Twtt AHAHlwtit rt
i3
n.
- -i ,n , " : ''- y .' .;,.,,,, .. 7 " 'l'?-, . 'i ' w U Jrtt9"' w -Mania-;:-
is
Jt i$ with peculiar .plcafure thit w copy the ZiaU.
lowing weUwrittedartickfrora
CiwW; fwintU'tr Jamei Chcethara in New
Th Wn"dut of that piper and of 1 1
. editor Mve hid freqWot occafion to ceofure
in" the fcfereft termi t we embrace, therefore,
the more cheerfully this 'opportunity of doing
him judice by exhibiting in at honourable tight
! b'n candou?, and ' bit ingenooat independence
id an afiir refpetag ; which there can be but
one voice among alf honeft men. The diced
y oppodte courfe pnrfu'ed by to infamous de "
mocratic print in thii chy H in perfect con6ft
ncv uf'tk itl former chiiafier. nd rfifnla
a euld ma ignityfafagean-d Hnrelenung ran
of tdmonitioa, ndto put thjPR.'on their
fuard, the vcw of great v men even- after
path haj destroyed the powre'r 6f repetition.' '
BuAlwer I tasked whttber Gnerl JJamil
ton had vices t in the face of the world, in'
the presence'' of, my God X Wuldf nsVer
no. v Like all nUen'he sornetinus errdT-
uui a cannot aamit tnat even'nis .rrrow
were: those of the heart, y He was human,
ano: therefore not perfect. ' But if we cor.
rectly' iudsre of human iseHeCtion bv fntritv
of 'heart; by nctitude of-intentioHi 1 hesitate:
aots to say that; ' in my opinion. General
uaroitton. was most -periecv-, "
place between the gentleraenthat were'pre--the right stdei he. haying fallen oWthe leftj T v '
CDiM?eyhaVe:n;bee6; limb through which the ba? ' -'--I
twd important facttha passed there-for passed wa'scu off and ."oroughtliscttyrjT
which reason nothinirwas said ottthosetubi od is now irj i Mr. Church's cossession. - "
1 7!irprWte- virtuesf -h pnblie services
ui grci uuuic8v invoiuniarny excite in
me the warmest esteem ior hiSjfnemory. Y ;
; :.Qfhis private vfrtues, there h no differ,
eoce of opinion. ' AH men, of -all parties;
speas oi uiem wun rapture, anuacKnow
ledge them with admirkionr To-these
vice pays invoiuntafy ' homage." The nidi-
ting mischievtdus citizen, ; whose bloody.
hand, gjided by cool milignaticy, . termi
nated his existence, will acknowledge them.
In all the pri vate relations of life he- was
honest, faithful, generous, and humine. -His
heart was the seat of every manly vir
tue. No mau ever iinpeache'dhis1ntegri
ayMylials!3fJiwti6Bln vain have
fiurty'collisiions and rancour ransacked puB"
ic records 'and' exhausted ''private inquisi
tion for a blemish. ThV fatal catastrophe
proves, that; like Aristidrs, he, chose to
yield his life rather than his integrtt',--.
Such a kak - whatever were , his politic
bpinions irresistibly commands our cstet m,
; , His public services were ndanv splendid,
and great. From these, nothiag but yc
plorable Infatuation ; nothingbut fiery zeal,
unmixt with a ray of rcfiection, can with
hold a lasting glow of admira'ion and grati
tude. The friend -of-liberiy, he who for
a moment reflects that out of nhe revolu
tionary contest, that chaos pf clashing
elements,; arose a world pF rnSEDOM,
cannot but . venerate the memory of "those
who, as it "were, created ir; ' In this most
glorious, most useful, mosif splendid of
ea.thly 'scenes, , Hamilton performed a
conspicuous shautnotsivadismtertsu'u,
cour which 'nothinj can foftenf noting but
bisoi and murder xao fauateV- lV,v ';v"
''General Hamilton J)cat--Tht editor,
in all humility asks the reader" to accom
pwhun'through a brief review of the'eor
respondence,' recently published, .in rellK
on to the unhappy affair 'which terminated
the existence oftheallustrious deceased..
He enters upQQ thit iinpieasapt task the
mare readily and with the more zeal, since
he views, andxannot but view, the death
of General Hamilton as a national loss, and
is the . inevitable and deplorable effect of a
long meditated, a predetermined t system of
hostility en the part of Mr? Burr and his
fsnpaeniiai aawsers. - ,-,
Lest, however, he mav be misunderstood
by sorne and knowingly & injuriously m!s
jeDresented by. others.v hev deems it fit to
cause himself to be clearly and distinctly i
unaerstooa. . i nis, pernaps, is an nomage
'due to the " honeit errors of the less liberal
part Qf the community. ;i ;
To afw of those with whom I think and
act in whatever relates to the administrati
on of the fcate' and general government,
jt may seem extraardinary that . I, who
while the Generalived to give comfort to
his'fdmlly and splendour to his nation, was
Opposed to him on somt political points,
should. When laid in the cold and silent
totnh, become a. guardian of his fame; a
vindicator of his wrongs." If in the Kepub
iican party there is one man of this descrip
tion, (and I trust there is not) I would with
diffidence beg him' to rejlccty and to exer
cise, with becoming dio-nitv Vnil m,iflfra-
- ' . . . . a a w .- 1 - ... - ..J - . . .. .i
hum- I " tr,3ilc m'w . b & . '
hath nleased God to impart even to tht
fclest ot'. his image, I ask only for the pri
vtlege of thinking and of expressing my
thoughts, with exemption from cruel and
- overbearing intolerance. A fixed; ".deter
mination, . however, to enjoy, the one will
prompt tne to a duefesistance of the odien
I mtut imthmltivhatiiJhavc though tr and
unlearn what I know before I canct the
part of a savage : and he deceives himself
who concludes that, ' in my editorial pur
suits', I will be guided by any opinions but
my own. .With conscious, and, as I think,
becoming pride, I utterly disclaim and re
.nounce that illiberality jvhich will not a ward
to illustrious merit its just due. I have,
and always had, an exalted opinion of the
.''- merits of the deceased, and vith unaffect
ed sincerity and deep regret lament his loss.
jjrhis opinion a this sentiment, howe-.
ver, will not be.constsrued by the iibcfal
and the enlightened, into ah approbation of
the political maxima of this great statesman,
or mto a dereliction of principles formerly
maintained and still tettacuusly adhered to.
It is the high prerogative, the distingulsh-
ing power of the, human mind," and most
honourably to man, justly to discriminate
in whatever relates to the fame of .tbtifee pre-
eminent ciuzens wno give- cnaracter ana
. Wire to a nation. ; Haiiilton, I 'believe,
. . entdtaine
- with mine; and on which," manifested, io
:: many instances byhe adminiitration of
- Mr. Adams, andr in one by that of GeW
T'-Washingtdnrl canhotf without Unpleasant
sensations;: reflect.'? ;!From these wluch1
while living I opposed, I still dissent j ; but;
; al'asl hejs dead, and I camiot pursue him
X to tli gfaVe for. ;jftti6KES!TL'r::enterv
- ,' tainfcd, calmly inddignifiedly1 asserted, lu
.''y. :Ar-nstrwyelyr-cnff,ced,-ud
conveyed to 'the puolipk ; ift-alithe elegance
..- vi a scnoiar ana .enrieheo: with aJLtlie eru-
.dition'ork'distfnpshed'iui'lst; rVl Ime-Jt.
to prcsumptious arrogance, to i spedes.of
btherburBe.yfr-";
; So far t differed' from General Hamilton
political opinion ; but all difference is
now at an end. Death hassttwet.
victory cruel and fatal victory, the yarro w
; x isthmns that Beparated from this great lur
minarythose with whom I act. -,1 know
! "that ancient writers urge with force & pro
priety; and that modern politicians acknow
lcdger as with ope accbrd. the necessity of
-t " - -.'.-:' ;.. -' - '- ;
. ,-- .
tr'mtic fire, with' military ardour : he luined
the creative phalanx .auitsigaaljsed himseln
by Consuncy, by perseverance, uy vaioui ,
and irradiated, with theravs of his, syperii
our geiiious. all within the sphere of its pre-
"'.i Jr.. iiiliit?vnrt' irt'ifi?9 entitle
him to our affvctiori, and will endear hi
mrmorv "io all wlw are sincerely attached to
our independence. v. . : .
His civil was m jr brUliant than tt tmx
litary career. His early ffors as a states
man excel in ut.luv and lustre his 'exertions
iftlhe fieldiPe fhaps to bun- more lhan to
any 'other man,- we are indebted for the . ex
efellent'couatitut:on under which we live.
Whateve r aberrations from republican max
iffYrimrt&iYft Ir.duision mav have discover
ed in his tfforts iff ilie cohventioft,1 1 know
not ; kut this 1 may predict, Ji cm what we
do know that his cumeipus essays', under
the' title of-" FEDtHALisr,'-: advocating
the principles and enforcing the adoption of
the constitution; will immortalize hs name
and render him illustrious when every me
Kavaincvw itli'C;a of the day
shall be swept from the records', ol tune abet
buried in 'i-vtrlastfog forgetluicesa,, f think i
Hum not incorrect when ..isay(ini ui.
essays , are the ablest political Mors tu ite
worlds They, are replete with lessors Ol
wisdom, ilothed in unusual elegance;-;-
are the production of a mind-natural
.bA enriched with all the V
They
ca
pacious Pd enriched with all the lore oi
Hearning. :I read them wjirtreneweu c--
sure and instruction, .Amiast'
oftheVelatives of the .deceased ii cannot
but be pleasing to witness statesmen akI Ju
rists resorting this elementary work as
an unerrfng standard by which to tcsfe i.ud
determine matters in controversy, u,;
Tbe statement containing the facts that
ted IS Ihe "interview between-General 11
rnilton tt Col Bur, published the Even
fag Post ori Jtonday last; studiously avoid
ed mentioning any particulars of what past
itvthelace;bf.meetlog.:Th
ed by suitable considerations at the time,
and with the intention, that whatever it
might be deemed "proper; to lav before, the
public, should be made the subject of a fu
ture ccmunicatiorvi; The;ibUoing is
therefore now submirted.-j
In thlinteryiews that have since taken
; & Tclr' B ockticne aid Db&$ f
jeets in the papeiately published as to other
particulars in which they were agreed. 4
i'Mri P expressed;
tnat feneraL Hamilton did Hot tore first
hand thit he did not fire at all at Col Burr.
Mr, K seemed equally confident in the
opinion' that Geo" H. did fire first-and of
1 course that it must have been at his antago
" General Hamilton's friend thinks it to be
a sacred duty he jowes to the' memory- of
4hat exalted; --marv to bjs.:cquntryvland.hijs
friends, to" publish to the world such facts'
and fircumsiances as have produced a deci
siw convictitm in his own mind, . that he
cannot have been mistaken in the belief he
has formed 60 these points. '
1st. Besides the testimonies of Bishoa
Af."'... . . .1 ' . - .
Auooro, ana ine paper containing an express
Ueciaration, under General Hamilton s wn
nand,1 enclosed to his friend in a packet,
not t be delivered but in the event 6t his
dcath, and which have already ! been nubi
f ishtd, General Hamilton informed Mr P.
at least ttrfdaVs previous lothc affir. that
he had doubts whether he would not, receive
and hot return Mr. Burr's first fire. 3YIr.
P,'rei9r'at7dathst''th1s detcrttiiaalionV
and Urged many toiisideratiohs against it,
as dangerotjs to himself and not necessary
in' the particular caseV'wlien every ground
of accommojation, not humiliating,' -had
leeu proposed and rej-ctctU ' lie said he
would not decide fiirhtry, but take time to
deliberate fully. " It was incidentally men
tioned again at their occasional Subseijijent
conversations, and on the evening preced-
ing the, tune of disappointed interview,' he
informed Mr. P. bt had made up his mind
not to.Jire' at Cel. J3arr tic first ti tet but to.
receive hujiremdfire in the air ' Mr. P.
again urged him upon this subject, and re
peated his former , arguments. - His final
answer Was in tei ms that made, an impres
sion.on 'Mr. P's mind' which can never be"
effiCed. w My friend, It is the effect of A
nr.UGtous scruple, and docs not admit
Ki reasoiiC!g, : isjufcLav to say fnore 6n
; 2d. His last words before he was woundr
ed afford a proof that this purpose had not
chanired. Whfn he received his pistol
after .havinglakcn his positi6ny.be was sk
Vd ifheTwpuld have Iris . hair spring set
jitiswer was, 01 tnis um e." - '
v 5d. After he Iwas wounded, aud laid in
the boat,v the first words he uturett'. after
recovering the pi.wef.of speech," were, (ad
drissing himself to a gentleman present
vh, perfectly well ie itiembers it) " Pendle
ton knoHui Jdld not mean to fin' tt Col. Burt
Ike prat time" .
hi oni Ailed by. Mr. P. u that genilcinan that
inotT'iog, before they left the city,, V
jili. The pistol that had been used by
GsHi.'Hamiltun, lying loose over the other
apparatus iu the case which was open ; af
tcr hiving' been some iittit in the boat, One
of thd boaunsn took hold of 'ttci put i inio
tlie'ase.Geherat Hamilton observing
this said Xaks tare fiJ-thqtpistolit 'is
c6tcd.lt may ro o'jf and da mischief"-
This s also remembered by the geaUcman
5tiqritjd to.---- - - ; r-LL.
Tllis shews jhat "he'.' was not sensible of
, " No inferences are ; pointed out as result
lug jiwiii incsc J4CT.5, nor win any comments . ,
be ofade;- TbejfVre left 16 thcanettd jddg
mehi andfeenngs of the public ' w
C- 'j "" '''y-'t-'''.'fAv'
i The following is lhe jcorresfibndence that r
passed hhtisen General Hamilton and Goto V
, Si --,,-; : '-''Arivfw-lVlt, fftMt' 1 9t i'8o4ii'
i sena lor vuur perusal a letter sieeaT-
Charles D. Cooper, wnich, thoucrh apparent.
ly published Some timeagov ha but very re
cently come to my knowledge. Mr. Van
Ness, who does me the favor to deliver
this; will point out to you that clause of the)
letter to which I particularly request ybur
attention; ;:;'fC7':':--v"''-:"0:Ji;;
You must perceive Sir, the necessity of
a prompt and unqualified ackuowledc-ment
or denial of the use of any expression which1
n uum warruDi uie asscrnau ut un vuqd
w . - - . ' ' . rt i. -- .- 4. ,
er. 1 nave tne nonor to oe, .;
Your obedient servant, : ' ;
Gen. Hsmdton;' - .. . A. BURR
-Jfm
I have maturely reflected on the subicct
of vour letter of the 18 th instl and the more
I have reflected, the more, I have become
convinced thatl could not without manifest
impropriety make the avowal or disavowal
which, you seem to think necessary.; 'The
clause pointed but by Mfi Van Ness is' in
these terms. ; u I conld;atau to you a still
more dcubicable opinion which Hamilton has:
expressed Ql&bwrrJj,X(f' endeivprjtb J
discover the meaning o,f this declaration, X
was.oougeu to sceit in me antecedent part.
di ims letter ior ine opinion o wiucii ic re ,-.
ferred, ss having been already disclosed t! I
found it iu these words, " General Hamil
ton and Judge Kent have declared in v '
stance that they looked upon Mr; Burr to. ;
be a dangerous mart, and one who ought mt ' ;
to be trusted with thefems qfpovernmenUn
- Thejanguage of Dr Cooper plaihly.fm'
-
rhavrng fired at alb; . If heh4 firedrotf
to receiving the wound, he would have re
numbered it, and therefore have, .known
that die pistol coitld mitgooff butifier
zuarde it must have been theeffect of an in
Voluntary exertion of the muscles produced
by a mortal wound, in which case, he could
not bfve '.been tonsciousjaf haying fired..
- 6. Mr. P. having sostrbng a convictions
that rf General Hamilton had fired firs V it
could not uve escaped his' attention (all
his axiejy'being alive for the effect of the;
first iref. and having no Teasbn to believe ',
the 1 ind of Col. Burr yra not sincere in
(lie c mtrary opinion) he determined to go .
to th t spot where the affairtbpkT; placcj to
Sett-i he. could not discover ome trace of.
tiie U)ur:.e of the ball from General Hamil-" j
toVs' pistol. 1- He took a friend with mm
the day after GenV Karntltori died, 1 ?ni
artcrdine ;;eMroin'atiW;'they.fortu.nateJy;'
found wiiaticy we're in search, of. f They
ascertained that the ball passed through the
ft rnb of a cedar tree,' at an elevation of about
twelveeet and a half, perpendicularly from ,
the ground, between thirteen and fourteen
feet, froni the mark on whtch Gen. Hamil
toh stood, and about four1 feet wide of the
direct line between him and Coh BeuT, on
dnet but he affirms that I have expressed
some other, still more aetpicetble lvi ithQiit,
however, mentioning to rhoroi when,' or
where, ; 'Tis evident tha the phrase. stul
more despicable" admits of infinite shades
from 7very 1 ight ib'viy-?dfcHoiBtt:S
to judge of the '"deEree infended? brbwx
hall 1 annex any precise iaca to language .
so indenoite iJ. - '. -'.a:.V-. : :
: Between Genderaen, despicable and. wore .
despicable are hot worth the pains "ef dis-
iincuou : fen increiorc ywn uu hvi iulci-
. . .1.' .
rogale me, a& to tne opinion wmcn js speci- .
jnfallucribtael rottsCojnclucle, thar:
you view it as "within the limits to which. .
the animadversioh of : political 'ppponeiits
upon each other may justifiably extend,' ?r ;
consequently as not warranting the idea o.
it which Doctor Cooper ppears to enter
talft. If so, what precise inference could -vou
draw, as a guide for your conduct, were "
I to .acknowledge that I had expressed aa '
opinion of you still more despicable thin the
one which is particulariaed I How could ;
you be sure that even ithisr opinion had ex-
... . j it. r. 1
ceeueu tne uounas wpicn you wouui your-
ehiadmissible betwteu-political opjCkli.
self de
ponenti
.V But I forbear further comment on the ;
embarrasment, tb which the requisition you
have made naturally leads.". The occasion -
forbids a more ample illustration, tho no:
thinjr co61d be more easy than to pursue it. -
- Repeating that I cannot reconcile it withTw. ;
propriety tomake the acknowledgment br
denial you desire, I . will add that I deem it
inadmissible on principle,tb consent to be.V-
iftrrogated as id the jusfhess of
jwicewhich may be ldrawn b others irom : . , ;
whatever I'lnay have"' said of a- political op-- 'K 'X)
pdnent in the course of a fifteen year com -'petitfonIf
there" werVnp other objection -I
toTCthis '"i'ssufSdeflti AatU'wuUteM'---rfH
expose mysmcerity and delicacy to injuri- t ;
ous impntation irpm every crsoawnonjajr
I
at any time have conceived the' import of
my expressions, differently from what I may ' -
then have mtenpedormay aiterwaras recon
lect.fTl stand ready. to .avow, or disavow
prompdy and exoUcidy any precise or de
finite opinion which t may be charged widi
having declared of any Gentleman, More
than thi cannot fitly be expected irom roc s
afyj especially It 'cannot be' reasonably
pected that I shall enter jhto an explanation
tC9Trii$aXxy
4- J,