The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1852-02-11

which he nigh, be charged with having
uttered but added that he never would
be inierr"gated generally as to whether
he had ever said anything in the course
m 6iieen years Of political competition,
I" justify the inferences which others
n'ight have drawn, thus exposing his
"and"r aud sincerity to injurious impu-
taiions on the part of all who nigh,
have misapprehended him. "More
than this" so the letter concluded, "can
II" 6lly lie expected of me especially,
it eau not he reasonably expected that
shall enter iRto any explanation upon
basis so vague as that you lave adopted.
! trust, on mare reflection. you will see
the matter in the same light. II not, ]
can only regret The circumstance aud a.
hide the Consequences.
Bnrr's curt, rude and offensive reply
began with iniimaiing that Hamilion's
llel,er was greatly deficient in that sim
cerily and delicacy which he professed
ST. much TO value. Tie epitbet in ques.
ton. in the common understanding nf il,
implied dishonor. il having been af,
fixed to Burr's name upon Hamilton's
authority, he was hound to say whether
he had authorized il, either directly or
hy ut,ering expressions or opinions de-
roga,ory to Burr's honor.
1t was apparent from the letter, and
i. was subsequent, distinctly stated by
Van Ness, that what Burr required was
a general disavowal on the part of Hams
'lton Of any intention, in any couversa,
ton he might evei have held to convey
impressions deroga,ory to the honor of
Burr.
Granting Burr's right to make this
extraordinary inquisiiion into Hami,
toms Confidential conversations aud cor
respondence, it would have been quite
Ont of The question for Hamilton to
make any such disavowal. Hispraciice
as lawyer had given him full Insight
into Bu,r's swindliug pecuniary ,rans-
actions, and he had long regarded him,
IN his private as well as his political
character, as a consummate villain, as
reckless aud unprinclpled as he was
cool. audaci"us, aud enterprising-an
opinion which he had found frequent
occasion to express more or less distinct
y wklle warning his federal friends a.
gainst the arts of Burr.
DESTROYS, however, to deprive Burr of
any possible excuse for persisling in his
murderons intentions, Hamilton caused
apaper Ia he transmitted To him, through
PtTdelun, a brother lawyer, who acted
as lis friend in this matter, TO the effect
that, if properly addressed-f Rurr's
second letter was considered too insult
'ng 10 admit Of repy-he should he
willing 10 state that the conversation
alluded to by Dr. Cooper, so far as he
could recall it, was wholly in relation ia
politics. and did not touch upon Burr's
private character nor should he hesi.
tate to make an equally prompt avowal oil
dlsavowal as TO any other particular and
specific conversation as TO which he
might be questioned.
But as Burr's onl ohjec vas to fiuc
a pretext for a challenge. since he nevel
could have expected the general disa.
v"wal which he demanded, thus offer
was pronounced Unsatisfactory and a
mere evasion ; and again a second time
dlsavowing in the same breath III,
charge made against him Of predeter
mined hostility, Burr requested Var
Ness 10 deliver challenge. Even afie
its delivery, Hamilton made a Iurlhe
attempt at pacific arrangement IN sec
ond paper. denying attempt to evade, O
intention TO defy or insult, as had beer
lnsluualed, with particular reference I.
The clnsing paragraph Of Hamilton
FIRST leller,in Burr's observations, through
Van Ness. on Hamilnn's first paper
But this second paper Van Ness refuse,
Ia receive. on The ground that challeng,
had been already given and accepted. |
was insisted. however, on Hamilton
part. as the Federal Circuit Court wa
IN session, in which he had man,
important cases, that the meetin,
, should be posip"ned ill the court wa
over, since he was not willing, by an
= act Of his. to expose his clients to en-
: barrassment, loss or delay.
II was not at all IN the spirit Of pro
fessed duellist, it was not upon any pal
Try point of honor, that Hamilton ha,
accepted this extraordinary challenge
by which il was attempted to hold hin
answerable for the numerous imputa
D iions of Burr's character banded abou
S in conversation aud the newspapers 70
! Two or three years past. The practic
: Of duelling he utterly condemned in
deed, he had himself already been a vic
D lin To i, in The losa of his oldest son.
D boy of twenty, in political duel som,