Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the ElephantHolt, Mathew Joseph
History
Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant
Holt, Mathew Joseph
Kentucky -- Fiction; Kentucky -- History
“When the enterprise collapsed, Wilkinson, like many others who had been
loudest in Burr’s praise and deepest in his schemes, was now the loudest
in denouncing the conspiracy and the most zealous with suggestions to
apprehend him.
“I understand that Burr, blaming its failure upon Wilkinson, denounced
him: ‘As to any prospects which may have been formed between General
Wilkinson and myself heretofore; they are now completely frustrated by
his perfidious conduct, and the world must pronounce him a perfidious
villain. If I am sacrificed my portfolio will prove him to be such.’
“One can readily understand why his expedition appealed to a great many
Kentuckians. The people are hardy and adventurous. There are yet many
among us who lived through the most heroic era of our history; and the
younger generation, fired by their tales, are ready for any adventurous
enterprise. Spain is an old enemy, the State is growing rapidly, many
feel crowded if they live within sight of a neighbor; the enterprise
offered great opportunities for adventure, for a new pioneer life; and
land was to be had for the taking.
“Even the longest letter must have an ending, and I have found a friend
going to Powell’s Valley, who has promised to deliver mine. I shall come
home in January. My heart bleeds because I will not be able to spend
Christmas with you and the boy. I feel I have no home, but my Master had
not a place to lay his head, nor a wife and son. I pray daily for your
safety and good health. The Lord bless and keep both of you.
“Your husband,
“Calvin.”
The Kentucky Legislature was petitioned in December, 1806, to make
inquiry into the conduct of Judge Sebastian, a member of the Court of
Appeals, as an intriguer with Spain in an effort to bring about
Kentucky’s secession from the Union. In an effort to stifle the inquiry,
Sebastian resigned, but the inquiry continued. Evidence submitted,
including his confession, disclosed that he had been a pensioner of
Spain for many years, receiving $2,000.00 per annum. Many believed Judge
Innes implicated; and at the session of the succeeding legislature, a
resolution was passed recommending that Congress inquire into his
conduct, as being United States judge for the district of Kentucky it
was beyond the province of Kentucky authority. This was done and
resulted in his acquittal.
The disclosures of the Sebastian investigation, and the Burr conspiracy,
resulted in a renewal by the Atlantic states of the old and oft-repeated
charge that Kentucky was disloyal to the Union. The people of Kentucky
resented the charge.
A great mass meeting was held in Lexington when the people of the State
understood the charges made by the eastern states. After a patriotic
speech by Rev. Calvin Campbell, which Henry Clay declared the smoothest
argument he had ever heard in support of centralized power against state
rights, the meeting unanimously adopted a resolution:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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