Reports of the Trials of Colonel Aaron Burr in the Circuit Court of the United States, Summer Term, 1907, in Two Volumes

[xii], 596; [viii], 539, [1] pp. 8vo. 1969 facsimile of 1808 original (Wandell p. 220). "Burr's landmark treason trial was one of the earliest, featuring some of the same people who were at the Constitutional Convention. Working on Burr’s treason defense team in 1807 were Edmund Randolph and Luther Martin (as the lead attorney), both former constitutional delegates. President Thomas Jefferson directed the prosecution from the White House, with George Hay, and future attorney general William Wirt assisting Jefferson. How Burr came to be arrested in Alabama in 1807 was a long story in itself, but the brief version is that Burr was rejected by his own party, the Democratic-Republicans, for opposing Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election runoff in the House, and then shunned by the Federalists and others for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel. Burr moved west to seek better fortunes, which included an independent military adventure to seize lands belonging to Spain in Louisiana and Mexico (specifically, Texas), with the possible incentive offered to the western states joining in the “adventure.” His activities, to a lesser extent, had been public knowledge since 1805. However, Burr’s longtime friend, General James Wilkinson, decided to abandon the adventure. Wilkinson sent a message to federal authorities and President Jefferson that Burr intended to entice the western states to leave the Union and join with him as he colonized new lands – with the support of England. Jefferson then alerted Congress about Burr’s plan, and he ordered his arrest... Chief Justice John Marshall, Jefferson’s long-time political foe (and also his distant cousin), would preside at Burr’s treason trial since he was also the federal judge for the U.S. Circuit Court for Virginia." - Scott Bomboy, Constitution Daily, National Constitution Center