The Message and documents therein referred to were read, and ordered to
lie for consideration, and three hundred copies thereof printed for the
use of the Senate.
WEDNESDAY, December 3.
DANIEL SMITH, from the State of Tennessee, attended.
THURSDAY, December 4.
JAMES HILLHOUSE, from the State of Connecticut, attended.
FRIDAY, December 5.
JAMES TURNER, from the State of North Carolina, attended.
TUESDAY, December 9.
ANDREW MOORE, from the State of Virginia, attended.
THURSDAY, December 11.
JOHN MILLEDGE, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of
Georgia, in the place of James Jackson, deceased, took his seat, and his
credentials were read, and the President administered the oath to him as
the law prescribes.
FRIDAY, December 19.
The credentials of STEPHEN R. BRADLEY, appointed a Senator by the
Legislature of the State of Vermont, for the term of six years, from and
after the third day of March next, were presented and read; also, the
credentials of JOHN MILLEDGE, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of
the State of Georgia, for the term of six years, from and after the third
day of March next.
_Ordered_, That they lie on file.
MONDAY, December 29.
The PRESIDENT communicated a letter from ROBERT WRIGHT, stating that he
had resigned his seat in the Senate.
PHILIP REED, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of
Maryland, in place of Robert Wright, resigned, produced his credentials,
and took his seat in the Senate.
HENRY CLAY, appointed a Senator by the Legislature of the State of
Kentucky, in place of John Adair, resigned, produced his credentials, and
took his seat in the Senate.[42]
The credentials of Mr. CLAY and Mr. REED were severally read, and the
oath was administered to them as the law prescribes.
Mr. REED also produced the credentials of his appointment to be a Senator
of the United States, from the State of Maryland, from the third day of
March next, until the fourth day of March, 1813, and they were read, and
ordered to lie on file.
JAMES FENNER, from the State of Rhode Island, attended.
MONDAY, January 12, 1807.
JAMES A. BAYARD, from the State of Delaware, attended.
TUESDAY, January 20.
The credentials of ANDREW GREGG, appointed a Senator of the United States
by the Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, for six years,
commencing on the 4th March next, were presented and read, and ordered to
lie on file.
THURSDAY, January 22.
_Burr’s Conspiracy._
The following Message was received from the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES:--
_To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States_:
Agreeably to the request of the House of Representatives,
communicated in their resolution of the 16th instant, I proceed
to state under the reserve therein expressed, information
received touching an illegal combination of private individuals
against the peace and safety of the Union, and a military
expedition planned by them against the territories of a power
in amity with the United States, with the measures I have
pursued for suppressing the same.
I had for some time been in the constant expectation of
receiving such further information as would have enabled me
to lay before the Legislature the termination as well as the
beginning and progress of this scene of depravity, so far as
it has been acted on the Ohio and its waters. From this, the
state of safety of the lower country might have been estimated
on probable grounds; and the delay was indulged the rather,
because no circumstance had yet made it necessary to call
in the aid of the legislative functions. Information, now
recently communicated, has brought us nearly to the period
contemplated. The mass of what I have received in the course of
these transactions, is voluminous; but little has been given
under the sanction of an oath, so as to constitute formal
and legal evidence. It is chiefly in the form of letters,
often containing such a mixture of rumors, conjectures, and
suspicions, as renders it difficult to sift out the real
facts, and unadvisable to hazard more than general outlines,
strengthened by current information, on the particular
credibility of the relator. In this state of the evidence,
delivered sometimes, too, under the restriction of private
confidence, neither safety nor justice will permit the exposing
names, except that of the principal actor, whose guilt is
placed beyond question.
Some time in the latter part of September, I received
intimations that designs were in agitation in the western
country unlawful and unfriendly to the peace of the Union;
and that the prime mover in these was AARON BURR, heretofore
distinguished by the favor of his country. The grounds of these
intimations being inconclusive, the objects uncertain, and the
fidelity of that country known to be firm, the only measure
taken was to urge the informants to use their best endeavors
to get further insight into the designs and proceedings of the
suspected persons, and to communicate them to me.
It was not till the latter part of October, that the objects
of the conspiracy began to be perceived; but still so blended
and involved in mystery, that nothing distinct could be
singled out for pursuit. In this state of uncertainty as to
the crime contemplated, the acts done, and the legal course
to be pursued, I thought it best to send to the scene, where
these things were principally in transaction, a person in
whose integrity, understanding, and discretion, entire
confidence could be reposed, with instructions to investigate
the plots going on, to enter into conference (for which he
had sufficient credentials) with the Governors and all other
officers, civil and military, and, with their aid, to do on
the spot whatever should be necessary to discover the designs
of the conspirators, arrest their means, bring their persons
to punishment, and to call out the force of the country to
suppress any unlawful enterprise in which it should be found
they were engaged. By this time it was known that many boats
were under preparation, stores of provisions collecting, and
an unusual number of suspicious characters in motion on the
Ohio and its waters. Besides despatching the confidential
agent to that quarter, orders were at the same time sent to
the Governors of the Orleans and Mississippi Territories, and
to the commanders of the land and naval forces there, to be
on their guard against surprise, and in constant readiness to
resist any enterprise which might be attempted on the vessels,
posts, or other objects under their care; and on the 8th of
November instructions were forwarded to General Wilkinson, to
hasten an accommodation with the Spanish commandant on the
Sabine, and as soon as that was effected, to fall back with
his principal force to the hither bank of the Mississippi,
for the defence of the interesting points on that river. By
a letter received from that officer on the 25th of November,
but dated October 21st, we learnt that a confidential agent of
Aaron Burr had been deputed to him with communications, partly
written in cipher and partly oral, explaining his designs,
exaggerating his resources, and making such offers of emolument
and command, to engage him and the army in his unlawful
enterprise, as he had flattered himself would be successful.
The General, with the honor of a soldier and fidelity of a good
citizen, immediately despatched a trusty officer to me, with
information of what had passed, proceeding to establish such
an understanding with the Spanish commandant on the Sabine, as
permitted him to withdraw his force across the Mississippi, and
to enter on measures for opposing the projected enterprise.
The General’s letter, which came to hand on the 25th of
November, as has been mentioned, and some other information
received a few days earlier, when brought together, developed
Burr’s general designs, different parts of which only had
been revealed to different informants. It appeared that he
contemplated two distinct objects, which might be carried
on either jointly or separately, and either the one or the
other first, as circumstances should direct. One of these was
the severance of the Union of these States by the Alleghany
mountains; the other, an attack on Mexico. A third object
was provided, merely ostensible, to wit, the settlement of
a pretended purchase of a tract of country on the Washita,
claimed by a Baron Bastrop. This was to serve as the pretext
for all his preparations, an allurement for such followers
as really wished to acquire settlements in that country,
and a cover under which to retreat in the event of a final
discomfiture of both branches of his real design.
He found at once that the attachment of the western country to
the present Union was not to be shaken; that its dissolution
could not be effected with the consent of its inhabitants, and
that his resources were inadequate, as yet, to effect it by
force. He took his course then at once, determined to seize on
New Orleans, plunder the bank there, possess himself of the
military and naval stores, and proceed on his expedition to
Mexico, and to this object all his means and preparations were
now directed. He collected from all the quarters where himself
or his agents possessed influence, all the ardent, restless,
desperate, and disaffected persons, who were ready for any
enterprise analogous to their characters. He seduced good and
well-meaning citizens, some by assurances that he possessed the
confidence of the Government, and was acting under its secret
patronage, a pretence which procured some credit from the state
of our differences with Spain; and others by offers of land in
Bastrop’s claim on the Washita.
This was the state of my information of his proceedings
about the last of November, at which time, therefore, it was
first possible to take specific measures to meet them. The
proclamation of November 27th, two days after the receipt
of General Wilkinson’s information, was now issued. Orders
were despatched to every interesting point on the Ohio and
Mississippi, from Pittsburg to New Orleans, for the employment
of such force, either of the regulars or of the militia, and
of such proceedings also of the civil authorities, as might
enable them to seize on all the boats and stores provided
for the enterprise, to arrest the persons concerned, and to
suppress, effectually, the further progress of enterprise.
A little before the receipt of these orders in the State of
Ohio, our confidential agent, who had been diligently employed
in investigating the conspiracy, had acquired sufficient
information to open himself to the Governor of that State, and
apply for the immediate exertion of the authority and power of
the State to crush the combination. Governor Tiffin and the
Legislature, with a promptitude, an energy, and patriotic zeal,
which entitle them to a distinguished place in the affection
of their sister States, effected the seizure of all the boats,
provisions, and other preparations within their reach, and thus
gave a first blow, materially disabling the enterprise in its
outset.
In Kentucky a premature attempt to bring Burr to justice,
without a sufficient evidence for his conviction, had produced
a popular impression in his favor, and a general disbelief
of his guilt. This gave him an unfortunate opportunity of
hastening his equipments. The arrival of the proclamation and
orders, and the application and information of our confidential
agent, at length awakened the authorities of that State to the
truth, and then produced the same promptitude and energy of
which the neighboring State had set the example. Under an act
of their Legislature, of December 23d, militia was instantly
ordered to different important points, and measures taken
for doing whatever could yet be done. Some boats (accounts
vary from five to double or treble that number) and persons
(differently estimated from one to three hundred) had in the
mean time passed the Falls of Ohio, to rendezvous at the mouth
of Cumberland, with others expected down that river.
Not apprised, till very late, that boats were building on
Cumberland, the effect of the proclamation had been trusted to
for some time in the State of Tennessee. But, on the 19th of
December, similar communications and instructions, with those
to the neighboring States, were despatched by express to the
Governor, and a general officer of the western division of the
State; and, on the 23d of December, our confidential agent left
Frankfort for Nashville, to put into activity the means of that
State also. But by information received yesterday, I learn that
on the 23d of December, Mr. Burr descended the Cumberland
with two boats merely of accommodation, carrying with him from
that State no quota towards his unlawful enterprise. Whether
after the arrival of the proclamation, of the orders, or of our
agent, any exertion which could be made by that State, or the
orders of the Governor of Kentucky for calling out the militia
at the mouth of Cumberland, would be in time to arrest these
boats, and those from the Falls of Ohio, is still doubtful.
On the whole, the fugitives from the Ohio, with their
associates from Cumberland, or any other place in that quarter,
cannot threaten serious danger to the city of New Orleans.
By the same express of December 19th, orders were sent to the
Governors of Orleans and Mississippi, supplementary to those
which had been given on the 25th of November, to hold the
militia of their Territories in readiness to co-operate, for
their defence, with the regular troops and armed vessels then
under command of General Wilkinson. Great alarm, indeed, was
excited at New Orleans by the exaggerated accounts of Mr. Burr,
disseminated through his emissaries, of the armies and navies
he was to assemble there. General Wilkinson had arrived there
himself on the 24th of November, and had immediately put into
activity the resources of the place, for the purpose of its
defence; and, on the 10th of December, he was joined by his
troops from the Sabine. Great zeal was shown by the inhabitants
generally; the merchants of the place readily agreeing to the
most laudable exertions and sacrifices for manning the armed
vessels with their seamen; and the other citizens manifesting
unequivocal fidelity to the Union, and a spirit of determined
resistance to their expected assailants.
Surmises have been hazarded that this enterprise is to receive
aid from certain foreign powers. But these surmises are without
proof or probability. The wisdom of the measures sanctioned
by Congress at its last session, has placed us in the paths
of peace and justice with the only powers with whom we had
any differences; and nothing has happened since which makes
it either their interest or ours to pursue another course. No
change of measures has taken place on our part: none ought to
take place at this time. With the one, friendly arrangement was
then proposed, and the law, deemed necessary on the failure of
that, was suspended to give time for a fair trial of the issue.
With the same power friendly arrangement is now proceeding,
under good expectations, and the same law deemed necessary on
failure of that, is still suspended, to give time for a fair
trial of the issue. With the other, negotiation was in like
manner then preferred, and provisional measures only taken to
meet the event of rupture. With the same power negotiation is
still preferred, and provisional measures only are necessary to
meet the event of rupture. While, therefore, we do not deflect
in the slightest degree from the course we then assumed, and
are still pursuing, with mutual consent, to restore a good
understanding, we are not to impute to them practices as
irreconcilable to interest as to good faith, and changing
necessarily the relations of peace and justice between us to
those of war. These surmises are, therefore, to be imputed to
the vauntings of the author of this enterprise, to multiply his
partisans by magnifying the belief of his prospects and support.
By letters from General Wilkinson, of the 14th and 18th of
December, which came to hand two days after the date of the
resolution of the House of Representatives, that is to say,
on the morning of the 18th instant, I received the important
affidavit, a copy of which I now communicate, with extracts
of so much of the letters as comes within the scope of the
resolution. By these it will be seen that of three of the
principal emissaries of Mr. Burr, whom the General had caused
to be apprehended, one had been liberated by _habeas corpus_,
and two others, being those particularly employed in the
endeavor to corrupt the General and Army of the United States,
have been embarked by him for ports in the Atlantic States,
probably on the consideration that an impartial trial could not
be expected during the present agitation of New Orleans, and
that that city was not as yet a safe place of confinement. As
soon as these persons shall arrive, they will be delivered to
the custody of the law, and left to such course of trial, both
as to place and progress, as its functionaries may direct. The
presence of the highest judicial authorities, to be assembled
at this place within a few days, the means of pursuing a
sounder course of proceedings here than elsewhere, and the aid
of the Executive means, should the judges have occasion to use
them, render it equally desirable for the criminals as for the
public, that, being already removed from the place where they
were first apprehended, the first regular arrest should take
place here, and the course of proceedings receive here their
proper direction.