Burr was indicted for Hamilton's murder in New York and New Jersey, causing him to flee to Georgia, although he remained President of the Senate during Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase's impeachment trial.[230] Both indictments quietly died and Burr was not prosecuted.[231] Also during the election, certain New England separatists approached Burr, desiring a New England federation and intimating that he would be their leader.[232] However, nothing came of the plot, since Burr had lost the election and his reputation was ruined after killing Hamilton.[232] In August 1804, Burr contacted British Minister Anthony Merry offering to cede U.S. western territory in return for money and British ships.[233]
After leaving office in April 1805, Burr traveled west and conspired with Louisiana Territory governor James Wilkinson, beginning a large-scale recruitment for a military expedition.[234] Other plotters included Ohio Senator John Smith and an Irishman named Harmon Blennerhassett.[234] Burr discussed a number of plots—seizing control of Mexico or Spanish Florida, or forming a secessionist state in New Orleans or the Western U.S. Historians remain unclear as to his true goal.