IE
?i : AND
-mamma
I Ottrt tre
ttLcplSinofPa!rJeUfctf)ptlcet,
d b v pit f y r age ,t o H ej Jt f it1je ,
.ft-
warp
iVS''"- MdKto ATVftVlARCH ?Jl6; 1 807,
1 - ' 'Mortfl
mme uazette
- -
4
i
premtCoiAt fv.-f
4ei
without . de minu; r j
cede't ntUuttor;aprostcu
tionthe qutionobetermmed
is wBeTthcuse
u.Ar in what mace
;A what nlace thev are to be
tried: Stud mWr"
KVViaiiWad accurate
K MttfSif this cnduiry
STS3feSboeir.t no such ;;
Sifttned of thejj,5on, under.thc u,fiuecc,of no
FBMaWIul tptany lUn whom the ..wttta P,.
1 - - i tl Will' II IIIC OWV.
the specific,ttegerotight a-
gainst tlie m
U$ ing war against Igates.
As there is no crime vhich can
inorCVxciteag?tatthe passions
t n th trasom-H)harge dc-
m s w-k armTur ffj A & & m -. . - .
ma
fore
e which' U'Js made a deliberate .
lore wnicn u- f ,i
aAl t,mpora;.enqu;rynVhether ;
tn'th&law. none cahrbe. more
joVmB, noneVrhdrt; ?ropottantv to
the citizen or;totlW government-
none can more alFetttthe fet):pf
- T2aWWtthcs.MhdtvoLtno9p
ca'amities jjJbjicK? resufe rrpfn jfie
extension ot tryisottos pffenfies; qF
minor importance; "that ;gteV
damenta: law wdefihes and ju
. mitstV various1lerihe,nts pCour;
? government, has given anjle on tKe
.subject both to the legislnUAre apd
lhc court of America, whilVjiei
ther carl Ge permitted to transcenf-v
. Treason against the U. States;
shall consisronlv in itvwac war a-5
nainst theni; or iq adhering to their
enemies, giving uiem aiu uuu
comfort."
To constitute that specific crime
for which the prisoners 'now before
the coirt have. beeri"'committed,
war must be actually levied against
the U. States. However igitious J
',.may be the crime oi t on pinng t )
I subvert by force the go ermnent of
our country, such conspira:y is not"
treason. To conspiie tp levy war,
and actually to levy war, ardis-,
tinrt offences. The4 first must be
brought into operation by the as4
semMatre of men ; for a purpose
treasonable in itself, or thejfact of
levv'mg wat eannot have beejlcohfc
roitted. So,far,has ths principle
bten carriedtpltj in a case
ported by entri,; andtmentroned
in sorai modern i;tieatUes on tlpr
minal law. it has jcnetcmWed
that the actual enlfitment 6f;taVn
to serve against the governnient;
does not amount to levyingyr.
It is true that in that case thr-sqU
4iers enlisted wet e to serve ;vith5
out the realm, but they wensfea
listed within itt and if theehhsf-1
ment lor a treasonable purpose
could amount to levying Wary theu
war had been actually levied
It is nQtthefnteriuon of thefeourt
to sav tHaf no individual can be
guilty of this cri m e f ho:. has' not
appeared inarms against hijcoun
try, ; On ther cphVaiT , JFWtr be
S ' I- - .
actualh lnid,,thtiS, itaVboay U against the U b. is not treason,
.of men be a ctuallv 'assembled fori unless Combined with an attempt
the purpose of eSeCtirtg by force a i j to carry suchombinalioh or cou
treasonable pvlrposali thoAe w ho .; sptracv into execution ; so me ac
per.orm anY7parw h6wevef minute
or hwevcrjtepdpte frorajhFlcee;
of ' action.--and -whd;' are-actually
)A4vuufl ViiV.rvfc"ril AtiVni rMit
vait.ll IU U)U' UVUVIfll VUklfliUVM
itre to oe fonitiereas -traiiors.
But there mis be'iiri aetualassem S force connected with the 'intention' 11
tling of medf tht jUerionible leVy I imdh 1
pujpose, 'constitute ajcvylng o
war. .' :i::l'Y ; x
Cffmc$:ic:fttijH-fc
ri4thpse
ct the
which
iliiJVtariscrapeten
deiinca ana iinuvu iyf
kwith - Tatous" circumspectrm at-
tempted to grmecuncir umuawM
by proyiiinghatiBO pewon hod
be convpted of it, unlpsaontte
testiuifmV'of two witnesses- ta the
same overt act, or.oa cdn?ssjon m
, np.n court; ni.navc .vyn-
hit more sate' tat.; tuP;shjTt .0
such c- . .hould M!
xcitp. and which 'a flexible defiM-
tioriof the crime, or i;cbnstrcjj6a.,
wl&ich would render it flexble
might bring into operation." It is
therefore more safe, as well as
more consonant to the print ipW
otiir constiuimHtiatfthe ffms
of treason shculdrnbtie etendeU,
. - i t-ir.,Kn'j
byttp-tO.doubrfuLcMCT,;
i the eonsVitutional 'de finition'shQUld
receive" sucn;puuJ3uiucuvu ui
jrislature In "us vvfedom may provide
A :Totompleiethe crimfe'ojievyihg
arfd the asse mbla g ;e ! o f si Vbody ? o f
mcnibrltHe purpos? of. carrying if
ley y mg? f "iv ar . sgairisu the U .o."
but'ito-consmracy for jhxs objectv
v Iii cbnfpVmi'with the prinf? pies,
nplald j'owrVj have been the clc-cision-lieVetofore
made by the
JudgesSojf the U. Statest
heppinions given by Judge
Pateribn and Judge IredeU in ta-
ses before them, imply an ctul
Assembling of men, though the
;xathe-fdesigned to remark on the
pilfpoVe to Which the force was to
be, applied than on, the nature oi
the; fbrCe itseif. Their opinions,
hovcvWcantemblate, the actual
mMQmetier Qlprce.
Judge Chase in the trial of Fries
was mpre explicit. He stated-the
jDptnioh of the court to be, i that
jf a body of people conspire and
'meditate an insurrection to resist
or oppose the execution of any sta
tute of the TJ. States by force, thev
are only guilty of a high misde
r
meanor ; but 11 they pro. eed0
carrv such itftetition into execution
by force, thatthey arev guilty of
the treason of levyinwarjfanti
the quantum i.f .thfiforceavloyed
ntitner lessens nor increases the
crime whether by one hundred
or one thousand persons, is wholly
immate'-iaL" u The; court are, of
oprlVonV, 6ntihuejkJtpase
on mat uccaaioii, Hi4viay .puiiiui
nation or conspiracy
tOlt
,ey war
i ttfal force or violence must be asi-d
iariursartccqf such design to lev
war j but it is altogether imrhate-
f viol mVi ntVi ir tW frirri- i i it
i! I'll f V.fcV mi't., v. V wu -
ncient xo etteciuate tne oojeci , uu
1 ItfN
aKramtjthe.lf.StatestJix-r
L must ; 'her, an ictuat sstrnblager of
tnen ,for xhepurpose-ot exeeutirig
ti treabnahle' design 'Ilnthe cat
how bfrbVe. the cpurt'dcsirt to,
Qvertnrn the government ot tne.U
States I'tq Je w-Or!tans.fay:Tprct?
vouta' nave,ueen uimici iui wu-.a
fdes gnwh ichV i F -crri cd into ;xe".
cution'.Vwould havebeea treasoh,
The--appHction of these general f
prmtiplesthe particular case be
The , firsti.de position to be con
tdered"jtkat-if Ge'&l Eaton: Thi-
gentleman fconnects in .one state
ment ihi- purppH t)fnttrnerous con-
' " Vri .1 ''ll 1 t D
rersaiions neiarvvun ioionci ourr
rdmnllfiVcatelcr"vahcUs rcritniiSa
brbiects which seem to have" beten
evolving in the. mind of the pro
jector. r An expedition against
Mexico seems to ,have been the
first and most, mat ure d part of hi s
Man if indeed it 'did: not consti
tute a distnct and Separate plan,
npon the success of which other
n hfrnesstill morealftible bu.
not yej well tngestcmig ;t de
Pnd.jF Maps and otfirinff)rinaV
iigrireparatory' to its eejcution,
md which would rathrr Indicate
tha it. was the immediate object,
nan oeen procured ; ana ior a con
siderablc jlme, in repe?.ted conver--aiions,
the whole efforts of Cil.liurr
were directed to prove o the witucos
ho was to hav&he!d..a !iiih com-:
Uiand utuler him, thejpfacticubtlity,.
'I'lt ' y .
uie eiMcri 'e, nr.u uj trjKujini-
q him the means by which jit was to
bexirccted.
" T'-ns deposition exhibits the va
rious schwtnes of Coh Burr, and its i !
materiality- d jpendslon ici.nectmg
the prisoners al jhe bar in sue!) vi
JhOC,schemtsiis werfcreasonabl. .
fo' this piirposV the aflMj3i,t of Gen.
WjikinsonT conu'rehnlli&Afn'vits bo
dy rthcubs&hce of a ictter frck.TCcd.
JtaryV or rather an xtrajudicial ida:
Vit inafte before a p rsonot dppeaf-infftoc!a.atiai-v.rtUe,
and contains
Utesustanbc only of a- Iclter,vof
wiuen ivc orjej;Kueis reiinear.oy mc
-v a . , , .
prson wha made the atunayit. f
'The bbJc4ction'that;tlief affidavit s
xvajuditlaUv ;reiolyestst4f tritoahV
tju otioit whether onfernAgii ma)'
cornmulofi.an Vfndvlt tlkciii before
an;fliddvlt:raade asiheoiiiTatwixoT
acommJtment ceasestto beText cafb
IdicUlatHl the, person no make it
iWpeatteaF'lhew
mitriienUhaxl bchtss'acu'by the rh'a:
peiorewuuuiinc unrjavit was
tcide;lnaCap.arTid5yit,made
be fore orus'agtrateo'uM1iut'
ify'a commitrnenthKanothef jVughi
tti many ca,ses be protlucfiVQ of great
inconysnienQet- afjd doe-ot appear
iKeptibliT of abVserif r?e?virity of
fne remncate oetestanusne),. aucn
. . . . : . 1 i. :.: ''- I
an atuay!- veems acmiasiaiexjn. tnt
principle" thAi . before tlpud i
!it upoti.his trial, all theptotecdirigs
uie ex arie, The jCourStbercfore
ivr ruled thtSibjectfon$
1 hat which5.esttpns'.thearac
ter of the person Srio hasn1dirs.oc
casion aaminiaterea the baWtsOtlext
Ui.b.tonsiderejfY ,0t
t he certificate rphi theflRceof the
dVpi tmeiit of stafhWb
insufficient by tKe council for the pri
soners, because the tai'f doles not re
quire the-appointment of magistrates
tor tne territory ol N. Uncans to be
certified to that office, because the
certificate is in i'.self informal, ami
because it does not appear that the
nnigistrate had taken-ihe'oath repii ;
red by, the act of Congress.
The first of these objections is not
supported by the law of the case, . 8c
itie. second may be so readilv cor
reeled that the coil rt has proceeded
to consiaer tne suoject as u u were.
orrected, retaining however any'fi
nal decision;, if againt the prisoners,
until the correction shaft he made.
vVith regard to the third, the magisr
irate mu it be presumed tp have taken
theyrea4utsit9 da hS, sinche is found
acting as a magistrate. ' y
Dn the admissibility of that patt of
the afifidav)t which purports to tie as
jtiir liie sbsrance of the' letter frori
Col. iiurptu.ycii Wilkinson as, the
I t tltAlltt intOSllM! tl atiAlM ... f
ias taken place in the court.
udgea aro "of opiaidn that v &
ifbre the: court will depend on the
stimonywfiich' has been exhibit
ed against ihe accused,;
ciyetihjihiriruit cptirt V'the
ad mission of thts ttsumony crsat add
sertotis;obieclicn? hate- been made.'
ttr hahQtia.uretl.lhti' :s.a !wi-
such testimony delivered in the. pre
sence of, the Prisoner on his tralt
would be totally inadmissible, neither
an it: be considered as a loundation
tor a commitment. Although in ma
king a commitment the magistrate
ioes not decide on the guilt of the
prisoner.; yet he does decide on the
irobable cause, and ,a long and pain
ful imprisffimeht may be the conse
quence of his decision. This probable
cause therefore nught to be proveti
by testimony in iself legal, Sc which,
tho iromj the nature of t the case it
must btex parity oughtj in most o
ther respecu, to be such as a court
and jury might hear.
Two judges arft of opinion, that in
this incipient , stage of the prosecu
tion, an affidavit stating that the ge
nera! purport of a letter . -y be read,
particularly v. ere the pr.-son in pos
session of it vi at too threat a distaiice
to admit of its being obtained, that
a compliment may ix; lotinavit on i'.
Under; this embarrassment it was
deemed necessary to look into the
amdayit for the pufple oF-diasoycr-ing
whether, if Emitted, it contain:
matter hch wourdySMfy the com
mitment t the; pti&ners at the bu
the. charge ofetteason. . '-.;
That tlie Jetter from pol Burr to
Gen. Wilkinson relates h a military
reherprize meditated by the firmer.
y-is not been quijionetl- If this en
J ti!rp-ize.tas ag -inst Mexico, it wnu.'d
amount to a high misdemeanor ; if
lagMhsSanv f the territories of h
tjSfbr rif i;V its progress the sub'
Yersio:ii6the government of the U.
S in a:iy(4of their leiritories, was v.
mean clearly 8cpce3sfirily to be cm-
ployed, it sucrrineaji formed sub 1
staixtire pru t of ths pl4n, the .issern- i
Oigeujoi jmen 10 eruci wouju oc
lev' iiig-wiar against tbe U. Spates.
I 'The feiier isf .language which
foviashe3ino,t!iHtinct view ; tiic de
4i4 cXtivritrTh co-operatioiij,-ha
vec Vr5j5 hicE&Statd'i hlTbrt
secr.red. pointl slrongly to somtS x
petiiO'i agftinii iie lerruones
J$!3aTn. After milking thee general
statements, the v.Yrter becomes la
.!;er mra e5:p;:.cit, and says, 41 Burr's
p!aii ut" operations to move down
j rapidly fromthe Falls -on the 15th of
NTovcmber, with tne fi sr500or 1000
men J?t tig'nt boats, nxiwxonstracting
for 4hatv parpoe, to bt a! Na-chez
between the Svh and 1 5th Decem
ber,, there to meet Wilkinson ; then
determine whether it will be ex-
peujenKin tm nrsutnsjance to seize
onoripaki.by Baton -Rouge. TJie
rpe6pleXotv:ths ?cpiintryd. which we
set led" '4
Therijif rio expression in the;
entenceswhich would justify, a su
these
sentences-wnicu wciuii lustuv a sus
picion that jatiy , territory of the U.
States was the" obiect of the exne-
dition.
For whjat purpose; size on .Baton
R-uge? VVhy engage -Spain 4ga'nsj
tr.ts euierprize, u it was oesignem
toe r 'i-rl
k The people of the country to.
Which we! are going arepiepared in
rtrei Ve . Si" This lantrnsfoe feriWii
Niany appropnaie to a u)reigri,coun.3
try. it win not oe contenfttnat
the terms would be inapplicable to $'
t rri Tory ilofithe. United States, but
other terms -would more aptly con
vey the uie'V ami iiurr seems to con
sider himlselfils giving information
of which Wilkinson was not possess-
to. v neu i- is recouectea tnat ne
was the Governor of a territory ad
joining mat Which must jtvc tei--T
threatened .if a territory Qihe U.
States was thivatened and that he
commanded the army, a part V4
which was stationed la that terrhorv
the probability that the information
communicated related, to a foreign
country, it must dc aamiueu, gauK
strength.
" Their agents now with Burr say
that Y we wiU protect their religion,
and win not subject tnem to a-to
reign power, in three we ks ad will
be st ttleo." :
Y This is apparently the language of
a people who, from the contemplated
I change of jtheir political situation.
fc-ared for their religion, and feared
that they wotVH jjenade the sub
jects cf foreign powers That the
Mexicans, should entertain these, an-
will hct;nsubject .:Jhetn,!jtd -fbrejgi?
Pq weKlirthreeweek all wi'U": be
prehensions was natural ai d would
readilv he believed. 1 They were, it
'heTeprestsnutioii miade of thjKir dis
positions be correct, 'about 3 to bfrce
UhemselveS in the power of men who
i",ccu it laun citierent lrorrt
theirs, and who, by making them
dependem on England or the TJ.
Sates, would subject them to a fo
reign power. -r
That the people of N. Orleans, as
a people, if really engaged in the
conspiracy, should feel th- same ar
preneusions, and require assurances
on the same points, is by no nreans
so obvitms. '':
There certainly is not in the letter?
delivered to 6en. Wilkinson, s far
as that letter is laid before the court,'
one. syllable which has a necessary
of Jt tlatural rtleretice to an nter
pt iaegainst any territory of the U".
tales. Y
That the bearer of this letter must
he considered as .acquainted; with its
contents, is not Ib'b' controverted.
The letter and hisowi declarations
evince the fact.' ... '
After stating himself to have pas
d through New, Yoik ant$ the wes
4Crn Stdes and teritoriesr without
insintmtibat hetha&perfiu med,oa
his route Jnycwhatcvc which.
wds connected wit' the enterpnze, ,
t states their objects to be ' to carry
n expedition to the-1 Mexican pro
i;ces.M W-' , Y
This statement may be consider
:d as explanatory of , the letter ol:
Col. Burr, if the expressions of that "
letter could; be thought ambiguous
But there are otheir dec 1 rations
i ide by Mr. S wart Wout, which coh-
sMtute the difficulty of; this'case Qn
an enquiry f om Gen YWilkinou, he
said u this territory would be revolu-
tor.izvdThere the ptople were ready
'.o joif them, and that there would
b some svUing, he supposed, at
Nv.)(tearis., .
wfelfhesfe wprtts import thavtrf ,
yernment esplisnea by the Ufiited
States, in any of its territories, was
lobe revolutionized by force, al ho
1 merely as a step to, ,or a mean of
execuung some grearer r.r.-jec s. the
desjgwas -unquestioifably trcasona-
pleana any assemblage ol men fof
thiit purpose, would amount to a le
vying of War. Bu; on the imp&rt of
the words a difference of opinion ck
iss Some of the Judges supse
they reier to the territory against
which the expedition was intended
others to that in which the conver
sation was held. Some consider the
words, if even applicable to a terri
tory of the U. States, a alluding to
a revolution 'o be effected by the
people, rather than by th partycon
ducted by Cohurr
rY- fia whet hr this-treasonable in
for that pu-poe, previous id thaffer"
rest of the prisoner, in order to cdn
summate the crime as to him j and
a majority of the court is of v pin n
ttiat the conversation of Mr. bwart
fewout affords no sufficient proof of
srich asiemhling. -
tentlqiirbe'reilly inlputable'TothQHiH, i
plan & not,;iidmutedr;h
mnst:he been cirfi iWfeh- VV f
siThe prisoner-stated, that Col.
Burr, wth the support of a powerful
association extending f rom N. York
to K. Orleans, was levy ing an armwd j; v
body of T0Gip'mn from the State ot'fi
M York,,and ihe Mestern states andr.
terri ories, withr a view to cany aiY
expeilition to the Mexican territo- '
ties.
That the association, whatever may
be iu purose, is not treason, has
been at'reanystated. w That levying
an army may or may hot; be treason,
I arid that-this depends on the inten-
uou wun wrucnu is leviea, aud oti
& point to which the partie have
4?&cedy has besen also suted. The
)lSer enlfsting of men without as
se moling thena. is nt levying, war.
The question then is whether this
evidence proves Col. Burr to havu
advanced so far in levying an arm v
as actually to have asimbled the
It is argued that mce it cannot b
nec ssary that the1 whole "000 men
should have assembled, their roin-men'-ing
their march by detachjYi jnti
to the plact- of rendezvous, mu-st LwJ
sufilrient td colisliiu'c he crime.
This position is ct r cct, uUh-sotQiU
qua;ficaii n. li cannot be neataj'
that the whole army ;should aaSeiu
y bleaad ihatUii YSfftgu parts iit
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