Jenks' Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1803-1805, 1804-07-30
I'll.

New York, ,1are 40, rSo4-
Sill have maturcly reflected on the fub-
ra of your letter of the 9Th init and the more
1 have reflected, the more have become con-
tinced that | could not without n,anifeR inn
proPriery make the avowzl or d:iayowal which
you feem to think neceRary. The clauie point
ed out by Mr.. Van Nefs is in thefe terms, !" {
gould detail to you till meyr dsioica5!e opinion
which Hamilton bas exprsgsd Of Mr.. BURR To
endeavor to edifcover the meaning Of this decla-
ration. was obliged to feck the antccedent
part of this letter for the opinion to which it re-
ferred, as having been already difcloied Il found
It In ,hefe words, Gen. Hamilton and Tudp-
Kent have declared in faId0nr<, that they look
ed upon Mr.. Burr to BE- daxRusus man and one
@5o ought nat to le frvar4 sgtk tks rryns Of xsy-
tsnment."a
The language Of doctor Cooper plainly i'm.
pies, that h conhdered this opinion Of ycu.
which he attributes to me, as q dxyS:eski< one.
Aut &c aHirms that have expreiied iomc other.
AiA more defieolle, without however, mention
ing to whom, when, or where 'ris eyiden,
shat the phrafe " till more defpicab.c" admits
Of infinite fhades from very light 10 very dark.
How am I to Judge of the degree intended or
how flall annex any prcciie idea to language
70 indefinite
Between gentlemen, dslp;cab1 and ,nere del5i-
co5s are not worth the pains OF ditinetion :
vhen therefore you do net interrogatc me-, as to
che opinion which is specifically aicribcd to me,
n,uH conclude, that you view it as within the
limits to which the anim,dvrrfions of political
opponents upon each other may juitihably ex-
tend. and coniequently as not warranting the
idea Of it which doctor Cooper appears to enter
tam. If 10, what precife inference could YOU
draw. as guide for yca conduct, were / to
acknowledge that had exprefled an opinion
ef you RN more dllpi.0bs than the one which is
p3rticularizcd How could you be firc that
sven this opinion had exceeded the bounds
which you would yourief deem admfli5e be-
tween political opponents
But / forbear farther comment on the EN-
hagragments, 20 which the requiG,ion you have
c,ade naturally leads. The occafion forbids a
more ample illufration, though nothing could
4, more cafy than to purdue it.
Repeating that cannot reconcile it with pro-
esicty to make the acknowledgment or denial
) you deirr, will add that deem it mad niiIibie
en- principle, TO conenr to be Intercepted as to
she iuiincfs of the inf, eue3 which may be drawn
hv others from whatever may have iad of a
up;tical opponent in the courie of fifteen years
competition. If there were no other objection
"a il, this is fuf6cicnr, thar it would tend to ex
pate my iincerity and decacy to injurious inn
rusations from every perion who may at any
tine have conceived the import of my cxprei.
f.Is, differently from what may then have in
,,,,ded or may afterwards rccollra. ftand
t.sdy to avow or diiavow promptly and explicit
n any precife or definite opinion which may
h charged with having declared Of any gentle
nan. More than this cannot fifty be expected
fam me; and Especially it cannot be reaionably
ss9ssted that ] ilall enter into an explanation