Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1845-03-13
From The Kaickcrbocker.
GENERAL HAMILTON AND COLO,
MEL, BURR
l RANQUILlTAs.

Our thanks are due. and cor 'ially ter
dcred,to the c rrespondenl from whom we
derive the su' j'ined interesting commu
nicalion:'l send yu.' he writes, san o.
rIgInal anecdote OF General Hamilton and
Colonel Burr, which You may RELY upon
as authentic. II was related to a par,v
OF gentlemen. of whom | was one. by the
late Judge Rowan Of Kentucky, in his
Ia time at different periods dis ingnish
Ell member Of both houses Of Congress
from that Stale; and celebrated i'm the
western country "a the first criminal Inv,
YER OF his day not even excepting Mr.
Clay blmsef A. the time Of The relation.
IN the winter Of 1910, he had passed his
eeh,ie,h yeu, but he had retained his
eminent II q i'll ia' al les unim;ared;
and he told The story with an cmphss $
and manner peculiarly his own He re
marked, that he had retained IN his mem.
DRY the exact words Of the parties, and
that he was the only living recipient of
them Bat four persons, up to tina, mo.
mon. had ever had cogpiz ince of the
ci:cums'ance; rte;e were, General Ilamil.
ton, Colonel Burr, their mutual friend.
General ID ,and himself lie had
his information from General ID.
and he was pledged TO secrecy during his
lifetime. The mi junction Of secrecy was
now removed, by the recent dea'h of hi.
friend, and he felt at liberty to speak
lie had been silent for forty years, he
was young man when he heard the an :
ecdo'e; he was an old man now, when
PROPOSE g 10 relate il Tor the frst time.
Gentlemen ssid he, shis one circum-
stance filled up, in my mind, the outlines
of The character Of these two celebrated
men; | want no other history Of them
You may write ponderous tones e logis,ic
Of the one and denuciatory Of the other;
but have fact in my head, and it is the
centre OF my opinion. Colonel Burr,
when arraigned for his trial, did me The
very great honor 10 invite me 10 become
his counsel and advocate, but | remem-
bered the fact, and refused.
'lt was at that period in our history
when the confedera ion, having cast off
the iron hoop Of war, seemed to have no
other bond OF Strength. Mens's minds
were unsettled; there was no gravi;a,ion
OF principle, no unity Of purpose, no CEN
ire Of motion. Patriotism had expended
its ENTHUSIASM; liberty had lost its vital
ny, forbearance its subordinate Burr
believed that the staggering elements
would fall in confusion. writhe for a sea
son 10 anarchy, and emerge in monarchy.
He hsiie~ed that ths Representation, If al
totoed TO take its course, would froth and
ef1rvesce, and roctify BY crystaIizing,
the desire to PUT Washington on the
throne. He thought, however. that there
vas shorter way to stability by intrigue
by the COMPUTATION Of adverse influences;
way less sinuous 10 his own advance.
ment. lie believed there was no man
wlthou, his price, while his acute discern
ment told him that Hamilton's was char.
acter which even his own parlizans
would turn to in dispair. and perfcr it to
his, IN testing an experiment or trying a
theory. lie had proposition to make
bu he would not write it down! Mark the
man; he conld not be prevailed on to put
upon paper. He gave his friend the
words, and the emphasis, and made him
repeat both. until they told right TO his
own ear. These were The exact terms:
Colonel Burr presents his commit
ments to General Hamilton: vii! Gem
eIal ii. seize the present opportunity 10
give a stable government; TO his country,
and propids for his friends?"
General Hamilton did not hesitate a
moment: this was his answer:
General Hami ton presents, in re-
turn, his compliments TO Colonel Burr:
Colonel B. thinks General Fl. ambitious:
he is right; General H. is one of the
most ambitious Of men, bnt his DAole am
billion is to deserve well OF his country
There is an answer, continued the
narrator, which would have defied n
woman; there is the first Of tho offences
which he expiated at Wechlwken."