Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-11-20
"REMINISCENCES OF AN OLD sen.
SATION.
The BIannerhassOt Family.

Mrs. NJ. Theresa Blanner h@set write,
to the Cincinnati Commercial as follows
In last Sundays Issue of the St. Louil
Globe Democrat appeared an article
copied from your paper giving a sketch
Of DR.. David Creel as the sole remain.
ing man of the twelve who acquitted
/ 'AaronBurr Of treason against theU United
States"
The same article in your paper has
reference to the closing days of the wife
Of Harmon Blannerhasset 1t is stated
that Mrs. Blannerhasset died poor and
lonely in the care OF some kindly Sisters
of Charity in New York, and none but
those angels of mercy followed her tc
the grave" This is mistake. Mrs
Blannerhasset, after her husband death
returned to New York, and though her
circumstances were much altered, she
never knew want. She rented a house
on her arrival in New York. which, with
her eldest living son, Harmon, aRd a
faithfully attached negro servant, she
occupied until her death Her son ana
this woman (besides few warmly at
tached friends) we're with her when she
died. She was buried in the vault of the
Emmett family, according to the rites oi
the Methodist Episcopal Church, oi
which she was member. Sisters oi
Charity did not follow her to the grave
but personal friends, who, apprecating
her many noble qualities, remained true
to her through all the changes that be.
fell her These inaccuracies are in
keeping with some to be found in Par.
tons Life Of Burr.
Mr.. Parton says: burr has been
falsely accused Of financially running
Harmon Blannerhasset, but his own
Incidence, and not Burr, worked his
ruin" If this we're true, it is a question
whether an authors privileges entitle
him to indulge in such strong personal
criticism, especially when his opinions
be derived, not from actual knowledge,
but from hearsay, or copied from others
no better informed than himself on the
subject. 1t is a fact well known that
Burr did financially ruin Harmon Blan-
nerhasset. The latter should have been
too keen to fall into the trap set for him,
but he WAS not, and so became a prey TO
the fascinating tongue of Burr, thereby
sacrificing handsome fortune, and re-
ducing himself and family to condition
only above want. The best proof Of
Harmon Blannerhassets means is found
in Bnrr's having sought him at his (Blan-
nerhasset's) 81 home: Had the latter's for
tune been moderate Burr would not have
made the acquaintance. The condition
of his own finances, as we'll as of his
plans, did not admit of his wasting time
on any one not possessed of large fer.
tune.
Mr.. Parton inserts extracts to show
that amiable feeling existed between
Burr and Blannerhasset, and that the
latter addressed Burr only on financial
questions to the extent of each bearing
his proportion Of the expenses of the ex-
pedition, as far as it went. All the
money used by Burr in this matter came
from Blannerhasset, Blannerhasset
addressed him, not as TO hiG proportion
of The expense, but to try and recover
even some Of the large amount he had
from time 60 time advanced. Burr paid
nothing; he had aothipg with which to
pay, and so his answers vsrn promises
alone. Harmon Blannerhasset was never
noted for being an "indolent' man. On
the contrary, ho was known for his active
mind and energy Of character. Mr.,
Parton says Harmon Blsnnerhas.
set home was not destroyed by any Or
ganized band, but by marauders taking
of the absence Of ita owner"
This is not true. The Wood county
militia destroyed nearly all the personal
property at the island, besides defacing
the house. Had Mrs. Blannerhasset
lived even & short time longer there is
little doubt that her petition before Con-
gress, presented and eloquently sdvo-
Gated by Henry Clay, would have sue
ceeded IN gaining indemnity.
The plantation" Mr.. Parton speaks
Of purchased by Harmon RlRpnerhasset
after the destruction of bis property on
the island, was managed" by Mrs.
only In the absence of
her husband.