F.:,·st Clasltcs -.villi t/1c United States
277
shake the nation to its foundation-at that very moment he was making final arrangements to send Walter Burling to Mexico on as shameful an undertaking as our history chronicles." 125 Ostensibly to warn Mexico of the danger to its integrity, but really to secure at the same time information of the practicability of the land and water routes to Mexico, "and the means of defence the Spaniards possess," Walter Burling was provided with a passport on November 17 to proceed to Mexico via Texas and the Interior Provinces. But his mission included much more than spying upon the Spaniards. He was given a letter from Wilkinson addressed to Viceroy Iturrigaray, the import of which will soon be seen. By the end of November he had crossed the Sabine. In an interview with Herrera, Burling skillfully half disclosed the nature of the letter addressed to the viceroy in order to win his confidence, and to obtain permission to go by the lower road so as to avoid impertinent questions in Nacogdoches. He continued to San Antonio by way of La Bahia. To hasten the messenger on his way to Mexico, Herrera sent Captain Jose Maria Sada and his own son, a cadet in the infantry, to accompany him as far as Monterrey. 126 Tlte Ff/alter Burling mission. News of the mission of the strange emissary preceded Burling to Mexico, where he arrived on January 21 and delivered his letter to Viceroy I turrigaray. The day before, the viceroy had written to the Secretary of State of Spain that General Wilkinson was sending him his aide-de-camp. "He brings me messages," he said, "the designs of which, I suppose, must be concerning the ex-Vice-President Burr." Evidently news of the conspiracy had long since been reported to Spanish officials. An American merchant in Mexico City by the name of John Kelly translated the letter of Wilkinson, written at Natchez and dated Novem- ber 17, 1806. Assuming that the viceroy knew nothing about the con- spiracy, Wilkinson, true to form, began by declaring that in the fulfill- ment of his sacred duty, he felt compelled to reveal the villainous design of American citizens, who, in violation of the good faith of their country, were plotting to overthrow the Mexican Government. This fact explained his hasty withdrawal of troops from the Sabine and their concentration in New Orleans without awaiting orders from \.Yashington.
12SMcCaleb, The Aar(Jtl Burr Conspiracy, 164. 126 Herrera to Cordero, December 1, 1806. Berar Arcl,ives.
Powered by FlippingBook