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

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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.

In the early nineteenth century, former Vice-President Aaron Burr -- the recent killer of Alexander Hamilton in a duel -- was up to something. Maybe it was an attempt to conquer Spanish Mexico and set up an American empire. Perhaps it was a plot to separate the western territories (and Kentucky) from the rest of the Union. Maybe it was both. Maybe it was neither, Historians still debate the matter. But whatever it was, it ended up with Burr on trial for treason, with Chief Justice John Marshall presiding over the trial (and President Thomas Jefferson a behind-the-scenes prosecutor). Burr was eventually acqutted (probably more for lack of specific evidence and creditable witnesses -- Burr's co-conspirators did not inspire confidence in their own integrity) but it was an extraordinarily dramatic event in the early American Republic. Wheelan tells it story well, although he is clearly not sympathetic to Jefferson. I regret to say that Wheelan's accuracy is made suspect by errors he makes: in the space of four pages Wheelan writes that James Wilkinson (the comanding general of the US Army and secretly a paid Spanish agent and the chief Government witness against Aaron Burr) had in 1775 accompanied Benedict Arnold in his famous march across the Maine wilderness to attack Canada (Wilkinson had actually been among the reinforcements reaching Arnold the next year) and also that Westchester County is in Connecticut (a statement that would amaze thousands of New York State taxpayers). But, overall I found Wheelan's account to be a gripping narrative about both conspiracy and trial.

This is a very solid account of the Burr treason trial engineered by Jefferson and presided over by John Marshall. The trial established important precedents regarding executive privilege and the meaning of treason under the Constitution. It also allowed both Marshall and Burr to tweak Jefferson's nose and cause him no end of embarrassment. The book does a good workmanlike job in describing the purported "conspiracy," the conduct of the trial, and the political overtones of the episode. It is very effective in explaining some fundamental legal concepts in layperson's language. While there are many books on the trial, this volume is a fairly concise and well written introduction to this important episode in our legal history.

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 foreign land was not too unusual at that time. George Rodgers Clark tried it earlier and was not banned a traitor. The Alien and Sedition Act, the rise of the Supreme Court under Marshall and Jefferson's challenge to the court are all critical and fascinating side stories. Had Jefferson not ruined Burr, it seems unlikely Burr would he had gone west in a desperate plan. The one clear hero is Marshall who follows the letter of the constitution making the Supreme Court an equal to the other two branches of government. Jefferson's desire to limit the Supreme Court, destroy Burr and to maintain his Virginia dynasty of Madison and Monroe does seem to indicate, "Power corrupts". A very interesting book encouraging the reader to read more on each personality.

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."

I live near Richmond, where the final events of this tragedy took place, and had studied the topic prior to reading this book. I even published a very small bio of one of the actors, John Wickham. This whole mess was indeed a tragedy...God alone knows the full truth, and I suppose that, under our system, that makes Aaron Burr "not guilty", or at least not "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt".

The author makes John Marshall a hero [which he was on some occasions], Thomas Jefferson an evil malefactor [which he was not], and Aaron Burr charming and brilliant [which is true, but so were Ted Bundy and Adolf Hitler]. Look, not even the greatest Jefferson admirer, and I come close, can defend his conduct here...it was reprehensible, politicizing the justice system. John Marshall flat-out prostituted the judicial system for political gain. That, too, is reprehensible. {Not to mention the dinner at John Wickham's house...that was a serious ethical lapse on his part; Wickham did nothing wrong}. Both were great men, though I am obviously on Mr. Jefferson's side in the controversy between them. Did Burr strive to become Emperor Aaron I? Damn if I know.........

If any good came out of this black chapter in history, the credit, indeed, goes to John Marshall for defining constructive treason. The framers of our constitution set a high bar to prove treasion, remembering the British excesses wherby "imagining the death of the King" was treason. Marshall defined that bar...were it otherwise, the definition of the crime would depend on which party was in power at the time.

I give 4 stars not 5 due to the author's bias [which happens not to fully agree with mine]. I give 4 not 3, because the book is very well written, and gives a good view of the background, events, and side players. You really should read this...prepare for the whole sorry mess to make you sick, but history does that at times...even great men have bad days.

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.

This is a part of history I had not studied before, and the same story is told in the earlier "The Jefferson Conspiracies" which continues on with the death of Meriwether Lewis and the rest of the career of General Wilkinson the really corrupt and treasonous person in both books. Both books are very readable, I found some of the points more clear in the other book. Both books feel Wilkinson betrayed Burr to hide his own involvement and would have killed him rather than see him go to trial. The second book speculates the same may have happened to Lewis as he was traveling East because he felt he was being framed in the same manner as Burr (thou in this case apparently competely innocent), and Wilkinson may have thought he was also going to provide evidence of his corrupt land deals.

This book tries to portray Burr as an innocent, which is hard to believe. While it is clear with just 50 men on there way to live on land owned by Burr , no treasous armed uprising against the US or Spain had yet occurred, (rather than the thousands of armed men approaching New Orleans that Wilkinson claimed). But it seemed that both Wilkinson and Burr solicited British and others for help with attacking Spain with Burr to be King (not President) and perhaps to divide the western territory from the US so at least in todays standards treason had occurred. Back then the Federalist were considering withdrawing New England from the union as well and before it was made illegal (but only a high misdameanor) there were US forays into Spainish terrority Jefferson at least wanted Spain to worry about a rogue attack from the US,such thoughts were not unusual in those days.

It is clear that Wilkinson was in Spain's payroll, and was traitous. Both books argue Jefferson shielded him by letting him have a phoney Court Marshall rather than an investigation by Congress. The one book claims it is to protect himself and his support of his star witness against Burr. The other for the national interest, from New England threatening to leave the Union and Britain invasion from Canada , the country could not stand for the distraction, plus Wilkinson's contacts with Spain made him useful with negotian about Florida and Mexico. He escaped conviction again in 1815, which even President Madison found troubling.

A lively account of a notable trial in U.S. history. Mr. Wheelan writes like a reporter (which he has been) more than a more measured historian. Here President Jefferson is the bad guy with Chief Justice Marshall saving the day. Burr is presented as a mis-understood rogue with political enemies in high places. I do not accept the author's version of the first presidential election of Jefferson, which gives an exceedingly favorable bent to Burr's actions. Burr also killed Hamilton, which does not cause the author much pause.

In my mind, John Marshall is our country's greatest jurist. This book does help in showing an important example of his fine work.

I don't know why Mr. Wheelan has such a sore spot about Jefferson. I would just warn readers that if you read this book, make sure you read many other historical books about these same characters. If you happen to read this book, and have not read other material about these characters, you will come away with a slanted view about Thomas Jefferson, and the other historical characters in this book. There are so many writers who, for reasons of profit or ideology, have taken upon themselves the job of rewriting history to their own liking, or that of their publisher. This book has several historical mistakes, but the overall tone reminds me of some of our current extremists who take a one sided view about many issues. Jefferson was a flawed human being, that is clear to anyone who reads history. But to paint him in this light is unfair. Burr, on the other hand, was not a nice guy. He was the kind of man Bush would have been if he had lived during that time. Power hungry, instigating failed military missions, and willing to kill to get his way. Yes, that is harsh, but painfully true. Be wary of revisionist history. I give this book four stars for its inventiveness; it does have some entertainment value. Wheelan writes well, but perhaps he should switch to fiction and stop trying to turn Jefferson into someone he was not. Thomas Jefferson was a man who would not tolerate tyrants and insisted on civil liberty. Not perfect, but not the character created in Mr. Wheelan's book.