How Far Burr’s Allies were Privy to his Treason.

It is always difficult to find out exactly what a conspirator of Burr’s type really intended, and exactly how guilty his various temporary friends and allies were.  Part of the conspirator’s business is to dissemble the truth, and in after-time it is nearly impossible to differentiate it from the false, even by the most elaborate sifting of the various untruths he has uttered.  Burr told every kind of story, at one time or another, and to different classes of auditors.  It would be unsafe to deny his having told a particular falsehood in any given case or to any given man.  On the other hand when once the plot was unmasked those persons to whom he had confided his plans were certain to insist that he had really kept them in ignorance of his true intention.  In consequence it is quite impossible to say exactly how much guilty knowledge his various companions possessed.  When it comes to treating of his relationship with Wilkinson all that can be said is that no single statement ever made by either man, whether during the conspiracy or after it, whether to the other or to an outsider, can be considered as either presumptively true or presumptively false.

It is therefore impossible to say exactly how far the Westerners with whom Burr was intimate were privy to his plans.  It is certain that the great mass of the Westerners never seriously considered entering into any seditious movement under him.  It is equally certain that a number of their leaders were more or less compromised by their associations with him.  It seems probable that to each of these leaders he revealed what he thought would most attract him in the scheme; but that to very few did he reveal an outright proposition to break up the Union.  Many of them were very willing to hear the distinguished Easterner make vague proposals for increasing the power of the West by means which were hinted at with sinister elusiveness; and many others were delighted to go into any movement which promised an attack upon the Spanish territory; but it seems likely that there were only a few men—­Wilkinson, for instance, and Adair of Kentucky—­who were willing to discuss a proposition to commit downright treason.

    Burr and Andrew Jackson.

Burr stopped at Cincinnati, in Ohio, and at one or two places in Kentucky.  In both States many prominent politicians, even United States Senators, received him with enthusiasm.  He then visited Nashville where he became the guest of Andrew Jackson.  Jackson was now Major General of the Tennessee militia; and the possibility of war, especially of war with the Spaniards, roused his hot nature to uncontrollable eagerness. [Footnote:  Adams, III., 221.] Burr probably saw through Jackson’s character at once, and realized that with him it was important to dwell solely upon that part of the plan which contemplated an attack upon the Spaniards.

    Threatened Hostilities with Spain. 
    Jackson’s Eagerness to Assail Spain.