Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-11-28
ANECDOTES OF AARON BURR.

There was one New Yorker OF a former gen.
Grafton who possessed individuality enough
TO be wildly remembered by the present,
and that person was Aaron Burr. Other
famous men of his day were as closly iden-
titled with the city's history as he but their
personal memory seems to have pretty much
faded from the minds of its citizens With
Burr, however, the case is different, and
there are scores Of gray-haired gentlemen in
the city, and some old ladies', too, who re-
member him perfectly, and II properly APP
preached will entertain one for hours with
vivacious gossip and anecdote concerning
him. Many Of these anecdotes were, Of
course. collected and published BY Burrs BIZ
ographers, but some have escaped their no
tice, among the latter are several related by
an old gentleman occupying responsible
position in this city, and he was an intimate
friend and connection of Colonel Burr,
which refute some assertions concerning him
made by historians, and as tending to help
the public to juster estimate of his chsrac-
ter are worthy of publication.
| give them very nearly in the words of
the narrator, permitting him to speak here
after, but avoiding double marks of quota
ton:
When l first met Colonel Burr, he began,
he was an old man, and as you know under
cloud, not bowed down and decrepid, as
expected to see him, but ruddy and fair-fac-
ed, with the brilliant eye and erect carriage
of II man in his prime. Our leave-taking on
this occasion most impressed me: you
must come and see me often,' said he. II
am an old man, you are young, and my ex-
perience Of the world and among men has
been such that may be of benefit to you"
That Washington dislked Burr is matter
of history; this was due partly TO Hamil.
toms influence, but chiefly, think, to Burr's
treely-spoken criticisms on his genealship.
Burr thought Washington poor general,
and, conceited youngster as he was, was quite
opt-spoken in his opinions. He neversought
to impress his peculiar views of the man up.
on the young, however, as an incident which
| can relate will show. In our intercourse
las cordial and unaffected as that between
father and son---he was speaking one day of
the battle of Monmouth, which he charac-
terized as succession of mere skirmishes,
magnifed 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 him
self. and after a moment added: Let us
stop here. would on no account destroy
the generation and esteem that you have for
the character of Washington.
Andrew Jackson In his younger days was
an ardent admirer of Burr, and was TO have
been the latters most trusted lieutenant in
the proposed Mexican expedition. He also
stoutly defended him at the time of his trial
for treason in Richmond in 1907 Twenty
one years after, in 1928, their positions had
changed. Jackson was the Democratic can
didate for President and Burr was living OBJ
scurely in New York, poor and under a
cloud. They were not then on speaking
terms. Burr had letters and papers in his
possession that would have nipped Jacksons
Presidential aspirations in the bud he also
held the fate OF more than half the political
nspirants Of that day at his disposal and
often wondered at his forbcarance in not
usInq this power. the more as in many cases
BY so doing he might have cleared himself
But | think fidelity TO friends was one of
bis most striking traits.
Burr voted for Jackson tnr President and
his appcarino AT the nolIs I remember Nor.
Ecctlv The nollinp nlaces were then in
Rowling Green. near the Battery and IN
Ihis occasion there was oathered tbere verv
much such . turbulent crowd no now dis.
rrsce our sections Al length Colonel Burr
nv a friend one If the Swart.
vor,a I think drove nm and 4, was soo,
vh;snercd abou, that no was nresent Evcrv
,,e seeued a,v,ous IN soe hin, Tho ,o;oy
nj tho crowd ,yore h,ubad
ma lane vas formed ,hro,ob vvh;ol, Ia adj.
vsnced IN do,osi, his baIIo, sone of tho
.itiyens ove, lf,od their hats IN snon,o,oous
r;h,,o 10 tho ,na, Thor. vss nrosonco
,ho,, PR, rarelv mo, With which made hin,
, n.,Lod man IN s,v connanvand nrosorv.
"A III, g., ,orso,.i,,s,,i, indood I ,ouor
Now an instance ~ which no wo. ;,s,l,od
,ho,gh no was so os,en and an
,r,esiv ass.;,.d I,y ,ersons n, n Distance
Another thing not 0enerallv known Inc.
,eve ia thu, purr orce nroiected a comma.
,enaIve vork n, tho man and evonts of tho
..vo,,,,o, hi. morn Intimate s,,o,ds ho,y.
.ver knew ,bis IN have heen ono of tho mos,
nlans If b,a later life For !, no
nd co,,cc,ed m.,v let,ors and na,ors Of
,al,e which a, Tho limo og h;s a;eh, ~ pu.
ONE were scn, for safe.kecnino 10 his accom-.
,lisbed daughter Tbeodoaia in south Caro-.
ina When she came ON IN meet her fatber
n 1912 thew accompapied her ON board the
II .fated Patriot. and were loaf with her in
he sbipwreck of that vessel off the uatteras
,oast
Hence the project was abandoned, 10 the
loss Of American literature, for !
Burr had Il In his power 10 give a truthful