The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1804-08-17 00:00:00

1 • upon anracessiciet. Though he la not conscious, alit any charges which are in circulatimi, to the prejudice of Col. BUTT, have originated with him, except one, which may have been I, considered, and which has been, long since, fully explained between Col. Burt anti himsslf; yet hi cannot consent to be questioned generally, As to any mitotic* which may be afloat derogatory Ise the character of Colonel Burr, without specifi cation of the several rumours, many of them prubal un known to him. He does ttot, however, mean to authorise any conclusion, as to the real nature of his conduct, in fele tiros to Colonel Burr, by hie dietlining so louse and vague a bola of explanation ; and he disavows an unwillingness to eerie* to satisfactory, provided it be an honourable accomeam dation. His objection is the very indefinite ground which Calomel burr has assumed, in which he is sorry to be able to diac•.rn nothing short of predeterinined hostility Pris ttttt Mg, therefore, that it will be adhered to, he has ins writ -t,.1 ine to receive the message which ton have it ill charge to deliver I-ur this purpese, I shall he at home, and at sour command, ie.-morrow morning, (ion, eight to tee o'Clock. I nave the honour to he, .ohirortfolly, %our obedient servant, 4 A nfANtEL rENDLEFON. William P. Van Ness, 1r...i. No. V. SIR...The letter which I had the hollow to receive room - r u de u n n e a raT It t i e rei7l f ts v e . i; te o n i d dZi ' in s i t , a Celan an i k ill g tir ') ; l l l i ' ai r ta b . 11: 1 ei g i a' a that vry indefinite gm nor, in which he eviller. nothing short of preac ,ermined hostility, and that General flatuilnin thinks it Marl stiontile, that the inquiry should extend to his confidential as Well as ether conversations. To this Colonel Burr can only reply, that secret whispers traducing lak fame, and jot eachiog his licensor, are at lean equally injurious wilt slanders publicly uttered ; that General H. lied at no time, and :n on place, a nett to use any such injiirious expressions; and th:.t.thc portal negative It. i. disposed to :Are, with the teserv:tioiss he a Wits to make, are !iroofstliat 1w has den* the injury specified. Colonel Burr's re !urn was, in the first instance, proposed in • furns Use in 5t.,16111111.., in order that General Ilantiltun might give to the affair that.cri ,tic t i which hr might be inluted by los temper and knowledge if facts. Colonel Burr ttusted with eunfideocis that, tont the Irinknoss of a earlier, and the can dour of a gentleman, he might expecten ingenuousdeclaration. . • That if, as he had reason to believe, General H. hadrueed ex s jefraii.ltit deregAol7 to his honor, he would have had the eisagisanimity to reiract 'lean j nod that if, from his language, ' injurious isiterenee, had b...tia improper!y drawn, he would have perceived the propriety of correcting criers which might thus' g hate been widely duWu ed With the, impressions. Cole el Burr was greatly surprised at receivine a letter, whist ha marl 'item,' as ri .sivp, a.id in a Manner which he deemed not altogether decorous. In 1::", V1:' , ..C!.010:i, how• ver. he was not wholly des.viesd, for the cloaca's - Am. I lain, qui l'i letter contain ed in intiniAtam, that if Ctrl. Ben should dislike his retool to acknowl Age or deity, he was ready to meet the consequences. This Cdwael lion deemed a sort of defiance, .and would have felt justni d in making it the hash of an imbiediate meas, - .ge. But as the c•tasmonication COOL& illelli Nornalang concernirg the indefiniteness of the request ; a- he believed it rather the eff sieiiig of sine mid , than of reflect.on, and Ja he fibs the ut• or 4' - tic •ave to' -cord to extremities, while any other hone !e.t.a rag - . ' - 'O , re. , , r ~* repeated in remis molt explicit. The •ep es and ;. 0 0111' II a • on the part of General fratuilton bawdy in Co onel burr's opinion, been constantly in substance the same. (;olionei Steer dist-ows all motives of Illtdetermlned hosti lity ; a eSser. by which he thin', insult Added to injury. Ile *wit as a gent!-roan ..ihoold feel when his honour is impeached er waits,' ; and w.th ,tit atinsati ins ot hostility,or wishes of re eeriest* be is det , rm n.ti to void , cate that hunituyat such !ward OS the nature of the rase demands. T te. lined to erhich this correspondence has extended, only tending ti. pr me that the satisfact ny !edreas earnestly desired, canner be obtained ; he deem& it useless to offer ally proposi tion ems,..l tie ample message which, I shall now have the • tumour to driver. I 1 , .... Ina 11411011 T to be, With 'treat re. met, your obed ent a 4 very humble servant, Weiliiewlay Moro mi. W P VAN NEIiS. June 27, IWO. With this letter, a message was received, such as was to be expefted, contair.ing an invitation, which WAS accepted; an! Mr. P. informed Mr. V. N. he should hear from him the next day, AS to future tp trticulars. This letter was delivered to General H. on the win evening. and a very short conversation ensued between him and Mr. P. who was to call on him IMMO morning, for a further conference. When hs. did en. General H. said he had not understood whe ther the message and answer were definitively con eluded, or whether another Meeting was to take place for .liat purpose, between Mr. P. and Mr. V. N. Under the latter impression, and as the last letter contained matter that naturally led to animad. version, he gave Mr. P. a paper of remarks, in his own hand writing. to be communicated to Mr. V. N. if the state Al the affair rendered it proper. In the forthee in•erview with Mr. V. N. that day, after expla i ning the can•es that had induced Gen. Hamilton to suppose that the state rt the affair did not rendet it improper, he offered this paper to Mr. V. N. hut he declined receiving it, alleging that he considered the correspondence as closed, by the acceptance of the menage that I delivered Mr. P. informed Mr. V. N. of the inducements Mentioned by General Hamilton in those remarks, for the postponing the meeting, until the close of the Circuit ; and, as this was uncertain, Mr. P. was to let him knew when it would be convenient. On Friday the 6th July, the Circuit being closed, Mr. P. gave this information, and that Genetal flamiltou would be ready at any time after the Sun. day following. On Monday, the particulars were arranged, and the public are b t too well acquainted with the sad result. The paper above alluded to i. as follows: No Xi Remarks on the letter of June :27, 11104. Whether the observations on this letter he (le .igned merely to justify the result which is indicated in the close ot the letter, or may be intended to give an opening for rendering any tt.ing which may have been deemed vague heretofore, can only be .; J.igeil of by the sequel. At any rate, it appear-. to me necessary not to be un derstood. Mr. Pendletirn is therefore autho rised to say, that in the course of the present dis cussion, written or verbal, there has been no inten tion to avoid, defy, or insult, bat a I:ncert disposi tion to avoid e•tremities, if it coald be done with propriety. With this view . . General H. had been ready to enter into a (r an k and free explanation on tiny and every suhjeCt of a specific name ; but sot to onswer a general and abstraft enquiry. embracing a period too long for any accurate re:o ll e Cti ce , an d exposing him to unpleasant criticisms from, or nn pleasant discussions with, any and every person who essay have understncd him in an unfavourable setts!. This (admitting that he could answer in a manner the most satisfactory to Colonel Burr) he should deem inadmissible in principle and precedent, and humiliating in prattice. I'o this, therefore, he can never submit. Frequent allusion has been made to slanders said to be in circulation. Whether they be openly, or in whispers, they have a form and shape, and might be specified. If the alts rr.:n re alluded to in the close of the letter be di finitively tendered, it must be accepted ; :he time, place, and manner, to be afterwards regu lated. I should not think it right, in the midst of a Circuit Coutt, to withdraw my services from those who may have confided important interests To me and expose them to the ernharrassmeut of reeking other Counsel, who may not have time to be suffici ently instruaed in their cause. I shall also want a little tune to make some arrangement respelling my own affairs. The following paper, in the hand writing of Gene. ral Hamilton, was inclosed with his wilt, and some other papers. in a packet addressed to one of his executors, which woof course nut to have been de• livered. hint in rase of the melancholy. event that has happened. As it contains his motives and re. Betftions upon the causes th.tt have led to this fatal catastrophe, it is deemed proper to communicate it to the public t N. XII . On nay txpen..d interview with Cokael Burr, I think it proper to make some remarks explanatory of my condua, motives, and views. I aas certainly desirous of avoiding this inter. view, for the most Cogent reasons. I. My religious and moral principles are strongly opposed to the practice of duelling r and it would ever give me pain to be obliged to shed the hlood of a fellow creature, in A private cotnbat t forbidden by the laws. 2, My wife and children are extremely dear to me, and my life is of the utmost importance to them, in various views. 1. I feel a sense of obligation towards my credi tors, who, in case of accident to me, by the forced sale of my pYopetty, may be in some degree suffer• vs. I aid not think myself at liberty, as a man of probity, lightly t expose them to this hazard. 4. I am conscious of no ill wi.l to Colonel Burr, distinct from political opinions, which, as I trust, have proceeded from pure and upright motives. Lastly, I shall hazard much, ■ud can possibly gain nothing by the issue of the interview. But it was, as I conceive, Impossible for me to avoid it. Theta were intrionic difficulties in the thing, and erlifkiel ernbarrassmernt, from the manner of pro ceeding on the part of Colonel Burr. Intrinsic, becaitse it is not to be denird t that thy animadversions on the political principles, chateiler, and views of Colonel Burr, have been extremely se= vere; and: on different Occasions, I, in common with many others, have Made very unfavourable criticisms on particular instances of the priirate con duit of this Gentleman. In proportion as these impressions were enter tained with sincerity, and uttered with motives and for purposes, which mign appear to be commend able, would be the difficulty (until they could be re moved by evidence of their being erroneous) of ex planation or apology. The disavowal required of me by Col. Burr, in a general and indefinite form, was cut of my power, if it bad really been proper for me to sunmit to be so questioned ; but I was sincerely of opinion this could not be. and in this opinion I was confirmed by that of a very mode rate and judicious friend whom I consulted. Be sides that, Colonel Burr appeared to assume, in the first instance, a tone unnecessarily peremptory and menacing, and, in the second, positively offensive. Yet I wished, as far as might be praCticable, to leave a dot open to accuoimodation. This, I think, will lee inferred fr •m the written communi cations made by me arid my direition, and would be confirmed by the conversations between Mr. Van Ness and myself, which arose out of the subjeit. I am not sure whether, under all the circumstances. I did not go farther in the attempt to accommodate thin a punitilious del caey will justify. If so, I hope the motives I have stated will excuse me. It is not my design, by what I have said, to affix any odium on the conduit of Colonel Burr, in this case—He doubtless has heard of animadversions of mine which bore very hard upon him ; and it i 3 probable, that, as usual, they were accompanied with some falsehood. He may have supposed him self under a necessity of ailing as he has done. hope the grounds of hit proceeding have been such as ought to satisfy his own conscience. I trust, at the same time, that the world will do me the justice to believe, that 1 have nut censured him on light grounds, nor from unworthy induce ments. I certainly have had strong reasons for what I may have said, though, it is possible, that, in some particulars, I may have been influenced by misconstruCtion or misinformation. It is also my ardent wish, that I may have :wen more mistaken than I think I have been; and that he, by the same future conduit, may thew himself worthy of all confidence and esteem, and prove an ornament and ble sing to the country. As well because it is possible that I mar have in jured Colonel Burr, hot-ever convinced myself that my opinions and declarations have been well-found ed, as, from my general principles aed temper, in ►elation to similar affairs, I have resolved, if our int( ,iew is condueted in the u,ual manner, and it pleases Gerd to give me the opportunity, to rrs.ree and thr,ar noey my first fire; and I heir ihnight e7en of reset-yams , my second fire, and thus giving a double opportunity for Colonel Burr to pause and to reflea. It it not, however, my intent;on to enter iwo any explancti-ors on the gr.ottul. Apology from principles, I hope, rather than pick, to out of the question. To those Who, with me, abhorring the praCtice of duelling, may think that I ought, On no account, to have added to the number of bad examples. I an. snit, that my relative situation, as well in public as private, enforcii,g all the conciderations which con stitute what men cif the wwld droorninate honours imposed on nr.! (as 1 thought) a peculiar necessity to decline the c.rll. The abilits to be in future use ad, whether in resisting mischief, or effeCting good in those crises of our public affairs, which seem likely to happen, wcurd probably be inseparable from a conformity with public prejudice in this i•.ttticular. A. H. le the name et God, Ame. Alexander llsm;Iton, of the Mt, (New stark, C..ians-llor al Law, do ilia:te this my last W ill and Trumann es follow T— lim4-1 ap,.ourtJuliu B. Chortle, Niceholas ard Natha niel ►.. of the city aforemal, Oaf • S tutu- Executors sad I ruso...a of tl.is my Will, and ) devise to them, their helm girl as,s:ovv, le , Went tenant., ant not a. tetrints in corn- NOM, all my re..d.e, real and perional whatsui-ve.„ and sae"- merer, New trust, tit 'lieu discretion, 00 sell and di*porwe of the same, at such tit:l4lB4oi L iii such meaner, and under suds term as they, ete survivor of au:vi.ur►, and, think fit, and oat of the , . -hvis to pay all the 4-hts whcir 1 shall owe at the time alloy ueaa.e t w whole, the brad be sufficient, pro- TILE BRITISH IrRESS• LOX DON, FRIDAY, AUCtST 17. Enslaved as the French Press is, no other in formation can be obtained of the real internal situ ation of that country, and the public spirit or opi nion of its inhabitants, except from travellers or private correspondence. These two superior sources of Mgt alion and amusement, we eirbstrrcly possess. l'he letter which we this dal , lay before our readers, is of that description. Our correspondent, upon whose veracity, as well as judgment, we can de. pend, paints men and things as they are, widely different from whit Bus sr s ire t's Gazetteers do scribe them. " Foreigners," .says our correspondent, a who enter France, with the prejudices they have imbibed from reading our Journals, believe a eoenter-revolutinn inevitable, from what they heat and see every where in our public walks, is our squares, in our theatres, and in our collet houses. Never was the public opinion more unanimous in censuring the measures of any former revolutiooary government, than it is now, in condemning the late one id BON APAISTL All parties, all classes of the people have been the dupes of the revolution, and accuse him as the sole cause; having, by his new hereditary dignity, equally disappointed the ex pedations of the royalists of the return of monarchy, and the sch:mes and desires of the republicans to establish a common wealth, founded upon equality and the rights of man. These sentiments are not encealed, or virispered about, but spoken aloud. You may, perhaps, think th.tt this assertion con tradias known and undeniable tp is of the slavery of our nation, and of the r; canny of its ruler. Hat a relation of some late occurrences will convince you that even the most oppres , :d slaves are sometimes able to prescribe limits to the de spotism even of the greatest tyrant. When the unjac.ifiable arrest and unnecessary murder of the Duke of 1 7 .N0n en were known, not only all the adh.!:.ents of the BJURS Iws, but all lo vers of justice and humanity. as Well as abhorrers of cruelty, shewed their dttestatinn of this bar barous aft by putting on mourning; which became particularly fashionable among the fair see, of whom some were imprisoned, and others exiled from Paris. This d;d not prevent others from lamenting the fate of Piens° nu, by wearing his miniature, suspended in a crape ribband from the b. isom, nor to send their cards of visit to MOSEAV, in the Temple, and to salute and applaud him when before the tribunal ; a conduit which produced new imprisonments or banishments. After the execiition of Getman, and his loyal companions, mourning rings, a la royal, were worn publicly by both sexes f and hardly a lady was seen who did not wear a fan if riled) as they were called, upon which was painted an urn, with small profiles of the Duke of Estimate, Pi c to 110, and Gl° saes. The urn itself made a per. left profile of Louis XVIII. This excited again the rage of Bon aelare, Who a without distintlion of pge or sex, crowded his prisons with new viCtims of his fury, or rather fear. This caused fresb com plaint/, and excited a kind of emulation who should be foremost to prow*, the anger of the tyrant, and experience its effeCts. It became more fashionable to risk friends in prison, than to frequent the theatres; and the Thuillery became slesetted, except by I; ,- 's sycophants. 'I his spirit of opposition and disaffeetion alarmed Fot ens, who, in an audience of the Corsicau,, convinced him of the danger of con tinuing these measures of terror, which would in crease, instead of dirn:nibhing, murmur and discon. tent; whilst, if left unnoticed, they would, as all other temporary sentiments and fashions, die away of thenusites. FOVCRE stay dill 'appointed a l►li. mister of Police, all lam state prjeonrrs were rn leased, and, all banished peones replied. Tin, justice mast be doae Fouce,a,i-that ►e knows our national charader better Vi BON A►AAla Though this release of prisoners caused, for the d►R week, more loud abusenof Government than befou ls it h as certainly since decreased; our fickle charaaett being as often suhjed to change their objets of de. served hatred, as their idols of undeserved admir e , Lion. Yost know that Paris has, since ghe Kern. lution, didated to the departments as much the fashions of dress, as sentiment; and -ads of seta. Lion. That the late signals of disaffeaion are now ' making the topr of the provinces, cannot therefore sarprise you at ap. Letters from I.yons, seines, and, Bourdeatut s not only coniirm this, but add. that Bosaeaats's public fendionarics have brea publicly insulted at the theatres and in the s tr eets , and that, thetefore, new reinforcement s a troops have been sent to these cities. No; withstand. ing all this, do not, however, suppose any change if Government, nor even any insurredions apinit Government, will take place, as long as the army remains neutral or indifferent. Should a co'ti. nental war break out, and our troops out Inert with their former success, then some Fovea may occur for loyalty to crush rebellion ; and as the bayonets alone have ereeted and pre , ..erved the tyrant in power, so the bayonets alone can :r.• nihilate the tyranny with the tyrant. The (Ay hope for the restoration of a regular Governwat older, peace, and tranquillity, remains s. ith :he con. dun of the troops, who, though hea,Jed by bre:, commanders, know them to want experience, perhaps talents ;. and, thereture, have neither esteem for, nor confidence, in their new leaders, who are themselves in very critical sitemions, as the exampit of Pichegru and Moreau, of Macdonald and Le courbe, haveconvinced them, that it is equally, anti perhaps more dangerous to excite the jealousy of their suspicious errant by gaining wi.toties. due his anger by experiencing defeats." We received yesterday Neet'York ?Vets to the . 21st of last month. They are principally occuptl with details of the unhappy quartet between Green ral HA MILTON and Vice Iltesident Busk. As it it a subjea of deep interest, and has produced a great sensation in America, we have copied the correspond• ence which ended in this fatal result. The loss et General HAMILTON will be long deplored in Arne. rica. Every possible matt of respell has been paid to his memory. Before the body was committed t the grave, the Governor of New York, on a stage ereaed in the portico of Trinity Church, having four of General iron's sons, the eldest abed sixteen, and the youngest about six years of ages Kith him, rose and delivered to the immense cons coot se in front, an extemporary funeral oration. The ;pliant Admiral CORNWALLIS is still at sli Helen's, impatiently waiting a change of wind. Letters from Gibraltar, of the ',.bd July, suites that the prrison at that date were all wells ani high spine. A public meeting Oi l the British inhabitant; of Cal . cutta was held on the 16th February last, sh.trt it was resolved that a marble statue of the him-quit Wei.r.r.sxcr should be erected at C alcutta, and that a sword , value 1,9001. shi.uld bewesented to Ge neral Lsar, and a sword value 10001. to I.lejor General Wast.est.ar. The Bengal fleet , consisting reeiren ships, ::1,1 estimated at V,OOl/.ouol. is expeaed to arrive hrturt the Ist of next month, and no apprehensions are niw entertained for their safety. Six months halt pay to the reduced officers 01 Ilia MAJESIT'S land forces, and six m.•ntlis :Luce to the officers a-id privates of the km Si anl 4th troops of Horse I;iiards still co:time:lee plyirg on Wednesday the 26th inn. Dispatches were on ‘Vedosday r , ceived at thr Admiralty from Sir J A ML, st REz. at Jersc:i• which Kate, that an e:yezt thou was daily enter tained si•in attack from the enemy, sevei al move ments having of late been observed to hare akin place. _ . A letter from Amsterdem. Of the dtla inst. sap's, " That notwithstanding the bo.isted rev:times lad riches of BONAPARrh his emissaries in a:f endeavouring :tot only to force the llatavian G,,ven; merit, distrqsed as it is, to enter into a 1:4...%* diary &gay, by which 1(,010 m••: Frem.: t.• are to be taLm into the pay of I lolland, but ha% attempted to raise a loan upon Hanover, of v . millions of Swirls (near one million sterling) arnotv the capitalists of that city, who have, however, do dined to advance their money, though offered all interest at the rate of eight pry reef. Captain Roaanson, of the Thu/osier), Is appoint& to the Swetnire, and not Sir !ivories , Sntrer health of this distinguished Officer rot being yet sufficiently re-establidted to enable him to take command of any ship. Mansion-euest.—Yesterday the Stewards of a benefit society, field at the George, St. Mar}' Axe, were summoned before the Lu ID NI Alit'''. fur refusing to pay, agreeably to the articles en tered into by the members, the sum G. trnt pounds to the friends of a deceased member. I. clerk stated that the society had paid fur funeral, and bad no objraion to pay the ad.a. tional ten pounds t but the father and ..star the deceased had etch claimed it, and they wi• • • to have the right ascertained. It WA, proved to Lordship's satisfaaion, that the deceased rated the money to be paid to his sister, aed t• Lure!, Mavua urdemd it :hold(' be so. again is A great back, vo althougl of them when Lit not get I the disc} cisient. Part br,ises ai day, an from Nc day exi Dall for waiting compAiti son of tl .S.ecretar Mr. Ito preparec ried out accounpt Says 64 In '— To This Fete in Yost. town, a off for ' On Early left Brip On N% entertair at the f ; ai o'clock, Prince's His I tompan: en Wedi camps its Hic VIM IR Yestei day, he the ever the saloi iteighbol The well dirt On th rave a Isle of The nes Lwutens The I Kelso 14 one of t street. Mrs.' against The ] from Lc Lord Monday The burgh a Crnintee The F junior Dl, Then snanry ( Rani of Tuesday Yestm ail His illunninai et; Kis els Rive her vim 11.1%,?1; Uis MAJ "'C, iel are t!..e Roy. RA %KS If Npring( colnslon A slit} the C., mau!ied ML; 'il his I .4tter cr , throw n spot. 1 the spot terbury Rut b e h finttintilly, if it II be insufficient; and the reran., if spy there to pay and deliviu to Al excellent and 6pae wife Eli/abet Thrwgii if it should please Gni! to !pall my life, I may look for a considerable butp!us out of my present property; yet, if he should speedily call me to the eternal world, a forced 1 A ., is usual, may posshly render it iiirtifficient to satisfy me I pray Gad that unacthing may remain for the n. iintenance and educatisn of my dear wife and children.— Cut should it oil the cuntary happen, that there is not enough f tile payment of my dents, I entreat me dear children, if they, or any of them, should ever be able, to make up the de ficiency. sou.,ut hesitilion eommit to their delicacy a wish which is dishiest by my (ma, convtious that 1 hal.., 100 far verifies! the interests of my family to public AVOCatiolts and on this account Aare the less claim to burette° my chil dren, yet i trust in tlteir niagitanimitg to appree.ate, as they ought, this my tesue4. 4r. to unfavoutatis an. event of things, the siipportof theirdrat mother, with the mist rctpectfal and ten. der attelillotti, is a fluty, All the sacrediirss of which the); will feel. Probably her IPwn patrimonial retuume , will preserve her from indigence. But Li all situations they are chatted to bear iii mind that she has been to them the Most devoted mid the hest of mothers. In to:Ain...fly whereof Ihave horinnto sub,eribed my hand, the ninth day of July, its the year of our Lad one thotnend eight hundred and lout. ALEXANDER HAMILTON. S:gneci, sealed, published, and declared as and rot his List will and te-.tamcnt, it, our presence, who have siihscrihed the same in hi, presence, the word. J IL Clittriil being shove interlined. SOMiNICK 1. REAKE. GRAHAM 811KR11.1.. THEO. B. VALLEAU. Wes Ymk,Surrogates-Qffiee, July 0, 1804_ 1 io hereby certify the preceding to be a true copy of the original Will of Alexander Hamilton, decoyed, new on Me io my office. • Ott.virt'us MILL'', Surrogate.