NOTE: Free essay sample provided on this page should be used for references or sample purposes only. The sample essay is available to anyone, so any direct quoting without mentioning the source will be considered plagiarism by schools, colleges and universities that use plagiarism detection software. To get a completely brand-new, plagiarism-free essay, please use our essay writing service.
One click instant price quote
... (Chidsy 60) Wilkinson, the ranking general, soon betrayed Burr. Reasons why he turned on Burr vary. The most significant is that he saw the army's dark future. The death of William Pitt came and Wilkinson learned of Charles Fox taking over the British government.
This would end British support for the expedition and ultimately drive it to the ground. He panicked, and dropped out of Burrs conspiracy. Two letters arrived at the White House on the same day. Two letters that spoke out against Aaron Burr. The first was from Wilkinson explaining that he discovered Burrs plot to separate the West from the East. Later a similar letter was received from Governor Claiborne speaking of similar images.
With this, Burr started to fear that he had a spy in his group and began to take precautions. It was time to move. Eleven boats were occupied by his soldiers. He did not have many men and comforted the ones he did have by saying We will recruit as we go. (Chidsy 74) Historians proclaim that he could have recruited 1, 500 men, easily.
Burr learned of Wilkinson's disloyalty when he tried to recruit Lieutenant Jacob Jackson. On January 10 he arrived in the Mississippi Territory and read in the Mississippi Gazette that there was a warrant out for his arrest. Because of this, Burr decided to go into hiding. One time he tried to stitch a note onto a slave boy in efforts to contact his troops.
The note read: If you are yet together, keep together and I will join you tomorrow night. In the mean time put all your arms in perfect order. Ask the bearer no questions but tell all you may think I wish to know. He does not know this from me nor where I am. (Passos, The Conspiracy and Trial of Aaron Burr 77) However, Burr was captured soon after. The trial, directed at Burr on the charge of treason, is the one trial in United States history that defined the term treason. The location for the trial was centered in Richmond, Virginia.
The presiding judge at the time was Chief Justice Marshall. Richmond was the site of the trial since Burr concocted his army on Blennerhasset Island, which is in Virginia. At the immediate start of the trial there was a conflict between President Jefferson and Chief Justice Marshall. There are many allocations that support the fact that this may have affected the outcome of the trial. George Hay, of the prosecution, brought up two charges against Burr: One was plotting a war against Spain. The other was plotting a war against the United States.
Burr was released at $ 25, 000 dollars bail. In a letter Burr wrote to his daughter he gave details of the jury. The Grand Jury is composed of twenty democrats and four federalists. Among the former is W. C. Nicholas, my vindictive and avowed personal enemy. (Davis, Memoirs of Aaron Burr 405) Thomas Jefferson, a former rival, wanted Burr to be convicted as quickly as possible.
And a paper that could have been very strong evidence against Burr was thrown away because of the fact that there was a slight chance that Burr may not have written it while Baton Rouge was still Spanish territory. It made out how Burr did, in fact, collect money and men and contemplated seizing Baton Rouge. It was significant to the prosecution that Burr never denied writing it. The government had no problem proving that Burr raised money and men on Blennerhasset Island.
The only problem was that they could not work the evidence into anything higher than a misdemeanor charge. The hardest thing Burr had to face was the public opinion. He was mostly the underdog because Jefferson, the almighty influential President, was against Aaron Burr. Another significant point for the prosecution was that Burr attended a dinner that Chief Justice Marshall showed his face to. To prove Burr guilty the prosecution needed two witnesses. The two main witnesses the government was relying on were General James Wilkinson and Mr.
Eaton. However, Eaton's testimony was almost entirely hearsay and had to be thrown out. Wilkinson finally made his debut on the stand and started out by boasting about how he single-handedly saved the nation by turning Burr in. More witnesses, but not crucial witnesses, made appearances in the courtroom. Two servants of Blennerhasset Island reported hearing that Burr was going to make himself the emperor of Mexico. One sergeant, Jacob Dunbaugh, testified that he saw many muskets being thrown into the river before the searching at Thompson's Bayou for clues.
However, he was the only one who reported seeing this. Again, another piece of evidence was thrown out. Animosity between Jefferson and Chief Justice Marshall actually helped Burr escape a conviction. This produced a trial with unmistakably personal conflicts. Jefferson concluded that Burr was trying to break up the Union and form his own confederacy. Weakness in the trial immediately became visible.
Marshall paid off his score against Jefferson by issuing a subpoena ordering the President to make an appearance in court. However, an unwise decision made by Jefferson was made. He did not comply with it and this may have caused the outcome of the verdict. Jefferson's explanation was that he refused to show that the judicial branch held superior to the executive. Even further, the prosecution relied on him because he was the second witness which meant Burr would start to worry of the word guilty. Section 3 of Article 3 of the United States Constitution reads: Treason against the United States shall consist only in levying War against them, or adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort.
No Person shall be convicted unless on the testimony of two witnesses to the same act. The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but no attainder treason shall work corruption of blood or forfeiture except during the life of the attained (Knappman, Great American Trials 81). Fortunately for Burr the prosecution only had possession of Wilkinson. After an extensive couple of months the verdict was read by a clerk: "We the jury say that Aaron Burr is not proved guilty under this indictment by any evidence submitted to us. We therefore, find him not guilty" (Knappman 83). This ruling, however, did not keep the public from their belief that Burr was guilty.
After the verdict, Thomas Jefferson admitted There is insufficient evidence to convict Burr of treason. (Miller, The Emergence of the Nation 113) And even though Burr was found innocent, when asked to stand trial in Ohio, he fled to Europe. It is possible that Burr feared that more evidence would show up in the second trial. When he arrived in Europe, Burr pleaded to the British government to liberate Latin America. He also tried to persuade the Spaniards, who were resisting French control to adopt the liberal constitution developed by Jeremy Bentham of England. As his life neared the end, he eventually came back to the Western World.
He became interested in bringing German settlers to Texas and attempted to establish contact with Texas revolutionists. Burr married for the second time late in his life. His wife, when she realized her life was amidst her husbands land speculation, they separated after four months. She eventually sued for divorce which was granted the day he died, September 14, 1836. He is remembered as one of history's greatest losers, a traitor, a criminal, and most of all the Vice President who murdered Alexander Hamilton. Bibliography:
Free research essays on topics related to: baton rouge, thomas jefferson, aaron burr, british government, chief justice marshall
Research essay sample on Chief Justice Marshall Aaron Burr
