New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-01-15
NUMBER 234.
Last Momentg q col. Aaron BUZZ.
WAsHrNaToN, Dec. 1s. 185:

r.
s 10. -. s- WASHINGTON, Dec. 18. 1855.
.Messrs. Gales & Seato,s :. Having listened D
few days ago to the sermon OF most worthy
and eminent divine Of your city, who took &C.
casion TO represent the generally received opins
disbelief, addressed q note to the venerable
Rev. DR.. P. j. Vsnpelt, of New York, on the
subject, who is the best living authority in re-
gard to it. In travelling up the North river,
two or three years ago, casually met and
made the acquaintance Of this venerable divine,
who, among other topics of conversation, de-
scribed to me very interesting interview ne
had one afternoon with Gen. Washing ton Inc
conversation happening to turn on the character
Of Aaron Burr, understood DR.. Vanpelt to say
that he had attended him in his last moments,
and administered to him the Holy Sacrament:
After hearing the sermon above referred TO.
wrote to DR.. Vanpelt, desiring him to give me q
statement of all the facts concerning the last
moments Of Col. Burr, whether he had held
religious conversations with him, and what were
the opinions Col. B. entertained on religion, and
| whether Dr.. v. believed him to be an atheistor
| deist The enclosed letter is DR.. Vanpelts
reply, EhichI beg you to publish, that posterity
may have the benefit Of it, and that time, with
| its diurnal revelations Of truth, may gradually
| brighten the character Of Aaron Burr in this
regard.
! With great esteem, T have the honor 70 be
4 your obedient servant, SAN g. REID, JE .5
HAMMOND STREET, IN, y Dec. 10, 1885.
Mr.. SAN G. REID, Jr:
4 Ny Dear SIR: 81 received yours Of Monday,
10Th inst, last evening, in which you 6 desire
me to give you full statement Of all the facts
concerning the last moments Of Col Aaron
Burr etc. In compliance with your desire,
state: That in the summer, about the Goth
5 June, 1856, Col. a. Burr came 10 Port Rich
mond Hotel, {Sta&en Island, } where he took
board, near which then resided, az did also the
relative and friend of Col. Burr, Judge Ogden
Edwards. The Colonel (Burr) being 8 valetu.
dinarian, in feeble health, Judge Edwards aoli
cited me, as often as conveniently could, t
visit him and administer the consultations 0
. religion to him, which he said was desired By
4 Col Burr, and would be agreeable to him.
: Accordingly, from that time until the 13tf
d September, 1896, the day ON which he died O
8 the said Port Richmond House, visited him a
d 9 minister Of the gospel once or twice o week
2 at these consecutive interviews ! was uniforml,
received and entertained by him with his accus
toned politeness and urbanity Of manner. Th
l time spent with him st each interview, Whicl
9 vas an hour, more or less, was chiefly employet
I in religious conversation adapted to bis decli
g ming health, his feeble state Of body, and hi
l. advanced age, concluded by prayer to Almight
God for the exercise Of his great mercy, the In
e. huence Of his holy spirit and divine blessing
st in all which he appeared to take an interest an
a be pleased, and particularly would thank N
4 for the prayers offered up in his behalf, f.
:. my kind office, and the interest TOOK IN q
ie spiritual welfare, saying that 1t gave him ples
ne sure to see me and hear my voice.
1t When I reminded him Of the advantages
lie had enjoyed, of his honored and pious ancestr
I'd viz his father minister Of the gospel OF
NJ President Of the College at Princeton, New Je
70, sey, and his mother descendant Of the learnt
ne and celebrated divine, Jonathan Edwards, a.
b. that doubtless many prayers had gone mp.
he heaven from the hearts Of his parents for
t. we'll being and happiness, it seemed to ate
mt him; and when asked him as to his views
the holy Scriptures, he responded, sc they we
the most perfect system Of truth the world b
or ever seem So that, judging from his own
me claration and his behavior to me 80 bis spr1t1
an adviser, he was not an ATHEIST nor delst.
em' Ii' did not administer the Holy Sacrament 70 n
's4 nor did he suggest and requst me to do 1t. Y
saE, In regard to other topics, in the eours
repeated conversations, he remarked that
=, was near Gen. Montgomery when he fell
% Quebec; and that, Notwithstanding that diE
dsr ts ter, if the army had pushed on they would
'ne succeeded.
sto AT my last interview with Him, about
m tos o'clock at noon, thesdsy he departed this ]
ths sbout o'clock, ,sP. NJ. as aforesaid, Septem
o. RA@seS@N
es1y me, tranquil in mind, and not disturbed
sne bodily pain. Observing o paleness and cha
= 10 in his countenanee and his pulse tremul,
sun huttering and erratic, I asked him how he !
nae- He replied not so well as when I last saw
'n- then said, Colonel, do not wish to alarm J
LICE but, judging from the state Of your pulse,
time with US is short. He replied, 81 am aN
N to of it," 1t was then near one O'Clock T. NJ,
Ion his mind and memory seemed perfect. sal
viii, him, in this solemn hour of your apparent
oitv solution, believing as you do in the sac
At IN scriptures your accountability to God, let
ask YOU how you feel in view of approach
"a eternity; whether you have good hope thro
grace that all your sins will be pardoned,
vier that God will in mercy pardon you tor the s
for of the merits and Righteousness OF his belo
.ts ~ Son, our Lord Jesus Christ who in love suft
and died for us the agonizing bitter death Of
nans cross, by whom alone we can have the only
1'D' hope of salvation: To which he said, with {
and evident emotion, ssOn that subject ]
coy" By which understood him to mean
on subject Of such magnitude and momen
interest, touching the assurance OF his salVa'
Co., he felt coy Cautious, as the word denotes
express himself in full confidence.
With his usual cordial concurrence and n
Eli ifest desire, we kneeled in prayer before
throne of heavenly grace, imploring =
op s. mercy and blessing. He turned in his bed
put himself in an humble devotional posture,
nith seemed deeply engaged in the religious ser
thanking me, as usual, for the prayer mad
!. him Calm and composed, recommended
lewis to the mercy of God and to the word OF his
with q last farewell At about 2 ooloek, P.
without groan or struggle. he breathed
h, IL last His death was easy and gentle as t
in the socket and as the summers wave
rd S dies upon the shore. Thus died Colonel A
Burr. 4.-
His first funeral service was performed b
de s. in the Port Richmond House, where he
Thence we took his remains to the chap
'da s. Princeton College, New Jersey, where Dr. Co
han, the President, and myself performe
Hyde last funeral service before the students, the
ulty, the military, and a numerous assemp
and he was buried as he requested, in the
Nix ulchre Of his ancestors.
With respects,
2. J. VASPELT, D.
SrNcrrAR ASTRONOMICAL PREDICTION ABo