Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1804-08-08

him for all he might ever nave saiu u MN -
even in confidential conversations WITH MS
friends, during the whole course OF ms lie
he had the Unparalleled in1Pudence TO ae'
clare that he would be satisfied with !" nc
denial or declaration, Unless it be genefR
SO as wholly to exclude the idea that runonrs
derogatory to Col. Burr's h0nor, have orr
einated with General Hamilton or have
been fairly Inferred from any thing that ne
has said.'
Not only does he decline to specify any
particular conversation or charge, but he
places it on the most vague basis 1t pos
sible For the imagination, 10 conceive :
he demands that General Hamilton should
say that no ara.notlys derogatory to Mr..
Burr's honor" have originated witch him.
And what man in the community can even
conjecture what Mr.. Burr really considers
8. derogatorv to his h0nor ~ 1t is very
certain that his notions of hon0r, as well as
of Justice and humanity, differ very widely
from those Of mary truly Respectable men
on thesesubjects. YetisGen. Hamilton call
ed upon, not only to decide what Mr.. B.
would or would not consider an impu;ation
on the the purity of his honor not only
is he called upon to make formal declara-
ton as to every thing he may at any time
have said unfavorable to Mr.. Burr: but he
is also to account for whatever he had ct.
tered, from whence r,maors injurious to
Mr.. Burr may have originated, or even
fnterences prejudicial to him have been
drawn. A demand so indifnite, SO intrin-
sically unsusceptible of answer On expiana-
ton, Mr.. Burr we'll knew could not be COM
Piled with; it, was, therefore strenuously
repeated andspersisted in.by him. lis re-
jection was what he had anticipated, and
now, prepared for the eventby three months
previous practice which had enabled him to
direct his ball with unerring certainty, he
seizes the opportunity which by his own
confession, he had been long seeking, to
challenge AMMAN whose gallant, economically
gallant, spirit could not refuse sucha call,
however, exceptionablc the grounds of it:
tooswell Gidshe calculate upon his knowledge
OF him whose destruction he had plotted.
Nothing now remained but to restrain
the skill he had already acquired in the use
OF his pistol, and we record it as a fact
thai will damn him to everlasting infamy,
that he continued shooting at a card, after
hechalenSe Uas .ei0eu and accepted, and
till the time of the fatal interview. In vain
has been the quick sighted vigilance of
some OF his adherehts to discover every
one who could give evidence on this point
and eltnc~ RI send t'4eIi' Uut cl Iiio w.
prepare them for any enquiries that should
be made of them. We repeat that it is
fact susceptible Of the most satisfactory
proof; while on the part of his generous
antagonist, there was neither practice nor
skill at any time of his life. Such was his
delicate sense of honor, we may say, even
10 fastidousness, that when the pistols
which. he was to use, were shewn to'hlm
previously to going out, and he wa. deslr-
ed to examine them, and raise them mere
ly to feel their weight, he declined even do
ing this, considering it to be unwarrant-
able; and it was not without some persua-
sion and even railery, that. he at length
took one into his hand, and after barely
looking at it laid it down.
Several of Mr.. Burr's Intimate friends
and advisers SO well knew General Hamit-
toms total unskillfulness in the use of the
pistol, that some of them have been heard
to say that they thought there was but little
danger In being exposed to his FIRE, allow
ing that he should seriously intend it to
take ehect. But it is also yell known to
numbers Of his friends, and indeed TO ma
nv Others, for Hamilton never conce a!ed "a
ny thing, that it had long been his fixed deA
If he received q challenge
which he could not in his own Judgment a
void accepting, to throw away his FIRE, till
he should be absolutely compelled to use