EPILOGUE The history of the Conspiracy would be incomplete without some further notice of Aaron Burr, without a later glimpse of the West. To have escaped the toils of the court in no wise cleared him of guilt in the eyes of the people who had heeded but one charge--treason. The disastrous outcome of his plans, however, failed to dampen his ardor. Before the weary trial was over, Burr had in view measures for their rehabilitation. He would set off for England as soon as liberated from court, "to collect money for reorganizing his projects." "I visited Burr this morning," wrote Blennerhassett, September 13, "in his prison at Richmond; he is as gay as usual, and as busy in speculations on reorganizing his projects for action as if he had never suffered the least interruption. He observed to Major Smith and me that in six months our schemes could be all remounted."
But little did he know of what was immediately before him--further persecution at the hands of President Jeffer- son, pressure from creditors and danger from indictments in New Jersey and New York, growing out of the death of Hamilton. The result was that Burr became but a fugitive before the law. While endeavoring to gain passage to England, he was protected by friends and hidden away at the approach of danger. It was not until June 9, 1808, that he finally set sail aboard the Clarissa Ann. He reached London July 16, under passport issued in Halifax to Mr. Edwards. He at once presented himself to Lord Castlereagh and Mr. Canning, outlining to them his plans for the conquest of the Spanish colonies in America. However, his hopes were finally dissipated by the receipt of a letter from Anthony Merry, who had again come upon -301- |