The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1845-08-23
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Col. Burr and Gen. Hamilton.

/
anecdots concerning these celebrated per
sonage, which is peculiarly interesting from
ITS authenticity. IL was related 10 the
Knickerbocker's correspondent, by the late
Judge Bowau, Of Kentucky-a gentlemen
of distinguished renown as jurist, ant
who filed At various times the Offices oi
Judge of the Court OF Appeal, Secretary OI
Sla,e, member of The Legislature in his
own State, which he also represented will
marked ability in both Houses OF Congress.
ln relating he aIecdole, the Judge said
he remembered The eTdct words cf the par
lies, and that he was The only living receip
lent of ,hem. But four persons had ever
mad cognizance Of them, these were Gen.
Hamilton, Col. Burr, their mutual irienG
Gen. -, who bound him 10 secrecy
during his lifetime. The injunction wac
removed by his death, and alter forty years
silence ne felt a, liberty 10 speak judge
Bowan IS now dead also.
In relating this anecdote, Judge Bowan
tho was man of wonderful colloqula
powers, prefaced i, by saying:
'Genteman,' said he, This one circum
stance filed up, in my mind, the outlines
Of these two celebrated men: want NJ
other history Of them. You may write
ponderous tones, eulogis'c of one and
of the other, but | have a faci
lin nv head, and it is the centre ofmy opin
ion. Col. BUR-, when arragned for hl'
llrial did me the very great honor to invite
me TO become his counsel and advocaebu
bu, remem bered the fact. and refused
twas al that period in our history wher
The Confederation, having cast off the lror
hoop of war, seemed to have no other bone
of strength. Mems minds were unsettled
here was no gravita,iOn OF principle-n
unity, Of purpose-no centre OF mouon
Patriotism had expended it's enthusiasm
ber.y had lost its vitality, and lorbearanct
hts subordina,ion. Burr believed that thu
staggering elements would fall in confusion
vrilhe for a season in anarchy and emerg'
IN monarchy. He believed that the fermen
lation, if allowed TO take lis course, woult
lrolh and efIervesce, and reclify by crystal
,zlng, the desire to put Washington on lh
Throne. lie thought, however, that ther
was a shorter way 10 stability by in'rign
Iby the conjuratio, Of adverse influences,
way less sinuous to his own advancement
He believed that there was no man wi;hou
his price, while his acute discernment tol
lhim tina, Hamilon's was character wbc
Ieven his own parisans would turn TO /
ldespair, and prefer it to his, in testing a
Experiment or trying theory. lie had
proposition 10 make to Gen, Ham'iton'
was patriotic or i, was trsilorious, 1t wa
IruIl of meaningi overreachng the words
balancing the ambiguity nicely, but search
, ing enough to find the weaknesi, had 1t e.
listed He knew he would be understood
Iwithou, being committed, answered, wl'ho'
|being betrayed. There was treason In
lint i, was in the occasion, the manner, IN
words, if You please, and yet it was
lwhere, if he chose TO disclalm lt!-He ha
proposition 10 make, but he would NJ
write III Mark ,he man, he could mol
prevailed on to put it upon paper lie ga
his friend the words, and the emphasis 'ar
made him repeat bolh' until they to
rich, to his own ear. These were the e.
act terms.
Col. Burr presents bis compliments
Hamilton. will Gen. IL seize the Prese
opportunity to give stable government
his country and provide fo' his lreadsF
GEN. Hamilton did not hesitate m
men,, this was his tnswet:
Gen. Hamilton presents, in return, !
complmen,s 10 Col. Burr, Col. b. 'hn
Gen. Fl. ambitious, he is right, Gen. H.
one of the most ambitious Of men. but
o whole ambition is to deserve well OF
country
no There is an answer, continued the n
,es rator, (which would have dehed kom
Of there is Tho hisl Of The offences when