Voices; Birth-Marks; The Man and the Elephant Part 25

"I have applied to Mr. Clark, my agent, with regard to sending me merchandise by the Mississippi. This is highly important for our interests; because the only link that can preserve the connection of this country with the United States is the dependency in which we are placed to supply ourselves with those articles that are manufactured by us; and when this people find out that this capital can supply them more conveniently through the river, this dependency will cease and with it all motive of connection with the other side of the Appalachian Mountains. Our hope then will be turned towards you and all obstacles in the way of our negotiations will disappear; for which reason I trust that you will find it advisable to favor this measure and will have the kindness to grant to Mr. Clark the help necessary to carry it out.

"The tobacco in this consignment, at the price agreed upon, 9 cents, comes to $9,350.00 in specie; which I ask you to deliver to Mr. Clark, sending me a statement by Mr. Jennings, who is the real captain of my flotilla, though he has instructions to act as a deck hand until you have disposed of the bearer of this communication, John Calvin Campbell, who fights our cause in Kentucky as zealously as John Calvin fought your religion. Do not let his youthful appearance deceive you. He has the innocent look of a cow but the wisdom of a serpent. Had it not been for him and that hard-head Tom Marshall, I would in this letter have announced the consummation of all our plans.

"Keep him a safe prisoner until we are a.s.sured his power to harm our cause is ended. I would advise sending him to one of the insular colonies. He knows too much for my safety and the prosperity of our cause. You understand that in support of your projects towards procuring the reciprocal happiness of the Spaniards of Louisiana and of the Americans of Kentucky, I have voluntarily sacrificed my domestic felicities, my time, my fortune, my comfort and what is more important, I abandoned to do so, my personal fame and political honor. You are using me as I in turn propose to use Brown, Sebastian, Fairfax and Innes and some lesser gentry.

"It is not necessary to suggest to a gentleman of your knowledge and experience that the human race in all parts of the world is governed by its own interest, although variously modified. Some men are sordid, some vain, others ambitious. To detect the predominant pa.s.sion, to lay hold of it and to derive advantage from it, is the most profound part of political science.

"Be _un buen Espanol_, and not alone for this cause but for my personal safety take good care of the bearer of this. I wish I might have sent Marshall also.

"Sebastian suggests that I remind you of his pension, which for some cause has been delayed.

"I beg you to accept my wishes for your happiness and to believe me, with the highest and warmest personal regard, your obedient, ready and humble servant.

"Don Jayme Wilkinson."

David had just finished reading the letter when the Governor returned.

As the door opened he laid it on the table. The Governor after resuming his seat directed him to read it aloud.

He was at first so surprised and excited by its contents that his voice trembled and his hands shook; gradually he recovered his poise. When he came to that portion asking that the bearer be detained as a prisoner he laid the sheet with the preceding one he had just read upon the table and finished by reading the closing clause and the signature.

The Governor, who regretted having asked a stranger to read such a communication, was listening intently and noticed the break in the connection and his confusion. He called a couple of guards and saying something to them in Spanish which David did not understand; took the letter and turning to the unread page, after a time deciphered its meaning.

He gave a command, and the two guards one on either side, took David by the arms and led him from the room. As they pa.s.sed out his cousin, Daniel Clark, Governor Miro's secretary and interpreter, came in. Though he recognized David, who called at their home the night before, he remained silent; exhibiting the trained self-possession of one occupying his position.

The Governor handed him Wilkinson's letter, with directions to transcribe it in Spanish. This he did, handing the original and a translation to the Governor, but he retained a copy in Spanish.

David, held a prisoner in the barracks guardhouse was not concerned about himself; feeling confident that when his ident.i.ty was disclosed his discharge would follow. He was worried about John and how he might warn him; knowing that he must have time to escape before the Governor discovered he held the wrong man.

Some time after he had been placed in the guardhouse Daniel Clark came to see him. While they were still planning how to warn John and effect his escape, a squad of marines from a Spanish frigate entered the barracks and presented an order to the commandant from the Governor that David be delivered to them. This was done and he was taken aboard their s.h.i.+p.

This precipitate action alarmed both David and his cousin. The thought occurred to both that since David knew the contents of Wilkinson's letter, he might be detained a prisoner even after the Governor was informed of his ident.i.ty.

Daniel Clark returned to his office and hurriedly wrote a letter to David's father, explaining the situation and in order to make the gravity of it clear, enclosed the copy of Wilkinson's letter. He then went to the munic.i.p.al wharf and hunting up John Campbell, told what had happened, without mentioning his fears as to David, and impressed upon him that for his own and David's safety he must return immediately to Kentucky.

A pirogue was gotten ready, loaded with provisions and John's personal effects; he was given the letter for Mr. Clark and told to take two men from the crew. He selected two friends and they were getting into the canoe when Jennings came up and asked that one of the crew named Ballinger be subst.i.tuted in place of one of the men as he had a communication for Wilkinson which required immediate delivery. Jennings seeing the Governor's secretary helping John off a.s.sumed that he was leaving as a special messenger in the Governor's service and did all he could to help; glad that without friction he could now a.s.sume command and load the boats with the return cargo.

Shortly before sundown of the afternoon of David's arrest the three hardy back-woodsmen, and by recent experiences capable river-men began their river voyage to Frankfort, of more than fifteen hundred miles.

John was now fully impressed with the importance of getting away before the Governor discovered his mistake. As Clark had not told him of the secrets David had learned by reading Wilkinson's letter, he knew of no reason why David should not be released as soon as he was beyond the reach of the Governor. Before leaving he made Daniel Clark promise that on the afternoon of the next day he would demand of the Governor why his cousin was held as a prisoner; when an investigation would ensue and the Governor discover his own mistake.

The early morning of the day following John's departure, the frigate set sail for Spain with David Clark prisoner aboard.

Thirty hours later the s.h.i.+p pa.s.sed through the mouth of the river and the swells of the gulf soon caused him to forget his own ident.i.ty; or at least for the time being, to wish that he was John Campbell or any person other than David Clark. When he felt better they were out of sight of land and thinking it time to exhibit an interest in his own welfare, asked to speak to the captain and was brought before him.

"Be brief, what is it?"

"My name is not John Calvin Campbell but David Clark."

"Well I had nothing to do with naming you. Sergeant, bring me the files and the commitment of the prisoner." (The Captain examines the papers) "I do not care who you are, the commitment does not disclose your name; and my instructions are simply to-'deliver this prisoner with the letter attached to this commitment to the commandant of the fortress of Barcelona'-and this I am going to do. The letter may mention your name but I have no authority to open it. If a mistake has been made I am not to blame. I must follow my instructions. It is not my business to inquire who you are and why you are held. As we are out of sight of land you will be permitted on the lower deck during the day but at night you will be locked up. That is all."

Wilkinson on his first river venture, at Governor Miro's suggestion, had engaged Daniel Clark, Sr., to dispose of that portion of his cargo not purchased by the Spanish Government; and Clark, at the Governor's suggestion, had advanced three thousand dollars on the consignment.

Before Wilkinson had left for the Virginia coast he had made arrangements with Clark to represent him in disposing of other consignments; and later through Major Isaac Dunn as intermediary, the agency had ripened into a partners.h.i.+p.

Wilkinson, remaining in Kentucky, was to buy the produce and s.h.i.+p it to New Orleans; there Clark was to sell it; invest the proceeds in such merchandise as the Kentucky trade demanded, which was to be s.h.i.+pped to Wilkinson and sold by him. So long as they were a.s.sociated, about two years, the business prospered.

When Daniel Clark, Jr., learned that David had been carried away on the Spanish frigate he was forced to tell his father the whole transaction.

His father went immediately to the Governor and demanded to know why the son of his first cousin had been made a prisoner, taken aboard s.h.i.+p and transported to Spain.

The Governor was not only greatly surprised but exercised to learn that the prisoner was not the man Wilkinson had requested him to hold. He asked Mr. Clark to excuse him for a moment and going to the captain of the palace guard, sent him at once to apprehend John Campbell.

Returning to the room where he had left Mr. Clark, he made profuse apology and expressed sincere regret for the mistake; promising to rectify it by commanding the immediate return of his kinsman; which he was sorry to say would take several months, due to the time consumed in the voyage and the uncertainty of sailings. He however made up his mind to keep Clark a prisoner when he was returned.

Shortly after Mr. Clark left the Governor's office the captain returned and reported that Campbell had departed for Kentucky the night before.

The Governor, put out by this information, told the captain: "His capture is of the utmost political importance; you are to take him dead or alive; waste no time and take a sufficient force to do so. If necessary, pursue him to New Madrid or even to the Ohio River. The man who captures or kills him is to have a reward of one thousand pesetas."

When the pursuit began the pirogue in which John and his friend Ben Logan and Mr. Ballinger were traveling had a start of sixty miles. He told Logan why he was fleeing from New Orleans, but did not dare tell Ballinger, who a.s.sumed that the cause for haste was business of vital importance; and himself anxious to get to Kentucky was no laggard with his paddle.

The first twenty-four hours they never landed from the canoe; all the while two paddled while the third rested. At the end of that time they went ash.o.r.e to relieve their cramped limbs and to prepare food. Logan shot a wild turkey, which they roasted over the hot coals of their camp fire; resuming their journey they paddled twelve hours before making the second stop. By the evening of the third day, feeling comparatively safe, they spent the night ash.o.r.e, and from that time, whenever they were cramped or needed rest, went ash.o.r.e.

At sundown one evening, they landed at Chickasaw Bluffs, the deserted site of an old Chickasaw town and where in 1698 the French had built a fort. Pulling their pirogue well up on the bar, they climbed the bluff to buy provisions at Isaac Taylor's Station.

Ballinger and Logan went into the cabin but John stood outside looking first up and then down the river, charmed by the magnificent view and for a time oblivious of immediate surroundings. Then down the river not more than a quarter of a mile, he observed two boats loaded with Spanish soldiers, and headed for their landing.

He ran to the cabin and telling Logan what he had seen, directed him to buy a few supplies, while he ran down to the pirogue and gathered up their belongings. Then he and Logan telling Ballinger that they were pursued by two boat loads of Spanish soldiers, advised that they take to the forest.

Ballinger, frightened on account of the money and messages in his possession which he had been instructed to deliver to Wilkinson, readily agreed and the three taking to their heels disappeared into the forest.

The soldiers, who had not seen John, immediately upon landing examined the canoe. It was readily identified as the one they sought. They came carefully up the bank and quietly surrounded the cabin, supposing their quarry within. Then the Captain and two soldiers, with muskets c.o.c.ked and presented entered the cabin door and found old man Taylor, sitting by the fire, pipe in mouth and half asleep.

Informed that the men had left the cabin not more than ten minutes before, they spent a good part of the night scouring the woods and at daylight resumed the search which was continued for several days; while those they sought with the unerring instinct of woodsmen were traveling, as the crow flies, toward c.u.mberland Gap. When they reached a river they did not hunt for ford or boat, but binding several dry logs together with grape vines, placed their clothing and dunnage upon them and swam for the opposite bank, resting upon and shoving their light raft before them. Twelve days later, the men, footsore and ragged, arrived at Campbell Station.

Logan and Ballinger, re-outfitted by John and Colonel Campbell, rested several days and resumed their journey; Logan to St. Asaph's carrying Daniel Clark's letter to David's father, which he had promised to deliver immediately; and Ballinger bound for Lexington, where he expected to deliver to Wilkinson the sealed communication of Governor Miro and the three thousand dollars, which was the second payment from Spain for his traitorous efforts to make Kentucky a province of Louisiana.

By some subtle s.h.i.+ft of sentiment, the scheme of Miro and Wilkinson became very unpopular. It may have been partly due to the letter David Clark received. At any rate the quiet old farmer rode about the country and had many confidential talks with other farmers.

Wilkinson complained to Sebastian: "* * * things look blue; sentiment is s.h.i.+fting; conditions in Kentucky are no longer favorable. They seem to be straightening the kinks out of the new government; we may be in personal danger; our fair weather friends are deserting us; Brown and Innes have deserted and Fairfax grows timid."

He was right. Conditions were not favorable. The Union was proving itself a capable organization. The states were forgetting their jealousies under the wise and firm administration of Was.h.i.+ngton. The const.i.tution was in operation. Of all the men who had declared themselves in favor of Wilkinson's project, only one now stood firm and that was Judge Sebastian. He subsequently was impeached and confessed his infamy.

Wilkinson was a scoundrel of more nerve, with greater capacity to deceive. He was twice impeached and each time acquitted. Long after Spain had parted with t.i.tle to Louisiana returning it to France; and France in turn had sold it to the United States; long after he died in Mexico; access was obtained to Spanish state papers which established his guilt.

As early as January 8, 1788, Governor Miro in an official communication to his government wrote: