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At the beginning of 1807, based on information gathered from Burr’s correspondence allegedly showing that he had begun preparations for a large-scale military expedition, the former vice president was arrested in Louisiana and indicted on the charge of “wickedly devising and intending ♦ the peace and tranquility of the same United States to disturb and to stir, move, and excite insurrection, rebellion and war against the said United States”

Source: 5th last para, this graciously helpful, detailed answer:

In the Burr indictment, it seems to have been done to keep certain words and phrases close to each other for increased effect. It clusters the infinitives together without risking an object separating them. To disturb and to stir certainly belong together like that, but if you had put the object of disturb after the verb, [1.] you would have an unsightly wedge driven between the related infinitives — or [2.] you would have driven an unsightly wedge between the related verbs; your choice. :)

1. Please correct me, but I am guessing that the relative infinitives are to disturb and to stir, move, and excite?

2. What'd be the unsightly wedge caused by moving to disturb to the lozenge?
Which are the related verbs?

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    Lozenge? What? Your edit makes no sense. tchrist is talking about the object of the verb to disturb that would act like a wedge between the "cluster" of verbs.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 8:34
  • The whole thing makes little sense to me. As far as I can see disturb does not have an object, it is used intransitively; whilst stir, move, and excite share the same object, namely insurrection, rebellion and war...
    – WS2
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 9:12
  • The "unsightly wedge" is highlighted in the following: "wickedly devising and intending to disturb the peace and tranquility of the same United States and (to) stir, move, and excite insurrection, rebellion and war against the said United States"
    – Peter Shor
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 11:26
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    I wonder when you're going to ask a question asking us to explain the answer to this question. Really now, LePress, you know I'm a supporter of yours --- but this is too much. You're asking us to expand and simply an answer given by another use whose sole task was to expand and simplify. We cannot recurse forever.
    – Dan Bron
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 11:33

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You earlier asked about the phrase "drive an unsightly edge between..." Simply regarding that phrase...

(You know what a wedge is literally right? it's a tool, a piece of wood, you use to drive between two objects to separate them.

platonic wooden wedges .)

It's a common idiom to say "drive a wedge between..." Normally you would use it in discussing people or perhaps countries or political situations. So, it means some new disturbance which his separating a previously close couple of things.

For example you might say "the mother-in-law drove a wedge between the husband and wife" or "the EU treaty drove a wedge between France and Belgium."

So, adding the word unsightly is just a clever, colourful, addition to that.

The word in question which is being added in the middle, pushes apart two things you'd expect to be together - and it is ugly.

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  • Thank you. I recognised the meaning of 'unsightly wedge', but I had meant to ask how moving to disturb caused it. I've elucidated my OP now. Better?
    – user50720
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 8:15
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    Even if it doesn't answer the question, not your fault, it deserves an upvote! Very nice explanation.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 8:38
  • Whoa thanks! Did you like my picture? Actually I have some amazingly beautiful door wedges .. I'll go make another picture.
    – Fattie
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 8:41
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    No, don't! It's enough, and remember you should also describe the image (see meta for more details). If you want, tell the OP what is the object of the verbs.
    – Mari-Lou A
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 8:55
  • I don't understand all the "verb" stuff
    – Fattie
    Commented Oct 26, 2014 at 8:57

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