First Clashes witle tlie United States 2 73 the opportunity to prevent a rupture and, assuming full responsibility, announced his acceptance of the articles proposed. The next day, Novem- ber 5, Inspector Francisco Viana arrived in the American camp on the Sabine and signed the agreement with Wilkinson which has been known ever since as the Neutral Ground Agreement. 116 Thus was concluded an unofficial treaty that was indubitably a victory for Spain. "vVithout warrant of Congress, without the consent or advice of the Executive," declares McCaleb, "Wilkinson compromised the claim of the United States to what was known as the Neutral Ground; and without the shadow of authority rendered ridiculous our pretensions to the Rio Grande as the western limit of Louisiana !" 117 Filibusters and the Aaron Burr conspiracy. The activity of filibusters and the frustrated conspiracy of the ex-Vice-President of the United States are closely related to the incidents just recounted. The connection of Wilkinson with the latter has been the subject of numerous dis- courses. Daniel Clark, accused by the general as one of the conspirators, declared that the entire plan probably originated with Wilkinson himself, and that "it was the impracticability, not the wickedness of the scheme" that induced him to abandon it. A brief statement of the principal events will explain, in part, the conduct of Wilkinson in the negotiations of the Neutral Ground Agreement. It is necessary to go back in the narrative to understand the bearing of the treaty on Texas. As early as August, 1803, Miguel Musquiz, the commander of Nacog- doches who had succeeded in killing Nolan and in taking his companions prisoners, warned the governor of Texas that others were following in the footsteps of the scheming trader in horses. Jose Vidal, at Concordia, had informed Musquiz that a party of ten men had left Natchez for Texas, and that this group was headed by a Mr. Ashley, a member of Nolan's party who had escaped from Nacogdoches. They had crossed. the Mississippi at Nogales (Walnut Hill) to follow the route taken by Nolan. Musquiz: said he had asked Santiago Gil and Manuel Menchaca, who had gone to hunt on the upper Brazos, to keep a watch for the intruders and he suggested that the friendly Indians be questioned for information. 118 116Wilkinson, Memoirs, II, Appendix xcvii. 117 McCaleb, o-j). cit., I 56. 118 Miguel Musquiz to Governor of Texas, August :ao, 1803. Nacogdoclus Arcniv11s, X, pp. 9-10.
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