of the Western States from the Atlantic States. [Footnote:  Draper MSS., Spanish Documents, Carondelet to Alcudia, July 30, 1794.] He had sent two confidential envoys to Carondelet.  Carondelet jumped at the chance of once more trying to separate the west from the east; and under Wilkinson’s directions he renewed his efforts to try by purchase and pension to attach some of the leading Kentuckians to Spain.  As a beginning he decided to grant Wilkinson’s request and send him twelve thousand dollars for himself. [Footnote:  Do., De Lemos to Alcudia, Sept. 19, 1794.] De Lemos was sent to New Madrid in October to begin the direct negotiations with Wilkinson and his allies.  The funds to further the treasonable conspiracy were also forwarded, as the need arose.

    Failure of the American Government to Act with Proper Decision.

Carondelet was much encouraged as to the outcome by the fact that De Lemos had not been dispossessed by force from the Chickasaw Bluffs.  This shows conclusively that Washington’s administration was in error in not acting with greater decision about the Spanish posts.  Wayne should have been ordered to use the sword, and to dispossess the Spaniards from the east bank of the Mississippi.  As so often in our history, we erred, not through a spirit of over-aggressiveness, but through a willingness to trust to peaceful measures instead of proceeding to assert our rights by force.

  Murder of the Messengers to Wilkinson. 
  The Murderers Shielded.

The first active step taken by Carondelet and De Lemos was to send the twelve thousand dollars to Wilkinson, as the foundation and earnest of the bribery fund.  But the effort miscarried.  The money was sent by two men, Collins Owen, each of whom bore cipher letters to Wilkinson, including some that were sewed into the collars of their coats.  Collins reached Wilkinson in safety, but Owen was murdered, for the sake of the money he bore, by his boat’s crew while on the Ohio river. [Footnote:  Do., letters of Carondelet to Alcudia, Oct. 4, 1794, and of De Lemos to Carondelet, Aug. 28, 1795.] The murderers were arrested and were brought before the Federal judge, Harry Innes.  Owen was a friend of Innes, and had been by him recommended to Wilkinson as a trustworthy man for any secret and perilous service.  Nevertheless, although it was his own friend who had been murdered, Innes refused to try the murderers, on the ground that they were Spanish subjects; a reason which was simply nonsensical.  He forwarded them to Wilkinson at Fort Warren.  The latter sent them back to New Madrid.  On their way they were stopped by the officer at Fort Massac, a thoroughly loyal man, who had not been engaged in the intrigues of Wilkinson and Innes.  He sent to the Spanish commander at New Madrid for an interpreter to interrogate the men.  Of course the Spaniards were as reluctant as Wilkinson and Innes that the facts as to the relations between Carondelet and Wilkinson should be developed, and,