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former　begin　in　1682；　（Purvis'　collection。）　My　collection　of　these　is

in　strong　volumes；　well　bound；　and　therefore　may　safely　be

transported　anywhere。　　Any　of　these　volumes　which　you　do　not　possess；

are　at　your　service　for　the　purpose　of　republication；　but　the

unprinted　laws　are　dispersed　through　many　MS。　volumes；　several　of

them　so　decayed　that　the　leaf　can　never　be　opened　but　once　without

falling　into　powder。　　These　can　never　bear　removal　further　than　from

their　shelf　to　a　table。　　They　are；　as　well　as　I　recollect；　from　1622

downwards。　　I　formerly　made　such　a　digest　of　their　order；　and　the

volumes　where　they　are　to　be　found；　that；　under　my　own

superintendence；　they　could　be　copied　with　once　handling。　　More　they

would　not　bear。　　Hence　the　impracticability　of　their　being　copied　but

at　Monticello。　　But　independent　of　them；　the　printed　laws；　beginning

in　1682；　with　all　our　former　printed　collections；　will　be　a　most

valuable　publication；　&　sufficiently　distinct。　　I　shall　have　no　doubt

of　the　exactness　of　your　part　of　the　work；　but　I　hope　you　will　take

measures　for　having　the　typography　&　paper　worthy　of　the　work。　　I　am

lead　to　this　caution　by　the　scandalous　volume　of　our　laws　printed　by

Pleasants　in　1803；　&　those　by　Davis；　in　1796　were　little　better；　both

unworthy　the　history　of　Tom　Thumb。　　You　can　have　them　better　&

cheaper　printed　anywhere　north　of　Richmond。　　Accept　my　salutations　&

assurances　of　respect。







　　　　　　　　LESSONS　OF　THE　BURR　CONSPIRACY




　　　　　　　　_To　Governor　William　C。　C。　Claiborne_

　　　　　　　　_Washington；　February　3；　1807_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　I　pray　you　to　read　the　enclosed　letter；　to　seal

and　deliver　it。　　It　explains　itself　so　fully；　that　I　need　say

nothing。　　I　am　sincerely　concerned　for　Mr。　Reibelt；　who　is　a　man　of

excellent　understanding　and　extensive　science。　　If　you　had　any

academical　berth；　he　would　be　much　better　fitted　for　thatthan　for　the

bustling　business　of　life。　　I　enclose　to　General　Wilkinson　my　message

of　January　22d。　　I　presume；　however；　you　will　have　seen　it　in　the

papers。　　It　gives　the　history　of　Burr's　conspiracy；　all　but　the　last

chapter；　which　will；　I　hope；　be　that　of　his　capture　before　this　time；

at　Natchez。　　Your　situations　have　been　difficult；　and　we　judge　of　the

merit　of　our　agents　there　by　the　magnitude　of　the　danger　as　it

appeared　to　them；　not　as　it　was　known　to　us。　　On　great　occasions

every　good　officer　must　be　ready　to　risk　himself　in　going　beyond　the

strict　line　of　law；　when　the　public　preservation　requires　it；　his

motives　will　be　a　justification　as　far　as　there　is　any　discretion　in

his　ultra…legal　proceedings；　and　no　indulgence　of　private　feelings。

On　the　whole；　this　squall；　by　showing　with　what　ease　our　government

suppresses　movements　which　in　other　countries　requires　armies；　has

greatly　increased　its　strength　by　increasing　the　public　confidence　in

it。　　It　has　been　a　wholesome　lesson　too　to　our　citizens；　of　the

necessary　obedience　to　their　government。　　The　Feds；　and　the　little

band　of　Quids；　in　opposition；　will　try　to　make　something　of　the

infringement　of　liberty　by　the　military　arrest　and　deportation　of

citizens；　but　if　it　does　not　go　beyond　such　offenders　as　Swartwout；

Bollman；　Burr；　Blennerhasset；　Tyler；　&c。；　they　will　be　supported　by

the　public　approbation。　　Accept　my　friendly　salutations；　and

assurances　of　esteem　and　respect。







　　　　　　　　THE　BURR　TRIAL




　　　　　　　　_To　William　Branch　Giles_

　　　　　　　　_Monticello；　April　20；　1807_




　　　　　　　　DEAR　SIR；　　Your　favor　of　the　6th；　on　the　subject　of　Burr's

offences；　was　received　only　4　days　ago。　　That　there　should　be　anxiety

&　doubt　in　the　public　mind；　in　the　present　defective　state　of　the

proof；　is　not　wonderful；　and　this　has　been　sedulously　encouraged　by

the　tricks　of　the　judges　to　force　trials　before　it　is　possible　to

collect　the　evidence；　dispersed　through　a　line　of　2000　miles　from

Maine　to　Orleans。　　The　federalists；　too；　give　all　their　aid；　making

Burr's　cause　their　own；　mortified　only　that　he　did　not　separate　the

Union　or　overturn　the　government；　&　proving；　that　had　he　had　a　little

dawn　of　success；　they　would　have　joined　him　to　introduce　his　object；

their　favorite　monarchy；　as　they　would　any　other　enemy；　foreign　or

domestic；　who　could　rid　them　of　this　hateful　republic　for　any　other

government　in　exchange。




　　　　　　　　The　first　ground　of　complaint　was　the　supine　inattention　of　the

administration　to　a　treason　stalking　through　the　land　in　open　day。

The　present　one；　that　they　have　crushed　it　before　it　was　ripe　for

execution；　so　that　no　overt　acts　can　be　produced。　　This　last　may　be

true；　tho'　I　believe　it　is　not。　　Our　information　having　been　chiefly

by　way　of　letter；　we　do　not　know　of　a　certainty　yet　what　will　be

proved。　　We　have　set　on　foot　an　inquiry　through　the　whole　of　the

country　which　has　been　the　scene　of　these　transactions；　to　be　able　to

prove　to　the　courts；　if　they　will　give　time；　or　to　the　public　by　way

of　communication　to　Congress；　what　the　real　facts　have　been。　　For

obtaining　this；　we　are　obliged　to　appeal　to　the　patriotism　of

particular　persons　in　different　places；　of　whom　we　have　requested　to

make　the　inquiry　in　their　neighborhood；　and　on　such　information　as

shall　be　voluntarily　offered。　　Aided　by　no　process　or　facilities　from

the　_federal_　courts；　but　frowned　on　by　their　new　born　zeal　for　the

liberty　of　those　whom　we　would　not　permit　to　overthrow　the　liberties

of　their　country；　we　can　expect　no　revealments　from　the　accomplices

of　the　chief　offender。　　Of　treasonable　intentions；　the　judges　have

been　obliged　to　confess　there　is　probable　appearance。　　What　loophole

they　will　find　in　it；　when　it　comes　to　trial；　we　cannot　foresee。

Eaton；　Stoddart；　Wilkinson；　and　two　others　whom　I　must　not　name；　will

satisfy　the　world；　if　not　the　judges；　on　that　head。　　And　I　do　suppose

the　following　overt　acts　will　be　proved。　　1。　The　enlistment　of　men　in

a　regular　way。　　2。　The　regular　mounting　of　guard　round

Blennerhassett's　island　when　they　expected　Governor　Tiffin's　men　to

be　on　them；　_modo　guerrino　arraiali_。　　3。　The　rendezvous　of　Burr　with

his　men　at　the　mouth　of　the　Cumberland。　　4。　His　letter　to　the　acting

Governor　of　Mississippi；　holding　up　the　prospect　of　civil　war。　　5。

His　capitulation　regularly　signed　with　the　aids　of　the　Governor；　as

between　two　independent　&　hostile　commanders。




　　　　　　　　But　a　moment's　calculation　will　shew　that　this　evidence　cannot

be　collected　under　4　months；　probably　5。　from　the　moment　of　deciding

when　&　where　the　trial　shall　be。　　I　desired　Mr。　Rodney　expressly　to

inform　the　Chief　Justice　of　this；　inofficially。　　But　Mr。　Marshall

says；　〃more　than　5　weeks　have　elapsed　since　the　opinion　of　the

Supreme　court　has　declared　the　necessity　of　proving　the　overt　acts；

if　they　exist。　　Why　are　they　not　proved？〃　In　what　terms　of　decency

can　we　speak　of　this？　　As　if　an　express　could　go　to　Natchez；　or　the

mouth　of　Cumberland；　&　return　in　5　weeks；　to　do　which　has　never　taken

less　than　twelve。　　Again；　〃If；　in　Nov。　or　Dec。　last；　a　body　of　troops

had　been　assembled　on　the　Ohio；　it　is　impossible　to　suppose　the

affidavits　establishing　the　fact　could　not　have　been　obtained　by　the

last　of　March。〃　But　I　ask　the　judge　where　they　should　have　been

lodged？　　At　Frankfort？　at　Cincinnati？　at　Nashville？　St。　Louis？

Natchez？　New　Orleans？　　These　were　the　probable　places　of　apprehension

&　examination。　　It　was　not　known　at　_Washington_　till　the　26th　of

March　that　Burr　would　escape　from　the　Western　tribunals；　be　retaken　&

brought　to　an　Eastern　one；　and　in　5　days　after；　（neither　5。　months

nor　5。　weeks；　as　the　judge　calculated；）　he　says；　it　is　〃impossible　to

suppose　the　affidavits　could　not　have　been　obtained。〃　Where？　　At

Richmond　he　certainly　meant；　or　meant　only　to　throw　dust　in　the　eyes

of　his　audience。　　But　all　the　principles　of　law　are　to　be　perverted

which　would　bear　on　the　favorite　offenders　who　endeavor　to　overrun

this　odious　Republic。　　〃I　understand；〃　sais　the　judge；　〃_probable_

cause　of　guilt　to　be　a　case　made　out　by　_proof_　furnishing　good

reason　to　believe；〃　&c。　　Speaking　as　a　lawyer；　he　must　mean　legal

proof；　i。　e。；　proof　on　oath；　at　least。　　But　this　is　confounding

_probability_　and　_proof_。　　We　had　always　before　understood　that

where　there　was　reasonable　ground　to　believe　guilt；　the　offender　must

be　put　on　his　trial。　　That　guilty　intentions　were　probable；　the　judge

believed。　　And　as　to　the　overt　acts；　were　not　the　bundle　of　letters

of　information　in　Mr。　Rodney's　hands；　the　letters　and　facts　published

in　the　local　newspapers；　Burr's　flight；　&　the　universal　belief　or

rumor　of　his　guilt；　probable　ground　for　presuming　the　facts　of

enlistment；　military　guard；　rendezvous；　threats　of　civil　war；　or

capitulation；　so　as　to　put　him　on　trial？　　Is　there　a　candid　man　in

the　U　S　who　does　not　believe　some　one；　if　not　all；　of　these　overt

acts　to　have　taken　place？




　　　　　　　　If　there　ever　had　been　an　instance　in　this　or　the　preceding

administrations；　of　federal　judges　so　applying　principles　of　law　as

to　condemn　a　federal　or　acquit　a　republican　offender；　I　should　have

judged　them　in　the　present　case　with　more　charity。　　All　this；

however；　will　work　well。　　The　nation　will　judge　both　the　offender　&

judges　for　themselves。　　If　a　member　of　the　Executive　or　Legislature

does　wrong；　the　day　is　never　far　distant　when　the　people　will　remove

him。　　They　will　see　then　&　amend　the　error　in　our　Constitution；　which

makes　any　branch　independent　of　the　nation。　　They　will　see　that　one

of　the　great　co…ordinate　branches　of　the　government；　setting　itself

in　opposition　to　the　other　two；　and　to　the　common　sense　of　the

nation；　proclaims　impunity　to　that　class　of　offenders　which　endeavors

to　overturn　the　Constitution；　and　are　themselves　protected　in　it　by

the　Constitution　itself；　for　impeachment　is　a　farce　which　will　not　be

tried　again。　　If　their　protection　of　Burr　produces　this　amendment；　it

will　do　more　good　than　his　condemn