of respect, interest, and attention.  On went the examination, this time favourable, on the whole, to Burr.  “The prisoner frequently, in conversation with me, mentioned the subject of speculations in western lands, opening a canal and building a bridge.  Colonel Burr also said to me that the government was weak, and that he wished me to get the navy of the United States out of my head; that it would dwindle to nothing; and that he had something to propose to me that was both honourable and profitable; but I considered this nothing more than an interest in his land speculations—­”

The August heat was maddening.  Now and then a puff of wind entered from the parched out-of-doors, but it hardly refreshed.  The flutter of the women’s fans in the gallery made a far away and ineffectual sound.  “All his conversations respecting military and naval subjects and the Mexican expedition,” went on Truxtun’s voice, “were in event of a war with Spain.  I told him my opinion was, there would be no war, but he was sanguine of it.  He said that after the Mexican expedition he intended to provide a formidable navy; that he meant to establish an independent government and give liberty to an enslaved world.  I declined his propositions to me because the President was not privy to the project.  He asked me the best mode of attacking the Havana, Carthagena, and La Vera Cruz—­”

The day wore on.  Truxtun was released, and the Attorney for the United States called Blennerhassett’s servants to prove the array at the island and the embarkment upon the Ohio.  They did their best with a deal of verbiage, of “Colonel Burr said” and “Mr. Blennerhassett said,” and with no little bewilderment under cross-examination.  “Yes, sir; I’m telling you, sir.  Mr. Blennerhassett allowed that Colonel Burr and he and a few friends had bought eight hundred thousand acres of land, and they wanted young men to settle it.  He said he would give any young man who would go down the river one hundred acres of land, plenty of grog and victuals while going down the river, and three months’ provision after they got to the end; every young man must have his rifle and blanket.  When I got home, I began to think, and I asked him what kind of seed we should carry with us.  He said we did not want any, the people had seeds where we were going—­”

“Of what occupation were you upon the island?” demanded Mr. Wirt.

“A gardener, sir.  And then Mr. Blennerhassett said to me, ’I’ll tell you what, Peter, we’re going to take Mexico, one of the finest and richest places in the world!’ He said that Colonel Burr would be King of Mexico, and that Mrs. Alston, daughter of Colonel Burr, was to be the Queen of Mexico whenever Colonel Burr died.  He said that Colonel Burr had made fortunes for many in his time, but none for himself, and now he was going to make something for himself.  He said that he had a great many friends in the Spanish territory; that the Spaniards, like the French, had got dissatisfied