Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1845-04-10
Gemeral IIa,riIlon md Colonel Esurr.

Our thanks are due, and cordially rendered to the
correspondent from whom we derive the subio.ned in
tereStlng communication: al send you," lie writes,
an original anecdote Of General Hamilton and Colonel
Burr, which you may rely upon as authentic 1t was
related to a party Of gentlemen, Of whom WIS ore,
by the late Judge Rowan Of Kentucky, in his lifetime
at different periods distinguished member of both
houses Of Congress fom that State; and celebrated
IN the western country the first criminal lawyer of
his day-not even excepting Mr. Clay himself At
the time of the relation, in the winter Of 1910, he
had passed his eghieh year, bat he had retained his
eminent colloquial faculties unimpared and he told
the story with On emphasis and manner peculiarly his
own. lie remarked that he had retained in his men,
DRY the exact words of the parties and that he the
only living recipient Of them But four persons UP to
that moment, had ever had cogrizances of the cir
cumstances; these were, General Hamilton, Colonel
Burr, their mutual friend General D = =, and him
self. He had his information from General d =,
and he was pledged to secrecy during his lifetime
The injunction of secrecy was now removed, by the
recent death of his FRIEND and he felt at Liberty TO
speak. lie had be,n silent Tor 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 be, ''this one circumstance
filled up In my mind tie outlines of the character of
these two celebrated men want no o.her history Of
them. You may write ponderous tones, eulogistic
OF one and denunciatory Of the other; but have
fac in my bead, and 1t Is the centre Of my opinion.
Col. Burr when rragned for mis- trial, did me the
very great honor to invite TO become his counsel
oa1 advocate, but remembered the feet and refused.
at at that period in our history when the Con-
federation, having cast OF the iron hoop Of war; SEEM
ed to have no ether bond Of strength. Mems minds
were unsettled: there no grGvitation Of pr.nci-
pie; no unity OF Parpoe no centre of motion. "a
triOtism hsd expended Its enthusiasm; liberty had
lost Its vitality, and forbearaace It's subordinaton
Burr believed that The staggering elements would fall
INTO confusion, writhe for season in anarchy, and
emerge ID monarchy. He believed that the ferment-
alton, II dbO'ced to take ats course, would froth and
efFervesce and rectfy by crystalizng the desire to
put Washington on the throne. He thought howev-
er that there was shorter way TO stability By In
trigue by the conjuration of adverse influences
way less snuous TO his own advancement. He be-
Leved that there no without his price, while
his acute discernment told him that Hamiltons was
character which even his pariizan would turn TO
in despair ard prefer it to his in testing an expert
mcnt or trying theory. He had a proposition tc
make to General Hamilton it was patriotic or it was
traitOrous; it was fun of meaning, overreaching the
words, balancing the ambiguity nicely but searching
enough to find the weakness, had existed. He knew
he would be understood without being committed !,
answered, without being betrayed. There was trea-
son in 1t but 1t the occasion, the manner the
words, if you please; and yet it where, if he
chose TO diSclaim 1t! He had proposition to make,
bat he would not write it down Mark the man; lie
could not be prevailed 20 put it on paper. He gave
his friend the words and the emphasis, and made him
repeat both until they told right to his ear These
were the exact terms
'Co.oael Burr presents his compliments to General
Hamilol: Will Gen. Fl. seize the present oppor:u-
nifty 10 give static government 10 his country and
ps0rids for his friends %
General Hamilton did not hesitate 4 moment this
was his answer:
General Hamilton presents in return his compli-
ments 10 Col. Burr; Col. 3. thinks Gen. II. aribI-
tious; he is right; Gen. H. IS one Of tie most ambi-
tious of men but his lci0e ambition is to deserve
well of his country
''There is an answer continued the narrator,
(which would have dei.eda Roman there is the first
of the offences which he expiated at Weehawken.''-
K.icterbOcker.