Alexandria advertiser and commercial intelligencer. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1800-1803, 1802-07-29
From The Meau-York Eveuiag Pot.
A VIEW OF THE POLITICAL CONDUCT
OF AARON BURR, ESQ. VICE-PRE-
SlDENT OF THE U. 5 rATES.
BY fbe aatb0r of tbe (" Naryative.''-

pseiaIIy to thofe at diifance who may not have
the opportunity Of feeling it, we fhall prefent TO
them iummary of its contents, with location
al extracts; obferving the fame fria neutrality
10 the controversy as far as it reipeefs Mr.. Burr
and his former friends as we have hitherto It's
an afair of honor between them which we ihan
leave them to adult in their own way.
The principal writer of the pamphlet is con-
jeefured to be one of the editors ofthe Ameri-
can Citizen, Mr., Cheetham, AFFIXED in the
editorial labors,' as the Democratic Republican
fays of himfelf, by Meiirs. De Witt Clinton, Tu-
mis- Workman and Rishard Riker, cum mul:is
ealiis--the Chiefs OF this little b1nd, however. is
the redoubted James Cheetham hinlelf his
ingenious author prefents US with long intro
duetioa, In which, with much good fen1e, propri-
ETY., characterize modeify, delcacy and grace
he compares himfef to Marcus Tulius Cicero
attacking Catalina. Having itruck cut this hap
by compliment to himfelf, which doubrlels he
much approves Of, fnce he hastwice printed his
introduction at full length in the American CT
tizen, he begins the pamphlet by attempting to
draw the public character Of Mr.. Burr, from his
frG appearance in the army to the prefent time.
His merits as folder are thus defcribed-
In the revolutionary iervice he filed,
at different times, fubordina,e potts; but
he retired from it fone years previous to
the cefation of hoffilities. Although not
diffinguilhed by the brilliancy ofhis mill
tary exploits, he left the army, it.is be-
lieved. with unfullicd reputation.
For many years after the war, Mr.. Burr is
Represented to have been in a fate of political
apathy:
"He contemplated, in Glence, the two
conflicting parties. Afpiring to power and
sdiGinetion, he meditated on which fde of
the political Scales he could throw his
weight with mott advantage TO himfelf.
In this fate of irrefolusion he continued
until the year 1889, whenhe made his cleo
tion, and ranked himielf among thofe who
had then, and who have ever iince, demo-
minated themfelyes Fedsr4kFs."
He was not long however guilty Of the fin of
-sederalifm; for it appears that after joining in
the Gnfucceisfrl oppciition at that time made to
the reelection of gov. Clinton, he connected him
felf with the party which he had juR oppoied.
This change is explained in this manner:
(" 1t was foon difcos cred that Mr.. Burr
viewed with envy the hyperion eRimation
in which the Federal party held his rival
General Hamilton. The fame ardently
afpiring fpirit which governs him now,
iwayed him then. Like Cafar, The could
not brook /a5erior.* They were jeal-
Gus rivals at the bar but in the view of
the federal party, Burr, in companion Of
Hamilton, was truly iecordary charac-
ter. This Notifying confederation, tose-
sher with the aicendancy Of TIE Republi-
can party, manifeaed in the election ofthe
Governor, and the appointment of Ham
ilton to liic Office of the Secretary of the
Treafury, in preference to himfelf, have
Always been coni;dere6 as the caufe Of Mr..
Burr's uniting himfelfto The Republicans
We confefs that the latter circumstance Is sex
srely new to us; it is the frit time that we ever
heard that Mr. Burr was thought Of as tecreta-
ny of the treaiury.
5 On the 10th January 1891, Mr.. Burr "who
was now on the Republican fide of the Hou1e"
was appointed Senator OF this State in the Sc
nate of the United States, at which time he was
alto Attorney General of the State. The writer
then proceeds
/" Nothing very remarkable!in the con.
duct of Mr.. Burr occurred until April
1892, the returning period of the general
election of governor. One would ina
CINE that gratitude for the iignal benefits
conferred uponhim, would have induced him
cordially 10 unite his exertions with rhofe
of the Republican party. But Mr.. Burr
ieems TO have been indifferent to any in.
tereR ,but.his own. He was AFFORDED in Gelf.
love: He had only one object in view, the
qualification. Of an all graphing, never to
be fatis6ed ambition; and this he purified
with exhaulfleis ardour and interchangeable
activity. But as it is with him now, 10
it was -then, the very means he employed
for the attainment of his wilhes, were of
all Others the beif calculated to defeat him
felf."