The River Falls journal. (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1857-1861, 1858-02-17
3fisttllalrtous.
AARON BURR;S FEMALE
CORRESPONDENCE.
From the Albany Journal.

For the vindicaton not less of the fame
of Col. Burr's Literary Executor" than
of the truth of history, we feel it our du-
ty to state facts, within our own knowl-
edge, which but for a provocation that
will be deemed an "acquittance," we
should never have publicly revealed.
pei Colonel Burr not only preserved, but
with scrupulous care filed the letters he
received. His correspondence, especially
with the female sex was extensive. Much
of this was evidently with the educated
and refned-much of it showing his asso-
citation with the gifted and pure of mind
much more with those whom his ''wiles
had undermined and poisoned" These
were however, found in common with let
tiers from an exceptionable class and of an
offensive character. All were carefully
endorsed with the places, dates, and names
of the writers. Where names were sign
ed with initials, or were anonymous, the
full name appeared in Colonel Burr's
handwriting. With many of these let
tiers were copies Of Col. Burr's replies.-
We remember most interesting series
between Colonel Burr and West In
dian lady, of high culture, taste and pu-
rity, who for long time combatted and
resisted the false and fatal teachings of
the tempter, only in the cid to cxempi-
fly the experience of those who "frst
endure and then embrace error.
The night before Col. Burr met Gen.
Hamilton, he wrote a letter to his daugh-
ter Theodosia, (Mrs Aston, } in which he
bequcathed his correspondence, contained
as he says, Gin six blue boxes" to her
with the request that those that would
iniure the writers be burned. In his will
referring to these blue boxes again, as con-
tanning his Confidential Female Cores
pondence," he says to his daughter "Yo on
will find in them something to amuse,
much to instruct, and more to for
give"
But, as Gen. Hamilton instead of Col.
Burr, fell, these ''bue boxes" remained,
in the possession of Col. Burr, and came
after his death into the hands of his "Lit-
crary Executor"
During our long ana close intimacy
with the late Mathew l., Davis, and par
ticu!arly when he was engaged in wri-
ting the life Of Burr, we enjoyed, conf
dentially, the privilege, at his house in
Chcrry-street, of rerasng the materials
out of which that history was woven
The Confidential Female Correspondence
was before us with all its startling revela-
tons. We thought and felt then as we
think and feel now, tl.at only a devil in
carnate-some fend in human shape let
loose upon earth to scourgo our race
could have deliberately preserved such
evidence of his own perfdy-for many Ct
these letters were written in bitter anguish
and contained scathing imprecations-
and of the lamentable frailty of 9TH
ers.
Instead therefore, Of doing gross wrong
to Col. Burr, in this respect, Mr.. Davis,
by supprcssing that correspondence, re
Iieved the character Of Burr, from deep
and general oxecration. Like Thomas
Moore who suppressed the personal me-
moirs of Lord Byron, Mr.. Davis govern
ed by fine sense of what was due to So
ciety, is entitled to commentator rather
than reproach. Nor was the sacrifice an
inexpensive one. Mr.. Davis was tempted
by large pecuniary debts to give this cor
respondence to the public. The late M.
NJ. Noah we remember as among those
who offered Mr.. Davis Il handsome sum
for the letters. But he always and with
great emphasis, declared that they should
never appear, either to blast Mr.. Burr,
or wound the feelings Of persons whom
they compromised.
Some of these letters were returned by
Mr.. Davis, in carefully sealed packages
to persons remotely connected with the
writers. A person in Virginia, after Col.
Burr's death, wrote to his Literary Elk
ecutor,, asking that if letters, concerning
his iansily, should be found among his
papers, they might be delivered to dis
tinguished Nirginian then in New York,
which request was complied with. Mr.
Davis himself delivered the letters to the
lady by whom they were written: and
he requested the writer of this article to
make similar restitution of another pack
age. But that too delicate commission
was declined.