intended design"-Mr. Jefferson issued a public proclamation setting forth that "whereas information has been received that sundry persons are conspiring and confederating together to begin . a military expedition or enterprise against the dominions of Spain I have therefore thought proper to issue this, my proclamation, warning and enjoining all faithful citizens who have been led without due knowledge or consideration to participate in the said unlawful enterprise to withdraw from the same without delay;" and also enjoining all citizens, and all civil and military authorities, to be vigilant, to seize all boats and supplies, to give information, and to apprehend the guilty.

The "sundry persons" were not named, but the country did not need to be told where to look. .

CHAPTER III

MARTIAL LAW

I

GENERAL WILKINSON was getting more and more excited.

On October 21, he had again written to the President, referring to certain accusations against him in the Western World, to say that "I have at times been fearful your confidence might be shaken by the boldness of the vile calumnies leveled at me; but the reflection that I have not only enjoyed but merited the confidence of General Washington . . and that the honest but wrong-headed President Adams approved my conduct combined with the consciousness that the wealth and power of the wide world could not for a moment divert my course from the path of honor, dissipated my apprehensions and determined me not to descend to the task of refuting by . testimony and authentic documents every imputation alleged against me, from the most frivolous to the most sane." Aside from that, "pardon the honest pride which impels me to bare my bosom to you. My ultimate views are limited to

the acquisition of an honorable fame. I have ever condemned the sordid interests of the world, and estimated property by its immediate utility onlyand it is the highest ambition of my soul on a proper occasion, to spend my last breath in the cause of my country. A frail character, but a just one. To you I owe more than I will express, lest I should be suspected of adulation, which I detest."

And on November 12, from the home of Stephen Minor at Natchez, the General wrote again to the President. "Many circumstances," he informed him, "have intervened since my last, confirmatory of the information previously received, and demonstrative of a deep, dark and wicked conspiracy. My doubts have ceased, and it is my opinion that naught but an immediate peace in Europe can prevent an explosion which may desolate these settlements, inflict a great wound upon our republican policies, involve us in a foreign conflict, and shake the government to its very foundations." There.

"This is indeed a deep, dark and widespread conspiracy, embracing the young and the old, the democrat and the federalist, the native and the foreigner, the patriot of '76 and the exotic of yesterday, the opulent and the needy, the ins and the outs; and I fear it will receive strong support in New Orleans, from a quarter little suspected, from whence I have been recently addressed by a Gallo-American." He was referring to Doctor Bollmann, who had arrived at New Orleans and sent on his copy of Colonel Burr's cipher letter. "By masking my purposes and flattering his hopes I expect to discover the extent and leading characters of the combination in that

city, and, till this is effected, I shall carry an equivocal exterior to every person who may see me. Nothing shall be omitted which can be accomplished by indefatigable industry, incessant vigilance and hardy courage, and I gasconade not when I tell you that in such a cause I shall glory to give my life to the service of my country; for I verily believe such an event to be probable.

And now: "To give effect to my military arrangements, it is absolutely indispensable New Orleans and its environs should be placed under martial law; for without this the disaffected can neither be apprehended nor banished; private property can neither be appropriated nor occupied for public purposes and my every disposition will of course be hourly and daily exposed to my adversaries. To effect this necessary measure I must look to your influence and authority. To insure the triumph of government over its enemies, I am obliged to resort to political finesse and military stratagem . and therefore my own bosom, were it possible, should be the sole repository of my determinations for were my intentions exposed, there are more than three desperate enthusiasts in New Orleans who would seek my life, and although I may be able to smile at danger in open conflict, I will confess I dread the stroke of the assassin, because it cannot confer an honorable death."

Mr. Isaac Briggs, "with whose good sense and integrity I have been long acquainted," was to carry these interesting written communications, "with certain oral communications which I dare not letter, because nothing less than an overt act will, in my