Aaron Burr's Disgrace in the Burr Conspiracy

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Recommended: Understandin in american court trial history - Treason Burr

Aaron Burr had been Vice President during the first administration of Thomas Jefferson. In the summer of 1804, Burr killed his rival Alexander Hamilton in a duel, an event that effectively ended Burr’s career in national politics. Three years later, he was on trial, charged with the capital crime of treason by the government headed by Jefferson, his former partner in political office. Presiding over the trial was John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States. Finally, there was James Wilkinson, general of the army, once Burr’s associate and at trial his chief accuser. With these principal players, the trial in the U.S. Circuit Court at Richmond was as much high political and personal drama as it was a judicial proceeding
The Burr Conspiracy originated from a series of discussions over the winter of 1804-05 between Burr and his longstanding friend, General James Wilkinson. In Cincinnati, Burr visited with former Ohio Senator Jonathan Dayton who would later be indicted with Burr for treason. Then Burr traveled to Nashville, where he stayed as the guest of General Andrew Jackson. After resuming his river voyage, Burr finally met with General Wilkinson at Fort Massac. Wilkinson provided Burr with "an elegant barge, sails, colors, ten oars, with a sergeant and ten able, faithful hands," as well as a letter of introduction to friends in New Orleans, Burr's ultimate destination. He used his time in New Orleans to gauge public opinion concerning Mexico and to discuss possible enterprises with persons sympathetic to a Mexican insurrection. Burr's principal contact in New Orleans was a wealthy merchant and political leader named Daniel Clark who promised $50,000 in support of Burr's projects. Burr left New Orleans in July of 1805, beginn...

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... of treason because he had not engaged in an “overt act” as stated by the United States Constitution. The first Amendment protected Burr by giving him the right to free speech and freedom of assembly.
Burr, despite his acquittal, stood disgraced. Although he would live another twenty-nine years, he would never again be a significant player in American public life. Years later, when he heard news of the Texas Revolution, Burr exclaimed to a friend with satisfaction: "There! You see? I was right! I was only thirty years too soon. What was treason in me thirty years ago, is patriotism now."

REFERENCES:
• Douglender.(2001). “The Treason Trial of Aaron Burr”. Retrieved from www.law2.umkc.edu.
• Hobson, C. F. (2006). “The Aaron Burr Treason Trial”. Retrieved from www.fjc.gov.
• Rafalko, F.J. (2004). “The Counterintelligence Reader”. Retrieved from www.fas.org

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