Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1858-03-06

but waving this fundamental objection, we
have some respect for the details Of the sys-
TEN. 1t is not the mass Of absurdities which
it is so often declared to be. Gentlemen and
scholars and soldiers have had hand in
framing it., and its rules are pervaded.-s with
the spirit Of justice and good sense and sound
logic.
1t scorns to interfere with the freedom Of
thought or with the just freedom of action.
lts aim is 10 protect the reputation Of men,
1t permits one man to entertain just such an
opinion OF another as pleases him, and to con-
duct himself in accordance with such opinion,
for this does not impair a mans reputation !;
nor does it seek to invade the circle Of inti
mate friends. What is there uttered belongs
there and while kept there cannot harm
the general food nome of man.
Hamilton, in order to have answered Burr's
demand satisfactorily, would have been obli-
ged to declare that he did not remember that
an expression had escaped him at any time.
or any occasion whatever. which would have
Justified the statement OF DR.. Cooper--a tri-
butte Of admiration which the "code Of honor"
will hardly permit man to extcrt from his
bitterest enemy. And yet this was the alter
native which Burr thrust upon his adversary
either to bestow upon him an acknowledge
ment which man reserves for those whom
he admire9 and loves, or to follow him to the
field Ii such were the requirements Of the
"code Of homer" it never could have enlisted,
as it has, the support Of brave or sensible
men.
The truth is it is system which addresses
itself only to those who believe 10 it, and it
requires nothing which man of honor who
believes in it should be unwilling to grant,
1t commands men to retain in their own
breasts such opinions as impeach the honor
of others. and the penalty for the revelation
OF this precept is the customary satisfaction
to the Injured party. liza man makes an as
sertion impeaching the honor Of another, it is
either true or false; il false, he ought at once
to retract; if true, he ought uever to have
uttered it without being willing to stand by it
to the last extremity.
On this system Burr was not injured by
the statement of DR.. Cooper. 1t did not re-
quire him to take an affirmative step. He
cauld, and generous enemy would have said:
"1he opinion Of DIR. Cooper is nothing to me-
when the language Of Colonel Hamilton is
brought to my notice, it will be time for me
to consider whether my honor is attacked"
1t appeared that Burr had no justifiable
cause for making his demand upon Hamilton,
the presumption ut once arises that he was
arged on by an improper motive; that he was
bent upon forcing his \ }versary into a conflict.
The attending circumstances justify this pre-
sumption.
The occasion selected was the close of q
political contest, in which Burr had sustained
most mortifyiDg defeat, mainly through the
efforts of'his rival The obnoxious express
sion was once made in the course of that
contest Every concession which Hamilton
could in decency make was made by him.
He stated TO Burr the utter unreasonablene
Of his demand with mildness and yet force
which Burr must have felt, and yet nothing
would satisfy the latter short Of the exact
measure Of satisfaction he had demanded, aud
which he knew would have degraded llsmil-
ton to give. Al these circumstances show
that it was the purpose of Burr, produced by
hostility Of feeling and modification, to leave
to his advisary no choice but degradation or u
couflict.
Our author gives Burr's statement of the
affair, which carries with ii the impression that
Hamilton was afraid to meet him.
There was one remarkable occasion on
which he spoke of the duel seriously and eo-
qaently. 1t was when, for the only time in
his life, be revisited the ground where it was
fought. He went there to Oblige young
friend, who wished 20 see spot go famous =
Leaving their boat at the heights Of the Wee.
hawken, just where Burr bad left his boat on
that fatal morning quarter OF q century be-
fore, they climbed over the same rocks, and
soon reached the ground. Except that the
rocks were covered with names, aud that the
ground was more overgrown with trees, and
the place had not changed iu all those years,
nor has it yet. 1t has changed owners, how
ever, and belonged TO son Of Rufus King,
Burr's colleague in the Senate and Hamil.
tons friend in the lobby. In the boat Burr
had been somewhat thoughtful and silent, but
seemed to enjoy the bright day and pleasant
shores, as he always enjoyed bright aud plea
SAINT things. On reaching the scene, he pla-
ced his companion on the spot where Hamil-
ton had stood, and proceeded to narrate the
incidents OF the occasion.
The conversation turned to the cause oI
the duel. As he talked the old FIRE seemed
to be rekndled within him; his eye blazed
his voice rose. lie counted the long cLta-
logue of wrongs he had received from Hanil.
ton, and told how ha had foreborne, aud fore
borne, and forgiven and forgiven. aid even
stopped to remonstrate, until he had no choice
except to slink out Of sight wretch degra
ded and despised, or meet the calumnnis OF
on the field aud silence him. He dwet much
on the meanness of Hamilton. He charged
him with being malevolent and cowardly-s
man who would slander rival, aud not stand
to it unless he was cornered when he
stood up to fire." said Burr. "he caught NY
eye, aud guailed under il; he looked like Z
| convicted telon." 1t was not true, he contin
| ued, that Hamilton did not fire at him
Hamilton fired first; he heard the bali whis
| tie among the branches, and saw the severed
I twig above his head. ii spoke spoke Of what
Hamilton wrote on the evening before the
duel with infinite contempt. "it reads, said
he. like the confession Of Penitent .monk.
These isolated expressions, my informant
says, convey no idea whatever Of the fiery
i'm mpressiveness with which be spoke dc
justified all he had done; nay applauded it.
He was moved to the debths OF his soul
the pent.up feelings Of twenty five years burst
into speech. His companion who had known
him intimately many years. and had never
seen him reused before. was almost awe-struch
at this strange outburst OF emotion, aud the
startling force of many Of his expressions.
Undoubtedly Hamilton went to the field
unwilling.y. but not from fear. 1t was his
disgust for the wretched code" which he
felt bound to obey-a system which placed
$hscality and integrity upon the same footing
and made il obligatory upon an honest snd
useful man to afford kuavs an opportunit,
to vindcste bis character by standing up ai
mark for him to shoot at--a system which
called upon him to forget Thousand hope
and thousand obligations at the summons
l of n man whom ha daanisad and ~ anu.o,