Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-10-09
(Frorn the n. Erenlnr Posi.l
ANECDOTES O. AARON BURN.

AAkED01kS - AAKUN BIkks
There was one New Yorker Of .
former generation who possessed indi.
viduaIity enough 20 be remembered By
the present. and that person was Aaron
Burr. Other famous men OF bis day
were n closely identified with the
city's history q he, but their personal
memory seems TO have pretty much
faded from the minds bf is citizens.
With Burr. however. the case i differ
enf, and there are scores iii gray-hairexi
gentlemen In the ritgs -ahaI esnss aEss 80
fufes, go, Who remember lsim perfectly,
and If properly approached viii enter
tain. one for hours with vivacious gossip
and anecdote concerning him. Many
OF these anecdotes were, of course, coli
lected and published by Burr's biogra-
piers, but some have escaped their no
tice, among the latter are several rela-
ted by an old gentleman occupying \
responsible position in this city, and
who was an intimate friend sud eonnec-
tion OF Colonel Burr. which reIute some
assertions concerning him made By his
toriaEs, and as tending TO help the pub
lie 10 iuster estimate Of his character
are worthy OF publication
give them very nearly in The words
of the narrator. permitting him to speak
hereafter, but avoiding double marks Of
quotation
When first met Colonel Burr, he
began, he was an old man, and rs you
know under q cloud. not bowed down
and decrepid. as expected to see him.
but ruddy and fair-faced, with the bril-
liant eye and erect carriage of man in
bis prime. Our leave-taking on this oc-
casion most impressed me !: "You must
come and see me often,' said he. ''I
am an old man; you are young. and my
experience OF the world and among men
has been such that may be Of benefit
to you."
That Washington disliked Burr is a
matter Of history; this was due partly
TO Hamilton's influence, but chiefly, i
think, to Burr's freeiy-spoken criti-
cisms, on hIs generalship. Burr thought
Washington poor general, and, con-
ceited youngster as he was, was quite
outspoken in his opinions. He never
sought to impress his peculiar views of
the man upon the young, however. as
an incident which | can relate will
show. In our intercourse-as cordial
and unaffected as that between father
and son-he was speaking one day Of
the battle of Monmouth. which he char
acterized as 4 succesSi0n sIf mere skisgn4
ishes, magnified by fulsome historians
into battle, and which, he said, might
have been won for the patriot arms on
several occasions had Washington-and
here checked himself, and after mo-
ment added: "Let Us stop here.
would on no account destroy the vener-
alton and esteem that you have for the
character of Washington
Andrew Jackson m his younger days
was an ardent admirer of Burr, and was
to have been the latter's most trusted
lieutenant in the proposed Mexican ex-
pedition. He also stoutly defended
him nc the time of his trial fer treason
in 1907. Twenty-one years after, in
1923, their positions had changed.
Jackson was the Democratic candidate
for President and Burr was living OBJ
scurely in New York, poor and under
cloud. They were not then on speak
ing terms. Burr had letters and pa
pers in his possession that would have
nipped Jackson's Presidential aspira-
tons in the bud: he also held The fate
of more than half The political aspirants
of the day at his disposal, and often
wondered at his forbeafance in not us-
ing this powes, the more as in many
cases by so doing he might have cleared
himself. But think fidelity 10 friends
was one of hls most striking traits.
Burr voted for Jackson for President,
and his appearing at the polls | remem-
Der perfectly. The polling places were
then in Bowling Green, near the Bate
ry, and on this occasion there was gath
cred there very much sach turbulent
crowd as now disgrace our elections.
At length Colonel Burr, accompanied by
. friend, one OF the SwartwoUts, Think,
drove ep, and IL was soon whispered
about that he was present. Every one
seemed anxious TO see him; The noisy
demonstrations Of the crowd were
hushed, and . lane was formed, through
which he advanced to deposit his bal
lot; some of the citizens even lified
their hats in spontaneous tribute TO the
man. There was a presence about Burr
rarely met with which made him a
marked man In any company, and pre-
served him from personal insult. In
deed, never knew an instance i'm
which he was insulted personally,
though he was so often and so grossly
assalled By persons at distance.
Another thing not generally known,
! believe. il that Burr once projected q
comprehensive work on the men and
events Of the Revelation; his more in
innate friends. however, knew this to
have been one OF the most cherished
plans of his later life. For II he had
collected many letters and papers Of
value which ii the time of his fight 10
Europe were sent Tor safe-keeping 10
his accomplished daughter, Theodcs,a.
in South Carolina. When she came on
10 meet her father IN 1912 they accom-
panied her on board the iIl-faied Patti
OF, and were lost with her In the shiD-
wreck Of that vessel OF the Hasseras
coast.
Hence The project vas abandoned TO
the incalcnlable loss Of American slter-
ature, for Burr had Il in his nnxsae L.,