But the Mexicans were eager to throw off the Spanish yoke; war between the United States and Spain might break out at any minute; Mexico would be invaded by an army, set free, and the new pioneers would have splendid opportunities in the formation of a new and great republic of the West and South.  Burr went further than this.  He had articles inserted in a Marietta newspaper, signed by an assumed name, in which was advocated the secession of the States west of the Alleghanies.  These articles were strongly replied to by a writer who signed himself “Regulus,” and with whose views the community at large sympathized.  His articles were copied by Eastern papers.  They spoke of the armed expedition which Colonel Burr was preparing, and declared that its purpose was the invasion of Mexico.  Jefferson, then in the Presidential chair, knew Burr too well to ignore these warnings.  He sent a secret agent to Marietta to discover what was going on, and at the same time asked the governor of Ohio to seize the boats and suppress the expedition.

Mr. Blennerhasset assured the secret agent, Mr. Graham, that no thought was entertained of invading Mexico.  The project, he said, was an eminently peaceful one.  But the public was of a different opinion.  Rumor, once started, grew with its usual rapidity.  Burr was organizing an army to seize New Orleans, rob the banks, capture the artillery, and set up an empire or republic of his own in the valley of the lower Mississippi.  Blennerhasset was his accomplice, and as deep in the scheme as himself.  The Ohio Legislature, roused to energetic action by the rumors which were everywhere afloat, passed an act that all armed expeditions should be suppressed, and empowered the governor to call out the militia, seize Burr’s boats, and hold the crews for trial.

Public attention had been earnestly and hostilely directed to the questionable project, and Burr’s hopes were at an end.  The militia were mustered at Marietta, a six-pounder was planted on the river-bank, orders were given to stop and examine all descending boats, and sentries were placed to watch the stream by day and night.

While these events were proceeding, Mr. Blennerhasset had gone to the Muskingum, to superintend the departure of the boats that were to start from that stream.  While there the boats were seized by order of the governor.  The suspicions of the people and government were for the first time made clear to him.  Greatly disturbed, and disposed to abandon the whole project, costly as it had been to him, he hastened back to his island home.  There he found a flotilla of four boats, with a crew of about thirty men, which had passed Marietta before the mustering of the militia.  They were commanded by a Mr. Tyler.

Mr. Blennerhasset’s judgment was in favor of abandoning the scheme.  Mrs. Blennerhasset, who was very ambitious, argued strongly on the other side.  She was eager to see her husband assume a position fitting to his great talents.  Mr. Tyler joined her in her arguments.  Blennerhasset gave way.  It was a fatal compliance, one destined to destroy his happiness and peace for the remainder of his life, and to expose his wife to the most frightful scenes of outrage and barbarity.