The North-Carolina standard., 1845-04-09
GEN HAMILTON AND. col. BURR.

In the Editorial Table Of the Knickerbocker
for March, we find the following anecdole
Gen. Hamat0n and Cot Barr Our thank.
are due, and cordially rendered to the correspond
ent from whom wr derive the subieined interest
ing communication: / send you,' hr writes ar
original anecdotc OF Gen. Hamilton and Col Burr
which you may rely upon rs authentic. II wa
related to a'parly of gentlemen, of whom wa:
one, by The late Judge Rowon Of Kentucky, ii
his lite at different periods distinguished Dembe
Of both houses of Congress- from that state: ant
celebrated in rhe western country as the lrst Grim
inal lawyer of his day-not even excepting MIR
Clay himself AT the time Of the relation, IN the
winter of 1910, he had passed his eighteenth year
but he had retained his eminent colloquial facul
ties unimpared land he told the story with an EN-
phass and manner peculiarly his own. He re
marked, that he had retained in his memory the
exact words of the parties, and that he was the
only living recipient of them. Bun four persons
up to that moment, had ever had cognizance o.
the circumstances these were. General Hamil
ton, Col. Burr. their mutual friend, Genera
d =, and himself He had his informa-
lion from Gen D =, and he was pledged
to secrecy during his life time, The injunction
of secrecy was now removed, by the recent death
of his friend, and he felt at liberty to speak HI
had been silent for forty years; he was young
man when he heard the anecdote; he was an old
man now when proposing to relate it for the first
time. 'Gentlemen,' said he, this one crcum
stance filled up, in my mind, the outlines of the
character ofthcse two celebrated men ; [ want nc
other history of them. You may write ponder
Gus tones, eulogisic of the one and denunciatory
of the other but have fact in my bead and i
is the centre of my opinion. Col Burr, when
arraigned for his trial. did me the honor TO invite
me to become his counsel and advocate. but l re-
menbercd the fact and refused. :
" 1t was at that period of our history when the
confederation, having cast off the iron hoopof war;
sreracd 10 have no other band of strength Mems
minds were unsettIcd-there was no graritntion ot
principle--no unity of purposc-no centre Of no
ton. Patriotism had expended its enthusiasm
liberty had lost its vitalny-and forbearance its
subordinalion. Burr believed that the staggering g
elements would fall in confusion. writhe for sea-
son in anarchy, and emerge in monarchy He
believed that the Fermentation if allowed to take
its course, would froth and effervcsce, and rectify
by crvStalizing, the desire to put Washington on
the throne He thought, however. that there was
a shorter stability by intrigue; by the conjura-
ton OF adverse influences; way less sinuous 10
his own advancement He believed that there
was no man without his price, while his acute dis
cernment told him Hamillons was a character
which even his own parlizans would turn>to in
dispair and prefer it to his testing an experiment
or trying theory.
He had proposition TO make to General Ham
ilton it patriotic or it ,raiterous; it was
full of meaning. ovcrreaching the words, halanc-
ing the ambiguity nicely, but searching enough
10 find the weakness, had it existed. He knew
be would be understood without being committed
answered without being betrayed There was
reason in it but it was in the occasion, the man.
ner, the words if you please; and yet it was no
where, if he chooses TO disclaim it He had n
proposition to'inake bot he could not write it down
Mark the man; he could not be prevailed on to
put it upon paper. He gave his friend the words
md the emphasis and made him repeat both, un-
ii they told right to his own ear. These were
he exact terms:
=" Colonel Barr presents his compliments to
General Hamilton Will Gfnernl Fl. seize the
present opportunity TO give stable government 10
lis country. and proride for Ais friends 2'
"Generaf Hamilton did not hesitate moment;
his was his answer:
General Hamilton presents, in return, his
compliments 10 Colonel Burr: Colonel B. thinks
General H. ambitious he is right; General H.
s one Of the most ambitious of men; but his
7hote ambition is to deserve well of his country"
There is answer" continued the narrator
which would have defrd a Roman there is the
;Jst of the offences which he expialed at Wee
awken."