The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-08-23
MIS0ElnAN EGUSo
Col. Bnrr,anF Gen, Hamilton,

b The knlckerbOcker contains an origin
~ anecdol4 concerning these celebrated pc
: sOnage, which is pecularly y Interesting fro
y ia authenticity. IL was related TO II
= Knickerbocker's correspondent by the la
~ Judge Bowan, of KenIucky--a genleme
i, of distinguished renown as a jurisl al
\ who filled at various times the Offices
}, Judge OF the Court Of Appeal, Secretary
= Stale, member Of the Legislature in h
. own Stale, which he also represented vii
i, marked ability in both Houses OF Congress
In relating lhe aIecdole, The Judge sal
he remembered the GTdCt words cf the pal
lies, and ba, he was the only living reCeip
lenl OF ,hem But four persons had eve
mad cognlzance OF them, these were Gen
Hamilton, Col. Burr, their muual lrlen,
lGen, --, who bound him 10 secrec,
during his life-iime. TIE injunction wa
removed by his Geah, and after forty years
silence he felt at liberty 10 speak, Judg'
Bowan IS now dead also.
In relating this anecdote, Judge Bowan
who was man of wonderful coIIoquia
powers, prelaced it by saying:
'Genleman, said he, rhis one circum
stance filled up, in my mind, the outlines
Of these two celebrated men: | want no
'her history Of them. You may write
Iponderous tones, eulogislic Of one and
lenunclatory Of the other, but | have a taci
IN my head, and il is the centre o(my opin
ION. Col. BUR, when arragned for hlt
rial did me the very great honor TO invite
me to become his counsel and advocae,bu
but remembered the fact, and refused
Itwls a, that period in our history when
lhe Confederation, having cast off the iron
hoop Of war, seemed to have no other bonc
Iuf strength. Mems minds were unsettled,
here was no gravllsllon Of prnciple-n'
unity, Of purpose-no centre OF motion
Patriotism had expended its enthusiasm
Iiber.y had lost It's vitality, and lorbearance
Is subordnalion. Burr believed that III,
.iaggerIng elements would fall in confusion
wrilhe for season in anarchy and emerg'
N monarchy. lie believed Iha, the fermen
la,ion, if allowed to take lis course, woult
roth and elfervescc, and recrliy by crystal
'zng, the desire 10 put Washington on th,
hrOne lie thought, however, that there
was shorter way TO stability by intrigue
IVY the conjuraiol Of adverse Influences, =
way less sinuous to his own advancement
lie believed tha, there was no man wl;hOuj
his price, while his acute dscernment told
pim that HamIlon's was a character which
even his own parlisanS would turn 10 in
despair, and prefer ii to his, in testing an
Iexperimeni or trying theory. He had q
proposition to make to Gen, Hamilton, ii
was patriotic or it was traiIorlous, II was
full of meaning overreachng the words,
balancing the ambiguity nicely, but search
ing enough TO find the weakness, had it ex.
Is,ed. lie knew he would be understood
withou, beiag commiued, answered, wiIhou,
being betrayed. There YVES treason in it,,
3ul il was in the occasion, the manner, the
words, if you please and yet i, was no
where, if he chose TO dsclaim lille had
= proposition 10 make, but he would no
write IT. Mark ,he man, he could not br
prevailed on TO put it upon paper. lie gave
his friend the words, and the emphasis, and
made him repeat both, until they tod
right to his own ear. These we're the eX
act terms.
Col Burr presents his compliments 10
Hamilton. viii Gen. II seize the presen
opportunity to give a stable government 'r
his country and provide foI his irieWdS'
G IN. Hamiion did not hesitate mo
menl, this was his tnswer:
Gen. Hamilton presents, in return, hit
compImenls 10 Col. Burr, Col. B. lhinks
Gen. H. Bmbi'ious, he is right, Gen. H. il
one Of lhe most ambilouS Of men, but his
whole ambition is to deserve well Of his
country
There is an answer continued the mar
rslor, (which would have defed Roman
there is the fist Of the offences which he
explated at Weehawken.'