TheyhavebeenlongendeavoringtobatterdowntheGovernor，whohasalwaysbeenafirmrepublican。TherewerecharacterssuperiortohimwhomIwishedtoappoint，buttheyrefusedtheoffice：Iknownobettermanwhowouldacceptofit，anditwouldnotberighttoturnhimoutforonenotbetter。Butitisthe2d。cause，abovementioned，whichisdeep-seated&permanent。TheFrenchmembersoftheLegislature，beingthemajorityinbothHouses，latelypassedanactdeclaringthatthecivil，orFrenchlaws，shouldbethelawsoftheirland，andenumeratedabout50foliovolumes，inLatin，asthedepositoriesoftheselaws。TheGovernornegativedtheact。Oneofthehousesthereuponpassedavoteforself-dissolutionoftheLegislatureasauselessbody，whichfailedintheotherHousebyasinglevoteonly。Theyseparated，however，&havedisseminatedallthediscontenttheycould。IproposetothemembersofCongressinconversation，theenlisting30，000volunteers，Americansbybirth，tobecarriedatthepublicexpense，&settledimmediatelyonabountyof160acresoflandeach，onthewestsideoftheMississippi，ontheconditionofgivingtwoyearsofmilitaryservice，ifthatcountryshouldbeattackedwithin7years。Thedefenceofthecountrywouldthusbeplacedonthespot，andtheadditionalnumberwouldentitletheterritorytobecomeaState，wouldmakethemajorityAmerican，&makeitanAmericaninsteadofaFrenchState。
　　ThiswouldnotsweetenthepilltotheFrench；butinmakingthatacquisitionwehadsomeviewtoourowngoodaswellastheirs，andI
　　believethegreatestgoodofbothwillbepromotedbywhateverwillamalgamateustogether。
　　Ihavetiredyou，myfriend，withalongletter。Butyourtediumwillendinafewlinesmore。Minehasyettwoyearstoendure。IamtiredofanofficewhereIcandonomoregoodthanmanyothers，whowouldbegladtobeemployedinit。Tomyself，personally，itbringsnothingbutunceasingdrudgery&dailylossoffriends。Everyofficebecomingvacant，everyappointmentmade，medonneuningrat，etcentennemis。Myonlyconsolationisinthebeliefthatmyfellowcitizensatlargegivemecreditforgoodintentions。Iwillcertainlyendeavortomeritthecontinuanceofthatgood-willwhichfollowswell-intendedactions，andtheirapprobationwillbethedearestrewardIcancarryintoretirement。
　　Godblessyou，myexcellentfriend，andgiveyouyetmanyhealthyandhappyyears。
　　LAWSOFVIRGINIA
　　_ToWilliamWallerHening_
　　_Washington，January14，1807_
　　SIR，——YourletterofDec。26th，wasreceivedinduetime。
　　TheonlyobjectIhadinmakingmycollectionofthelawsofVirginia，wastosaveallthoseforthePublicwhichwerenotthenalreadylost，inthehopethatatsomefuturedaytheymightberepublished。Whetherthisbebypublicorprivateenterprise，myendwillbeequallyanswered。Theworkdividesitselfintotwoverydistinctparts；towit，theprintedandtheunprintedlaws。Theformerbeginin1682，Purvis’collection。Mycollectionoftheseisinstrongvolumes，wellbound，andthereforemaysafelybetransportedanywhere。Anyofthesevolumeswhichyoudonotpossess，areatyourserviceforthepurposeofrepublication，buttheunprintedlawsaredispersedthroughmanyMS。volumes，severalofthemsodecayedthattheleafcanneverbeopenedbutoncewithoutfallingintopowder。Thesecanneverbearremovalfurtherthanfromtheirshelftoatable。Theyare，aswellasIrecollect，from1622
　　downwards。Iformerlymadesuchadigestoftheirorder，andthevolumeswheretheyaretobefound，that，undermyownsuperintendence，theycouldbecopiedwithoncehandling。Moretheywouldnotbear。HencetheimpracticabilityoftheirbeingcopiedbutatMonticello。Butindependentofthem，theprintedlaws，beginningin1682，withallourformerprintedcollections，willbeamostvaluablepublication，&sufficientlydistinct。Ishallhavenodoubtoftheexactnessofyourpartofthework，butIhopeyouwilltakemeasuresforhavingthetypography&paperworthyofthework。IamleadtothiscautionbythescandalousvolumeofourlawsprintedbyPleasantsin1803，&thosebyDavis，in1796werelittlebetter；bothunworthythehistoryofTomThumb。Youcanhavethembetter&
　　cheaperprintedanywherenorthofRichmond。Acceptmysalutations&
　　assurancesofrespect。
　　LESSONSOFTHEBURRCONSPIRACY
　　_ToGovernorWilliamC。C。Claiborne_
　　_Washington，February3，1807_
　　DEARSIR，——Iprayyoutoreadtheenclosedletter，tosealanddeliverit。Itexplainsitselfsofully，thatIneedsaynothing。IamsincerelyconcernedforMr。Reibelt，whoisamanofexcellentunderstandingandextensivescience。Ifyouhadanyacademicalberth，hewouldbemuchbetterfittedforthatthanforthebustlingbusinessoflife。IenclosetoGeneralWilkinsonmymessageofJanuary22d。Ipresume，however，youwillhaveseenitinthepapers。ItgivesthehistoryofBurr’sconspiracy，allbutthelastchapter，whichwill，Ihope，bethatofhiscapturebeforethistime，atNatchez。Yoursituationshavebeendifficult，andwejudgeofthemeritofouragentstherebythemagnitudeofthedangerasitappearedtothem，notasitwasknowntous。Ongreatoccasionseverygoodofficermustbereadytoriskhimselfingoingbeyondthestrictlineoflaw，whenthepublicpreservationrequiresit；hismotiveswillbeajustificationasfarasthereisanydiscretioninhisultra-legalproceedings，andnoindulgenceofprivatefeelings。
　　Onthewhole，thissquall，byshowingwithwhateaseourgovernmentsuppressesmovementswhichinothercountriesrequiresarmies，hasgreatlyincreaseditsstrengthbyincreasingthepublicconfidenceinit。Ithasbeenawholesomelessontootoourcitizens，ofthenecessaryobediencetotheirgovernment。TheFeds，andthelittlebandofQuids，inopposition，willtrytomakesomethingoftheinfringementoflibertybythemilitaryarrestanddeportationofcitizens，butifitdoesnotgobeyondsuchoffendersasSwartwout，Bollman，Burr，Blennerhasset，Tyler，&c。，theywillbesupportedbythepublicapprobation。Acceptmyfriendlysalutations，andassurancesofesteemandrespect。
　　THEBURRTRIAL
　　_ToWilliamBranchGiles_
　　_Monticello，April20，1807_
　　DEARSIR，——Yourfavorofthe6th，onthesubjectofBurr’soffences，wasreceivedonly4daysago。Thatthereshouldbeanxiety&doubtinthepublicmind，inthepresentdefectivestateoftheproof，isnotwonderful；andthishasbeensedulouslyencouragedbythetricksofthejudgestoforcetrialsbeforeitispossibletocollecttheevidence，dispersedthroughalineof2000milesfromMainetoOrleans。Thefederalists，too，givealltheiraid，makingBurr’scausetheirown，mortifiedonlythathedidnotseparatetheUnionoroverturnthegovernment，&proving，thathadhehadalittledawnofsuccess，theywouldhavejoinedhimtointroducehisobject，theirfavoritemonarchy，astheywouldanyotherenemy，foreignordomestic，whocouldridthemofthishatefulrepublicforanyothergovernmentinexchange。
　　Thefirstgroundofcomplaintwasthesupineinattentionoftheadministrationtoatreasonstalkingthroughthelandinopenday。
　　Thepresentone，thattheyhavecrusheditbeforeitwasripeforexecution，sothatnoovertactscanbeproduced。Thislastmaybetrue；tho’Ibelieveitisnot。Ourinformationhavingbeenchieflybywayofletter，wedonotknowofacertaintyyetwhatwillbeproved。Wehavesetonfootaninquirythroughthewholeofthecountrywhichhasbeenthesceneofthesetransactions，tobeabletoprovetothecourts，iftheywillgivetime，ortothepublicbywayofcommunicationtoCongress，whattherealfactshavebeen。Forobtainingthis，weareobligedtoappealtothepatriotismofparticularpersonsindifferentplaces，ofwhomwehaverequestedtomaketheinquiryintheirneighborhood，andonsuchinformationasshallbevoluntarilyoffered。Aidedbynoprocessorfacilitiesfromthe_federal_courts，butfrownedonbytheirnewbornzealforthelibertyofthosewhomwewouldnotpermittooverthrowthelibertiesoftheircountry，wecanexpectnorevealmentsfromtheaccomplicesofthechiefoffender。Oftreasonableintentions，thejudgeshavebeenobligedtoconfessthereisprobableappearance。Whatloopholetheywillfindinit，whenitcomestotrial，wecannotforesee。
　　Eaton，Stoddart，Wilkinson，andtwootherswhomImustnotname，willsatisfytheworld，ifnotthejudges，onthathead。AndIdosupposethefollowingovertactswillbeproved。1。Theenlistmentofmeninaregularway。2。TheregularmountingofguardroundBlennerhassett’sislandwhentheyexpectedGovernorTiffin’smentobeonthem，_modoguerrinoarraiali_。3。TherendezvousofBurrwithhismenatthemouthoftheCumberland。4。HislettertotheactingGovernorofMississippi，holdinguptheprospectofcivilwar。5。
　　HiscapitulationregularlysignedwiththeaidsoftheGovernor，asbetweentwoindependent&hostilecommanders。
　　Butamoment’scalculationwillshewthatthisevidencecannotbecollectedunder4months，probably5。fromthemomentofdecidingwhen&wherethetrialshallbe。IdesiredMr。RodneyexpresslytoinformtheChiefJusticeofthis，inofficially。ButMr。Marshallsays，”morethan5weekshaveelapsedsincetheopinionoftheSupremecourthasdeclaredthenecessityofprovingtheovertacts，iftheyexist。Whyaretheynotproved?”Inwhattermsofdecencycanwespeakofthis?AsifanexpresscouldgotoNatchez，orthemouthofCumberland，&returnin5weeks，todowhichhasnevertakenlessthantwelve。Again，”If，inNov。orDec。last，abodyoftroopshadbeenassembledontheOhio，itisimpossibletosupposetheaffidavitsestablishingthefactcouldnothavebeenobtainedbythelastofMarch。”ButIaskthejudgewheretheyshouldhavebeenlodged?AtFrankfort?atCincinnati?atNashville?St。Louis?
　　Natchez?NewOrleans?Theseweretheprobableplacesofapprehension&examination。Itwasnotknownat_Washington_tillthe26thofMarchthatBurrwouldescapefromtheWesterntribunals，beretaken&
　　broughttoanEasternone；andin5daysafter，neither5。monthsnor5。weeks，asthejudgecalculated，hesays，itis”impossibletosupposetheaffidavitscouldnothavebeenobtained。”Where?AtRichmondhecertainlymeant，ormeantonlytothrowdustintheeyesofhisaudience。ButalltheprinciplesoflawaretobepervertedwhichwouldbearonthefavoriteoffenderswhoendeavortooverrunthisodiousRepublic。”Iunderstand，”saisthejudge，”_probable_
　　causeofguilttobeacasemadeoutby_proof_furnishinggoodreasontobelieve，”&c。Speakingasalawyer，hemustmeanlegalproof，i。e。，proofonoath，atleast。Butthisisconfounding_probability_and_proof_。Wehadalwaysbeforeunderstoodthatwheretherewasreasonablegroundtobelieveguilt，theoffendermustbeputonhistrial。Thatguiltyintentionswereprobable，thejudgebelieved。Andastotheovertacts，werenotthebundleoflettersofinformationinMr。Rodney’shands，thelettersandfactspublishedinthelocalnewspapers，Burr’sflight，&theuniversalbelieforrumorofhisguilt，probablegroundforpresumingthefactsofenlistment，militaryguard，rendezvous，threatsofcivilwar，orcapitulation，soastoputhimontrial?IsthereacandidmanintheUSwhodoesnotbelievesomeone，ifnotall，oftheseovertactstohavetakenplace?
　　Ifthereeverhadbeenaninstanceinthisortheprecedingadministrations，offederaljudgessoapplyingprinciplesoflawastocondemnafederaloracquitarepublicanoffender，Ishouldhavejudgedtheminthepresentcasewithmorecharity。Allthis，however，willworkwell。Thenationwilljudgeboththeoffender&
　　judgesforthemselves。IfamemberoftheExecutiveorLegislaturedoeswrong，thedayisneverfardistantwhenthepeoplewillremovehim。Theywillseethen&amendtheerrorinourConstitution，whichmakesanybranchindependentofthenation。Theywillseethatoneofthegreatco-ordinatebranchesofthegovernment，settingitselfinoppositiontotheothertwo，andtothecommonsenseofthenation，proclaimsimpunitytothatclassofoffenderswhichendeavorstooverturntheConstitution，andarethemselvesprotectedinitbytheConstitutionitself；forimpeachmentisafarcewhichwillnotbetriedagain。IftheirprotectionofBurrproducesthisamendment，itwilldomoregoodthanhiscondemnationwouldhavedone。AgainstBurr，personally，Ineverhadonehostilesentiment。Ineverindeedthoughthimanhonest，frank-dealingman，butconsideredhimasacrookedgun，orotherpervertedmachine，whoseaimorstrokeyoucouldneverbesureof。Still，whilehepossessedtheconfidenceofthenation，Ithoughtitmydutytorespectinhimtheirconfidence，&totreathimasifhedeservedit；andifthispunishmentcanbecommutednowforanyusefulamendmentoftheConstitution，Ishallrejoiceinit。Mysheetbeingfull，Iperceiveitishightimetoofferyoumyfriendlysalutations，andassureyouofmyconstantandaffectionateesteemandrespect。
　　HISTORY，HUME，ANDTHEPRESS
　　_ToJohnNorvell_
　　_Washington，June14，1807_
　　SIR，——YourletterofMay9hasbeendulyreceived。Thesubjectitproposeswouldrequiretime&spaceforevenmoderatedevelopment。Myoccupationslimitmetoaveryshortnoticeofthem。
　　Ithinktheredoesnotexistagoodelementaryworkontheorganizationofsocietyintocivilgovernment：Imeanaworkwhichpresentsinonefull&comprehensiveviewthesystemofprinciplesonwhichsuchanorganizationshouldbefounded，accordingtotherightsofnature。Forwantofasingleworkofthatcharacter，IshouldrecommendLockeonGovernment，Sidney，Priestley’sEssayonthefirstPrinciplesofGovernment，Chipman’sPrinciplesofGovernment，&theFederalist。Adding，perhaps，Beccariaoncrimes&punishments，becauseofthedemonstrativemannerinwhichhehastreatedthatbranchofthesubject。Ifyourviewsofpoliticalinquirygofurther，tothesubjectsofmoney&commerce，Smith’sWealthofNationsisthebestbooktoberead，unlessSay’sPoliticalEconomycanbehad，whichtreatsthesamesubjectonthesameprinciples，butinashortercompass&morelucidmanner。ButIbelievethisworkhasnotbeentranslatedintoourlanguage。
　　History，ingeneral，onlyinformsuswhatbadgovernmentis。
　　ButaswehaveemployedsomeofthebestmaterialsoftheBritishconstitutionintheconstructionofourowngovernment，aknolegeofBritishhistorybecomesusefultotheAmericanpolitician。Thereis，however，nogeneralhistoryofthatcountrywhichcanberecommended。
　　TheelegantoneofHumeseemsintendedtodisguise&discreditthegoodprinciplesofthegovernment，andissoplausible&pleasinginit’sstyle&manner，astoinstilit’serrors&heresiesinsensiblyintothemindsofunwaryreaders。Baxterhasperformedagoodoperationonit。HehastakenthetextofHumeashisgroundwork，abridgingitbytheomissionofsomedetailsoflittleinterest，andwhereverhehasfoundhimendeavoringtomislead，byeitherthesuppressionofatruthorbygivingitafalsecoloring，hehaschangedthetexttowhatitshouldbe，sothatwemayproperlycallitHume’shistoryrepublicanised。HehasmoreovercontinuedthehistorybutindifferentlyfromwhereHumeleftit，totheyear1800。TheworkisnotpopularinEngland，becauseitisrepublican；
　　andbutafewcopieshaveeverreachedAmerica。Itisasingle4to。
　　volume。AddingtothisLudlow’sMemoirs，Mrs。M’Cauley’s&Belknap’shistories，asufficientviewwillbepresentedofthefreeprinciplesoftheEnglishconstitution。