Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1852-01-29

cd this extraordinary challenge by which
it was attempted 10 hold him answcrable
for the numerous imputa,ions on Burr's
character banded about in conversation
and the newspapers for two or three years
past. The practice Of ducling he utterly
condemned indeed. he had himself alrea-
dy been victim Of it in the loss Of his
eldest son, 10y Of twenty. in political
duel some two years previously. As n
private citizen, us mar under the inAu-
ence Of moral and religious sentiments, as
husband living and loved, and the iahcr
Of a numerous and dependant family, as n
debtor, honorahly disposed, whose credi-
tors might suffer by his death, he had every
motive for avoiding the meeting. So he
stated ina paper which. under premon
ton Of his fate. be took care 10 leave
behind him.. 1t was in his character Of n
public man il was in that lofty spirit Of
patriotism, Of which examples arc so rare,
rising high above all personal and private
considerations spirit magnhnimous md
sclfsacrificing to the last, however in this
instance uncallcd FOR and misiakcn--,hat
he accepted the fatal challenge. The
ability 10 bcin future useful, such was his
own statement nf his motives, whether in
resisting mischief or cliccting good in
those crises of our public affairs which
seems likely to happen, would probably
be inscparable from conformity with pre-
ldicc in this particular"
With that candor toward his opponents
by Which Hamilton was ever so nobly dis
ringushed, but Of which so very seldom,
indeed, did he ever experience any return,
he disa, owed in lis paper the last he ever
wrote, any disT esition 10 aaix odium to
Burr's conduct in this particular case. lie
denied feeling toward Burr any personalil
will while he admitted that Burr might nat
urally beinhuenced against him by hearing
of strong animadversioas in which he had
INDUCED, and which as usually happens,
might probably have been aggravated in
the report. These animadversion', in
some cases, might have been occasioned
by miscons,ruciion or misiniormation, ye;
his censures had not proceeded on light
grounds nor from unworthy motives.-
From impossibliiy ,hov ever, that hcmighi
have injured Burr, as well as from his gen
cral principles anG temper in ralation ia
such affairs, he had come 10 the resolutinn
which he left on record and eonmunica
ted also 10 lis second, 10 Withhold and
throw away his frs; FIRE and perhaps ever
his second, thus giving to Bur double
opportunity TO pause and reject.
The grounds OF Wccl.avh on lie Der.
scy shore, opposite New York. we're at
tl1a, time the usual field Of these single
eombats, then chiefly Lv reason of the In
famed state ofpohlicul icclinr, Of frcuneni
occurrence, aud very seldom endel y Ill.,
out Lloodshcd. The dav la,ino been
fixed, and the hour appoipt.d at seven
O'Clock in the moruiae. tho uar1ies mct
accompari.d ONLY by their seconds TIC
barge men.as well as DR.. Hosack, the sur.
ICON mutually oureed upon remained no
usual, IA, distance, in order, irany fatal re-
suit should occur, not 10 be Witness.
The nar1ies having cvcLonroa sal,t,.
lions. the seconds measured ,ln Il; .,anco ol
ten PAGES; loaded the pistols; made the
other preliminary arrangements; and placed
the combatans. Atthcappoinrcd signal,
Burr took deliberate aim. and fred The
ball entered Hamilton's side, and q. he
fell his pistol too was unconsciuuslv dis-
charged Burr approached him apparent
ly somewhat moved; but on the suggestion
of his second, the surgeon and barge men
already approaching lie turned and hasten
ed away, Van Ness cody covering him
The surgeon found Hamilton halflying
half sitting on the ground supported in III,