The Illinois free trader and LaSalle County commercial advertiser. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1841-1843, 1842-11-04
NO.22.

to the efforts made 10 shake i, off.
With his bosom now ranking with
disappointment if not vengeance, her faith
er from this moment rapidly plunged from
error to error, and from crime to crime in
his downward career crushing the heart
ofTheodosia in every stage of his descent,
and making her repent more and more
bitterly, that she had ever united her fate
to that Of another, until she had lived 10
behold him at the height Of his ambition,
now so darkly INSTRUCTED by clouds Of in
trigue thrown upon his fame, and the bla-
ling splendor Of a popular rivals genius,
to blast his prospects by universal an,ici-
patlons Of defeat. On every side, she
heard with dismay, the prophetic annun-
citation, 4" he has reached the highest point
and never can gain the Presidency-that
honor is reserved for his pure and spotless
rival, the gifted and talented Hamil,on."
At the evening party, or at the levees
Of the President, in New York, Philadel-
phia or Washington, every where, the
doom of his exclusion from higher honors
echoed around her. congealing the current
OF her blood, with a thrill of anguish, little
short of agony. Even towards Burr she
became reversed and sometimes morose.
as if unwilling to behold one, whose heart
was equally embarked with his own, in
the cause of his waning glory, and whose
pangs must add TO his distress, unmanning
him for the struggles that his perilous
situation now demanded for his extrica-
ton. Feeling that he could thus do no
more for his benefit, she accompanied her
husband to Charleston where, shortly
after, he was elected Governor of South
Carolina.-Deeply was Burr affected by
her departure, and the big tear fell from
his cheek as he imprinted the last kiss on
her brow. Iheodosla felt too intensely
TO trust herself with serious farewell,
and embracing him with an affected cvity,
she bid him not faIter himself lha.her abb
sencc would be of long duration. Oh,
what agony then wrung her heart, when
under the semblance OF smile. she, for
the first time in her life, babe adieu TO the
parent she adored. Bot she dared not
think of their parting, and only lore her
seliaway, by indulging in every species Of
levity, wholly foreign 10 her real feelings,
and strangely at variance with her own
sense ofrespect, propriety and decorum.
The departure Of Theodosia, like the
loss of his better angel, left Burr prey
to all the evil passions, which mortified
feelings and ballled ambition, engender in
the mind of powerful and high spirited
man. With bitterness amounting to ago.
ny, did he dwell on his past miscarragcs
and deplore the inlalualion that had re-
strained him from grasping the highest
point Of honor at every sacrifice. True,
he was Vice Prcsldenl--but what was
that! An cminence of obscurily TO him
more acutely sensible Of the eminence of
brightness that glard above him, and which
he now began 10 feel he never could al
tain. And for whom was this brilliant
crown reserved for deadly foe, bitter
rival, one whom he had long hated, and
who, from his very boy-hood, like an
evil genius, had constantly crossed his
path to mar his ambition.-"H Hamilton!
that accursed evil spirit OF his fortunes"
: he mutered to himself, "this brilliant
, prize was reserved for Hamilton" Broo-l
ding perpelualIy over the idea, like Cato
/ fostering his heart with hatred for Cesar
r for his good fortune, his friends caught
the contagion OF his yindictiye spirit, and
eagerly seeking for an occasion Of quarrel
= with this great rival, soon reported to
Burr's ear, the sayings and remarks Of
S Hamilton, derogaiory to i3urr's fame, from
5 the epoch of the Revolution down to the
+. present lime--aIl Of which painted on. IN
i the gaudy colors OF aggravated exaggera-
+ ton being reported to Burr, demand for
c satisfaction ensued--explanahons were
e prontred by Hamilton, who was Avcrse 10
r duel.ing-but declined by Burr as unsa-
i. tsflctory. The fatal meeting was I'M
;, ayoidablc by the victim, Burr being chaled
) BY his own spirit into the ferocily of re-
y yenge--and death or victory over the
It character of his rival, being the motto OF
II his banner, which he had engraved ther0
by the chisel Of revenge.
n Hamilton was cool and resigned, but
d detected. lie had No hopes Of surviving
d the fatal combat, having already made up
ID his mind to fire into the air, 10 asJ..l the
a possibility olhis wounding his antagonist.
,r lie therefore repaired TO the ground as TO
is the place Of burial, a voluntary victim "a
III the code of false honor. (which euacled HE
er life to rescue him from that popular delu-