"The [Federalist] members of the Senate," continues Merry, "have availed themselves of the opportunity of their being collected here to hold private meetings on this subject, and ... their plans and calculations respecting the event have been long seriously resolved.... They naturally look forward to Great Britain for support and assistance whenever the occasion shall arrive." (Merry to Hawkesbury, March 1, 1804, as quoted in Adams: U.S. ii, 392.)
[773] As early as 1784, Washington declared that he feared the effect on the Western people "if the Spaniards on their right, and Great Britain on their left, instead of throwing impediments in their way as they now do, should hold out lures for their trade and alliance.... The western settlers (I speak now from my own observations) stand as it were, upon a pivot. The touch of a feather would turn them any way.... It is by the cement of interest alone we can be held together." (Washington to the Governor of Virginia, 1784, as quoted in Marshall, v, 15-16.)
[774] Marshall, v, 179.
[775] Jefferson to Breckenridge, Aug. 12, 1803, Works: Ford, x, footnotes to 5-6.
[776] See Shepherd in Am. Hist. Rev. viii, 501 et seq.; also ib. ix, 748 et seq.
[777] Clark: Proofs of the Corruption of Gen. James Wilkinson, 11-12, 16, 18-24, and documents therein referred to and printed in the appendix to Clark's volume.
[778] "Wilkinson is entirely devoted to us. He enjoys a considerable pension from the King." (Casa Yrujo, Spanish Minister, to Cevallos, Jan. 28, 1807, as quoted in Adams: U.S. iii, 342.) And see affidavits of Mercier and Derbigny, Blennerhassett Papers: Safford, footnotes to 429, 432.
"He [Wilkinson] had acted conformably as suited the true interests of Spain, and so I assured him for his satisfaction." (Folch, Spanish Governor of Florida, to the Governor-General of Cuba, June 25, 1807, as quoted by Cox in Am. Hist. Rev. x, 839.)
[779] Parton: Burr, 383; see also McCaleb, 4-9.
It should be borne in mind that this was the same Wilkinson who took so unworthy a part in the "Conway Cabal" against Washington during the Revolution. (See vol. i, 121-23, of this work.)