Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-10-16
The Duel between Gen. Hamilton and
Col. Burr.

Having accidently met with detailed account
of the celebrated duel. not generally accessible.
says the Raleigh Register we have thought the
narrative might not be uninteresting to our
readers. II will be recollcctcd that in the vo-
lent party politics consequent upon the state OF
things after the close of the Revolution. that
those two gentlemen, each holding prominent
positions, were politically opposed 10 each other.
In June. 1901. Col Burr, then Vice President
of United States. addressed oile following letter
to Gen. Hamilton. requiring his acknowledge
mcnt or denial of the Use of any expression
dcrogatory TO his honor -
NEw-IoRk. juno Is. 1904.
SIR u send for your pcrusal letter signed
Charles D. Cooper. which. though apparently
published some time ago, has but very recently
come to my knowledge. Mr.. Van Ness, who
does me the honor to deliver this, will point out
to YOU that clause of the letter to which ! par
ticularly request your attention.
You may perceive. sir, the necessity of n
prompt and unqualified acknowledgment or
denial of the Use of any expression which would
warrant the assertion of DIR. Cooper.
have the honor to be your obedent servt,
Gen. HAMILTON. A. BURR.
Which received from General Hamilton the
following reply
NEw-IoRK. June 90, 1904.
Sir Il have maturcv reflected on the sub
icct of your letter of the 18th inst. and the more
| nave reflected the more | have become con-
WINGED that ! could not. without manifest impro-
priety. make the avowa which you seem to
think necessary. The clause pointed ont by
Mr. Van Ness is in these terms - could de-
tail to you n still more deSpicabie opinion which
G. neral Hamilton has expressed of Mr.. Burr.
TO cndeavor to discover the meaning of this
declaration. was obliged to seek. in the an
tecedcnt part of this letter, for the opinion to
which it referred. as having been already dis
closed. | found it in these words General
Hamilton and Judge Kent have declared. in
subsiance. that they looked upon Mr.. Burr to be
u dangerous man, and one who ought not to be
trusted Wih The reiuS Of gorcrnn,em.'
The language of DR.. Cooper plainly implies
that he considered this opinion of you, which
he attributes to me- as a despicabie one but ne
allirms that have expressed some other, more
despicaJle, without, however, mentioning to
whom. when or where. lis evident that the
phrase still more dcspicablc," admits of in.
finite shades. from very light to very dark How
am to Judge of the degree intended or how
shall annex any precise idea to language SC
definite !
Between gentlemen, dcspicqblc and more des
picabie are not worth the pains Of distinction
when therefore, you do not intcrrogatc me as tC
! the opinion which j. specifically ascrlbcd to me
] must conclude that you view IL as within the
/ limits to which the anilnadvcrsions of politica
opponents upon each other may ustilaby cX
tend, and consequently not warrantne the
idea of it which DR.. Cooper appears to enter.
tain. If so what precise Inference could you
draw. as Il guide for your conduct. were | tc
acknowledge that had expressed an opinion OF
YOU still more dcSpicabie than the one which is
partcularized? How could you be sure that
even this opinion had exceeded the bounds
which you would yourself deem admissible be.
tween political opponents
But iorbcar further comment on the embar.
rassmcnt, to which the requi>ition You have
made naturally leads. The occasion iorbids a
more ample illustration, though nothing coulc
be more easy than to pursue it.
Repeating that cannot reconcile it with pro-
priety to make the acknowledgment or denia
you desire, will add that deem it inadmissiblt
on principle, to consent to be Intercepted rs I,
the business of the mterences which may be
drawn by others from whatever | may have saiC
of political opponent. in the course of fifteen
years competition. If there was no other oh
lection to it. this is sufficient that it would tenC
to expose my sincerity and decacy to injurious
imputationS from every person VINO may at any
time have conceived the import of my expires
sions. different from what | may then have in
tended, or may afterwards rccollect. | stan,
ready to avow or disavow promptly and explicit
" any precise or definite opinion which may
be charged with having declared of any gentle
man. More than this cannot fifty be cXpectc,
from me and especially it cannot be reaSona
bly, expected that shall enter into an eNplana
ton upon Il basis 50 vague ~ that which you
have adopted. trust, on more reflection. yo'
will sec the matter in the same light with me.
not, | can only regret the circumstance am
must abide the consequences.
The publication of DIR. Cooper was ncyc
seen by me till after the receipt Of your letter.
| have the honor to be &c.
COL BURR. a. HAMILTON.
4 very naughty. and, in its tone otfenSiv
reply was returned in answer TO this letter b.
Col. Burr and the matter passed into the hand
of Col. VIM L. Van Ness, on the part oil Col
, Burr, and Nathaniel Pendlcton, Esq, on tina
of Gen. llamilton.-Several communication
passed between these gentlemen without arriv
ing at any satisfactory result, the tone OF Col
Burr's demands being dictatorial and uncom'
promising. On the 10Th OF June, Mr.. Pendc
ton wrote as follows -
26th June, 1904.
Sir Il have communicated the letter whlcl
you did me the honor To write to me OF this date
To wen. lElllllloD. ne tAINhlhtiblH INV ''''
closed on the part of Col Burr, appear to hin
to have greatly extended the original ground o
inquiry, and instead of presenting "A partcula
and definite case of explanation, seem to ann "a
nothing less than an inqulstion into his mos
confidential conversations, as well as Others
through the whole period OF his acquaintance
with Col. Burr
While he was prepared to meet the parlcula
case fairly and fully, he thinks 1t inaumlssibl'
that he should be expected To answer at large
as To every thing he may possible have said, II
relation To the character oi Col. Burr, at any
time or upon any occasion. Though he is no
conscious that any charges which are in circu
lation To the prejudice of Col, Burr, have orr
ginated with him, except one which may hay,
been so considered, and which has long sine,
been fully explained between Col. Burr and him
! sell-yet he cannot consent to be questione,
generally rs To any runners which may he ailoa
derogatory to the character of Col. Burr, with
out specification of the several rumors, many o
them probably unknown 10 him. lie does not
however, mean to authorize any conclusion a
to the real nature OF his conduct in relation Il
Col. Burr, by his declining so loose and vague
a basis of explanation, and he disavows an un
Willingness TO come To Il satisfactory provided
! II be an honorable, accommodation. Ills oh
lection il, the very indefinite ground which Col