m an energetic government, and thus
provide an example and an instrument for the subversion of our freedom.
The man who could expect to effect this, with American materials, must
be a fit subject for Bedlam. The seriousness of the crime, however,
demands more serious punishment. Yet, although there is not a man in the
United States who doubts his guilt, such are the jealous provisions of
our laws in favor of the accused against the accuser, that I question
if he is convicted. Out of forty-eight jurors to be summoned, he is to
select the twelve who are to try him, and if there be any one who will
not concur in finding him guilty, he is discharged of course. I am sorry
to tell you that Bollman was Burr's right hand man in all his guilty
schemes. On being brought to prison here, he communicated to Mr. Madison
and myself the whole of the plans, always, however, apologetically for
Burr as far as they would bear. But his subsequent tergiversations
have proved him conspicuously base. I gave him a pardon, however, which
covers him from every thing but infamy. I was the more astonished at his
engaging in this business, from the peculiar motives he should have
felt for fidelity. When I came into the government, I sought him out on
account of the services he has rendered you, cherished him, offered
him two different appointments of value, which, after keeping them long
under consideration, he declined for commercial views, and would have
given him any thing for which he was fit. Be assured he is unworthy of
ever occupying again the care of any honest man. Nothing has ever so
strongly proved the innate force of our form of government, as this
conspiracy. Burr had probably engaged one thousand men to follow his
fortunes, without letting them know his projects, otherwise than by
assuring them the government approved of them. The moment a proclamation
was issued, undeceiving them, he found himself left with about thirty
desperadoes only. The people rose in mass wherever he was or was
suspected to be, and by their own energy the thing was crushed in
one instant, without its having been necessary to employ a man of
the military but to take care of their respective stations. His first
enterprise was to have been to seize New Orleans, which he supposed
would powerfully bridle the upper country, and place him at the door
of Mexico. It is with pleasure I inform you that not a single native
Creole, and but one American of those settled there b