The Indian Wars, 1784-1787 239 



him, that he has authority and will engage to open 

 the navigation of the Mississippi for the exportation 

 of their produce on terms of mutual advantage. But 

 this privilege never can be extended to them while 

 part of the United States. ... I have thought 

 proper to communicate (this) to a few confidential 

 friends in this district, with his permission, not 

 doubting but that they will make a prudent use of 

 the information." 



At the outset of any movement which, whatever 

 may be its form, is in its essence revolutionary, and 

 only to be justified on grounds that justify a revolu 

 tion, the leaders, though loud in declamation about 

 the wrongs to be remedied, always hesitate to speak 

 in plain terms concerning the remedies which they 

 really have in mind. They are often reluctant to 

 admit their purposes unequivocally, even to them 

 selves, and may indeed blind themselves to the nec 

 essary results of their policy. They often choose 

 their language with care, so that it may not com 

 mit them beyond all hope of explanation or retrac 

 tion. Brown, Innes, and the other separatist leaders 

 in Kentucky were not actuated by the motives of 

 personal corruption which influenced Wilkinson, Se 

 bastian, and White to conspire with Gardoqui and 

 Miro for the break-up of the Union. Their posi 

 tion, as far as the mere separatist feeling itself was 

 concerned, was not essentially different from that of 

 George Clinton in New York or Sumter in South 

 Carolina. Of course, however, their connection with 

 a foreign power unpleasantly tainted their course, 



