is said, was urged on the grounds
that it would keep him out of mischief,--a man who is charged with
having been implicated in all the separatist plots of the nineties."

"And if so, what then? With the removal of the misguided Federalists
from the control of public affairs, and the purchase of Louisiana
Territory, insuring for our Western river commerce the freedom of port
at New Orleans, all basis for the just complaints of the West have been
removed. I trust implicitly in the loyalty of the people of that great
region."

"What of the ovations given to Mr. Aaron Burr during his trip this past
season?"

"Greatly as I deplored, and still deplore, the death of Mr. Hamilton, it
is a fact that the duel terminated the political career of his
slayer,--the man whom we alike distrusted."

"Yet Colonel Burr was received with enthusiasm by nearly every man of
prominence west of Pittsburg. I might mention Senator Adair, young
General Jackson of the Tennessee militia, General Wilkinson, and our
richest New Orleans merchant, Mr. Daniel Clark."

"Very true; and easily accounted for by the reaction of sentiment
against the Federalist and partisan animus which procured Colonel Burr's
disfranchisement in the State of New York and his indictment for murder
in New Jersey. No; once for all, Colonel Burr has been removed as a
disturbing element in the politics of the Republic."

Having delivered this confident opinion, Mr. Jefferson stooped to pick
up an odd pebble, and after gazing at it a moment, abruptly changed the
subject. "The West takes some little interest, I trust, in the
expedition which I had some share in planning."

"You refer, sir, to the Northwest Expedition under the command of
Captain Lewis and the brother of Clark of Vincennes fame."

"The furtherance of unremunerative scientific research is one of the few
functions properly within the scope of an ideal government. I am hopeful
of valuable results from this expedition as regards the advancement
alike of geography, botany, zooelogy, and mineralogy."

"I trust, sir, that you will be equally gratified by the results of the
exploration of the Mississippi by my friend Lieutenant Pike."

"Pike?--Pike?--Ah, the son of Major Zebulon Pike of the Revolution.
General Wilkinson duly informed the Secretary of War that he had sent
young Pike up the river with a small party. But it is a purely military
expedition, equipped by the General on his own initiative; although I
ma