Star.
London, England, 1804-08-17 00:00:00

DUEL" ifETWEN. CEIVERAL IAMILrON

AVDCOLOWEL BURR.

STATEMENT.
The Gentleman who accompanied Colonel Etna
to the field, in the late unfortunate conteft, comes
lot ward reluCtantly with a ftatement on the fubjear
at a moment when any publication of the kind may
expofe his principal to judicial embarrafTment, per-
haps to very carious hazard.
In the following narrative, he difclaims the ItsBll
dillant idea of injuring the memory of the deceafed,
for whom, while living, he entertained fentiments
of high refit' eft, and for whole melancholy exit, he, as
alto his principal, feels particular regret. -The talk
devolved on him by the duties of his fituation
Mall
be difcharged with fidelity, but with every delicacy
the circumltances of the cafe can claim.
On the afternoon of the 17th of June loft.; I re-
ceived a note -from Col. Bull, requeftiog
.ozie: to
call on him the following morning. Updo tO, 'ar!•
rival, he obferved, that it bad of late been frequent-
ly Rated to him, that General HimiiLtine4hd, at dill
ferent times, and upon various oecaftons, ufed
guage, and exprelTed opinions, highly injurious to
his reputation; that he bad for Tome time felt the
neceffity of calling on Gen. HAMILTON, for tome ex-
planation of his condo& ; but that the flatements
which had been made to him, did not appear fuffi-
ciently authentic to juftify the meafure. That a
Newfpaper had, however, been recently put into his
hands, in which he perceived a letter, figned Ch.D.
Cooper, containing fomething which he thought de-
manded invelligation. Urged-by theft eircutnaances,
and joftified by the evident opinion of his friends, he
had determined to write Gen. HAMILTON a note upon
the fubjeEl,_ which he requefted me to deliver : I if-
tented to his requcft, and on my return to the City,
which was at lls o'clock the fame morning, I deli-
vered to Gen. HAMILTON the note which I received,
from Col. Buaa for that purpofe, and of which the,
following is a copy :
No. L
New
fill. . York, Jsne di, 1804.
I (cod for your venial a letter fired Charles Dr. Cooper, which,
though apparently *Mind foam time ago, has but very recently
come to my knowledge. Mr. Van Net, who does me the favour
to deliver thisowill point out to you that chide of the letter to which
I particularly nowt your attention.
You mutt perceive, Sir, the neceifity of a prompt and
angwli-
fled acknowledgment or denial of the ufe of any exprellon which
would warrant the affertions of Dr. Cooper.
I have the honour tote your obedient (errant,
General Hamilton. 0.11011.
General HAMILTON read the note of Mr. Boaz,
and the printed letter of Mr. Coo/ilia, to which it
refers, and remarked that they required tome confi-
deration, and that in the comic of the day he would
fend an anfwer to my office. At half pall ten o'clock
General HAMILTON called at my hnufe, and Paid that
a variety of engagements would demand his atten-
tion during the whole of that day and the next, but
that on Wednefday the zoth loft. he would furnilb me
with fuch an answer to Colonel BURR'S letter as he
fhould deem moft fuitable and compatible with his
feelings. In the evening if Wednefday the zoth, while
I wastrom home, the following letter, addreffed toCol.
Beta, was left at toy hotife under cover o me :•••••
No 11.
tat, New York, June so, doe.
I have maturely reflected on the (übjedt of your letter of the
ads init. and the more I have reflected the more I have become
convinced rat I could not, without =Weft impropriety, make
the avowal or ctifavowsi which you teem to think nocelfare. The
elude pointed ourby Mr. Van Nefs is in chore terms—•• I could
desail to you affill =Pr sisfyisable opinion which Hamilton has ex-
ts lid of Mr. Burr.' To endeavour to difeover the meaning of
this declaration. I was obligcd to feet in the antecedent part of this
letter for the opinion to which it referred, as having been already
difelofed. I (Mind in it thee words : General Handltod and
lodge gent have declared in Milano that they looked upon Mr.
Burr to be a dosser., slam, and one 54b. evert me he tread with the
raises ofgraeriereet."
The language of Dr. Cooper plainly Implies, that he ciordirtered
chisel:bleu of you, which he attributes to me, as a Id/Pi-oaf, one.
but be affirms that I have expreffid fomeother,ftill were drfignebie•
without, however, mentioning to whom, when, or where. Tis
evident that the ph-ale " fill more defpleable admits of Me'
site wades, from very light to very dark. How am Ito Judge of
the degree Intended; or how fhal I annex any precifc Wes to lan-
guage to indeficite ?
Between Gentlemen, deldralie and were slegrisaale are not worth
the pains of a diftinaimi ; when, therefor., you do not interro-
gate me as to the opinion which is fpeciflcally aferibed to me, I
mull conclude that you view it as within the limits to which the
animadverfions of political opponents upon each other may jual-
fiably extend, and coofequently as not warranting the idea of it
which Dr. Cooper appears to entertain., If fo. what precife tote-
m-nee could you draw ale guide for your condo& were Ito ac-
knowledge that I had muted an opinion of youffill mere skfirierehle
than the one which is particularised? How could you be Cure that
even this opinion had exceeded the bounuslwhich you would your-'
felt deem admiflibk between political opponents ?
But 1 forbear further comment on the anbarraffments. to which
the requilition you have made naturally lead. The occafion for-
bids a more ample illultration, though nothing could be more esfy
than to purfue it.
Repeating that I cannot reconcile it with propriety to make m
it
the
acknowledgment or denial you defirc, I will add, that I dee
inadniiifible on principle, to content to be interrogated as to the
pita& ot the impales. which may be drawn by others from what-
ever I may have faid of a political opponent in the courts of a fif-
teen years competition. lf there were no other °Neaten to it,
this is !laciest, that it would
free to expok my fincerity and de-
licacy to injurious imputations freed every pedal who may at my
time have conceived the revpvet of my eaprelfions, dam-oily from
what I may then have intended or may afterwards recollea. I
Scud ready to avow or difavow promptly and explicitly any pre•
cite or &finite opinion which I may be charged with having de-
clared of any Gook:man. More than this cannot fitly be
Roaded from me; and efpeeisily It cannot be rvafonably mitt: that
I fhall enter into an explanation upon a bolo to vague T. that whkh
you have adopted. I tiuft, on more reflection, you will fee the
matter in the fame light with me. IC not, I can only regret the
eircuinttance and matt abide the confequecces.
he public:Woo of Gott Cooper was never fern by me till
'Li:a the receipt of your letter....- I have the honour to be, lee.
olonel Boa R.
A. IIAbIILTOS.
On the morning of Thurfday the 2 t ft, I delivered
to Colonel Bo v.. the above letter, and in the evening
was furnifhed with the following letter fcr General
HAMILTON, which I delivered to him at twelve
o'clock can It illy the 2 2CI in dant :
No. 111.
Eta, New Tort, June at. 18:1.
Your latter of the azth MIL has been this day moved. Haying
confider,: it att,r.t ircly, I re;rez to dm: in it nothing of tLat finee-
FL. ... which you protcfs to vAue.
I' A op( !Lion can never abfolse G:Talemen term the De-
V.) 0n... uttnrcnce to the b.: a honour, at the rults of
I n, ither el-tnt lush rrlatte,:c nor InJul;.e I: In °char
-1 Le common mAnkuht aml to tb he adortati
• t ..tit °your. It b.s hcan tt.,l•cly I•,d
),,nr na.nr. .11... qu Rion is :Wt.
u.t:c.'i tbs meaning o: tie won!, or has ukti
..•7 to f 11,2‘. aid with grantroatit al a..r0,a,. ; but, wht-
are airia,r • .;y,or
• - • I act time

1.: t the alt ••
n t.a:ei

Fr ,

Or.[ ss .1*

.:•

icni. fr., r. T iring •

.3•:t 3t I. *or It reit •tt 3'
lilt gatbe,.. me with pew r,2
I b .sc ths. buseur imp 1,, air, TOW
•. SY LA.,

~r~~iox

General Haratttou pernfed it, and faid it iris
(ugh a letter as he had hoped not to have received ;
that it contained feveral offenfive exprefllons, and
feemed to clofe the door to all further reply ; that he
had hoped the anfwer he had returned to Colonel
Butes &II letter, would have given a different di•
ration to the controverfy ; that he thought Mr. Buss
would have perceived that there was a difficulty in
his making a more fpecific reply, and would have
defired him to Elate what had fallen from him that
might have given rife to the inference of Dr. Coosa.
He would have done this frankly ; and he believed
it would, not have been found to exceed the limits juf-
tifiable among political opponents. If Mr. Buss
fhould be difpofed to give a diffeient complexion to
the difcuffior, he was willing to confider the lad let-
ter not delivered ; but if that communication was
not withdrawn, he could make no reply, and Mr.
Buss mutt pulite Inch murk as he thould deem molt

proper.
At the regain of General Hatetfrow, I replied
that 1 would detail thole ideas to Camel Bliss ; but
added, that if in his firil letter he had introduced the
idea (if it was a eorred one) that he could recoiled ,
the tile of no terms that would jultify tbeeonflruition
made by Dr. Coot ea, it would, in my opinion, have ,
opened a door for accommodation. General Ha-
MILTON then repeated the fame objections to this mea-
Cure, which were Rated in his tirß letter to Col Boas.
When I was about leaving him, he obferved, that
if I preferred it, he would commit his refufal to writ-
ing ; I replied, that if he had relayed not to anferer
Colonel BURR'S letter, that I would report that to
him verbally, without giving him the trouble of writ-
ing it. He'again repeated his determination not to
anfwer. and that Colonel Buss Mull purfue Rich
cootie as he Ibould deem moll proper.
On the afternoon of this day, I repotted to Colonel
Buss, at his bottle out of town, the onfiver and de-
termination of General HAMS f.roa, and protnifed to
call again on him in the evening, to learn his future
wifhea. I was detained, however, in town this even-
ing, by Tome private bands, and did'nut call
Colonel BURR until the following morning (,Satur-
day the 23d inflant). I then retched from him a
r letter for General HAMILTON. which is numbered
' IV. ; but, as it will prefently be explained, never was
delivered. The fubitance of it will be found in No.

XII.
When I returned with this letter to the city, which
was about two o'clock in the afternoon of the fame
day, I fent a note to General HAmtLTON'S office, and
alto to his houfe, defiring to know when it would be
convenient for him to receive a communication. The
fervant, as he informed me, received for anfwer at
both places, that General Harett.coN bad gone to his
country feat. I then wrote the note, of which No.
V. is a copy, and fent it out to him in the country.
us, No. V. um e 3, Me.
In the &Rennes of yeenday, I reported toll. Barr the rerun
dour WI interview, and appointed the evening to main his tat-
tier inftreftions I tome private cogagements having prevented me
from calling on him nil this moreing. On my return to the city,
I found upon enquiry, both at your once and hook, that you bad
returned to your readence hs the country. Left en interview there
might be las agreeable to pus than elfewhrre, l have takes the
liberty of addrallog you this note, to enquire when and where it
will be moft convalicet fur TOG to receive a communscation ?
Your obedient (errant,
General Hamilton. w. V. VAN NMI.
'l'b this I received for anfwerNo.Vl. which follows:
Slit, No. VI. Grange, June at, tilos.
I was In town today till half.paft one. I thank you for Meek-
, Beaty which ditiated your note to me. If It Is indifpcnrible the
cuarmunication Osould be nude before Monday morning, I mull
receive it bet Scald think this cannot be Important. On
Monday, by nine o'clock, I than be In tows at my hook, in cedar-
itreet, No. ta, where I shall he bled tsite yau. An additional rea-
roo foe piefert.ng this is, that I am unwilling to =anon you
usable. With elle= I am, Sir, your obi:4ton fervent,
To W. P. Vale Niss,Efq. A. lIAMILTaII..
' At nine o'clock on monday the ssth Ind. I called
a alreadyb ucfbouts
communication,
mna i
uIC,
ril edi
cdeadatriooft Tn, e.
and e: ,f
which the following notes, No. VII. banded me by
i 1 otwoni
tphr
c tne Generalll tr
theu e
tHi
letter,na ns is ift. or am,: at.
vI
verbal
b.s
Mr. Buart, were to be the balls ; the fubtlance of
which, though in.tcrms as much foftened as my in•
(truflions would permit, was accordingly communi-
cated to General HAMILTON.
No. VII.
A. E. far fromeonceiving that igreeter ivallhlp authorizesfuels alstitude not
otherwife jt.ttifiable, always feels delicary s
lush cafes, aud
would think it meannefs to (peak of a rival but in terms of repeat ;
to do Janice to his merits, to be fileni of his foibles. Such h.s in-
variably been hie Ciwulud towards Jay, Adams, and Hamilton;
the only three who earl be (apparel to Lave (loud in that evlation
to him.
*1 hat be ha. ton much melon to believe that, In regard of
his
Mr.
Wiest-row, there has born no reciprocity ; for fcvcral years
name has been lent to the (tippet of hate Benders, le has never
had the runt-runty, the Magnanimity, or the candour to iootracta
or dffavow. B. forbears to particularise, as It could only tend to
produce new irritations; but Isav:ng made great facribees for the
' fake of harmony, having esercifed forbearance till It approached
1 to hamllisnots. he has fern no efrea produced by flub caudal but
a rep/tidos of injury. He is obliged to comlude that there Is on
the part of Mr. HAMILTON. a fettled and impLuable malevolence;
that he will never nate to his cantina towards Mr. B. to violate
thole Mutated' life, and that hence he has no alternative
th but to
ante-nonce thole things to the 'raid which, continently wi Mr.
8.% likes of prupriety, can be done it. no way but that which he bas
adopted. He is incapable of revroge. still Itts is lie capable of imi-
tating the canard or Sir. HA mi I. TON, by torn:mining keret de-
predatious oa his fame and chArader ; but Mae things mat have
an end.
Before I delivered the wiitten communication with
with I was charged, Gen. II A P 4 I vrois fail that he had
prepared a written reply to Col. BURR% letter of the
a I li. Whith hellad left with Mr. Paw DLSTON, and with-
ed me to receive. I ardwered, that the communica
lion I had to make to bim was predicated upon the
Hea that he would make no reply to Mr. 80ar.% let-
ter tri •oe 21ft infl. and that I had to undetilood him
in our converfation of the 22d. Gen. HAMILTON Paid,
that he believed before I left hit., he had rioferred a
written reply. I eibicrvcd, .hat then he arAweied vcr
bally, he had offered ti• put tl.At r.c.,;:l in wi it;
that it he 1,A.1 now Fre I,.i!ed A V .
receive it with pleaftite. 1 icer lc
Prrini !TON on the tin,. &iv% th, ~,, ,
'wren t and 2 o'clock, I'. M. and ihite:l rt. Lint -,....
'lilt t-' tny recent inlet view with Ccii. lIIMI LTl•holink.
the Tei.:;L:lce he I. Ad n, .1: to hin•. I then received
(tun' Mr.rtmotarust C.t.letterNo.V lll.nlitchiulloes.
r 4,.. % PI
N-w V, rk, hone az, 'act.

:n rc;•1

Invly c.411..d en lk
Tn-e ,c.

1 ot.r brll kttr'. In A Pyle too 1,. •,.:1, tt
my tplut 41. ltl; -• ...d a:, .I
t . otto
tr.; t Ir L., • t. • s ,• 1. to
Lit kctar t! . • ai

in pcovwr, )1)1, L.

11.57 a ..e.

rerpo•.. In r r.o t..•• I. Ih rt •
tl.au 'bat ',lac, to rval. U :eu SIM .42

1 have chehauaue
sir, raw .be(

Amicip pmts., Efq.
• This letter was unfealed, but-1 did nos .-
his prefince. After fame converfation relative
what General Haw LTON would fay on the fubjag'of
the paint eontroverfy, during wiiish Mr. PANDLA-.
Tom read from a paper his ideas on the fubjea, he.
kft me for the purpofe of fieing and confulting Mr.
HAMILTON, taking the paper with him. In about
an hour he called at my houfe ; I informed him, that
I had (hewn to Colonel Buss the letter he had
.given
me from General HAMILTON; that, in his °Pinion.
it amounted to nothing more than the verbal reply :
I had already reported; that it left the tufmefs pre-
cifily where it then was; this Mr. Buss had very
explicitly (laced the injorieshe had received, and the
reparation lie demanded 4 and that • lie did tilt thirst •
it proper to be Aced now for further explanation.
Towards the conclufion of the Onverfation,
formed him that Colonel BOAR requirartedof seseneirtti-.
difavowal of any intender on the p
HAMILTON, in his various converfations to
.coaselly I
exprelnons derogatory in tile labiniti
Mr. NADI.. &TON replied that be .belay a 1
HAMILTON would have no objcaiona ttf OWN. moor
declaration, and left me for the pirpefo of
in him,. requefting rue to call in, the eourfe of 'the
afternoon for an anfwer. .I called on hi aosiittle„
ing. about Gs o'clock. He then .inforimed s. thisea.
General HAMILTON declined makingfireh difasowaks
as I bad (fated in our laPt eonverfition
Qt'
he, Mr:-
Ntityros,
_did not then • perceive 1111 whole force
and latent of it, and prefepta,me with thpifcgovsirpg
Patit qt.."llaich "°*144..--ist'aftilte•tiu *
•, . "wilt- •s : ALL% sti
in ithiesiewa 'err rip* salraill *Wit
Hamm TOWS &CIMINO* vintlierfitt
oZir 10114 pc, say eshr
-He etedd beak sarairerteraltesiMp•whh ltemenktatilit
the talsh, foldblete,, thashe easysehirret• which Dr.Ceelpile
Calla. tweed 'theft so iesikW teltere. end did .se
at Baia any Bes et tdmewrable e
ti Ws private donatoro ieti le realm ee attyrt
.teetteditiee of Ciescrel H. whichriledierdlagegp
preellit ten kola atbwp etedialid will be *Noe
The following day (Tuefday, June a 6). tu.esrly as
was convenient, I had an iutertievr with Col. Bohai,
who informed me that he eonfidered General Hamar..
TON'S prepolition a mere evafion. that evinced a de.
Gre to leave the injurious impreilions which bad :viten
from the converfationsef General -HAMILTON in full
force. That when i.e bad undertaken to iovelligate
an iujury his honour had funained, it would be un-
worthy of him not to make that inveiiigation coal.
pier.. He gave me further inikisaioas, which are
fobQantialiy contained in the following letter to M.
Pstuntroor, No. X.
him X.

all, Tiliii‘o
The letter which you yefierday &Hord me, and cope tin&
quest commanleatiou, la Col. Bugles catlike, same=
Dec on the part of Genera lionthrom to awed to wi
accommodation. Tbc injury eomplaised of. and ttmeieTa.
emipeacd. are fo definialy accreted in Ca. Ernes . .
sift inn: that there it not perceived I ottani Faturther
aaw on his part. yid dillicalty that owillbralle lie•• esellallte '
the
TM
is:7
academia dam sad oecorcmait be Omni
I:tailcoat's that as other °mafiosi landl,l4l 1'9.0
ufed. Wham and where lajorime Catalpas °belays
been uttered by Galva HAMILTON. Oita be hen linewu'ae hisli
and of lam 00l will Col Bina enquire. Notional or declarades
will le . -sada it be genera. Co as en* to endodtt
the idea that rumours derogatory to COL Belt ...11 hamar havi ori
gloated with General Hsu! trom. or have Wen /441 hlterild
from ally thing he bat feud. A 1.....rthiv0 reply to a 'evades if
this nature was demanded by Cal. Batas later ea throttled.
This being refuted, Invites the alearnatin /nada' tabs Gawp'
Ham: it° mes letter of the ands.
It was required by the condo° lo which the coo
.• .
placed by General Haim-ma on Friday laft, sail web
Handy lumina with a coramancation demanding a pansitabo '
'l. terming. The necenty of this mediae has not, in =WO
' Col. Boat, been diminiihrd by the General's I aft il=.
ammunicatiou which has Once beam received. Ime .
F again inftrudled to deliver you a maw. as Com as knee"—Platrar-
- 'Meng for you to receive it. I beg therefore Imo web he broil*
to inform me
Yuoat what boor I c-ii hive the plaifure diming
r mat obedinn aod very limmane tenant,
NATUANILL VENDLIIIIPPI,kfq. W. P.Vall seas.
In the evening of the fame day I received from hill
the following aufwer :
No. xt.

amt. Mith Jon:, sloe.
I have eocranutdeated the letter which you did me the Mow
to write to mewl this date, to General HAMEL TON. The uric-
tatioas now difekted, on the part of Coloord BUSK, affair to
him to have greatly extended the original grand of coq.. and
it Read of prefenting a particular and definite cafe for explanation,
teems to aim at nothing les than an Inquifition into his moft con-
fidential memo-rations, as well as others, through the whisk period
of his acquaintance with Colonel
While he was prepared to meet the 'articular cafe fairly and
fully, he thinheit inadinifehle that he 11...:W be exported to an-
twee at large as to every thing that he may poirably have raidin
,
relation to the chandler of Colond Boma, at any time, at upon
any oceafion. Though he is not esoliataia that any changes which
are in circulation, to the prejudice of Colonel Boas, have origi-
nated with him, except one which may have been fo eadidered.
and which has. long Once, been folly eatiained between Coked
Brat acid Isindel:; la he cannot cadent to be matllioned gen&
rally as to any ...wars which may be afloat derogatory to the
ratter of of Colonel Botta, without Ipeeification of the feverall re-
moors, marl of thou probably unknown to him. He does not,
however. man to amborlfe any concha:too as to the real nature
of hi. conduct. in MA: IMII to Colonel bean, by his declining to
look and ii-gue a balls of apt:maims ; and he alarms% la an-
sillinguefs to come to a fatisfattory, provn!ed h
it In an noneurabin,
'locoman, dation. His 414C01L0 Is. the very it details
which Colonel Sc.. hat ,ffolnetl. In which be is harry r: 'b
t o Fla no;huut thort of predetermined hoft/lity. Pooled..(
therefore, that it will be adhered to, be has inftnatbed one to reo
car, the OICIFSVC which you have it in ch.tr4t to Ike this
purp,.f:, 10,81 at hmne, and at your coatrand. toomattuw
utoruMg hoot i&ht to tat o'cb,clt.
I have the honour to be verve:Artily,