Jefferson's Vendetta: The Pursuit of Aaron Burr and the Judiciary

by Joseph Wheelan

Book Overview

Generations of Americans have known Thomas Jefferson as one of our unambiguously great presidents, a man of honor and optimism unencumbered by pettiness and spite; and so they have known Aaron Burr,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786714379
• ISBN13: 9780786714377
• Release Date: December 2004
• Publisher: PublicAffairs
• Length: 336 Pages
• Weight: 1.23 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.2" x 5.8" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Not Jefferson's Finest Hour

No one will ever fully understand why Thomas Jefferson brought treason charges against his former Vice President, Aaron Burr. With Burr's plans fully reported upon in the Western Press, Burr had actually met with and briefed Jefferson in the White House six months before on his intentions. In the events leading up to Burr's trial Jefferson would illegally arrest people in New Orleans and transport them against their will to Baltimore, suspend habeas corpus for Burr "co conspirators" in Washington and institute a nationwide dragnet, transporting 140 "witnesses" to Richmond, Virginia for the trial. When informed of the Nation's search for him, Burr would give himself up and stand trial in the West, only to be freed for lack of evidence. Worse, Jefferson would state that he did not think the government's subsequent case against Burr could be won, yet the President would persist in his continuing attempts to destroy Aaron Burr. It was not Jefferson's finest hour; one can only wonder if it was personal. It was an amazing trial. The defendant was Aaron Burr, a Founding Father, and former Vice President of the United States. The trial judge was Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court, John Marshall. The force behind the prosecution was Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence and President of the United States. Defense attorneys included Edmund Randolph and Luther Martin, both delegates to the Constitutional Convention while the prosecution included Charles Lee, former Attorney General, and William Wirt, future presidential candidate. The supporting cast was equally star studded to include multiple US Senators, Congressman, future governors, the Army Commander in Chief and two future US Presidents, James Madison and Andrew Jackson. If it was not Jefferson's finest hour, it was John Marshall's. Marshall would continue to establish the Judiciary as a branch of government the equal of the Legislature and Executive. He would survive personal attacks by Jefferson. He would uphold the Constitution's strict definition of treason, freeing Burr in the process, and establish the Presidential prerogative of Executive Privilege. This is a magnificent story, well told by a superlative writer. It was a defining trial in the early history of our country set against potential Western separation from the US, intrigue by Spain and England, potential war with Spain, an actual Spanish invasion of the United States and intense resistance to Spain by US citizens. Sadly, although Aaron Burr would be sustained, in the end Jefferson would succeed in Burr's complete destruction. Three decades later in 1836, when told of Texas' Independence, Burr would state, "I was 30 years too soon."

Good Detail

I've often come upon Burr's escapade in reading U.S. history, but I was never able to get a clear picture of what happened. This book is well researched and gives the details of what went on and the trial that resulted from Burr's adventure. The one question that "Vendetta" doesn't answer is why did Jefferson and Hamilton hate Burr with such a passion? Burr's character comes off as complex and not as crazy as history has made him out to be. Wheelan is obviously in Burr's corner and wants to present a more positive picture of him than historians have previously given him. If you want to dig deeper into American history then "Vendetta" is an excellent choice for you. Wheelan gives the reader more "color" of the day and keen insight into the way that our society thought at the time.

A Critical Moment in American History

Every society has a moment in time where a decision affecting civil liberties has enormous repercussions. For example, laws giving the government power to curtail political assassinations were abused by Stalin and Hitler to consolidate their dictatorships. This book covers the issues and personalities involved in the courtroom battle over whether the United States would adopt the British doctrine of constructive treason in which merely thinking that it would be desirable to have the King killed would be sufficient grounds for capital punishment. Jefferson, who intensely disliked his former vice-president Burr, sought to press treason charges for an alleged plan to cause the western regions to sucede from the United States. Faced with shaky evidence, the prosecutors urged that the Constitution be interpreted to enable them to convict Burr on the basis of constructive treason. The book cogently describes the societal and personal issues at stake, and how Chief Justice Marshall navigated the intense political and judicial issues involved in the grand jury proceeding and trial. The author does an excellent job of setting the matter in its historical context and does so in a very readable style.

Story of Burr, Jefferson, Marshall and a High Ranking Spy

This is a highly readable book on Jefferson and his fascinating nemesis Aaron Burr. Also included, the establishment of John Marshall and the Supreme Court and the villainous double-dealing General of the Army and mystery figure General James Wilkinson. Burr is the Revolutionary hero, brilliant lawyer, lady's man and political genius who virtually gave the election to Jefferson by bringing in New York as a Republican state. But in the 1800 election, President and Vice President candidates were not on a single combined ballot and Jefferson and Burr, both on the republican ticket as President and vice Presidential candidates respectively, end up with the same number of votes. The legislature eventually breaks the tie after extraneous wheeling and dealing on Jefferson's part, which also starts Jefferson's determination to ruin Burr's political career. Burr, already savaged by Hamilton his former law partner and associate when both were Federalists, now is ruined by Jefferson allowing him little of the patronage due him as Vice President. Even after the election, both Jefferson and Hamilton undermine Burr's political career. Burr's killing of Hamilton in a justified duel seals the alienation of the once meteor like political career of Burr. Wheelan writes a fascinating account that is sympathetic toward Burr who now moves west in a historically confusing circumstance to either separate the western U.S. from the east or invade part of the Spanish held territories or he may have intended just to settle on his large property in Louisiana until an opportunity arose. With his fortunes dashed in the east, Burr associated with General of the Army James Wilkinson who was later to be revealed as a Spanish agent on Spain's payroll for decades. As the author points out, Burr had some grand scheme associated with Wilkinson perhaps to initiate a filibuster and take over Florida or Texas from the Spanish. Wilkinson is the key as the plan leaks out, he turns on Burr and his 30 associates and accuses him of treason along with Jefferson and Wilkinson may he have even tried to assassinate Burr to protect himself. The author tells details the trial as a very entertaining factual story as John Marshall the Supreme Court justice presides and the greatest lawyers of that time prosecute Burr and defend him. Supporters for Burr include Andrew Jackson while Jefferson personally supports the prosecutor. The trial reveals something of Wilkinson as a scoundrel and he is one of the most fascinating individuals detailed in the book and history. The author reveals evidence of Wilkinson's role as an agent for Spain through documentation obtained years after Jefferson's death but Jefferson strangely supports Wilkinson even though evidence of Wilkinson's complicity appears apparent. Burr comes across as a sympathetic character that may naively have gotten involved in the scheme that was not as dark as portrayed but even that extent is still confusing. A filibuster to take over for