not, with their confent, have been nominated. It was deemed expedient by the members of Congrefs to felect a Vice-President from among the citizens of New-York, and it was understood that Governor Clinton had declined to serve, and that the Deafness of Chancellor Livingston ren→ dered him unfit to prefide over a deliberative affembly. Mr. Burr therefore found it no difficult task to get nominated; the more especially as a very large majority of the members of Congress were entire strangers to his real cha→ racter. Besides, although the Vice-Presidency, in certain cafualties wifely provided for in the Conftitution, is im`portant, it was not on the whole deemed of effential confideration by those who nominated Mr. Burr. Mr. JEFFERSON was the primary object of the party; he was em phatically the "MAN of the people;" their great concern was to place in his hands the executive power.

Arts too had been used by the Partizans of Mr. Burr in this city, to cause it to be believed by eminent Republican and Federal characters in the different States,that the Republican party here were at his devotion. Their feeble echos were mistaken at a distance for the voice of the State Several newspaper effays of the import mentioned appeared in the Southern States, and many of them are believed to have been written in this city. One more distinguished than the rest appeared in the South-Carolina papers, figned a "Rice Planter," a little anterior to the Prefidential Election. This, there is good reason to believe, was written by Mr. Burr's Son-in-law, Mr. Alfton. It was an extravagant Eulogy on Mr. Burr, and states that he had Revolutionized New-York and Rhode-Ifland! "To every man acquainted with thefe States, fuch mifreprefentations to deceive perfons at a distance, muft appear as the offspring

F

of the most inordinate vanity, or the most unprincipled ambition.

After the nomination of Mr. Burr was made known through the Union, the Republican party determined to adhere to it with good faith. They were disposed to yield Mr. Burr an honourable support, but at the fame time to fecure the Election of Mr. Jefferson at all events, by. dropping,in his favour, the requifite number of votes. do this, one State depended on another, and eventually adverfe circumftances, contrary to the original intention of the Republican party, accidentally gave to Mr. Burr an equal number of votes with Mr. Jefferfon.

To

It was matter of astonishment to many that Mr. Burr confented to relinquish the gains of a lucrative profefhon for the Vice Prefidency. It is believed that the proceeds of his profeffional exertions were not lefs than ten or twelve thousand dollars per annum. This fum, with fuitable œconomy, would have enabled him, in process of time, to retrieve his embarrassed affairs. Five thousand dollars per annum, the falary of the Vice President, are known to be inadequate to the payment of the interest of his debts. The falary, therefore, could have been no in-→ ducement to a commutation of his profession for that of fice. He had undoubtedly a higher object in view. He had fixed his basilisk eyes on the Presidency; and, in the fulness of his fanguine difposition, he entertained a hope, that by alle managemént, he might fill that office before Mr. Jefferfon, to whom it was exclusively allotted by the people.

Hence, the moment he was nominated, he put into operation a most extensive, complicated, and wicked system of intrigue, to place himself in the presidential chair. He set to work all his inventive powers, and in some instances, employed men to carry his plans into execution, who neither perceived their nature nor extent. In the furtherance of his intrigues, he spared no pains, nor was he parsimonious of expence. The expresses kept on foot, the men he employed, and the expences of their various agencies, must have cost him a sum little less than one year's salary of his office. Mr. Burr seems to have carried on a secret correspondence with the federalists from the period of his nomination.

The votes of the state of Pennsylvania,* from causes which, being of so recent a date, it is unnecessary here to repeat, were extremely doubtful. Those of South Carolina were not less precarious. Had the fifteen votes of the former state been given to the two republican candidates, their election would have been secured beyond all doubt. In this case, even if all the votes of South Carolina had been federal, Jefferson and Burr would, notwithstanding, have been elected. This was so apparent to both parties, that, in the event mentioned, the federalists would have retreated from the contest; they could have had no hopes of success. So far

* From the absence of an item of precious information respecting his intrigues in the state of New-York, which is every moment expected, we are obliged to dispense with chronological accuracy. Our own state, in fact, presents the most prominent feature in Mr. Burr's machinations.

+

as this related to the ambitious views of Mr. Burr, he saw in its full force the importance of the Pennsylvania votes. For, it was determined by many influential federalists, that, if Pennsylvania had given the whole of her votes for Jefferson and Burr, the federal electors of New-Jersey, having then no hopes of the success of their own candidates, were secretly to have given their votes for Mr. Burr, and so, in spite of republican opposition, have made him President of the United States! Mr. Jonathan Dayton has openly declared, since the election, that this was their plan. And, if we want demonstration of their disposition to have done so, we have only to turn to the federal votes in the House of Representatives in the presidential contest, and we shall find it. Mr. Burr, there is every reason to belieye, was fully acquainted with this treasonable plot. He accordingly sent Mr. Abraham* Bishop, of Connecticut, to Lancaster, during the session of the Pennsylvania Legislature. Mr. Burr paid all the attention to this subject, which his sinister designs could excite. For he knew full well, that, if the Senate of Pennsykvania had given way to the Assembly, to the unequivocal and audible voice of that respectable state, and the whole of her votes had, in consequence, been given to the two Republican candidates, he would have been elected President of the United States.

*We do not mention this in disparagement of Mr. Bishop. When he went to Lancaster, we believe his views were honest. He no doubt thought he was serving the general cause. We have no idea that he perceived the intrigue of Mr. Burr, though it is evident he became the dupe. of it.

But, as if unwilling to depend entriely on the New-Jersey project mentioned by Mr. Dayton, he made double provision for the Pennsylvania case: and it will be found upon full view of the subject, that his scheme was an admirable one, one that would have immortalized the two federal heroes, who were to have put it into execution.

Lest some of the Federal Electors of New-Jersey should eventually refuse to vote for Mr. Burr, according to Mr. Dayton's plan; Dr. Smith, one of the Electors of that state, and who is related to Mr. Burr by marriage, was paid particular attention to. Something was also expected from Mr. Tapping Reeve, one of the Connecticut Electors, and brother-in-law to Mr. Burr, who spent some weeks in Connecticut previous to the meeting of the Electors. And as he rarely passes away his time in idleness, it is not to be presumed that he was inactive while in that state.

After Mr. Burr returned to New-York, frequent expresse's passed between Mr. Pierpont Edwards of Connecticut, and Mr. Burr. As the correspondence was not suffered to go through the Post-Office, it is extremely probable that it was of a highly interesting and confidential nature. Mr. Pierpont Edwards is Mr. Burr's uncle.

Mr. Burr also visited Dr. Smith, previous to the electoral votes being given in New-Jersey, who returned the compliment. During this period, the intercourse between these two gentlemen was very cordial.

In case the fifteen Pennsylvania votes had been Republican, it was confidently expected by Mr. Burr, that the two electors mentioned would have voted for him. This,