Vou VUU
I
Of Commodore TKomaritxto
CONTINUE!. -:
Mr, Hay Bid these conversations
take' place after: the declaration that
you were no longer in the sefVice of
the United States i A- The whole
of them Col. Carrington, one of
the Jury Did theyTake pla t in Ju
ly ? A. Yes : I observed to him
there would brno war, tho I thought
there was great cau$e for it.Mr.Hay
Had you expressed your dissatis-
fo'tinri at thi nrnrfrlirre : A 1 eS 14
frequently ? Q. I believe yon made
some publication on the sbbjtct ? A.
I did. Q. Your first conversations
were about building bridges, settling
lands, jStc. A. Yes ; When Col. B.
first returned from - the westward.
Mr, M'Rae He did not express to
ou his designs respecting the Oua
chita land, until he had discovered
your aversion tothe Mexican pro
ject ? A; He nad not spoken paVti
ticularly about the Ouachita laud ;
but previously about speculations in
the western lands generally. Mr.
Virt Did he say at the latter end
of July, that be was concluding a
bargain for the Ouachita land ? A 1
think m, . Mr. Hay When he pro
posed to make you, an admiral, did
not the thought strike you, how he
was to accomplish this ? Mr. Burr
denied that Commodore T uxton had
said "that he 'had promised to make
him an admiral. Commodore Trux
ton Mr. Burr told me hef wished
to make or see me one, I do not par
ticularly recollect which wak his ex
pression.' He said there was a t for
midable navy to be established. Mr.
Hay. From What quarter of ;'he world
was the expedition by sea to go ? A.
Idoriotknow, I did not ask him where
it was to go from. Mr. Hay Dtd
you understand that you were to
command the expedition by sea
. A. Yes ? but 1 declined and asked
no questions particularly on the stib
ject. Mr. Baker-I understand you
to say, that the navy was to beerect
ed after the government was to be
established ? A. Yes. Mr. M'Bae
Did he talk of a naval expedi'ioi
against Havannah :
Burr that Havannah
A. I told -Mr.
could not
bt
taken without a naval fice,
said that could be obtained.
Cross-questioned
Mr. Burr Did I not sav,
I had
never seen Lt. Jones I A. I do nr
recollect that : j you spoke highly of
him. Q. Doyini not recollect I sta
'led, if theTe was a war, t hat private
ciUerprize and expeditions would bt
lawful ? (Mr. Hay objected to the
question, bccause'vSeemingly intend
td for the Jufy .) - Q. Did I not talk
severally ears ago about naval con
cerns ? Did I'not say, that you were
duped by the Smiths and others :
that they had no.serious intention of
serving you ? Was not that the rea
son, that I wished jtounwcfd you fom
the navy ? A. You did state those
facts. Q Do you notfintl that I was
right about your advance in the ravy ?
A. I know that, Q, Did I not often
talk to you about the settlement of
land? A. You did ? Q. Were v.
not iijtimate ? A. Yes. Q. Vas
thereany; reserve between us ? A.
None, ; Q. Did ypu ever $etr me say
anything about d smembt ring thi
tmion ; or seizing: on New Orleans ?
.AV'No.' Q, Did I not ofien exVrt
the pleasure ! should feel from dome
Service to the common interests; of
this country ; and of preserTihjr.a
strong connection with my country
men I A. You did. Qi Di0hh
say that the periogues would fee use
ful for the conveyance of agricultu
ral products ? A. Yts ; and in war
tor transports. Q. Had ycu reason
to doubt my intention to settle land ?
A. If there was no war, j I took for
granted that such was your Inttn
on. Q. If there was a war, Mex
ico was invaded, and therhr,U.
- ...v viniimin
iavored U, would vou not he
vre ?
A. I would have, got out of tiiv
t
Deo at twelve at nio'Kf tn- . "
England, France and Spam, if mv
untiy hafelled Mr, M'Rae
ld he speak of mny commercial
peculations in which he Was abom
.RaRe ; of auy commercial esta
bUhmemsjM was about to form?
A'i sPofthese(acmcQloftht
EXAMINATION
Otiachifa; and the hanging doym
of agricultural produce. Q Were'
te rcnarks which he made on y bur
rjelaUon 'to the nayy, "calculated, to
fill yqur,bpsoni with resentment, ?
A. My bosom was already full enough
but certainly Mr. Burr spoke in con
cert with myfeelings. Mr. Hay
Could any expedition at sea be made
as effectually against La Vera Cruz
from any other port in the western
world, as New-Orleans ? A. Cer
tainly 'not : It would be 9 very pro
per place, or jfrom any place above
the river.- Larger vessels cannot
get up to NevvQrleans ; and Smal
craft must take the expedition down,
Mr. Parker, one of the Jury Did
you understand for what purpose the.
two courie fsw ere sent by Col. Burr
to Gen, Wilkinson ? A, I under
stood that ihere was ah understand
ing between them about the Mexi
can project. Mr. Burr are there
not preparations, now making in
Philadelphia, in contemplation of a
war with Engfand ? A. Jn N York
theie are. Mr. M'Rae, Are not
the preparations going on openly ?
Has any commander bern appointed
independent of the vernmtnt ?
A. Niu Mr. Botts Can ships be
built secretly in the coiner of a
oorn ? A. No. t
kxamiriatign cf Peter Tayhr
Mr. Hay, -This witness will di
rectlv prove the connection of Burr
with B'annerhassett, and hisconntc
nefctioa wixh the, crime itsclh
Peter Tuylor The first informa
tion -I'had Uon this subject Was from
Mrs- Blanneihassett, when Mr. Al
ston anp Mr. Biapnerhassett w-re
gone down the river. The people
got much alarmed concerning this
business, and Mrs. Blannerhrssett
sent me to Lexington after Mr- Blan
nerhassett with a letter to prevent
Col. Burr from coming back with
him to the island- T went- to Chiii
cothe but I did nbt -firidV Mr. Blan
nerhassttt there, and I went on to
Cincinnati, I was directed to call at
Cincinnati, at Mr. John Smi h's,
where 1 youtd find Mi. Bfannerhas
sett : I called at Mr. Smith's store,
where 1 avv his son I asked if Mr.
Smith was at home : be said yes ;
I said I wanted to see him His son
Went and told him, a man wanted to
see him. When Mr, Smith cmt
out, 1 enquired for Col. Burr and
Blannerhasseit, to see whether he
would give any account of them
He allowed Lwas much mis.uken
in the place. 1 said no ; this was
the right place : " Mr. John Smith,
storekeeper Cincinnati says I
" Don't you recollect a young man
who came herev some time ago for
Col. Burr's top coat," (great coat;)
I said, Sir, I have livtd with Mr,
Blannerhassett for thf.e years."
When Mr. Smith heard me talk so,
he knew me, and took me up" stairs
to talk wjih me. He wanted t . know
the news our way, I told him the
people had got alarmed. Itoid htm
every thing that. was in agitation
that they rlked about, the settle
ment of lands. He seemed urpri
?ed He asked what was ia4 about
Gen. Wilkinson. I sa; 1 knew no
thing about it. He asked mr, if I
would carry a letter from him, to
Blannerhassett r I told him I would
carry arty things it was, not too
burthensorhe. So he set down and
wrote a: letter He asked me whe
ther. I wished to drink, for he hart
chastised (charged) me not to go to
nv tavern lest- the people should be
lifting me with their questions. I
drank, and then he shewed me a ta
vern, and told. me to go to' get' my
'orse fed by the hostler, but not to
go iptd the house. I asks. d him
where I should find Col, Burr and
Blannerhassett .He, said he expect
ed they; were at Lex ngton. I told
him I supposed atlVlr. Jourdan'sJ
W hen I t-to;'L'?:rigtbri,;it'waU.4
tui day about V, o'clock. ; Mi.- Jotir-.
oan happened to be irt the street fend
Mis n .uic, nc aiQ,., reter. youi:4
uiu master ts not m;town," Uut ht
saidl h expected him. either that:
mgbrarly'in themormng; Ht
ased me whiit he wst arid liM hi ml
li asked him w hat $ ritfas to tlo witn i
rny Aorse. He s&td that he was t
bput at the livery stable.. He theni
wtnt 3p btairs andhe opened a door
thing. , Vhen I wenj In, there was
Col. Burr. C6l. Burr wanted to
fenow, what was the news in our
parts. ' I began to tell hi mi that my
business wa& to prevent Coli Burr
front goin back to the island , (Q.
Did you hot know Col. Burr at that
time ? A; I did not. He had been
on the isladd three times, but I did
not see him ) When I told Cojonel
Burr thai; says he, I am the very
mart, involved in this piecei of busi
ness ; and you must tell rne ll you
know.' I said, you come up
our.waVt the people will shoot you."
I told him, it wa$ my sincere &p
nion, t hit it was not.safe for him to
come up our way. I told him that
I had heard several declare, that they
had rather shpot him than let it alone.
He setmedsurprizedthat they should
havcHuch a thing in their head. J
told him I could jiot tell why ; and
thfcn told him ablut the land settle
ment, but the people said all that
was a fib, and that.be had sdracthing
else in his head. Then Col. ?Burr
asked me what letters f hdd-r4Wd
two, one was from Mrs. Blannerhas
sett and the other from John Smith
of Cin inhati. He asked me, if he
might open the letter from J. Smith,
for he expected it Was for him. 1
told him I supposed it made no dif
ference between him and Blzumer-;
hatsett, and he might. He broke'
thv seal open, and shewed me that
there wa a letter inclosed for him.
He asked me about my wife, and af
ter some talking, 1 asked him whe
ther I was at liberty to go down stairs.
L went down and U ft tne opened let
ter with him -1 then went to. ;Mr.
Jourdan, and asked him vhether I
was to stay at his house or go to a
tavern. He said I was to go a ta
vern and he would pay lor me. Mr.
Jourdan "wished me to go to Millers
burg the next day, after the saddle
bags left there by Mr. Blannerhas.
sett. T-wynt and left Mr,. Blanner
hiissett's letter with Mr: Joutdan, ex
pecting Blannerhassett to get there
before me. I got back n Monday by
10 o'clock j and there Blannerhas
sett was command preparing to go
home. Wre started St got 10 miles
that night. We stopt at a tavern ;
I went to see after the horses, arid
he went into the home. There Were
people in the house who wanted to
kn w his name : he told them his
name was Tom-Jones. He came
out and told me the people in the
house had asked, and he had told
tnem his name was Tom Jones, and
I must mind and make no mUtake
but call him Jones too. So he pass
ed by that name, till we got to the
Mirdlicks ; he then told me he was
known tberc,and I must Call blm by
his own name. (Q. When did these
things happen ? A. Allthis was Oct.
1806, 1 believe.) He then began to
enquire for young men who had rifles;
good orderly men, y ho would be
conformable to order and discipUrie.
He allowed that Col. Burr and he, &
a few of his friend shad 300,000 acres
of land, and they wanted young men
to settle. He said he .would give any
young man, UK) acres of land, plenty
of grog and victuals while going down
the river, and three, months provi
sions after they had got to the end :
every yoUng man. was to carry his ri
fle and blanket. I agreed to go my
sel f if I couki carry my wife and fa
mily, but he said he must have.fur
t her consultation upon thati WThen
I got home, I began to' think and
asked what kind of seed we were to
carry with us ? He said we did' not
Want any, (Mr Wirt Of what oc
cupation were you on the island? ' A
gardner. Mr. Wirt I put the uues
tion tijat the Jury might understand
his last pbsejrrati4n-l urged that
subject to him several u mes ; at last
ie made a sudn pauie md saidj
Peter,we are going to take Mfexi
co one " of the pnest and richest
placesiri the whole world." Hei
aid that Colonel Burf would be the
IK. ng of Mexiccs. end Mrs. Alston
was tobe, the Queenof -Mexico: ro
soon as Cl. Burr died He saidsthat
CoL Bufr had made fortunes for men
Ui histime, but none for himseii ;
ijurnovv he wasoing to nVake spme
Jhi.crf.iCbi- hi rael f : Be 3atdthat he
TjUU a great many friend' mv the Spa
nish territory t 2009 Roman Catho-
tc Priests, were engasrellVnd that!
im1-" ", T.wmu I'JtM, ti oiicc-mr
niardapjke the French, Kact, got tired
si neir government an Ranted, to
swap it. He told trie thaithe Enii
1 ts h al so were friends, in this piece, of
ousrness, and tnal he wasfbe very
man to fo to England oh this piece
of business for Cojonel Burr.
TO asked me if I would not like to iro ?
f'lidll should 'certainly Tike to see
my inencis tnere, 1 then, asked what
waa to become of the, men, who were
going'to settle the laiid he talked
abbat I We ri? they to stop attlre
ea uiyerj or go. on I saidv
Yofsee how 111 fix thern;"wb
en
ne got them tar enough down the"
riveiy j If they did not conform ta
orfleranddiscipline, he swore by God
he'd Matrthem. I wassastontshedJ:
I told him I was no soldier, and could
not fiht. He said it made no oddff
lie did not want wis to fight ; he want
ed me to go Sc live with Mrs. Blan
rierhassett and the children,, either at
atchei or iorne other plate, while
be went on the expedition, t talked
to hirri again j and told him tHe'pcb
ple had got it into their "heads that
he wanted to divide the union. He
said Col. Burr and he could not do
it themselves. All they cold do,
was to tell the people t heconsequence
of. He said the people there paid
upwards, of 400,000 dollars a year,
and never received amr benefit from
Ujb.. He allowed it would be a verv
tine thing, if they could keep that
money among themselves, and make
I cks and build badges and cut roadt.
About two weeks after I got home,
he sent me to Dr. Bennett's of Ma
son county with a letter. He want
ed to know if Dr. Bennett would not
sell him the arms belonging to the
Militia, if he could se!l them and
keep them out of danger; if he could
he'd give him a draftupon his friend
in Kentucky for payment, if he could
not, he must send him vord, where
they were kept, & he would com:: St
take them away in the ni,ht;-r I wasi
not to give trie letter to Dr. Bennet,
until the Doctor promised to deliver
it back for me to burn it ; for tha
it contained high treason , I did bum
it.-The Doctor said he was unac
quainted with the plot and could not
join in if.
Quetthnsdby the Prosecution.
Mr. Hay when didiheboats leave
the island ? A. It was-cbntempldted
to sail on the 8th of December ; but
they did riot come until the tenth
(Sunday) 8c they sailed on the Wea
nesday night following, Ques. How
many boats wefe there I A Four.4
Q. How many fneri from the boats
came oh shore ? A,- About 3D. Q
What did the men do, wh did nut
belong to the bpau I A. . Some were
packing meat, and some were pack
ing other things. Mr. MTlae Who
went off on Wednesday night ? A
Mr. Blannerhassett and Mr. Tjlei
and the whole of the party. Q. At
what time in the night ? A; About
one o'clock. Q. Did all that came
down to the island go away ?, A All
but . one, who was sick. Mr. Hay
Had they any guns ( A. Some; of
them had some of the people wtnt
a shooting But I do not know how
many there were. Mr. Ji M. Sh'ep
pard (a! JuryniahyWhat kind of
guns ; rifles or muskets I A, I do
not know. Q, VVem there any pis
tols ? A. I saw none but Blannet
hasseU's. Q, Was there any powder
or lead ! I A. Both ; ;i sawjsome
powder in a long snalvrrel11ike a
churn ; but I was employed,' I
could not notice particularly. oipe
of the men were engaged in , running
ballets J ? but I do'not know bow
many. Mr. M'itaefiy did they
leave the island hour of the
night ? A. Because - they were in
forriedf that the 'Kanawha ::mli la
were comlngdowrr IthVre Did
you carry some bbies to the boats ?
I carried a half bushel : of candles and
some brandy ; several boxes, were
c rried, and a great many things of
wfilchI know nothing. Mri .'liacy
Wert? you pn. the Island, when they
Went off " A, Xea they held a codn
seT at thjlobt of a pier, to determine
which Was thenest y?ajr to go Mr.
Blarmerhassett said,' if he went in a
cano, he Would be an easy pre ' I
said tothemt best stick together 'A
and so they determined to stick, to
gether. K Theywentoffin great ljastc.
qsrWhyditf thy goin'a body J A-
Mricknarn : ou saw General lS 1 .
er And ' Mm WnliJtt W i
night?
Arrest Q. AVasJDol. Mvr
there I o.Jdi.m.Q:'
uia you understand whetKerherwas.
111 tnat part ot .thetountffe Vat' -that..
time I'-understooiiSt":'
. . ; Wednesday, AiJst?! ; ,
ExpmfyayontfGmrfc -
T jSotrietime in August , iastilbpt
this time twelve iuonth,my lather
pinVa letternto my bands, signed
A :'a&- Burri in whicli he said that
himseirahisi'riend Col. Dupiesteft
day. . My Mher TecJuerdTata
my brothto.'go;jahd;; irteet Colonfr .
Burr hjjh'we drd ; aSbut "t miles
distant. Alter a- (e w wprdsjorgeneraj
conversation, CJolonel Burr observed
to me, that the1 union could not po$-
sibly last, and that a separation of
he'itates must ensue as a natural'
cqnsetuen9e in 4 or 5 yearsj Colonel s
Biirr made many enquiries of met
relative to the county of W ashington:
the discipline, armsv jaccrelqhents, t ,
arid the cbaracterofit$ofrVcers. These
conversations continued'.some timc ;
besides other things which I cannot '
rt collect, because I did not expect to
be called . upon in this way : after
travelling some miles, we met ene
of my workmen, a likelyjyoung fel
6vi Colonel Bhrr said, heKwJShed
he had 4 10,060 such fellows. At my .
father's table, during dinner. Col,,
Burr again observed tBattiie sepa
ration of the union nst take place
inevitably, in less than five years.- V
(Shall I give the answers that were
made? Mr. Wirt Perhaps, it may ,
serve to connect your narrative bet-
ttT,y I recollect that it was my father
who answered InmGod forbid ! Ciil.
Burr In the course of Cdnversatiort
observed, that wi'th 2 or 300 men, he
could drive the. President arl Con
gress into the Potomac, and with 4
or 500 he could take possession of t he
city of New-York. After diriqer, he
walked with me to my brother'sV.and
on our return, spoke of military men,
and asked me if either ,tf my brothers
had a military turnr'. !; He 'said he
should like to seeiny brother fieorge
at Chin head of a crps;pf Grenadiers;
he was a fine, sttfut looking fellowv
These tircumstances induced me to
speak to my.father: I warned him 1
to beware of Colonel Burr, ;told hina
that in the rouise of tlut night, Col
Burr would attempt to have an inter-
view with him, and would make a
rvrquishipn of my hrother Tom, to
go with him ; and that I suspected
something was going on. The next
rnornirig I rode with Colonel Burr
to ihe town of Washington, about 9
or 10 miles. We had owch conver
sation principally on rmlitary affaiis;
on 'the stalls. dfheiliWthe ne
cessitybl -attending to'miiitaryiscip
hne He told me., that in New-York
I the militia Were in gdbd bRJerJvhiqh '
T3 yiougm aoout oy tne innueuce
and exertions'of a single individual
(Mr. Swartwoiit ) Colonel Burr ask
ed rrte, if I- thought T could raise a '
vnmivin hi asi'jwiuu gomujj. or ,i
whether I coiild raise one with more - j;
ease in New Jersey . (MrWirt.
Vou have lived in New-Jersev ? A. r
Yes.) At Washington, we? took a
walk ; Colonel BurrCU.0upieiter
and myself j vdowri the tcW; airft
pointed out tojhim the house ffhVre .
MrvBradford lived, who. had been at
the head ofth We&ti r.insuectfor,
He entfuired: about Mr. Bradford.
j (He was at Baton Kouffel I told
111 rr . nia tm wac tit wrr, inn 1 3k. 1 ;
tiui r cspresseu a wisn to see him. .
D i i . . ,- '. '
Coionel Burr mentioned to rne , that
he had met with several. Ytofin
nanies I do tibt MCDtectJ whb had
been enlaced in the Western
rection 5 and iJartif idarl si AT iiM r -s-'
'thi-'KbnhAyttirh.' aerfjtt who .
had told hirrt, that if he was eter en
gaged in a sim ilar business he pledg
eji himself ifshould not end without
bloodshed, He said hahc; Wa a
hie fellbw It was on these carcuni
tanccs, that 1 advised Tt0htiko -BprisHeliisJaet
States, that sornethm g if as goiog fc: -
waru -
Questioned by the;Frkeculiefn
Mr. Hay Which war duthe-iv?
A v I saw; him leaver Wtshinletpn For
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