The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-01-24

from the Albany Journal, Jan f3l
The New York I,S',ss N brief bnt glowing re
Busr, (nether Of which have falleA under our eye)
wltje hwelling upon the latter work, says:-
His Ntessxy executor Mathew L. Davis. did him gross
wrong in tvo important sHpeSts-in representing him,
condy as willing TO wreck tbe regulations Of those who
had sesD veaMs q hs NJ, pr.cn has conclusive:
~ vindcstsd b" anne especially frofa tho latter (and
worse these aspersions.
II the author of this life of Col Burr has not been
more fortunate in other respects tnan IN the parca
lars cited by the Tribune his work among the most
apocryphal of modern histories. We are unable TO
conjecture how or by what kind of testimony, or by
what process of reasoning, Mr. Parton has conclu-
sively vindcated" Col. Bur's fame from BIS
willingness to wreck the reputatons OF those who
had been victims Of his wiles."
For the vindication," not less OF the flame"
of Col Burr's literary executor" than Of the
truth Of history we feel It duty to state facts,
within our knowledge, which, but for prcvocation
that will be deemed an acquittanoe." we should
never have publicly revealed.
Col. Barr not only preserved, hut with scrupulous
care, filed the letters he received. His correspond
ence especially with the female sex, was extern
sive. Much of ihs was evidently with the educated
and reiiped-much of it showing his association with
the gifted and tile pure of mind-much more with
those whom his "wiles" had undermined and
with letters from an exceptonabe class and of an
offensive character. All were carefully endorsed with
the places, dates and names of the writer's. Where
letters were signed with initials, were anonymous,
the full name appeared in Colonel Burr's hand
writing With many of these letters were copies of
Colonel BIS replies. We remember a most interest
ing series between Colonel Burr and West Indian
lady of high culture, taste and purity, who for a
0ong time, combatted and resisted the false and fatal
teachings of the tempter only in the end to exem-
pity the experience of those who first endure and
then embrace" error
The night before Colonel Burr met General Ham
,IfA,. hax lAtta I1..,
(Mrs. Alston) in which he bequeathed his cores
pondence, contained he says in six blue boxes y
TO her. with the request that those which would lin
jure" the writers should be burned. In his will,
Confidential Female Correspondence he says to
his daughter, "You will find In them something to
aInuse, much to instruct and more to forgive"
But as Gen. Hamilton instead of Col Burr fell,
these blue boxes" remained in the possession of
Col. Burr, and came after his death, into the hands
OF his literary executor"
During our long and close intimacy with the late
Matthew L. Davis, and particularly while he was
engaged in writing his Il Life of Burr" we enjoyed
conidentialy, the privilege, at his house in Cherry
street, OF perusng the materials out OF which that
history was woven. The Confidential Female
Correspondence" was before us, with AL its strange
and startling revelations. We thought and felt
then, think and feel now, that only devil in
carnate-some fend in human shape let loose upon
earth to scourge our race-could have deliberately
preserved such evidences Of his own perddy-for
and contained scathing imprecations- Of the
frailty Of Others.
Instead, therefore, Of doing gross wrong to Col
Burr in this respect Mr.. Davis by suppressng that
correspondence relieved the character of Burr from
deep and general execration. Like Thomas Moore,
who suppressed the personal memoirs of Lord
Byron, Mr. Davis, governed by a kindred sense of
what was due TO society, is entitled to coamenda-
ton rather than reproach. Nor was the sacrifice an
inexpensive one. Mr. Davis was tempted ty large
pecunary offers TO give this correspondence to the
public. The late NJ. NJ. Noah we remember as
among those who offered Mr.. Davis handsome sum
for the letters. But he always, and with great en-
phasis, declared that they should never appear,
either to blast Col. Burr wound the feelings of
persons whom they compromised
Some of these letters were returned by Mr.. Davis,
in carefully sealed packages, to persons remotely
GINA, after Colonel Burr's death, wrote TO
his literary executor" asking that If letters
concerning his family should be found among
his papers they might be delivered TO distinguish
ed Nirginian then in New York which request was
complied with. Mr.. Davis himself delivered "a pack
age of letters 10 the lady by whom they were writ
ten; and he requested the writer Of this article to
make similar restitution OF another package. But
that too delicate commission was declined.
Mr. Parton has, we understand fallen into another
unaccountable blunder in his Life Of Burr. Speak
ing Of distinguished public men who were, like Col.
Burr careless in money matters, and therefore fire.
quently embarrassed with debts, he represents the
late Rufus King as belonging to that Glass; while all
know, or might readily have learned, that Mr. King,
though not possessing large wealth. was ever indie
pendent, always, even merchantally, strict and
prompt in pecuniay transactions, and never in debt