The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 8 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 8 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
Surmises have been hazarded that this enterprise is to receive
aid from certain foreign powers. But these surmises are without
proof or probability. The wisdom of the measures sanctioned
by Congress at its last session had placed us in the paths of peace
and justice with the only powers with whom we had any differences,
and nothing has happened since which makes it either
their interest or ours to pursue another course. No change of
measures has taken place on our part; none ought to take
place at this time. With the one, friendly arrangement was
then proposed, and the law deemed necessary on the failure of
that was suspended to give time for a fair trial of the issue.
With the same power, negotiation is still preferred, and provisional
measures only are necessary to meet the event of rupture.
While, therefore, we do not deflect in the slightest degree from
the course we then assumed, and are still pursuing, with mutual
consent, to restore a good understanding, we are not to impute
to them practices as irreconcilable to interest as to good faith,
and changing necessarily the relations of peace and justice between
us to those of war. These surmises are, therefore, to be
imputed to the vauntings of the author of this enterprise, to
multiply his partisans by magnifying the belief of his prospects
and support.
By letters from General Wilkinson, of the 14th and 18th of
September, which came to hand two days after date of the resolution
of the House of Representatives, that is to say, on the
morning of the 18th instant, I received the important affidavit, a
copy of which I now communicate, with extracts of so much of
the letters as come within the scope of the resolution. By these
it will be seen that of three of the principal emissaries of Mr.
Burr, whom the general had caused to be apprehended, one had
been liberated by _habeas corpus_, and the two others, being those
particularly employed in the endeavor to corrupt the general and
army of the United States, have been embarked by him for our
ports in the Atlantic States, probably on the consideration that
an impartial trial could not be expected during the present agitations
of New Orleans, and that that city was not as yet a safe
place of confinement. As soon as these persons shall arrive,
they will be delivered to the custody of the law, and left to such
course of trial, both as to place and process, as its functionaries
may direct. The presence of the highest judicial authorities,
to be assembled at this place within a few days, the means of
pursuing a sounder course of proceedings here than elsewhere,
and the aid of the executive means, should the judges have occasion
to use them, render it equally desirable for the criminals
as for the public, that being already removed from the place
where they were first apprehended, the first regular arrest should
take place here, and the course of proceedings receive here its
proper direction.
SPECIAL MESSAGE.--JANUARY 28, 1807.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account