to
August, the victory gained by the defence in the exclusion of
Wilkinson's evidence, and the clamour of the two camps into which the
city was divided,--through all this had been manifest the prisoner's
deliberate purpose and attempt to make every fibre of a personality
ingratiating beyond that of most, tell in its own behalf. He had able
advocates, but none more able than Aaron Burr. His day and time was, on
the whole, a time astonishingly fluid and naive, and he impressed it.

There was in this moment, therefore, no novelty of encounter between him
and the stare of the opposing throng. He was not seeing them, nor they
him, for the first time. Yet the situation had its high intensity. This
day was the beginning of the actual trial, and only the day which
brought the verdict could outweigh it in importance. This was the
lighting of the lamp that was to search out mysteries; this was the
bending of the bow; this was the first rung of the ladder which might
lead--where? As John Marshall's voice was heard from the bench and the
prisoner turned from his steadfast contemplation of the throng, a
psychic wave overflowed and lifted all the great assembly. This was
spectacle, this was drama! The oldest of all the first principles
stirred under the stimulus, and with savage naturalness sucked in the
sense of pageant.

The court was opened. Counsel on both sides brought forward and disposed
of a minor point or two, then, amid a silence so great that the
twittering of the martins outside the windows seemed importunate and
shrill, proclamation was made, the prisoner stood up, and the indictment
was read.

"_The grand inquest of the United States of America for the Virginia
District upon their oath do present that Aaron Burr, late of the city of
New York, and State of New York, attorney-at-law, being an inhabitant of
and residing within the United States, and under the protection of the
laws of the United States, and owing allegiance and fidelity to the same
United States, not having the fear of God before his eyes, nor weighing
the duty of his said allegiance, but being moved and seduced by the
instigation of the Devil, wickedly devising and intending the peace and
tranquillity of the said United States to disturb, and to stir, move,
and excite insurrection, rebellion, and war against the said United
States, on the tenth day of December, in the year of Christ one
thousand, eight hundred and six, at a certain place called and kno