
	Conditions in the United States at the turn of the 19th century afforded mobile, enterprising men like Burr ample opportunities to further their own power and sense of agency. After serving as vice-president and notoriously killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel, Burr saw the possibility of remaking himself in the loosely settled western United States. As the United States sought expansion to the West, it encountered Spanish power controlling the space it desired. This area caught Burr’s attention, particularly an idea “proposed by General Wilkinson, commander of the Army of the United States- the conquest of the Spanish colonies, particularly Mexico, based on a war with Spain, then impending.”  Looking to capitalize on this opportunity, and finding in it prospects of increased fame, fortune, and power, Burr headed west.
	In this endeavor, however, Burr’s true intent is a matter of contention. The United States District Attorney in Kentucky, a man by the name of Joseph Daviess, was one of the first people to see an ulterior motive for Burr’s expedition. Daviess, in a pamphlet written in May of 1807, sought to explain his role in bringing this issue to light, and also to excoriate President Jefferson for his handling of the situation. Daviess writes that as of late 1805, he “had satisfactory information that several of our citizens were pensioners of Spain… that a revolutionary scheme in the West had been projected… with great secrecy, under the superintendence of Mr. Burr and General Wilkinson.”  In light of what he thought to be a dangerous scheme developing, he wrote a letter to President Jefferson in January of 1806 to warn him. In the letter, he names Wilkinson specifically as being in Spanish employment, and indicates, “A separation of the union in favour of Spain, is the object finally.”  Clarifying in the pamphlet, he states that the plot had four sides, one for Spain, one for “enterprising adventurers,” a side for the “multitude,” and a side for Burr.  Daviess, in his diligence, continued to write to President Jefferson and his top aides as his investigation revealed more aspects of the plot, but received little reply and nothing in the way of concern or instructions from the President. 
	Taking matters into his own hands, Daviess pursued Burr to the best of his ability. In Burr’s correspondence, he reacts to Daviess’s efforts to obtain “a warrant to apprehend me for treasonable practice, or on some suspicion thereof. The charge is not well-defined… but the substance is ‘a design to attack the Spanish dominions, and thereby endanger the peace of the United States.’”  He continues in a later letter, “It is impossible for a man to make any calculations of his time, when he is liable to be detained by public prosecutions- You have doubtless heard of the ridiculous proceedings against me in this State by Messrs. Davies & Co.”  After failing first due to the absence of a witness, Daviess tried a second time to indict Burr, to no avail. 