his in- 
 fluence in having him appointed as an assistant; and, 
 though well aware you will blame me, I could not rest 
 while his fate was so doubtful ; but, in dreadful weather, 
 over the roughest roads^ we set out, and reached this on 
 Christmas Eve. Robert Emmett was conducting me to 
 their house, when Dominick espied me, and hid, rather 
 
CONSULTATION. 595 
 
 than excite my feelings in the street. 'T was well he 
 did ; for the next morning, when he came to me at Mr. 
 E.'s, his appearance was shocking beyond all description. 
 It gave me, however, consolation to know that my timely 
 appearance prevented his enlistment; for, on that very 
 day, he had resolved to do so, as the only in cans of 
 escaping starvation. He said he was quite restored ; but 
 such restoration I never saw. When I witnessed my once 
 dear child's situation, I felt, indeed, that 1 had lived too 
 long. I dismissed the poor fellow with a trifle to aid his 
 most pressing wants, not wishing him to return to the 
 military station at Brooklyn, where, for some days, he 
 had been assisting in the hospital, and living with the 
 common soldiers. After consulting with my friends, Mr. 
 and Mrs. Emmett, I wrote to Colonel Henderson, at 
 Washington, who commands the corps, and in a few days 
 received one of the most generous and gratifying answers 
 that I could have desired. He said that to have an oppor- 
 tunity of obliging whore he owed obligations never to be 
 forgotten, gave him real pleasure; that he had taken my 
 letter to the Secretary of War, and obtained the promise 
 of an appointment, as surgeon's assistant, for my son, in 
 Commodore Porter's Expedition, which was to sail in a 
 short time; requested me to lose no time; and, as you 
 were absent, solicited me, in the most generous manner, 
 to draw on him for any sum I deemed necessary for Dom- 
 iuick's outfit. I showed this letter to Mr. and Mrs. 
 Emmett, and, of course, not choosing to incur a pecu- 
 niary obligation, and as Dominick's reformed habits jus- 
 tified my doing the best I could for my child, we agreed 
 that T ought to sell a share of my bank stock, which was 
 
596 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 accordingly done ; and, after the necessary clothing, with 
 money sufficient to bear his traveling expenses to Wash- 
 ington, I bid him farewell, with more extatic happiness 
 than I conceived myself capable of experiencing under 
 my gloomy apprehensions as to yourself. Col. Henderson 
 having requested me to send him directly to his house, 
 where, I am told, he lives in very genteel style, on Dom- 
 i nick's arrival, received him as kindly as his own son, and 
 wrote me immediately to assure me of Dominick's safety, 
 and of the expected sailing of the expedition in a few 
 days. 
 
 I heard no more from D. for a week, when you may 
 guess my astonishment on his entering my room like an 
 apparition. To tell you what passed is useless, but I 
 gathered from him enough to convince me that by the 
 return of his old habits he had completely disgusted Col. 
 Henderson, who had given him thirty dollars to bring 
 him back to his most unfortunate mother. I gather from 
 Dominick, that he received a severe reprimand from the 
 Colonel, who yet assured him that if he would give him 
 his word that he would never again so far forget himself 
 as to get intoxicated, he should still go in the expedition. 
 Dominick's answer was that he could not answer for 
 himself. Thus ended the business, and thus am I bur- 
 dened with this unfortunate child, whose existence I 
 will prolong, while my own lasts, whether you gain an 
 independence, or I am obliged to retire to a situation 
 which, however humble, will yet afford me the means of 
 giving him bread ; and which I now no more expect him 
 to gain himself than I should do had it pleased God to 
 bring him an idiot into the world. My obligations, in 
 
FAMILY DISTRESS. 507 
 
 that event, could not be greater to maintain him than it 
 is at present ; indeed, the most hopeless idiot has no 
 more claims on a mother's care and solicitude than he ; 
 for I firmly believe he has no longer the power to refrain 
 from drink ; and did I not guard him, even to the pres- 
 ervation and custody of his own clothes, he would be 
 stripped at once ; yet he is to me as docile as a lamb, and 
 I have placed him with a pour but excellent woman, who 
 boards him for three dollars and a half a week. I can 
 not trust him with money, though certainly there never 
 was a more devotedly affectionate son. Harman feels 
 just as I do, and were I on my death-bed I should not 
 fear to resign to him the care of his unfortunate brother. 
 * * * Should you return next month, 
 
 as your letter to Mr. Emmett mentions, I shall hope we 
 may return to Canada. If your expectations are suffi- 
 ciently encouraging to detain you in London on this law 
 writ, and should you be successful even in gaining a fair 
 compromise, I trust we shall soon be able to go to you ; 
 for, let our situation be what it may, never can I think 
 of ending my days in this country. Mr. Emmett is in 
 Washington, but Mrs. E. showed me your letter, which 
 she Avill retain until his return, which is expected in a 
 fortnight. To tell you how I love this family would lie 
 impossible. It grieves me, therefore, to say that I think 
 they are somewhat embarrassed, at present, in their cir- 
 cumstances. They lost their tine son. Temple,* last 
 autumn, who died of the yellow fever, on board of the 
 Macedonian. * * * * 
 
 * The two sons of Thomas Addis Emmett were called after his brothers 
 Temple and Robert. 
 
598 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I have written a long letter, that you may never re- 
 ceive; but I trust, if not, you Avill he on the water on 
 your return. My mind seems buoyed up now for hap- 
 piness, and whether poverty or affluence awaits us, every 
 effort of my declining years shall be used to make yours 
 pass with as little uneasiness as can be expected to await 
 on old age and disappointed hopes. For my part, for 
 upward of eight months, I have endured too much to 
 look forward without hope to the future that will restore 
 you to 
 
 Your affectionate M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 From Col. Archibald Henderson to Mrs. Blennerhassett. 
 
 "Washington, Jan. 1th, 1823. 
 
 My dear Madam : — I do not know when I have received 
 a letter which has conveyed to my mind such strong rec- 
 ollections of mingled pleasure and pain. It has irre- 
 sistibly carried me back to the period when, under }~our 
 hospitable roof, I received every attention of hospitality 
 and kindness ; it was my debut in life. I have often 
 spoke, and far oftener thought, of the halo that was 
 thrown over my monotony of existence, in that wild 
 country, by my visits at the beautiful and isolated spot of 
 your former residence. I must, however, cease to write 
 on this subject. As long as my heart beats and feels, I 
 shall never forget your kindness ; I therefore need not 
 say with how much alacrity and anxiety I took your let- 
 ter to the Secretary of the Navy, and how much pleasure 
 it gives me to communicate to you that he has the good- 
 
FRIENDSHIP. 599 
 
 ness to consent that Dominick may go, as a volunteer 
 surgeon's mate, in this piratical expedition, with the usual 
 pay and emoluments. No appointments can be now 
 made, and the Secretary of the Navy will not pledge 
 himself as to any future appointment: I therefore hope, 
 my dear madam, you will he satisfied with what has been 
 procured. I spoke to Mr. Dickinson on the subject last 
 night ; he will enforce all future arrangements. 
 
 Dominick had better come here as soon as possible, 
 and bring his trunk to my house. As Mr. Blennerhas- 
 sett is away, I hope I may take the liberty, which grati- 
 tude for former kindness now induces me to take, to offer 
 my young friend any assistance he may require in com- 
 ing on to Washington, and any draft for that purpose, I 
 hope he will not hesitate to make on me. I trust you 
 will excuse me if I feel over-anxious ; 't is my gratitude 
 alone that prompts it. 
 
 I now conclude, assuring you that I feel every solici- 
 tude in serving you and yours, and I beg you to believe 
 me, with gratitude and truth, 
 
 Sincerely yours, Arch. Henderson. 
 
 Col. Archibald Henderson to Mrs. Blennerhassctt. 
 
 Washington, Jan. 20th, 1823. 
 
 My dear Madam: — Dominick arrived a few days ago, 
 and is awaiting the arrival of Captain Torter, who is 
 daily expected here to proceed on the service that has 
 been marked out for him. It is fortunate some little 
 delay has taken place, as he is somewhat indisposed from 
 
600 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 the fatigue of traveling, and will not prevent his joining 
 the expedition on which he is to proceed. 
 
 I should have sooner answered your kind letter of the 
 11th, but thought it better to wait until he had left me 
 for Norfolk ; but as that may not be the case for several 
 days, I have concluded to write lest you might feel some 
 anxiety at not hearing. 
 
 Your indisposition, I hope, may be evanescent. You 
 rate entirely too high the trilling service it has been in 
 my power tp do you. It is indeed trifling when compared 
 with that received by me from you and yours. I shall 
 carry the recollection of it with me " to that bourn 
 whence no traveler returns." I am much of a wanderer 
 still, and I may yet hope to meet you in this world. 
 Should Mr. B. still reside in Canada, I shall probably see 
 you next summer, as I have it in contemplation to de- 
 scend the lakes to Montreal. This world, however, is 
 full of change ; it may therefore be our fate never again 
 to meet here, but I sincerely wish that your decline of 
 life may be less checkered than its spring and summer 
 have been ; that it may be rendered happy, and that the 
 scions which are growing up around the parent tree, may 
 invigorate, support and comfort it, until it is cut down 
 by the same hand that planted and caused it to grow. 
 
 I will write again when Dominick leaves me, and, in 
 the mean time, beg you to believe me with sincere regards 
 Yours, A. Henderson. 
 
 In a subsequent letter, dated Montreal, September 12th, 
 1823, Mrs. Blennerhassett continues her narrative : 
 
 I had no money, having for some weeks paid my way 
 
PARENTAL REGRET. 601 
 
 by borrowing from Mr. Emmett; because, having looked 
 for you by the spring ships, I wished not to encumber 
 the Montreal bank stock. The whole expenses of the 
 family stood me in about sixteen dollars per week. I 
 found I could do nothing in the States, and, upon the 
 advice of Rossiter, concluded to return to Montreal. The 
 Emmetts, with whom I consulted, agreed with me as to 
 the propriety of the measure ; for New York was then 
 becoming objectionable, on account of the extreme heat, 
 and they were about removing to the country. They 
 having invited me to accompany them, I accepted their 
 kindness, and did so, taking Lewis with me, to remain a 
 week. Before leaving, however, I told Dominick that 1 
 must now think of his father, who had nothing, and of 
 the other children, and that he must maintain himself. 
 Having remained a week in the country, where every 
 attention was paid me by the family in the most affec- 
 tionate manner, I returned to the city. Having received 
 the money for two shares of my bank stock, which 
 Robert sold, I paid my debts, and leaving Harman with 
 my necessary baggage, and money sufficient to maintain 
 him until your arrival, my last severe task yet remained 
 to see and bid adieu to my unfortunate, though still 
 dearly loved son. Harman sought him out, and found 
 him already enlisted! brought him to me at the Steam- 
 boat Hotel, dressed in a common soldier's garb, but quite 
 happy and unconcerned. O God! had I been guilty of 
 the greatest crime, the punishment of that moment 
 ought to have expiated it ; but the subject is too painful 
 to dwell upon; I will only add, that he went with a de- 
 tachment up the Mississippi, and is now, I believe, acting 
 
602 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 as surgeon's mate, and, as yet, I have received do com- 
 munication from him.* 
 
 Lewis and I had a safe, and, had I been happy, an 
 agreeable journey. At Albany we received the kind 
 attentions of Major Smith and family, and arrived at La 
 Prairie, where we awaited our friend Rossiter, to whom 
 I had previously written to have lodgings prepared for 
 us. Having remained here during the night, and Ros- 
 siter failing to arrive as early as I expected, we crossed 
 over without really knowing where we should go. But 
 he met us on the bank, on his way to us, and conducted 
 us to the residence of Mrs. Turnstall," who had insisted 
 on my stopping with her. Her reception was truly affec- 
 tionate, and seemed quite hurt that I would not consent 
 to remain longer than two days. Rossiter accompanied 
 me to see several houses which he had examined, but 
 would not engage until I came. I, after some hesitation, 
 finally fixed upon the one I am now in. It was in bad 
 order, but has attached to the lot a good garden, which 
 to me, who desire to live retired, is the greatest acquisi- 
 tion. The rent being but £20 per year, determined me to 
 fix myself here rather than in a lodging where boarding 
 for Lewis and myself could not be obtained for less than 
 ten dollars per week. You know that I must have one 
 servant any how, and one is all that I have now. Mar- 
 keting is cheap, being now lower by half than when you 
 were here. But, after all, the prospect of having a home, 
 
 * This unfortunate youth afterward was found in a state of destitution 
 in the streets of New Orleans, by Nathaniel Cox, Esq., an acquaintance 
 of the family, who procured for him a situation in the Charity Hospital, 
 as assistant apothecary. He remained for a short time, when he left for 
 St. Louis, since which his fate is unknown. 
 
ANXIETY. 603 
 
 though ever so humble, to receive you, was the chief 
 inducement to my determination. This, however, like 
 all my visions of hope, has faded. I see plainly that you 
 are never to return here ; nor can I say that I would wish 
 it, unless as a judge, for I am well assured that you would 
 not again get practice as a lawyer, the idea having- he- 
 come prevalent that you are not versed in French law. I 
 fear there is no chance for your promotion to the judge- 
 ship, unless the Marquis of Anglesey would write to Lord 
 Dalhousie for his recommendation to Lord Bathurst, as I 
 am well informed that all recommendations must pro- 
 ceed, in the first instance, from the Commander-in-chief, 
 and I fear the interest of Sir J. Gordon Sinclair may not 
 be enough with the Governor, as he and the Richmond 
 faction were at variance. I wish, therefore, that you 
 would make this last effort with Lord Anglesey, as I 
 firmly believe it is the only one that can serve you. 
 Should it fail, then turn your thoughts to something at 
 home, I care not what, if it will only furnish us bread. 
 But to be parted from you I can not longer bear; and if 
 being with you should have the effect of injuring either 
 your interest or reputation, then let me be lodged some- 
 where in obscurity, where I may sometimes see you ; and, 
 in the event of Lewis's being in the navy, give me the 
 chance of seeing and hearing from him occasionally. 
 
 As to your coming in December, 'tis utterly out of the 
 question ; and should you, to my surprise, obtain the 
 appointment you seek, it can not be before next June. 
 We must winter here at all events, during which time I 
 hope to hear from you again. My situation at present is 
 alarming. I have only six shares remaining in bank, 
 
604 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 after the utmost economy. 'T is true I have furnished 
 my house, though humbly, and paid three months rent 
 in advance, and have also one hundred dollars by me; 
 but what is this? I had resolved, before I received your 
 letter, to commence, at the expiration of the term now 
 paid for, in a larger dwelling, and keep a boarding-house, 
 which, from the reduced rents, cheap markets, and high 
 rate of board, might have, at least, maintained us, if it 
 did not prove profitable. But now I can not degrade 
 myself while their is a hope remaining of your success. 
 
 I have been treated with the greatest attention by all 
 our former accmaintances, and visited a great deal, but, 
 of course, do*" not entertain, nor is it expected of me ; 
 while a few friends call without ceremony, and I assure 
 you I am now so pleased with Montreal, that could you 
 return I would never wish to leave it. * * * 
 
 To say how ardently Lewis loves you is impossible. 
 Your very name fills the dear creature's eyes with tears. 
 Though the first mention of his going into the navy gave 
 him great delight, still the thought of leaving me caused 
 him much pain. By degrees, however, I have gained his 
 consent, and although he has long been, and is still, my 
 greatest consolation, I nevertheless will give him up to 
 one whom I feel worthy of the trust. Tell H., then, he 
 shall have him. 
 
 Could he see me at the moment I write the fiat that will 
 tear me from my idolized child, while memory reverts to 
 the days of his own infancy, when, with my dear aunt 
 and uncle De Coursey, I passed many a happy day in 
 the same house with him and dear little Michael (Ann 
 
HARDSHIPS. 605 
 
 was not born at Reese), I say, could lie, or any of those 
 friends who fondly recall me to their recollection, but see 
 my present suffering, what a flood of sympathy would 
 overwhelm me ! But I am glad they do not ; it is better 
 that I suffer alone. My dear aunt Avice! how joyfully 
 would I watch over her feeble health, and share' with her 
 the cares and anxieties for the sick and suffering Ad- 
 miral ! I was much gratified to hear from you that she 
 intends writing ; but am I still to be an exile ? 'T is 
 hard ; and if my present afflictions continue, I feel that 
 I can not long live. ***** 
 
 Farewell ! I am perfectly miserable at this long sepa- 
 ration. When, when will it ever end? 
 Your affectionate wife, 
 
 Marg't Blennerhassett 
 
 In the mean time, Blennerhassett, having abandoned 
 the hope of recovering the estates in Ireland, set him- 
 self industriously to work to procure an office under the 
 English Government. From the correspondence which 
 follows, it appears that, such were his necessities, he was 
 vvilling to accept almost any position promising subsist- 
 ence for his family. He had been severed from his former 
 pursuits; his fortune entirely expended; and now, a waif 
 upon the sea of life, he shuddered to look forward to the 
 future, while the past was a troubled dream of disap- 
 pointed expectation. The hour, however, had arrived for 
 a sublime but terrible contest for existence. To falter 
 were to perish; to be resolute, perchance victorious. 
 Connected with the then-existing Government, were 
 
606 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 many of his early classmates, and several distinguished 
 dignitaries, related by the ties of consanguinity ; from the 
 latter of whom, at least, he conceived he had the right to 
 expect promotion. From a mass of correspondence of 
 the same character, during a period of several years, I 
 have selected the following letters as conveying an intel- 
 ligible idea of his struggles and reverses, as well as of 
 those with whom fate had linked his destiny: 
 
 To the Marquis of Anglesey* 
 
 London, October 16th, 1822. 
 My Lord: — I beg to accompany the letter, intended 
 to be communicated to Lord Bathurst, according to 
 your Lordship's obliging suggestions, made to me at 
 
 * The Marquis of Anglesey, who was born in 1768, was eldest son of the late 
 Earl of Uxbridge; and, after studying at Oxford, was appointed, in 1793, 
 when Lord Paget, to the command of a regiment he had raised among his fa- 
 ther's tenantry. He served with this corps, under the Duke of York, in Flan- 
 ders, and again in the British expedition to Holland, in 1799. He had risen 
 to the rank of Major-General, when he joined Sir John Moore's army in the 
 Peninsula, and assisted in the retreat of Corunna and the battle there, 
 January 16, 1809, where Moore was killed. He was married, in 1795, to 
 a daughter of the Earl of Jersey, by whom he had eight children; but, 
 soon after his return from Portugal, figured as defendant in a crim. con. 
 suit, in which the plaintiff was Wellesley, brother to " the Duke," and 
 created Lord Cowley, in 1828, who recovered twenty thousand pounds 
 sterling damages. The result was, a double divorce : Lady Paget from 
 him (she afterward married the late Duke of Argyle), and Mr. Wellesley 
 from his guilty wife, n€e Lady Charlotte Codogan. Lord Paget married 
 the frail fair in 1810, and they had a large family ; two of their sons were 
 members of the British House of Commons, in 1854. The trial and its reve- 
 lations gave much unenviable notoriety to Lord Paget. He is alluded to 
 by Byron in the line, 
 
 " And, worst of all, a Paget for your wife;" 
 
 and Moore, albeit little of a moralist, thus had his fling, in a didactic poem 
 called "The Sceptic," a philosophical satire: 
 
" TRY AGAIN." 607 
 
 Beau Desert, on the 10th inst, with an explanation of 
 the motives that urged me to resort to the severe neces- 
 sity of leaving my family in America for the purpose of 
 personally soliciting your Lordship's interest in behalf 
 of my labors to serve the Government, as you had made 
 one already, without effect, to recommend me to the Colo- 
 nial Department. 
 
 The proud distinction of your Lordship's patronage 
 once conferred upon me, although unsuccessful, sunk 
 deep into the grateful hearts of an embarrassed family, 
 
 " Paget, who sees upon his pillow laid 
 A face for which ten thousand pounds were paid, 
 Can tell how quick, before a jury, flies 
 The spell that mocked the warm seducer's eyes." 
 
 Many years subsequently, when he had become Viceroy of Ireland, 
 the Irish ladies declined visiting his wife; and having caused the 
 arrest of O'Connell, on a charge of seditious language, the orator, in 
 another speech, said : " He has caused my wife to weep. Does he 
 know the value of a virHious woman's tear? In 1812, Lord Paget 
 succeeded his father as Earl of Uxbridge. He had a cavalry command 
 at Waterloo; and having lost a leg, was created Marquis of Anglesey. 
 In 1820, he voted for the bill of Pains and Penalties against Queen Caro- 
 line. In February, 1828, " the Duke," who had just become Premier, sent 
 him to Ireland as Viceroy; and his conduct there was generally impartial. 
 But in December, 1828, having received a letter from Dr. Curlis, the Cath- 
 olic Primate, which the Duke of Wellington had written to him, suggesting 
 that the Catholic claims be " buried in oblivion" for a time, Lord Anglesey 
 wrote back an epistle, which was published, recommending the continued 
 agitation of the question. This gave great offense to George IV, who had 
 become tired of eternal discussion on Catholic wrongs, and the writer was 
 recalled. Two months after, the final settlement, of the question was rec- 
 ommended in the King's Speech at, the commencement of the Parliament- 
 ary Session. Soon after, he was again made Viceroy of Ireland, and so 
 continued until September, 1833. But his latter reign was not popular. 
 He has held other high offices connected with tlie army, and was the Senior 
 Field-Marshal in the British army, in 1854, then in his eighty-sixth year. — 
 Mackenzie. 
 
608 HIE BLEXNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 and shed a ray of cheering hope upon the gloom of their 
 despondency that the generous impulse which had before 
 determined your Lordship to desire that relief, would not 
 now abandon their head, whose honor and character, 
 however, stood as high as when they enjoyed your Lord- 
 ship's esteem in early life. 
 
 The authority given to me to make my suit through 
 your Lordship to Earl Bathurst, and the condescending 
 attentions ordered to be shown to me at Beau Desert, 
 fully confirm your Lordship's desire, at least, to benefit 
 me. Under such auspices, I can not anticipate disap- 
 pointment ; while, for myself, my views extend not be- 
 yond the acquisition of a pittance on which I could sub- 
 sist any where, after devoting the residue of my official 
 salary to the maintenance of my family, if I could not 
 remove them from Canada, where there is now a judicial 
 vacancy in the District of Montreal. I would accept a 
 situation in India, or any other part of the world, or even 
 one I should dislike of all others, that of Assistant Bar- 
 rister of Quarter Sessions in Ireland, in preference of 
 which I would as soon choose an agency to any estate 
 that would maintain me. 
 
 In so wide a range to seek employment, the generous 
 disposition of your Lordship, already manifested, to assist 
 me in Canada, can not fail to succeed, if exerted, while T 
 am in the way to avail myself of the opportunity. Hence 
 it is that I have left my family in the most painful anxiety 
 to learn the result of my endeavors in England, of which 
 a total failure would result in hopeless ruin. 
 
 Having had an opportunity of knowing that a person 
 in America, over whom I possess some influence, is about 
 
the mother! 609 
 
 to publish a volume under the title of " Secret Memoirs 
 of her Serene Highness the Duchess of Quedlinburg," a 
 near relative of his Majesty, containing original letters 
 of rather a scandalous character, addressed to a Col. Staf- 
 ford, Chamberlain to the Duke of Brunswick, of the first 
 eight of which I have copies here, a publication which 
 probably the King would not wish to appear, I had 
 thought it my duty to engage the proprietor of these 
 letters to suspend his intended publication until I could 
 endeavor to ascertain the King's pleasure on the subject. 
 Presuming your Lordship will approve of the principle 
 of loyal concern for his Majesty's fame, for which I have 
 interfered in this matter, I beg } T our Lordship's direction 
 to guide me in controlling the proprietor of these letters, 
 or leaving him to take his course. The copies in my pos- 
 session are, if desired, at your Lordship's orders. The au- 
 thenticity of the whole can be established, and an English 
 translation is intended, with the French originals annexed. 
 I beg to apologize for having so long trespassed upon 
 your Lordship's leisure ; and with assurances of the most 
 profound esteem and heartfelt gratitude, pray to be con- 
 "idered, my Lord, 
 
 Your Lordship's faithful and obedient servant, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 To Blennerhassett. 
 
 Montreal, January 3d, 1824. 
 
 My dear Husband : — Let me flatter myself that, hav- 
 ing, as I hope, received my last two letters, written since 
 39 
 
610 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I received yours inclosing the gift from my aunt, this, 
 penned at the commencement of a new year, may rind 
 you more cheerful than myself, though my situation is in 
 no way changed, and we are all well. But, it having been 
 so long since we have heard from you, and dreading the 
 delays of the approaching season, my spirits have become 
 exceedingly depressed. You must not forget that if I am 
 condemned to live separated from you, my only solace is 
 in your frequent letters. If I am not permitted, as the last 
 comfort of my declining life, to watch over yours, let me, 
 at least, know that you are well, and I shall not murmur. 
 I trust, therefore, you will not again condemn me to the 
 anxieties of a six months' silence. 
 
 My last letter was forwarded several days since, by New 
 York, and I now avail myself of the opportunity of send- 
 ing, by Mr. David, the Jew, who sets out for London in 
 two days, trusting that some of my letters, at least, may 
 reach you. 
 
 I am told here that any young man may get into 
 the marines, through naval interposition ; and as a war 
 seems approaching, and poor Harm an lias no prospect of 
 a maintenance but what I may afford him, I wish you to 
 exert yourself among our relatives to accomplish this, if 
 possible. Could we succeed in getting a situation for him, 
 and should you fail in procuring one for yourself, we might 
 still provide for the education of Lewis, so as to fit him 
 in turn for some one of the useful occupations of life. If 
 I have been misinformed as to the facilities of getting into 
 the marine corps, I wish to be advised as to conditions 
 under which an applicant can enter without such inter- 
 position as my kind friend, Mrs. T , would endeavor 
 
THE WIFE ! Gil 
 
 to get her younger son into that service, and could I be- 
 lieve, if necessary, purchase in. If 1 have harbored false 
 hopes for Harrnan. darken them at once rather than keep 
 me in suspense. 
 
 I have been very much alarmed, since I last wrote, for the 
 fate of our friend Rossiter, who has been confined these la-, 
 five weeks with a liver complaint, which brought him to 
 the brink of the grave. lie is now, however, nearly recov- 
 ered, although it will be some time before he can get out. 
 
 * * * * * * * :|: 
 
 By the time this reaches you I suppose our old friend 
 Dcvereux will be in London. He is now in Washington, 
 the received ambassador from the Colombian Republic. 
 His laurels have been dearly won. I would give much 
 to see him, but that is impossible. However, I think 
 that, should you see his name announced in London, it 
 might be worth while to go and see him, as he could cer- 
 tainly do something for Harman, should what I have 
 before proposed fail. You know my disposition too well 
 to wonder at the solicitude I feel for my child ; and, even 
 if ray efforts should all prove fruitless, it will still be a 
 cause of consolation to know that I have done all in my 
 power to serve him. 
 
 I have promised you some pleasing intelligence in my 
 last two letters, which I hope and believe I shall soon be 
 able to communicate; but the time for it lias not yet 
 arrived ; when it does, be assured that no pleasure could 
 be much to me without your participation. 
 
 The winter here is very severe; but I find so much 
 more comfort than I did last season, in Xew York, that, 
 while I can live, I will not repine, and trust yon will fol- 
 
612 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 \ 
 
 low my example. Say every thing for me to my dear 
 friends who kindly interest themselves in my behalf. 
 God only knows whether ever again I shall see them or 
 be permitted to enjoy any friendship, other than that of 
 strangers, yet for this I am not unthankful. There are 
 some of these, even, who are unremitting in their kind- 
 ness. While from what is called society, that is, parties, 
 I am excluded, as I must necessarily be, both from my 
 situation and inclinations, yet, I am seldom alone, and 
 continue to take exercise enough for health, as severe as 
 the season is. This is the first winter for nine years that 
 I have escaped a cold, or have not suffered from a return 
 of my breast complaint. It is certainly cause for thank- 
 fulness, as a similar attack to that of last winter would 
 rob my dear Lewis of his only protection. 
 
 Adieu ! my dear husband. Take care of yourself, and 
 some happiness may yet be in store for 
 
 Your wife, M. Blennerhassett. 
 
 To Nev. de Conrcy. 
 
 (private and confidential.) 
 
 Stoketon House, March 29th, 1824. 
 
 My dear Nev. : — How fully I am persuaded your anx- 
 iety to serve me is solicitous to consider the best means 
 of availing yourself of such opportunities to do so, as 
 this, your second visit to Portugal, may offer, I will leave 
 to futurity to evince through the grateful affection of a 
 distressed family, whose head is already devoted to you. 
 If, therefore, you have acceded to my wish in accepting 
 
POLITICS. 013 
 
 the offer I have made you, to put on paper my views of 
 the best means of succeeding for me, yon will not im- 
 agine that in so doing I have any purpose, either to 
 stimulate your zeal or to induce you to substitute my 
 judgment and policy for your own, in scenes and circum- 
 stances of which you will be able to judge on the spot, 
 but which I can only estimate through, perhaps, a delu- 
 sive medium at a distance. If the suggestions I am 
 about to present to you should be sanctioned by the 
 results of your own observation, or modified by the char- 
 acters and circumstances that you will be concerned with, 
 an occasional review of the former may not, however, be 
 quite useless as a sort of ehart on which you may prick 
 off your course, not so much by the bearings and dis- 
 tances I have set down, as by the winds and currents of 
 party and intrigue you may be affected by in the voyage. 
 
 Without further preamble, then, I conceive the means 
 of effecting my introduction into the civil service of the 
 Portuguese Government can only be obtained through 
 the patronage of the actual minister, whether Pampeluna 
 or any other. Without such a passport it will be in vain 
 to linger in the confidence which even the King's prom- 
 ises may inspire, or the assurances his other courtiers 
 may profess; the former can never be realized without 
 the fiat of the minister ; the influence and sincerity of the 
 latter must submit to the same test. 
 
 The best affections of a monarch, situated as is John 
 VI, must ever be confined to the royal breast, powerless 
 and inert, until the minister shall become the conductor 
 between them and the object to which they arc directed. 
 Hence arises the necessity of engaging the minister's in- 
 
614 THE BLENNERHA8SETT PAPERS. 
 
 terest, at a period early enough to prevent his suspicion 
 of neglect. But upon what terms, i. e., through the in- 
 sinuation of what future return, on the part of the candi- 
 date, is the first question of either doubt or difficulty that 
 presents itself? .Now, whatever may be your views or 
 policy of the minister, I should not hesitate to pledge 
 myself to espouse them all, subject to the proviso that 
 nothing therein tended to the detriment of his Majesty. 
 Ever alive to the influence of this sentiment, I should 
 make no compromise, nor hold any interview with the 
 party of the Queen or Don Miguel, even if I could in- 
 trigue for my object through their influence. But to a 
 candidate, circumstanced as I am, there can be no great 
 difficulty in choosing between the French and English 
 parties at court, should such an election become neces- 
 sary. In the present state of Portugal, which, politically, 
 if not commercially speaking, must, under continental 
 contact, yield to the destinies of Spain, I could conscien- 
 tiously enlist under the banners of the shortest side, 
 ■which I would endeavor accurately to ascertain before- 
 hand. So far this outline is made to include advances to 
 foreign ministers, as well as Pampeluna, especially the 
 French and Russian, whose interest ought, at the same 
 time, to be early courted. When it is represented to all 
 these personages that the candidate, who had already 
 obtained some royal notice of the recommendation which 
 the King has favorably received of him, is qualified as a 
 jurist and a scholar to serve his Majesty in any diplo- 
 matic or judicial office; and you may add, if every thing 
 else fails, as a forlorn hope, " in an ecclesiastical charac- 
 ter/' that in Europe or America he would strenuously 
 
IN EXTREMIS ! 615 
 
 and ably advance the best interest of his patrons in a 
 diplomatic character, etc. 
 
 I trust it is not too much to expect, that if your exer- 
 tions should overreach their farthest aim, they will not 
 altogether fall short without reaching some intermediate 
 point between total failure and success, where I may find 
 myself once entered upon some station in which I may 
 subsist until I can thence work out promotion. I will 
 exemplify my meaning here by observing, that I should 
 not deem it disparagement of the condition I derive from 
 my ancestry and profession, of which even poverty must 
 not divest me, to accept any situation, any where, not 
 even accepting Angela, which was not beneath the rank 
 of a consul or collector. As to location, my preference 
 would be first in Europe, next in America, any where 
 preferable to the United States, where, being obnoxious 
 as a persecuted supporter heretofore of legitimate mon- 
 archy, I could not so easily fill all the duties of a diplo- 
 matic station. Should such an appointment be unattain- 
 able, you will next try to work out one in the law; or if 
 that fail too, then, finally, endeavor to obtain such an 
 establishment in the Church as in its income would enable 
 me to spare you two or three hundred pounds a year, 
 after leaving me as much more on which to subsist. 
 Now, this is the only topic of this letter ; I wish you to 
 regard it as inviolably confidential ; for, although I could 
 as easily satisfy your reason and feelings as my own, that 
 I should neither offend against the duties of true religion 
 and morality, in accepting such a treasure, were it not 
 even justified as the best effort I could make for a 
 starving family ; yet how vain would the undertaking 
 
616 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 prove with others ! If, then, you should be reduced to 
 the necessity of canvassing for me in a spiritual charac- 
 ter, you need not hesitate to say of me, " que vous un 
 connaissez un bon Catholique." 
 
 I will close this tiresome letter by begging of you to 
 look at it occasionally, to remind you that the time draws 
 near for my return to my family, " to live or starve to- 
 gether, as we can, for the remainder of our days ; " * but, 
 until death shall relieve us of our wants, we shall ever 
 cherish the most affectionate regards for you. This con- 
 sideration will suggest to you the expediency of giving 
 me speedy intelligence of the result of your exertions on 
 my behalf. 
 
 And believe me, etc., Har. B tt. 
 
 To Lord Courtney. 
 Stoketon House, Saltash, April Ibth, 1824. 
 
 My Lord : — After the long lapse of years through 
 which your lordship and myself have passed with the 
 respective portions of happiness and misery each of us 
 has experienced since the days of our juvenile friendship, 
 when boarding together at Mrs. Clapham's, it will, I 
 hope, be less matter of surprise than of satisfaction to 
 you to learn that your old school-fellow, Blennerhassett, 
 though hitherto silent, now takes the first opportunity of 
 soliciting a revival of friendly intercourse by proposing a 
 correspondence which may enable him to testify the acute 
 
 * An expression in one of Mrs. B.'s letters to himself. 
 
TO AN OLD FRIEND. 617 
 
 sense he has of the injuries which have so largely been 
 unaccountably suffered to undermine your lordship's 
 fame and just rights, in which no one has yet antici- 
 pated him in standing forward to vindicate. 
 
 It is only since my late return from America, after an 
 absence of near thirty years, that I have been given to 
 understand your lordship has, during so many years, 
 been the victim of so much malice and self-interest, with- 
 out the aid of a protecting arm, to turn aside those of 
 the moral assassins that have beset your fame, that they 
 might thereby divest you of your property. Now, to 
 grapple with the ruffians, and oust them of whatever con- 
 trol they may have usurped over your mind and estate, I 
 tender you, under the guarantee of our juvenile friend- 
 ships, my services as an experienced barrister, together 
 with those offices of friendship which I am disposed to 
 think you might recpuire and return in circumstances not 
 incompatible with our respective stations in life. 
 
 But I forbear troubling you with any thing like stipu- 
 lation, unless called upon to do so, after having proved 
 the success of the efforts I would make to deserve your 
 confidence, which, in the first instance, I may, in some 
 degree, appreciate from the tenor of your answer. 
 
 If I should join your lordship's society, I would ob- 
 serve, my habits are those of a literary man, though I 
 easily accommodate myself to any mode of life, and am 
 no less than I was in boyhood, an enthusiast in music, in 
 which I have become a proficient. Your speedy answer 
 will be anxiously looked for by, my Lord, 
 Yours most faithfully, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
618 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 To BlenvcrJmssvtt. 
 
 Montreal, May 19th, 1824. 
 
 My dear Husband : — Your letter, conveying the melan- 
 choly tidings of our much-lamented Admiral's death, not 
 unexpected, should have been answered sooner if the 
 state of my mind had not made me dread that my writ- 
 ing might grieve you more than my silence. But I am 
 now more tranquil, and am at a loss for appropriate 
 words of condolence. Tell my aunt Mary that I deeply 
 sympathize with her in her great affliction, and that the 
 image of those virtues which shone forth in her noble 
 husband's character are as fresh in my recollection as 
 though I had seen him but yesterday. I sincerely hope, 
 if you have not already, that you may prevail on my 
 aunt Avis to remain near her sister, as this will be, for a 
 time at least, her only consolation. * * * 
 
 %. * * * * >£ * * 
 
 You can not surely remain from us forever. It would 
 have been better that you had not elated me with the 
 hope of prosperity ; but my disappointment is over now. 
 and I can even console you. Our noble friend Rossiter 
 wishes for nothing so much as joining you again in busi- 
 ness, of which he has more than he can attend to, and 
 only forbears taking a partner in hopes of your return. 
 I moved the day before yesterday into an excellent house, 
 at £25 rent. It is the one you may recollect, constructed 
 of stone, in the rear of the house in which we lived. 
 
 I am quite fatigued in body and mind; the latter, as 
 you know, always weak ; yet it has achieved more than 
 
DESPERATION. 619 
 
 you would credit, did you know all.* But I will soon 
 write again, and hope the April packet can not be far off. 
 In the mean time, do 'nt be discouraged; wc may yet do 
 well here in a moderate way ; and what more, at our time 
 of life, is necessary? As to your keeping a school, it is 
 nonsense (pardon the expression) ; we shall never be 
 driven to this; and here, even if we were starving, it 
 would be impossible. My six bank shares are untouched 
 yet ; and if you return, or should send me £25, may so 
 remain for a long time. I have a comfortable house, fur- 
 nished as well as my necessities require ; and, with the 
 assistance of a good maid-servant, get along comfortably. 
 In short, therefore, be easy about me on every account 
 but one, your continued absence; this it is that breaks my 
 heart ; and if it is suffered to continue, I iwny not last 
 long. Thank ]S~evison for me ; certainly, should I die, he 
 shall have Lewis, now my only comfort. 
 
 The boys are well ; Lewis progresses rapidly at school ; 
 but, alas! Ilarman is doing nothing but indulging him- 
 self in miscellaneous reading, and performing occasional 
 errands. He says, on your return, he will go to the South- 
 ern States and teach. I have written to poor Dominick, 
 but have received nothing from, or heard nothing of, him 
 since last August, at which time he accompanied the 
 troops to the head of the Mississippi. This is, indeed, a 
 sad scroll; do n't show it to any one. When I began it, 
 I was calm, and thought I was brave ; but the subjects 
 
 * An allusion to the forthcoming book of poetry. "The Widow of the 
 Rock, and other Poems," which she was then publishing, and with which 
 she desired to surprise her husband. 
 
620 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 that have constantly recurred have overcome me, and I 
 am compelled to conclude. When I recover myself, which 
 I hope will be in a few days, I shall commence a long sheet 
 that will prove far more acceptable. 
 God bless and preserve you ! prays 
 
 Your affectionate Wife. 
 
 To Blennerhassett. 
 
 Montreal, June 27th, 1824. 
 
 My dear Husband : — Could I believe in the flattering 
 hope of your embarking to return to us on the 1st of 
 April, any answer to your welcome letter of the 1st and 
 3d of May would be useless ; but, alas ! such and so mul- 
 tiplied have been my cruel disappointments on this score, 
 that, until I see you, I shall almost despair of our ever 
 meeting again. I look for letter after letter, still hoping 
 the next I receive will end my doubts ; but every one that 
 arrives only adds to my perplexity. 
 
 If my last two have reached you, my riddle, as you call 
 it, has been solved; and, what is of more importance, you 
 have an outline of a plan by which, if we can not live in 
 affluence, we may yet subsist with independence here. 
 
 All those little attentions paid me at first by many of 
 the citizens of this community, seemed to have been with- 
 drawn, until the publication of my book, which, in a few 
 instances, excited a renewal of them, and which I rejected ; 
 holding it better to live in solitude than again subject my- 
 self to the capriciousness of those to whom I feel myself 
 superior. The author of " The Widow of the Rock, and 
 
CALCULATIONS. 021 
 
 other Poems," * will, therefore, receive no favor which was 
 withheld from " Mrs. Blennerhassett." I live in utter soli- 
 tude ; but such has been the state of my health and spirits 
 for some time past, that any society would have been in- 
 supportable. 
 
 * * % ~.\: 3* * * * 
 
 I rely on none of the prospects of your advancement 
 you mention, save the poor chance there may be of a 
 recommendation to a new Governor, if Dalhousie, who 
 has gone home with his family, does not return. The 
 papers say, but this is only conjecture, that he is to go 
 out to India, and that both a civil and military governor 
 will be sent to Canada. Heaven only knows how this 
 may be ; but, notwithstanding all the fuss a few toad- 
 eaters made at his departure, the general impression seems 
 to be, that he is a poor creature; while the Canadian 
 party can't tolerate him. 
 
 I exceedingly dislike this place, but do not know 
 where I can be better suited; for, as to Portugal or its 
 dependencies, I turn from them in horror ; such is the 
 state of that country, the success might prove our destruc- 
 tion. Where there is no principle, and parties constantly 
 changing, what can the fallen expect but death or im- 
 prisonment? Though the climate of Brazil may be fine, 
 in what situation would any appointment leave you there 
 if, as would certainly be the case, the Government did 
 not duly pay the salary ? It would be better to commit 
 suicide at once, in my opinion, than to go to any other 
 Portuguese colony; and as to having any thing to do 
 
 * The title of her book. 
 
622 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 with the Church, that would be running into the lion's 
 mouth. If any employment could be obtained under an 
 English nobleman, it would ,be desirable, even though I 
 should be doomed to seek a retreat in the Welsh mount- 
 ains, which I should much prefer to Scotland. But I 
 expect nothing from this scheme, and again repeat, that 
 I fear it is here alone we can hope to end our days without 
 starvation. 
 
 O ! I ask myself a thousand times what I can have 
 done to deserve my present forlorn condition ? Did it 
 spring from the grave, I could bear it as the lot of mor- 
 tality. But to be a wife and the mother of two grown 
 sons, and yet feel alone in the world, is a situation which 
 I sometimes wonder that I can sustain ; yet, poor Dom- 
 inick, in the midst of his failings, was ever kind to me, 
 and now that a year has elapsed without having heard 
 from him, bears more sadly upon my heart than any 
 
 thing else. 
 
 * * ^ * * * * # 
 
 You can't remain much longer from, your affectionate 
 
 Wife, M. BLENNERHASSETT. 
 
 To General Devereux. 
 Cottage Crescent, Bath, May 8th, 1825. 
 
 My dear Devereux: — After the many trying vicis- 
 situdes of fortune two old friends have undergone during 
 nineteen years that have rolled over them since they 
 received that impressing regard for you which no length 
 of time or change of circumstances can ever efface from 
 
INFERIOR TYPOGRAPHY. 623 
 
 their hearts, your feelings will better suggest to you than 
 I can describe the agreeable surprise with which we have 
 just learned you are in London. 
 
 Assuredly, the distance of a day's journey which sepa- 
 rates us, can not long impede any efforts I can make to 
 effect our meeting, if I shall learn by your answer that 
 you do not expect soon to visit Bath, and that business is 
 likely to detain you in London, more especially law busi- 
 ness, in which I could devote to your interest the best 
 efforts of my professional labor or advice. 
 
 Mrs. B., now here with my sister, is in too delicate a 
 state of health to permit her indulging the pleasure she 
 would not fail to enjoy of accompanying me to town on 
 such an occasion. Of the deep regret which she will en- 
 tertain, on*conceiving the thought of not seeing you here, 
 you will be the best judge, from the ardor of her mind 
 which she lent to the best feelings of her heart in conse- 
 crating her sense of your worth and character, in the 
 poetical address to you she published, last year, at Mon- 
 treal, called forth on the occasion of seeing in the papers 
 your intended mission from Colombia to Russia, and in 
 vindication of your character, which her best sympathies 
 have covered with the regis of truth and friendship 
 against the gorgon of calumny that would assail it. The 
 volume, containing many other things that will not be un- 
 interesting, I will transmit you by the Bath coach, if you 
 do not let me take it up with me, or rather to hand it to 
 you here. It has been wretchedly printed in Canada. 
 We expect to republish it in London.* 
 
 * For the gratification of the curiosity of my readers, I extract a few 
 stanzas from the collection alluded to. The contemplated revisal and 
 
624 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I forbear to touch upon my present condition or future 
 prospects until we meet, and shall only add, that I shall 
 be most impatient to learn whether I shall further hasten 
 to embrace you in town, or shall soon be more gratified 
 to welcome you here, where you will accept of a bed. 
 Without the least abatement of our best sentiments, I 
 doubt not you will consider us most anxious to hear from 
 you, and believe me, my dear Devereux, 
 
 Unalterably yours, Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 To J. Kingdom., Esq. 
 Cottage Crescent, June 25th, 1825. 
 
 My dear Friend : — From the generous interest I know 
 you feel in the success of my proposed plan of undertak- 
 
 London publication of the poems was never effected. The address opens 
 as follows : 
 
 " From Chimborazo's lofty brow, 
 
 Fame spreads her eagle wings for flight ; 
 A hero's name she echoes now, 
 
 To thrill the soul with wild delight. 
 
 " On Andes' peaks thy deeds now shine ; 
 In Quito's halls are joy and mirth; 
 Lov'd Erin's cause, for ever thine, 
 
 Is linked with Freedom's 'round the earth. 
 
 " Colombia now no more shall hear 
 The soul's sad echo of distress ; 
 The tyrant's scourge no more shall fear, 
 While Bolivar and Thee they bless. 
 
 " Why weeps poor Erin thus in need 
 
 Of souls like thine to soothe her tears? 
 Why not at Freedom's call we speed 
 To worship at the throne she rears?'' 
 
tuition. 625 
 
 ins; the instruction of two or three other lads concur- 
 rently with that of my son, you have ere now expected 
 something in the nature of a prospectus to be submitted 
 to your consideration. I shall now offer you a sketch of 
 my views, in the hope of your favoring me with your un- 
 reserved judgment on the subject. 
 
 Having, by my own experience and observation, fully 
 proven the wasteful expense of time, money and constitu- 
 tion, to obtain school and academical instruction, and its 
 defects, when acquired, I have no reason to regret that 
 my present restricted circumstances determine me to dis- 
 pense, proprid person d, to my son that discipline of the 
 head and heart, which I should despair of his attaining 
 in a public seminary; and which, for a reasonable com- 
 pensation, I would administer to a few others of similar 
 age and amiable tempers. 
 
 It would be with me a sine qua non that the best moral 
 principles had been confirmed, and the temper generous 
 and tractable, in any pupil I would undertake; such 
 preliminary qualifications I can vouch for in Mr. Cresser 
 and my own boy. With such dispositions I would 
 keep up rather a companionable than a magisterial in- 
 tercourse. Expecting to receive them with good moral 
 instincts, I should spare no pains to arrange and eluci- 
 date the analysis, as well as the synthesis of their ethics, 
 which I regard as the best and most solid foundation 
 of all the prosperity they may aim to attain, in whatever 
 vocation they may be destined for. 
 
 As to literary acquirements, the course and eompass of 
 them should be regulated by the profession we have in 
 view ; for instance, I should hold it preposterous for a 
 40 
 
626 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 student of law to pore longer over the intricacies of 
 mathematics than was necessary to enable him to apply 
 them to an elementary course of physics. This I put as 
 an example of the vigilance I would exert in the economy 
 of time in the selection of matter. Meanwhile I should 
 never lose sight of the necessary grounding, so frequently 
 disregarded or neglected at all schools, except, perhaps, 
 the Royal Foundations, in which last, I admit, young men 
 acquire by seven or eight years labor, a good grammar 
 of the dead languages, with little or no love for the beau- 
 ties of the ancients, in the study of whom they are solely 
 devoted to the almost total neglect of all other acquire- 
 ments. I can aver that, of the four hundred boys at 
 Westminster school, when I was there, six could not be 
 picked out who could deliver the principles of an opera- 
 tion in the Rule of Three. Such a waste of young life 
 was more compatible with a monastic age than with the 
 present. But the tyranny of fashion further exacts four 
 years more of the flower of youth to be devoted to the 
 college course ; for what benefit I know not, save so far 
 as it may be requisite for a more respectable ordination ; 
 but with what effects it visits the constitution and morals 
 of its students, I suppose, is as generally felt and admitted, 
 as is the great charge for the name, rather than the sub- 
 stance of any learning that is gained by it. The literary 
 men of Alma Mater are really self-taught products of a 
 second closet education, and only regard her as their 
 boarding dame. Hence I propose, for my son, to dis- 
 pense with a public education, feeling as I do, that if God 
 Almighty vouches health to me for three years to come, 
 T shall in that time provide him with a viaticum for pur- 
 
EDUCATIONAL. 627 
 
 swing his journey toward the attainment, with credit, of 
 whatever profession circumstances and his talents may 
 Lest indicate. In three years, I beg to repeat, for any lad 
 no less advanced than Lewis, I could supersede the neces- 
 sity of all school and University education, and lit him 
 for such a course of study as in five years more would 
 enable him to enter on the practice of any of the liber.. 1 
 professions as well gifted and qualified as any University 
 scholar whatever. 
 
 You perceive my plan, in the whole, embraces a period 
 of eight years, of which the last five are to be appropri- 
 ated to a mixed course of the sciences, polite literature 
 and professional study, to be arranged and digested on a 
 scale adapted to the views, interests and intended voca- 
 tion of the individual. For instance, should the bar be 
 his object, he is to spend half of his last year in a special 
 pleader's office, three months of it in an attorney's, and 
 the other three in a conveyancer's office, having, during 
 the last five years, kept all his Terms at the Temple. 
 For a military, naval or commercial calling, I would not 
 undertake to propose further than by the first three years' 
 course, which would embrace enough of French, Greek, 
 Latin, English, Arithmetic, Algebra, Geography, Geom- 
 etry, Astronomy, and no more than I should deem requi- 
 site at the present day for any condition. Any other 
 acquirements should be sought out in an after period by 
 the individual. 
 
 If boarding should be required, it could be procured at 
 Cottage Orescent, by all comparisons the most healthful 
 and pleasant situation, distant one and three-fourth miles 
 
628 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 from Bath, at the lowest terms it could be furnished in a 
 good family. The tone of the society and manners is 
 such as may he expected in a domestic circle whose limits 
 regard as their center a retired barrister, who is an LL. B., 
 has traveled much, and practiced his profession with rep- 
 utation both in Europe and America. It is not, he flat- 
 ters himself, his least recommendation, that he avers he 
 had no wish to grow rich by his labors in the decline of 
 his life. His only aim is to give ample value for quantum 
 meruit, while, by benefiting others, he can enlarge the 
 rational comforts of his own family. In his estimates, 
 which, however, he is willing to modify at your sugges- 
 tion, he submits, that he ought to receive £100 per annum, 
 independent of boarding. If it should be thought I have 
 spoken less reverently than I thought to have done, I 
 would refer to the bill now before Parliament, constitut- 
 ing a Police System for the Universities. 
 
 Yours faithfully, H. Blennerhassett. 
 
 To Devereux. 
 Cottage Crescent, Bath, Aug. 31st, 1825. 
 
 My dear Devereux : — Perceiving by the papers that 
 commercial intercourse with Colombia is connived at by 
 France, which I have thought it probable may have 
 arisen from the success of your efforts on the part of 
 the Republic with the French ministry ; and if I am 
 right in this conjecture, I may rejoice in your having 
 been, at least, the proximate cause of that recognition 
 
TO DEVEREUX. 629 
 
 which seems so generally expected to be made by the 
 French Government. Should this soon take place, surely 
 the services you have rendered the Republic, and the 
 claims you have on Bolivar, can admit of no intervention 
 between 3^011 and the Colombian Government, notwith- 
 standing your being a foreigner, to impede your filling 
 any diplomatic situation in Europe you might choose to 
 accept under the Republic. Might I, in such an issue of 
 your exciting political speculations, suggest that, if your 
 views are not already fixed, I will not say on some more 
 attached, but more competent friend, I would be most 
 happy to be appointed your secretary, in which character, 
 I may venture to say, I hope my industry and acquire- 
 ments would not disappoint your expectations. To this 
 application you will gratify me with an early answer. 
 But en attendant, if you could, without inconvenience, 
 procure me a consular appointment under the Colombian 
 Government, or any agency worth even £200 per annum, 
 in any situation in Europe, such an addition to our pres- 
 ent small income would make us comfortable any where 
 near you ; though, I confess, we should receive it with 
 considerable alloy, if it were to depend on the condition 
 of our residing out of Europe. 
 
 I have nearly, but not quite, abandoned the project of 
 resuming my profession in Ireland, which is not now the 
 happy home of our " by-gone years." The scheme is beset 
 with so many difficulties to promise success, with a detail 
 of which I will not attempt to excite your sympathies. 
 
 Mrs. B. has sanguine hopes that the suggestions I have 
 presented to your friendship may open better prospects 
 for us. She begs to close this letter; so I will only add, 
 
630 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 I hope we shall soon learn where we may look for the 
 happiness of embracing you ; being 
 
 Ever, my dear Devereux, faithfully yours, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 P. S. — We have just heard of a new work on the 
 Colombian Revolution, in which we are impatient to 
 come up with and follow the march of your fame. Apro- 
 pos de la marche, I have composed some military ones, of 
 which I hope your Excellency will hereafter select one, to 
 be enhanced by your accepting its dedication. 
 
 My dear Sir : — I can not permit your friend's letter to 
 go without offering you, under my own hand, an expres- 
 sion of the heartfelt pleasure I received by your kind let- 
 ter from London^ the sentiments of which so entirely cor- 
 respond with those I have ever cherished, that I look 
 forward to the period when we shall receive the pleasure 
 we formerly so much enjoyed in your society ; not merely 
 in your promised visit to us here, but in a more durable 
 intercourse, if we shall ever be so fortunate as to realize 
 the hope of sharing with you the evening of our days. 
 
 With every solicitude for your health and happiness, I 
 beg; you to believe me, 
 
 Your faithfully attached friend, M. B. 
 
 To the Marquis of Wellcslcy. 
 Cottage Crescent, Bath, November 3d, 1825. 
 
 My Lord : — If any subject of these realms may more 
 gratefully than another he supposed to exult in the 
 
CONFESSION. 631 
 
 glories of the illustrious house of Wellesley, your Excel- 
 lency will not doubt the sincerity of that devotedness 
 with which an humble relation of that house now ven- 
 tures to solicit your Excellency's notice and protection. 
 
 The grandson of Conway Blonnerhassett, who married 
 Elizabeth Harman, daughter of Margaret "Wellesley, who 
 married "Went worth Harman, — I trust the degree of con- 
 sanguinity which I happily derive from this descent may 
 qualify me to aspire to the hope of your Excellency's 
 favor, if, upon investigation of my capacity, and charac- 
 ter, I shall be found worthy of it. 
 
 I am of the Irish bar, since 1790 : left it for America, 
 in 1795, where I have resided until I finally returned, last 
 year, from Canada, to lay claim, at the solicitation of some 
 friends, to certain estates of the late Dean Harman, which, 
 it was confidently but erroneously believed, I was entitled 
 to, in virtue of my descent from Wentworth Harman. The 
 failure of this enterprise, consequent upon a long train of 
 adverse circumstances, now reduces me to resort to the 
 forlorn hope of praying your Excellency to locate me in 
 any civil situation in Ireland, the stipend whereof may 
 enable me to support a family in a state above penury. 
 
 Confined, since my return to England, by an attendance 
 on an aged sister, in feeble health, which has hitherto pre- 
 vented my personally paying my respects to your Excel- 
 lency, I beg to avail myself of this occasion to express 
 my most ardent wishes for the most perfect happiness of 
 that union resulting from your Excellency's late nuptials 
 with a lady whose acquaintance Mrs. Blennerhassett is 
 proud to recollect she made some years since at Baltimore. 
 
 With the most profound esteem and admiring sense of 
 
632 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 those virtues and talents that distinguish, as they have 
 prepared for history, your Excellency's character and 
 fame, I pray to be considered, my lord, 
 Your most humble servant, 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 Although somewhat foreign to the object of these 
 memoirs, I can not refrain from affording the reader, even 
 at the peril of censure for a departure from the strict line 
 of biographical narrative, and pertinency to my subject, 
 a more extended acquaintance with the personages ad- 
 dressed and referred to in the preceding letter. 
 
 The Marquis of Wellesley, with whom Blennerhassett 
 claimed consanguinity, was the eldst son of the Earl of 
 Mornington, and brother of Arthur, Duke of Wellington, 
 was created Marquis of Wellesley, for his services in India 
 as Governor-General, and, at the date of his letter, Vice- 
 roy of Ireland. lie had, but the February previous, been 
 married to Marianne, daughter of Richard Caton, Esq., 
 of Baltimore, where Mrs. Blennerhassett had made her 
 acquaintance. At the time of her marriage with the 
 Marquis, she was the widow of Robert Patterson, by 
 which previous alliance she became, in some degree, con- 
 nected with the Bonaparte family.* Their nuptials were 
 
 * Jerome Bonaparte, the younger brother of Napoleon I, was born in 
 1784, and educated in France 1 . He went to St. Domingo with Le Clerc, as 
 a lieutenant, and soon afterward was appointed to the command of a frig- 
 ate. Napoleon had so high an opinion of his nautical talents, that he made 
 him an admiral; he, however, was soon dissatisfied, and transferred him 
 to the army, where he arose to the command of a division. About the year 
 1801, Jerome visited the United States, and while here married a Miss 
 Patterson, daughter of the Marquis of Wellesley's wife's former husband. 
 Napoleon compelled him to divorce this lady, with a view of marrying a 
 
MRS. PATTERSON. 633 
 
 celebrated when Lord Wellesley was in his sixty-fifth and 
 the bride in her thirty-first year. Her sister, Louisa 
 Catherine Caton, had been previously married to Sir 
 Felton Bathurst Harvey, in 1817, and became a widow 
 two years after. In 1828, she was again married to the 
 present Duke of Leeds, then Marquis of Carmarthen. % 
 
 Perhaps no American woman, either before or since, 
 has ever won such mark of distinction in Europe, as was 
 bestowed on these beautiful and highly-gifted ladies. Al- 
 though of American parentage, and educated in the less 
 ostentatious manners of Republican simplicity, there was, 
 nevertheless, an inborn dignity of deportment, and an 
 unaffected suavity of address, that at once admitted 
 them within the royal circles of Europe, while their 
 beauty and accomplishments rendered them successful 
 rivals of the titled aristocracy of the old world. 
 
 Mrs. Patterson and her sister had visited Ireland to see 
 the country. Having been introduced to the most fash- 
 ionable circles, she soon became the center of attraction. 
 Her religion, which was that of Pome, had it been at 
 first revealed, might have restricted, in some measure, 
 the generous hospitality which was every- where dis- 
 played. On her introduction at court, Lord Wellesley 
 became enamored of her charms, of which one hundred 
 and fifty thousand pounds were said to constitute a part. 
 Her fortune, however, it is said, was greatly exaggerated 
 
 princess of the house of Wurtemberg. This marriage took place in 1807, 
 and Jerome removed to the territory of Wurtemberg, where he continued 
 to reside for some time under the title of Count Montfort. He died in 1860. 
 It seems rather a remarkable coincidence, that while the stepmother 
 married the brother of the Duke of AVellington, the stepdaughter should 
 have married the brother of Napoleon. 
 
634 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 by the vulgar report; and the Marquis would have been 
 
 the very last man to have taken it into the account in 
 a matrimonial alliance. " Though Hymen," says Sheil, 
 "is sometimes addicted to the study of arithmetic, yet 
 Lord Wellesley would never set them at this inglorious 
 task." It was indeed, with him, altogether an affair of 
 the heart. She was that poetic creation — an old man's 
 darling. He offered her his hand, and was elated with 
 its acceptance. 
 
 In the great city of Dublin, the announcement of the 
 intended nuptials produced the most profound sensa- 
 tion. The lord-lieutenant was soon to introduce in their 
 midst a vice-queen, of wonderful beauty, and of the 
 Roman Catholic religion ; of course, the wildest ex- 
 citement prevailed among the hitherto oppressed and 
 restricted Catholic subjects. Their creed they now con- 
 ceived, says Sheil, " would receive a sanction from a 
 pair of beautiful eyes at the Castle." She would drive 
 in state to the chapel, and O'Connell and Sheil hoped 
 " that her love of legitimate rhetoric might induce her to 
 go in disguise to the gallery of the Catholic House of 
 Commons." The Orange faction were alarmed ; the 
 scepter was to depart from Judah ; and the Protestant 
 viceroy was to be placed in Catholic leading strings, by 
 the intrigues of an American beauty. It was idle, they 
 said, to expect, on the part of Lord Wellesley, any very 
 rigid adherence to the principles of the Protestant relig- 
 ion : " How powerful must be the influence of a young 
 and beautiful wife upon a man of careless and vacillating 
 opinions." 
 
 The marriage may be said to have been a double one ; 
 
A BALL. 635 
 
 at least, the ceremonies were twice performed ; the first 
 by Dr. Magee, a clergyman of the Church of England ; 
 the second, by one of the Catholic communion. Thus pol- 
 itics and religion were reconciled, the rancor of religious 
 intolerance appeased, and both parties satisfied that the 
 hymenial knot had been tied with a double bow. 
 
 The Marchioness soon became popular in Ireland. She 
 was called upon to witness much distress, caused, partly, 
 by the improvidence of its inhabitants, but more immedi- 
 ately by the prostration of its manufacturing interests. 
 It was true that her private charities were frequently dis- 
 pensed to individual objects ; but where poverty and suf- 
 fering were so universal, however large the contributions 
 of her own and her husband's private benevolence, they 
 could afford but limited relief to the starving poor. As 
 an expedient of temporary relief, it was suggested that a 
 " Tabinet Ball " should take place, under the auspices of 
 the fair and newly-ennobled lady. I am enabled to con- 
 dense a description of the scene from an eye-witness.* 
 
 The notice was given in order to afford the young 
 ladies in the country an opportunity of coming to town, 
 and the 11th of May, 1826, was fixed for the metropolitan 
 fete. Peremptory orders were issued at the Castle, that 
 no person should appear in any other than Irish manu- 
 facture. A great sensation was produced by what, in 
 such a provincial town as Dublin, may be considered as 
 an event. Crowds of families flocked from all parts of 
 the country ; and if any prudential grazier remonstrated 
 against the expense of a journey to the metropolis, the 
 
 Mr. Sheil. 
 
636 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 eyes of the young ladies having duly filled with tears, 
 and mamma having protested that Mr. O'Flaherty might 
 as well send the girls to a convent, and doom them to 
 old maidenhood for life, the old carriage was ordered to 
 the hall-door, and came creaking into town, laden with 
 the rural belles, who were to make a conquest at the 
 Tabinet Ball. The arrival of the important day was 
 looked for with impatience, and many a young heart 
 was kept beating under its virgin zone at the pleasura- 
 ble anticipation. In the interval much good was ac- 
 complished, and Terpsichore set the loom at work. 
 Every milliner's shop gave notes of profuse and prodi- 
 gal preparation. 
 
 At last, the 11th of May arrived, and at about 10 
 o'clock the city shook with the roll of carriages hurrying 
 from all quarters to the rotunda. Here was an immense 
 assemblage of young and beautiful women, dressed in an 
 attire which, instead of impairing, tended to set off the 
 loveliness of their aspect, and the symmetry of their fine 
 forms; the sweetness and innocency of expression which 
 characterizes an Irish lady, sat upon their faces ; modesty, 
 kindness, and vivacity played in their features ; and grace 
 and joyousness swayed the movement of limbs which 
 Chantry would not disdain to select for a model. While 
 these gay festivities were proceeding, it was suddenly 
 announced that Lord "Wellesley and the Marchioness 
 were about to enter the room. There was a sudden 
 pause in the dancing, and the light airs to which the 
 crowd had been moving were soon changed to the Eoyal 
 Anthem. All were eager in their efforts to observe the 
 beautiful American. A Yankee and a Papist turned into 
 
HAPPY MAN ! 637 
 
 a vice-queen ! — a novelty never before witnessed in the 
 long history of Ireland. There was something strange 
 in this caprice of fortune; the crowd were anxious to 
 behold the person with whom the blind goddess had 
 played so fantastic a freak. Followed by a gorgeous 
 retinue of richly-decorated attendants, the viceroy and 
 his consort advanced toward the immense assembly, who 
 received them with acclamation. She was leaning upon 
 his arm. He seemed justly proud of so fair a burden. 
 The consciousness of so noble a possession had the effect 
 upon him which the inspirations of Genius were said to 
 have produced upon a celebrated actor, and he looked 
 " six feet high," compact, and well knit together, with 
 great alertness in his movements, and with no further 
 stoop than sixty winters have left upon him, with a 
 searching and finely-irradiated eye, and with cheeks 
 which, however furrowed, carry but few traces of the 
 tropics. The victor of Tipoo Saib, and the conqueror 
 of Captain Rock, entered the rotunda. 
 
 He seemed to personate his sovereign with too elabo- 
 rate a fidelity to the part, and to forget that he was not 
 in permanent possession of the character upon a stage 
 which was under the direction of such capricious mana- 
 gers, and that he must speedily relinquish it to some 
 other actor upon the provincial boards. lie was, un- 
 questionably, a man of very great abilities ; a speaker of 
 the first order of talent; a statesman with wide and phil- 
 osophic views, who never bounded his prospects by an 
 artificial horizon. He attained great fame as a politician, 
 and had the merit of co-operating with O'Connell in the 
 pacification of Ireland. 
 
638 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 A throne, surmounted with a gorgeous canopy of gold 
 and scarlet, was placed at the extremity of the room for 
 his reception ; and to this seat of mock regality he ad- 
 vanced with his vice-queen with a measured and stately 
 step. "When he had reached this place of dignity, his 
 suite formed themselves into a hollow square and excluded 
 from any too familiar approach the crowd of spectators 
 that thronged around. A sort of boundary was formed 
 by the lines of aid-de-camps, train-bearers, and pursui- 
 vants of all kinds. 
 
 The Marquis was dressed in a rich uniform, with a pro- 
 fusion of orders. He wore white pantaloons, with short 
 boots lined with gold and with tassels of the same ma- 
 terial. The Marchioness was dressed in white tabinet, 
 crossed with a garland of flowers. Her appearance was 
 striking, not only as a very fine, but dignified woman. 
 Nobody would have suspected that she had not originally 
 belonged to that proud aristocracy to which she had been 
 recently annexed. She had nothing of la bourgeoise, far- 
 venue. She executed her courtesies with a remarkable 
 gracefulness, and her stateliness sat as naturally upon her 
 as though she inherited it by regal descent. Her figure 
 was peculiarly well proportioned. Her arms and shoul- 
 ders, though less suited to Hebe than to Pomona, were 
 finely moulded, and her waist delicately small and taper- 
 ing. Her profile was marked and classical. Her com- 
 plexion had not that purity and milkiness of color which 
 belong to Irish beauty, but it was perhaps not the less 
 agreeable from having been touched by a warmer sun. 
 Her brows were softly and straightly penciled ; her 
 
THE DOWAGER. 639 
 
 cheeks well chiseled, and an expression of permanent 
 mildness sat upon her lips. "If I were called upon," 
 says Sheil, " to point out, among the portraitures of ficti- 
 tious life, an illustration of the Marchioness of Wellesley, 
 I do not think that with reference to her air, her man- 
 ners, the polish and urbanity of her address, and the 
 placidity of her expression, I could select any more ap- 
 propriate than the English heroine of Don Juan — 
 
 "The Lady Adeline Amundeville." 
 
 The Marquis and the copartner of his honors, and sole 
 tenant of his heart, having made their obeisance to the 
 company, seated themselves upon the throne. From this 
 position they could command a view of the entire assem- 
 bly. After the ceremonies of the reception had ended, 
 the festivities of the occasion were resumed, and only 
 closed when the morning sun eclipsed the glare of arti- 
 ficial light, and admonished the exhausted dancers that 
 the night w r as spent. 
 
 This remarkable lady seems not to have been exempt 
 from the fickleness of fortune, and to have experienced 
 sad reverses in her latter days. Queen Victoria granted 
 her a residence in Hampton Court Palace, a " refuge for 
 the destitute" among the aristocracy, in w r hich many 
 pauperized people of rank are rent free. Here she re- 
 ceived a pension, either from the British Government or 
 the East India Company, both of whom Marquis Welles- 
 ley had served faithfully and with distinction during a 
 long period of years. 
 
640 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 From the Poet Campbell. 
 
 10 Upper Seymour Street, West, 
 July Vlth, 1825. 
 
 Sir: — I am exceedingly sorry that it is wholly out of 
 my power to be of the smallest use to you in the publica- 
 tion of your musical composition. The New Monthly 
 never inserts pieces of music, and I have no personal ac- 
 quaintance either with Mr. Braham or Mr. Sapio. The 
 words are not mine, to the best of my recollection ; but I 
 should not be ashamed of them. I am therefore obliged 
 to return your MSS., and with best wishes I remain, 
 Your most obedient servant, Thos. Campbell. 
 
 In 1825, Blennerhassett returned to Canada, only to 
 complete his arrangements for a permanent removal. His 
 business having been closed, accompanied by his wife 
 and youngest son, he sailed from Quebec, never to return. 
 His maiden sister, Avis, having offered him a home, his 
 family became a part of her household at Cottage Cres- 
 cent, Bath, in the county of Somersetshire, England. 
 The generosity of Avis, whose income was by no means 
 ample, afforded them a subsistence during the remainder 
 of his life. In the mean time, as is disclosed by his cor- 
 respondence, he strove arduously, but fruitlessly, to gain 
 employment. 
 
 Disheartened by disappointment, and suffering from 
 unusual exposure, Mrs. Blennerhassett's health was found 
 to be rapidly declining. The climate had proven too 
 rigorous for a constitution already impaired, and the dis- 
 
HOPE ON ! 641 
 
 ease,* to which she had long been subject, became greatly 
 aggravated. A removal to another locality, where the 
 changes were less extreme, was advised by her physician 
 as the only certain measure of relief. The Island of 
 Jersey, in the British channel, was accordingly determ- 
 ined on ; thither they removed, accompanied by the 
 sister Avis. 
 
 A change of Administration had been but recently 
 effected in the Government, and Lord Anglesey was 
 placed at the head of the Ordnance Department. Blen- 
 nerhassett determined once more to appeal to the gener- 
 osity of his friend, and addressed him the following letter : 
 
 St. Aubin, Jersey, May 31st, 1827. 
 
 My Lord : — With what feelings I participated in the 
 general satisfaction expressed by the better part of the 
 public on the triumphant establishment of the present 
 Administration since your Lordship's acceptance of office 
 in it, the correspondence I have been honored with by 
 you, from 1819 to 1823, will more fully attest than I could 
 by any assurances. 
 
 I hope that, in inditing this letter, I shall not have ob- 
 truded upon the indulgence which has always heard and 
 answered me. Encouraged by such reflections, I now 
 beg leave to state, that my chief motive for this address 
 is an anxious desire to offer to your Lordship's considera- 
 ation certain suggestions relating to our cannon and 
 musketry in proposals for improvements in fabricating 
 cannon, by which a 24-pounder, for instance, may be 
 
 * Inflammation of the heart. 
 
 41 
 
642 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 made of higher proof, and of half the weight, and at 
 nearly one-half the cost of the present pieces of the 
 same caliber. If this can be realized, of which I have 
 no doubt whatever, though the plan was rejected by a 
 committee appointed to examine it in the Duke of Wel- 
 lington's Administration, who were assuredly mistaken, 
 both as to the facts and principles on which the plan is 
 founded, what an accession of effect and saving will be 
 gained in naval as well as military projectiles, your judg- 
 ment will not fail to discover. The expense, however, of 
 an experiment to settle the question would hardly cost 
 Government £100. 
 
 The second proposal has for its object the means of 
 giving to the musket now in use all the precision and 
 effect of the rifle, without any alteration of the piece 
 whatsoever, and also without lessening or at all interfer- 
 ing with the present rate of time taken up in loading. 
 The object is effected by a new mode of making the 
 balls, and which is also more speedy and economical than 
 the present. The success of this improvement on the 
 effect of the musket is unquestionable, and has received 
 the approbation of several military men, to whom it has 
 been proposed. 
 
 During my retirement from Canada, residing here with 
 my family on a small income, I have abandoned all views 
 of resuming law-practice, unless in an official situation 
 befitting a barrister of 1790. Any civil appointment, 
 however, in your Lordship's department, at a European 
 station, that could be conveniently offered me ; or one in 
 Europe or America for a deserving son, or a present or 
 future vacancy, would be most gratefully accepted. 
 
DISAPPOINTMENT. G43 
 
 I pray to be informed, whether I may or may not ad- 
 dress you officially, tendering the foregoing proposals, for 
 lessening the cost and increasing the effect of ordnance 
 and musketry for the advancement of her Majesty's 
 sendee. I have the honor to be, etc., 
 
 Harman Blennerhassett. 
 
 REPLY. 
 
 Office of Ordnance, June 9th, 1827. 
 
 Sir: — I am directed by the Marquis of Anglesey to 
 acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 81st ult., 
 and to acquaint you that his Lordship will be happy to 
 receive the suggestions which 3^011 may have to offer, and 
 will submit them to the consideration of the committee, 
 whose province it is to examine and report upon the 
 various projects brought before this department. With 
 respect to your request, an appointment, Lord Anglesey 
 regrets extremely, that the long list of pressing claims, 
 received from his predecessor, and the very limited means 
 of attending to them, will not allow his Lordship to hold 
 out any expectation that it will be in his power to offer 
 to your acceptance any appointment. 
 
 I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, 
 
 Wm. Gossett. 
 H. Blennerhassett, Esq. 
 
 To Harman Blennerhassett, Junior. 
 
 Guernsey, December 4th, 1828. 
 My dear Son : — On the 30th ult., my dear Harman, we 
 received your letter of the 8th November. We grieve to 
 
644 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 learn by it that you labor under pecuniary embarrass- 
 ments we can not at present relieve. * * * 
 * * * ***** 
 
 Since we had your September letter, I have heartily 
 rejoiced at the station you had acquired in civil life by 
 the attainment of a profession in the practice of which I 
 hope and believe you will reach a standing to insure you 
 a competency, if not a fortune. And with a view to 
 your success I will now present a few observations to 
 your consideration. 
 
 The field of advice to a young lawyer is so large that 
 it is not easy to choose on which side to enter it. I shall 
 therefore only touch, as it were, upon the confines of the 
 region of study, by advising you to refuse your mind to 
 matters of detail in it, but seize and treasure up in mem- 
 ory the principles and points which you can draw from 
 it for the occasion of pleading and forensic argumenta- 
 tion, in which your adversary may not, perhaps, be able 
 to say as you can, " Condo et comparo quod mox depromere 
 passim." 
 
 Blaekstone, omitting his feudal system and such other 
 parts of the work as, on first reading, you can mark off 
 as inapplicable to American polity and jurisprudence, 
 should be your text-book. It will furnish the principles 
 which will best prepare you to study those constitutions 
 and laws of which you are now called upon, in some de- 
 gree, to direct the administration in your practice. In 
 this work you ought to contemplate your vocation from 
 a high post of responsibility, which the full discharge of 
 duty will reward with the full meed of honor and profit. 
 This sentiment will be well supported by your habitual 
 
ADVICE. 645 
 
 principles of candor and integrity, which will secure to 
 yon the favor and countenance of the Court, which you 
 must ever conciliate by decent humility, without servil- 
 ity ; but it will expose you to insidious attacks of chi- 
 canery, in practice by your opponents, ever on the watch 
 to overreach your contingent neglect of rules, orders or 
 notices, which your vigilance must aid your industry to 
 counteract in season. 
 
 In your public speaking you must be no competitor for 
 the palm of eloquence. Leaving others to aspire to that 
 object, it must be your aim to stand before the Court on 
 the facts, on which you can show the law and reason of 
 your case upon solemn argument. When addressing a 
 jury, or examining a witness, you must rather engage the 
 feelings of the former by seeming to participate in what- 
 ever bias you have reason to suspect they entertain, 
 whether derived from rumor or personal prejudice, as 
 you must endeavor to win the confidence of the latter 
 by the urbanity of your manner of interrogation, through 
 which you can best throw him off his guard against your 
 real purpose, until you have fixed him on one horn of a 
 dilemma, from which he has no escape but in the conclu- 
 sions you have in view. This is, indeed, one of the evo- 
 lutions of practice, requiring the greatest dexterity and 
 address, but yet to be executed with more or less success 
 through exercise, directed by observation and judgment, 
 which time and industry will supply, but it is never to be 
 obtained when marred by fits of irritability of temper, 
 against which, through regard for character and true 
 interest, you should ever be on your guard, through 
 all trials of life, especially those of your practice. 
 
646 THE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 These observations, drawn from the sources of my own 
 experience, I shall close here at present.* I have for- 
 
 * The advice here given by Blennerhassett to his son, on entering the 
 practice of law, is perhaps more spiritedly given by an Irish gentleman, 
 as related by Mr. Sheil: "A young barrister," says he, "-who looks to 
 eminence from his own sheer, unaided merits, must have a mind and frame 
 prepared by nature for the endurance of unremitting toil. He must cram 
 his memory with the arbitrary principles of a complex and incongruous 
 code, and be equally prepared, as occasion serves, to apply or misapply 
 them. He must not only surpass his competitors in the art of reasoning 
 right from right principles — the logic of common life — but he must be 
 equally an adept in reasoning right from wrong principles, and wrong 
 from right ones. He must learn to glory in a perplexing sophistry, as in the 
 discovery of an immortal truth. He must make up his mind and his face 
 to demonstrate, in open court, with all imaginable gravity, that nonsense 
 is replete with meaning, and that the clearest meaning is manifestly non- 
 sense by construction. This is merit, by 'legal habit of thinking;' and 
 to acquire them, he must not only prepare his faculties by a course of 
 assiduous and direct cultivation, but he must absolutely forswear all other 
 studies and speculations that may interfere with their perfection. There 
 must be no dallying with literature; no hankering after comprehensive 
 theories for the good of men ; away must be wiped all such ' trivial fond 
 records.' He must keep to his digests and indexes. He must see nothing 
 in mankind but a great collection of plaintiffs and defendants, and con- 
 sider no revolution in their afl'airs as comparable, in interest, to the last 
 term reports of points of practice decided in banco regis. As he walks the 
 streets, he must give way to no sentimental musings. There must be no 
 1 commercing with the skies, no idle dreams of love, and rainbows, and 
 poetic forms,' and all the bright illusions upon which the ' fancy free' can 
 feast. If a thought of love intrudes, it must be connected with the law 
 of marriage settlements, and articles of separation from bed and board. 
 So of the other passions, and of every the most interesting incident 
 and situation in human life — he must view them all with reference to their 
 legal effect and operation. If a funeral passes by, instead of permitting 
 his imagination to follow the mourners to the grave, he must consider how 
 far the executor may not have made himself liable for a waste of assets 
 by some supernumerary plumes and hat-bands, beyond ' the state and cir- 
 cumstances of the deceased ; ' or, if his eye should light upon a requisi- 
 tion for a public meeting to petition against a grievance, he must regard 
 the grievance as immaterial, but bethink himself whether the wording of 
 the requisition be strictly warrantable under the provisions of the Con- 
 vention Act. 
 
FRATERNAL. 647 
 
 borne until now to speak of my own health. It is, for 
 my time of life, good, save a paralytic affection of the left 
 arm and side, which has not left me since the 28th of last 
 May, when it seized me. How it may terminate I know 
 not, but whenever I shall be called away from this sub- 
 lunary, to another, and I doubt not a better state, I shall 
 not apprehend that my soul will be any thing less jocular 
 there than here. That thought in the Emperor Adrian's 
 soliloquy, or rather address, to his departing soul, is not 
 so happily conceived as the sportive playfulness with 
 which he expresses in beautiful diminutives his philo- 
 sophical composure, in articulo mortis — a moment of trial 
 
 " Such is a part, and a very small part, of the probationary discipline to 
 which the young candidate for forensic eminence must be prepared to sub- 
 mit; and if he can hold out for ten or fifteen years, his superior claims 
 may begin to be known and rewarded. But success will bring no dimi- 
 nution of toil and self-denial. The bodily and mental labor alone of a suc- 
 cessful barrister's life would be sufficient, if known beforehand, to appal 
 the stoutest. Besides this, it has many peculiar rubs and annoyances. 
 His life is passed in a tumult of perpetual contention, and he must make 
 up his sensibility to give and receive the hardest knocks. He has no choice 
 of cases ; he must throw himself, heart and soul, into the most unpromis- 
 ing that is confided to him. He must fight pitched battles with obstreperous 
 witnesses. He must have lungs to out clamor the most clamorous. He must 
 make speeches without. He must keep battering for hours at a jury that he 
 sees to be impregnable. He is before the public, and at the mercy of public 
 opinion ; and if ever-y nerve be not strained to the utmost to achieve what 
 is impossible, the public, with its usual good nature, will attribute the fail- 
 ure to want of zeal or capacity in the advocate, to any thing, rather than 
 the badness of the cause. Finally, he must appear to be sanguine, even 
 after a defeat; and be prepared to tell a knavish client that has been 
 beaten out of the courts of common law, that his ' is a clear case for relief 
 in equity.' The man who can do all this deserves to succeed, and will suc- 
 ceed ; but I will not discourage my young American aspirants, that, in the 
 United States, they may not ' rationally expect to arrive at eminence in 
 their profession upon less rigorous conditions.' " 
 
648 TUE BLENNERHASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 so fearfully met by vulgar hearts. I am so far sunk in 
 practice, through dissuetude in my Latin, that I can not 
 set about a letter in that language. The lines are these : 
 
 " Anima vagula blandula 
 Hospes comesque corporis, 
 Quo nunc abidis in loco? 
 Palidula, frigida, stridalis, 
 Nee dabis ut soles joca ! " * 
 
 The epithet "vagula blandula" beautifully characterizes 
 the departing spirit's mild nature, and its being on the 
 wing to seek its resting in unknown regions ; but those 
 in the last line but one are, to my taste, unhappily chosen, 
 as they exhibit the soul like a vulgar ghost or specter, 
 bearing about it enough of a camel covering sufficient to 
 exhibit our Divine spark ! — a pale, shrieking, chilled 
 being, not, indeed, capable of jesting. * * * 
 
 Your fond father, II arm an Blennerhassett. 
 
 The attack of paralysis of which he writes was the 
 premonition of his closing career, " The silver cord was 
 loosed, and the golden bowl broken." He lingered for 
 sometime after; but death, as he intimates, would at any 
 time have been a pleasant messenger. The height of his 
 intellect was fading, and his grasp on earthly hopes 
 rapidly relaxing. After a residence of three years at St. 
 
 * " sweet, roving spirit, 
 
 Guest and companion of my body, 
 
 Where now will you go ? 
 
 Pale, cold and shrieking creature, 
 
 No more, as once, will you be capable of jesting." 
 
HIS DEATH. 649 
 
 Aubin, it was deemed advisable to remove to the Island 
 of Guernsey, where the landed property of Avis was 
 situate. Here, at Port Pierre, a second, and then a third 
 attack followed; and, on the 1st of February, 1831, 
 wearied with life, he sank to rest, in the sixty-third year 
 of his age, with his head pillowed on that bosom which, 
 for thirty-five years, had throbbed in perfect unison with 
 his own. 
 
 Thus has it been attempted to portray the life and 
 character of Blennerhassett. From youth to age, and 
 finally to the grave, we have followed his footsteps, with 
 an interest excited more through our sympathy than our 
 admiration of the man. In his life, there is really noth- 
 ing remarkable. His scientific acquirements never gave 
 to mankind one single truth, nor devised a plan for the 
 benefit of the human race. His is not that fame which 
 bedecks with laurels the brow of the hero, or follows 
 those acts which the world regards as sublimely great. 
 Of these, indeed, he was never emulous. His native 
 country afforded him the finest fields for military noto- 
 riety ; and as for political preferment, the times in which 
 he lived were propitious to the aspirant. The names of 
 his compeers will descend to posterity in living colors as 
 long as down-trodden Ireland shall retain a place on the 
 page of history. That celebrity which attended his name 
 was not of his seeking. His was the peculiar tempera- 
 ment, fitted better for the enjoyments of private life than 
 the battle-field or the political arena. For this, he re- 
 signed magnificence and ease for obscurity in a western 
 wilderness, where he enjoyed, for a time, that uninter- 
 
650 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 rupted repose which had so long attracted his fancy. 
 There, too, he would have doubtless remained hut for 
 the circumstances heretofore narrated. 
 
 At the death of her husband, Mrs. Blennerhassett was 
 left with a family of dependent children, for whom her 
 greatest exertions could hardly procure subsistence. Long 
 and arduously she toiled, both mentally and physically, 
 to avoid impending poverty. It was not only necessary 
 that they should be fed and clothed, but it was also im- 
 portant that they should receive such an education as 
 would, at least, fit them for the business transactions of 
 life. She had now arrived at an age when elasticity, both 
 of body and mind, was nearly destroyed; and this of 
 itself was sufficient to prevent any expectation of future 
 success. Under such gloomy prospects, she resolved to 
 visit the United States and petition the Government for 
 relief. 
 
 In this, she is not to be regarded as a mendicant asking 
 for alms, but rather as asserting her rights; — rights most 
 wantonly violated by the officers of a government pledged 
 to the protection of its citizens. The agents of the Pres- 
 ident had not only detained the boats and stores prepared 
 for the enterprise of Burr, but had actually destroyed the 
 former and consumed the latter. The} 7, had invaded the 
 sanctity of her household ; had appropriated to them- 
 selves and wasted her provisions ; broken her furniture ; 
 laid waste the gardens; torn down the fences; and had 
 done serious injury to the mansion. They had put Blen- 
 nerhassett to an enormous expense in defending himself at 
 Richmond; they, in fact, had reduced him from affluence 
 
TO CONGRESS. 651 
 
 to comparative poverty. "Was this extraordinary sacri- 
 fice to be justified, and its victims to remain unsatisfied 
 from the mere fact that Blennerhassett was accused of 
 hostility toward the Government ? Could such an inva- 
 sion of private rights have been legalized, if he had been 
 found guilty of the acts with which he was charged ? 
 
 In the year 1842, Mrs. Blennerhassett, with an invalid 
 son, visited New York, and, through the hands of her 
 friends, preferred a petition to Congress. With a meek- 
 ness of disposition which is remarkable, when we recol- 
 lect her grievances, she says : 
 
 " Your memorialist does not desire to exaggerate the 
 conduct of the said armed men, or the injuries done by 
 them ; but she can truly say, that, before their visit, the 
 residence of her family had been noted for its elegance 
 and high state of improvement ; and that they left it in a 
 comparative state of ruin and waste. And, as instances 
 of the mischievous and destructive spirit which appeared 
 to govern them, she would mention, that, while they 
 occupied as a guard-room one of the best apartments in 
 the house, the building of which cost nearly forty thou- 
 sand dollars, a musket or rifle ball was deliberately fired 
 into the ceiling, by which it was much defaced and in- 
 jured ; and that they wantonly destroyed many pieces of 
 valuable furniture. She would also state that, being ap- 
 parently under no restraint, they indulged in continual 
 drunkenness and riot, offering many indignities to your 
 memorialist and treating her domestics with violence. 
 
 " These outrages were committed upon an unoffending 
 and defenseless family, in the absence of their natural 
 
652 THE BLENNERHASS^Tt PAPERS. 
 
 protector, jour memorialist's husband being then away 
 from home ; and that, in answer to such remonstrances 
 as she ventured to make against the consumption, waste 
 and destruction of his property, she was told, by those 
 who assumed to have the commaud, that they held the 
 property for the United States, by order of the President, 
 and were privileged to use it, and should use it as they 
 pleased. It is with pain that your memorialist reverts to 
 events, which, in their consequences, have reduced a once 
 happy family, from affluence and comfort, to comparative 
 want and wretchedness; which blighted the prospects of 
 her children, and made herself, in the decline of life, a 
 wanderer on the face of the earth." 
 
 Robert Emmett, the son of Thomas Addis, and nephew 
 of the celebrated Irish patriot, interested himself in her 
 behalf. He had been the intimate friend of Blennerhas- 
 sett, and sympathized deeply with his afflicted family. 
 In forwarding her memorial to the Hon. Henry Clay of 
 the United States Senate, he remarks: "Mrs. Blenner- 
 hassett is now in this (New York) city, residing in very 
 humble circumstances, bestowing her cares on a son, who, 
 by long poverty and sickness, is reduced to utter imbe- 
 cility, both of body and mind ; unable to assist her, or 
 provide for his own wants. In her present destitute situ- 
 ation, the smallest amount of relief would be thankfully 
 received by her. Her condition is one of absolute ward, 
 and she has but a short time left to enjoy any better for- 
 tune in this world."* 
 
 * Mrs. B. was in the receipt of a small rent received from a house in 
 England, left to the family by the sister of Blennerhassett. 
 
JUSTICE. Ooii 
 
 Her statement, with regard to the destruction of her 
 property, and the acts of the officers of the Government, 
 were fully corroborated by "William Eobinson, jun., and 
 Morgan Neville, both of whom were present at the island 
 when the occurrences took place. Au estimate of the 
 property destroyed was made out by Dudley Woodbridge, 
 the former partner of Blennerhassett in mercantile trans- 
 actions, which also accompanied her petition. 
 
 It would be presumed that, under such a state of cir- 
 cumstances, the American Congress would not long hesi- 
 tate in granting her full indemnity for past injuries. Mr. 
 Clay presented the petition, and eloquently advocated its 
 justice. He had known Blennerhassett in the noontide 
 of his prosperity, when not a cloud darkened the horizon 
 of his effulgent future ; he had visited his rural palace, 
 and xegaled himself with the luxuries it afforded. lie 
 had partaken of its hospitalities, and been entertained by 
 the sprightly conversation of its inmates. He had wit- 
 nessed Blennerhassett's arrest, in Kentucky, and man- 
 fully exerted himself in his defense. He had afterward 
 witnessed his declining fortunes ; and, when destruction 
 had laid waste his possessions, had wandered over the 
 ruins with feelings of unsuppressed sympathy. 
 
 The memorial having been referred to the appropriate 
 committee, of which the Hon. "William Woodbridge was 
 oh airman, he returned a report, alike honorable to Lis 
 intelligence and clear sense of justice. He advocated the 
 claim as legal and proper, and one which ought to be 
 allowed, notwithstanding it had been thirty-six years 
 since the events transpired. " Not to do so would be un- 
 worthy a wise or just nation." 
 
654 THE BLENNERIIASSETT PAPERS. 
 
 The claim would doubtless have met with the favor of 
 Congress, had not an event transpired, in the meanwhile, 
 which rendered further action unnecessary. Death had 
 visited the suffering applicant, and relieved her of earthly 
 wants. In a humble abode, in the city of New York, 
 her spirit had silently departed ! No soothing hand of a 
 relative fanned her fevered temples, nor wiped from her 
 brow the chilly dews of expiring nature. Within that 
 lonely chamber, it was reserved to strangers to witness 
 the last sad scenes. She, who had been born in affluence ; 
 to whom the world appeared, in early life, as Paradise 
 before the fall ; who had been honored by the attentions 
 of the great and the praises of the humble ; whose heart 
 was ever open to the cries of distress, and whose hands 
 were ever ready to relieve the wants of the needy, had, 
 in her turn, to ask the charities of the world ! Although 
 the kindly ministrations of a society of Irish females 
 served, in some measure, to assuage the agonies of her 
 parting hours, still it was hard to die thus destitute and 
 deserted ; for 
 
 " On some fond breast the parting soul relies, 
 Some pious drops the closing eye requires." 
 
 And now, as the sable hearse moved slowly along, fol- 
 lowed only by those devoted " sisters of charity," it ex- 
 cited no interest in the passing crowd. No mock pageant 
 indicated the life or station of the deceased. In one of 
 the cemeteries of that city remains all that is earthly of 
 that once accomplished lady, separated from the tomb of 
 her husband by the wide Atlantic. While on their 
 
ULIQUIESCAT. 655 
 
 graves we " drop the tribute of a tear," may we never 
 forget the lesson taught us by their lives.* 
 
 * It is proper to add that the son Harman died in the city of New York, 
 in 1854, after a protracted illness, in which he was attended by the good 
 offices of the ladies of the "Old Brewery" mission. Joseph Lewis Blen- 
 nerhassett, the last survivor, is engaged, at the present time, in the prac- 
 tice of law at Troy, Lincoln county, Missouri, from whom the manuscripts 
 for this memoir were obtained. 
 

APPENDIX. 657 
 
 APPENDIX : 
 
 i. 
 
 SECRET CORRESPONDENCE. 
 
 General Wilkinson and Burr began their correspondence 
 in cipher about the years 1800 and 1801, near the period at 
 which the latter ascended the chair of the Vice-Presidency. 
 For this purpose they adopted three different ciphers. 
 
 The first is called the hieroglyphic : 
 
 X l -'3 - ©si/i^_^«v^N j^o-A u 
 
 O President. 
 
 O Vice-President. 
 
 -f- Secretary of State. 
 
 It was invented by General Wilkinson and Captain Camp- 
 bell Smith as long ago as the year 1794, '95, or '96, for the 
 purpose of communicating confidentially with the general offi- 
 cers in the Western country. 
 
 Another cipher, of a somewhat similar construction, was de- 
 vised by Captain Smith in 1791, in which the hieroglyphics 
 representing the President and Vice-President are the same 
 with those used in the cipher of Col. Burr. 
 
 The second is denominated the arbitrary alphabet cipher; 
 and was formed by Burr and Wilkinson in the year 1799 or 
 1800. 
 
 42 
 
 B C 
 
 D E 
 
 F G 
 
 H, 
 
 1 X 
 
 X A 
 
 V J 
 
 & 
 
 1 
 
 2 3 
 
 4 
 
 
 T 
 
 L J 
 
 □ 
 
 
658 APPENDIX. 
 
 This cipher was nothing more than a substitution of char- 
 acters in the place of letters which actually compose the alpha- 
 bet. It was also used in figures, from one to ten. 
 
 The third is styled the dictionary cipher; and was adopted 
 by them in the year 1800. Tbe famous letters from Burr to 
 Wilkinson, of the 22d July, 1806, delivered by Swartwout at 
 Natchez, and its duplicate of the 29th of the same month, 
 conveyed to Bollman, were written partly in each of these two 
 ciphers, and partly in English. The Wilmington edition of 
 Entick's Pocket Dictionary of 1800 served as the key. by 
 which such part of the letters as were written in figures were 
 to be interpreted. For example, if the figures 3 and 4 were 
 used, the figure 3 pointed out the page in the book, and 4 the 
 number of the word intended— counting from the top in the 
 first or second column on the page, which latter circumstance 
 was indicated by a slight mark above or below the 4. 
 
 General Dayton's letters of the 16th and 24th July, which 
 were forwarded in company with Burr's by Swartwout and 
 Bollman, were written partly in hieroglyphics and the arbi- 
 trary alphabetical ciphers, above described, partly in English, 
 but principally in Dayton's own cipher, of which the key-word 
 is FRANCE 
 
 It is composed in the following manner, the letters of the 
 alphabet being numbered thus : 
 
 1234567890 
 a b c d e f g h i j 
 
 In order to decipher a letter or passage written in cipher, 
 take the first letter of the key-word F, fix on the letter in the 
 series of the alphabet; count forward from that letter as many 
 letters as are equal to the first figure in the ciphered letter; 
 as 8, for example, which will give I, and I will be the first 
 letter of the first word; then take the second letter of the 
 
APPENDIX. 
 
 659 
 
 key-word R, and, in the same manner as in the first instance, 
 count forward as many letters as are equal to the second fig- 
 ure : as 2, which will give the second letter T. completing 
 the first word, It. Continue the same way with the ensuing 
 letters of the key-word, until they are finished ; and then 
 begin again — thus going through the key-word again and 
 again until the letter is completed. 
 
 In the ciphered letter the figure, or aggregate of figures rep 
 resenting words, are separated by commas. 
 
 There was another cipher in use among some of the accom- 
 plices in this enterprise, the key-word of which was CUBA. 
 The use of this cipher may he understood from the following 
 scheme and explanations : 
 
 1 
 
 C 
 
 u 
 
 B 
 
 A 
 
 2 . 
 
 . d 
 
 . V 
 
 . c 
 
 . b 
 
 3 . 
 
 . e . 
 
 . w . 
 
 . d 
 
 . c 
 
 4 . 
 
 . f . 
 
 . X 
 
 . e 
 
 . d 
 
 5 . 
 
 ct 
 
 • y 
 
 . f 
 
 . e 
 
 6 . 
 
 . h 
 
 . z 
 
 
 . f 
 
 7 . 
 
 . i 
 
 . a 
 
 . h 
 
 o- 
 
 • to 
 
 8 . 
 
 ■ J 
 
 . b . 
 
 . i 
 
 . h 
 
 9 . 
 
 . k 
 
 . c 
 
 • j 
 
 . i 
 
 10 . 
 
 . 1 
 
 . d . 
 
 . k 
 
 • j 
 
 11 . 
 
 . in 
 
 . e 
 
 . 1 
 
 . k 
 
 12 . 
 
 . n 
 
 . f 
 
 . m 
 
 . 1 
 
 13 . 
 
 . 
 
 i-i 
 
 . n 
 
 . m 
 
 14 . 
 
 • P 
 
 . h 
 
 . 
 
 . n 
 
 15 . 
 
 ■ q 
 
 . i 
 
 • P 
 
 . o 
 
 10 . 
 
 . r 
 
 • J • 
 
 • q 
 
 ■ P 
 
 17 . 
 
 . s 
 
 . k 
 
 . r 
 
 • q 
 
 18 . 
 
 . t 
 
 . 1 
 
 s 
 
 . r 
 
 19 . 
 
 . u 
 
 . . in 
 
 . t 
 
 . s 
 
 20 . 
 
 . V 
 
 . n 
 
 . u 
 
 . . t 
 
 21 . 
 
 . w 
 
 . o . 
 
 . V 
 
 . u 
 
 22 
 
 . X 
 
 . . p . 
 
 . w 
 
 . V 
 
 23 . 
 
 . y 
 
 • • q • 
 
 . X 
 
 . w 
 
 24 . 
 
 . z 
 
 . r 
 
 ■ y 
 
 . X 
 
 25 . 
 
 . a 
 
 . . s 
 
 . z 
 
 ■ y 
 
 26 . 
 
 . h 
 
 . . t . 
 
 . a 
 
 . z 
 
660 APPENDIX. 
 
 In order to compose a letter in this species of cipher, find 
 in the column under the first letter in the key-word the first 
 letter of the word which you wish to write, and the figure 
 opposite to this letter represents the first letter of that word. 
 To find the figure expressive of the second letter, look for 
 that letter in the second column, and the figure opposite to 
 that letter represents the second letter in the word. Continue 
 in the same way with respect to the other two columns, if it 
 be a word of three or four letters. But if it contains more 
 than four letters, you must return to the first column, and 
 proceed in the same manner ; that is, the fifth letter of the 
 word is to be found in the first column under C ; the sixth 
 letter in the second column, and so on. Thus, if Hope was 
 the first word in the epistle, look for the letter H in the first 
 column under C, which is opposite the figure 6 as the repre- 
 sentative of the first letter; the letter is to be sought for 
 in the second column, and is represented by the number 21 ; 
 and so on with the letters P and E. 
 
 In the ciphered letters, the figures representing letters are 
 separated by periods. 
 
 The reader will immediately perceive that besides France 
 and Cuba, any other words might be used as key-words of 
 these ciphers, according to the discretion of the writer and 
 his correspondent. The difficulty of discovering the key to 
 one of these ciphered letters would be still further augmented 
 by the writer's shifting his key-word for different epistles, 
 according to some rule previously agreed on. The difficulty 
 would be incalculabl}'' increased, if the writer not only con- 
 tinues to shift his key-word, but the cipher itself. 
 
 Richmond Enquirer of 1807. 
 
APPENDIX. 661 
 
 II. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF MUSKINGUM, OR DEFEAT OF THE BURRITES. 
 
 November, 1806, by General E. W. Tupper. 
 
 It has been the province of the bards in all ages to record 
 the glorious achievements of their warriors. The heroes of 
 the Nile, Marengo and Austerlitz, have had their honors re- 
 counted ; and shall not those of Muskingum live, while thous- 
 ands are forgotten ? Yes, ye virtuous few ! Ye also shall 
 live ! and millions yet unborn, while passing, shall point to 
 the shores of Muskingum and the plains of Marietta, and say, 
 " There fought the brave, and there the immortal fell ! " 
 The following imitation of the " Battle of the Kegs " is offered 
 to the public, not without its many imperfections. The writer 
 has, in several instances, chosen to sacrifice the harmony of 
 his rhymes to the more essential article — truth. 
 
 Ye jovial throng, come join the song 
 
 I sing of glorious feats, sirs; 
 Of bloodless wounds, of laurels, crowns, 
 
 Of charges, and retreats, sirs; 
 
 Of thundering guns, and honors won, 
 
 By men of daring courage; 
 Of such as dine on beef and wine, 
 
 And such a-s sup thei'" porridge. 
 
•362 APPENDIX. 
 
 When Blanny's fleet, so snug and neat, 
 Came floating down the tide, sirs, 
 
 Ahead was seen, one-eyed Clark Green,* 
 To work them, or to guide, sirs. 
 
 Our General l>rave,f the order gave, 
 " To arms ! to arms ! in season ! 
 
 Old Blanny's boats, most careless float, 
 Brim-full of death and treason!" 
 
 A few young boys, their mother's joys, 
 And five men there were found, sirs, 
 
 Floating at ease — each little sees 
 
 Or dreams of death and wound, sirs. 
 
 " Fly to the bank ! on either flank ! 
 We'll fire from every corner; 
 We '11 stain with blood Muskingum's flood, 
 And gain immortal honor. 
 
 The cannon there shall rend the air, 
 Loaded with broken spikes, boys, 
 
 While our cold lead, hurled by each head, 
 Shall give the knaves the gripes, boys. 
 
 Let not maids sigh, or children cry, 
 Or mothers drop a tear, boys ; 
 
 I have the BaronJ in my head ; 
 
 Therefore you've nought to fear, boys 
 
 Now to your posts, this numerous host; 
 
 Be manly, firm and steady. 
 But do not fire, till I retire, 
 
 And say when I am ready." 
 
 * A bold man. well known in those day.' 1 , 
 t Major-General Buell. 
 
 % The only system of military tactics then in use in the Western coun- 
 try, among the officers, was that of Baron Steuben. 
 
APPENDIX. 663 
 
 The Deputy,* courageously, 
 
 Rode ibrtli in power and pride, sirs; 
 Twitching his reins, the man of brainsf 
 
 Was posted by his side, sirs. 
 
 The men in ranks stand on the banks, 
 While, distant from its border, 
 
 The active aid scours the parade, 
 And gives the general order. 
 
 "First, at command, bid them to stand; 
 Then, if one rascal gains out, 
 Or lifts his poll; — G — d d — n his soul, 
 And blow the traitors brains out." 
 
 The night was dark ; silent came Clark 
 With twelve or fifteen more, sirs; 
 
 While Paddy Hill, with voice most shrill, 
 Hooped ! as was said before, sirs. 
 
 The trembling ranks, along the banks, 
 Fly into Shipruan's manger; 
 
 While old Clark Green, with voice serene, 
 Cried, " Soldiers, there 'a no danger." 
 
 " Our guns, good souls, are setting poles; 
 Dead hogs, I'm sure, can't bite you; J 
 Along each keel is Indian meal ; 
 
 There 's nothing here need fright you." 
 
 Out of the barn, still in alarm, 
 Came fifty men, or more, sirs, 
 
 And seized each boat and other float, 
 And tied them to the shore, sirs. 
 
 * Governor Meigs. 
 t Name withheld. 
 X The boats had in them hogs recently slaughtered. 
 
664 APPENDIX. 
 
 This plunder rare, they sport and share, 
 And each a portion grapples. 
 
 'Twas half a kneel* of Indian meal, 
 And ten of Putnam's apples.f 
 
 The boats they drop to Allen's shop, 
 Commanded by O'Flannon, 
 
 Where, lashed ashore, without an oar, 
 They lay beneath the cannon. 
 
 This band so bold, the night being cold, 
 And blacksmith's shop being handy; 
 
 Around the forge they drink and gorge 
 On whisky and peach-brandy. 
 
 Two honest tars, who had some scars, 
 
 Beheld their trepidation; 
 Cries Tom, " Come, Jack, let"s fire a crack; 
 
 'T will fright them like damnation. 
 
 Tyler, they say, lies at Belpre, 
 Snug in old Blanny's quarters ; 
 
 Yet this pale host tremble like ghosts, 
 For fear he '11 walk on waters." 
 
 No more was said, but off they sped, 
 To fix what they 'd begun on; 
 
 At one o'clock, firm as a rock, 
 
 They fired the spun-yarn cannon. 
 
 Trembling and wan stood every man; 
 
 Then bounced and shouted murder; 
 While Sergeant Morse squealed like a horse, 
 
 To get the folks to order. 
 
 * A measure of two quarts. 
 
 f There were a few apples in the boats belonging to A. W. Putnam, of 
 Belpre'. 
 
APPENDIX. 665 
 
 Ten men "went out, and looked about; 
 
 A hearty set of fellows ; 
 Some hid in holes, behind the coals, 
 
 And some behind the bellows. 
 
 The Cor'ner* swore, the western shore, 
 
 He saw with muskets bristle ; 
 Some stamp'd the ground; — 'twas cannon sound. 
 
 They heard the grape-shot whistle. 
 
 The Deputy mounted " Old Bay," 
 
 When first he heard the rattle, 
 Then changed his course, "great men are scarce;" 
 
 I 'd better keep from battle." 
 
 The General f flew, to meet the crew, 
 
 His jacket flying loose, sirs; 
 Instead of sword, he seized his board; 
 
 Instead of hat, his goose, sirs. 
 
 •Tyler's," he cried, "on 't other side; 
 
 Your spikes will never do it; 
 The cannon's bore, will hold some more; 
 Then thrust his goose into it." 
 
 Sol raised his head ; cold spectres fled ; 
 
 Each man resumed his courage ; 
 Captain O'Flan dismissed each man 
 
 To breakfast on cold porridge. 
 
 * Joel Bowen. t Buell was a tailor by trade. 
 
RD 1G4 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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