The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1883-09-20
AARON BURR'S LOVE LETTERS,
What n Veteran Now York Editor hns "a
Say About Them.

In his autobiography, Thurlow Weed
tells some interesting facts about the
correspondence of Aaron Burr. which IN
learned from MIR. Matthew l.. Davis,
who was Burr's literary executor. For
nearly forty years, Mr.. Davis was the
only reliable friend whom Burr had.
During his absence i'll Eurp ro he corr s.
sponded only with his daughter and Mr..
DAVIS, the latter being the only person
who welcomed the return Of the once
popularVico President.
Davis informed Mr.. Weed that Colonel
Burrs first inquiry on lnnding was for
Mrs. Eden, widow lady, once happily
and proNpcrously situated, but who had
during Burrs absence supported herself
and Two daughters as II laundrcss.
Colonel Burr's first professional service
natter his return was in bringing the we'll
Nown clectmcnt suit, which, after two
H.'&rs of litightion resulted in favor CT
!hS Misses Eden, who, has Mr.. Davis
i,hiofNed Mr.. Weed confdentinlly, were
inc mural daughters of Colonel Burr
| Co'oncN}urr made Mr.. Davis his literary
cNceScutorNwith the understanding that
WIN the INTERVALS bequeathcd to him a
history OF hH life should bc written.
me conhdehSpl female correspondence
OF MIR. Burr costitutcd large portion
OF these materlaS, leaving Mr.. Davis, SO
I'r m aS ne uiiaerstdQl the views of Colonel
Burr, Mt liberty Y make such use of
ShoSe irttcrs as he night think proper.
Says Mr. Weed:
'ihc preservation If such letters
carefully filed, and, when either anon
ymous or with initials, having the
fuil name OF the writer intlprscd, was M
act OF treachcry and hnscne,s of which.
happily for society, few htfyfnn beings
have been found capable. blt Colonel
Burr looked upon the matter with ewes
and from n standpoint still moro unnat-
nral, for on the day before his d1el with
General Hamilton, in letter to his
daughter, Mrs. Thcodosia Allen, Me be-
GueMheh, i'll the event of his fallAhesp
confidential letters to her, indicating
the boxes in which thcv would be found
and instructing her to read them anil to
nnrn all such as, if made public, would
,nlurc any person. AS, however. Hmm
llton instead of Burr fell, those letters
were preserved from 1904 to 1886, and
then bcqucathcd without instruction TO
MIR. Davis. For two or three years be-
fore Colonel Burr's death Occasionally
visited him in company with Mr.. Davis
and although gen .crall y rcticent, he wa
SomHttimcs drawn into conversation
"@hout carly and interesting events, al
I ways III tho morbid spirit of n disap
POINTED man. His manner was quie
and subducd, and although seldom in
dulglng III bitterness of language, ht
Hcvcr spoke nrproNingly of any of tho
distinguished men with whom he lmt
been associated. I frequently visitcl
Ir. DAVIS while he was preparing his
Ilfe of Burr, and had free access tothC
blue boxes which contained the conf
dental female correspondence. The
letters were from ladies residing in New
YORK, Trenton, N. j., Philadelphia, Pa.
| richmond, Va, New Pavcn, Conn.
Albany, N. Y, Troy, Il. Y, etc, and
most of them from members of we'll
| known families. J,t some cases the cor
rcspondcnco w~s literary or plntonic,
but generally of moro questionable
character In several instances the let
tcrs embraced a period of several years,
concluding with charges of treachcry
fnlSchood and dcscrtion. Mr.. Davis wat
particularly anxious to restore all such
letters to the persons who wrote them.
Two packages were delivered by Mr.
Davis personally to ladies residing i'll the
city of New York. One package was
transmitted to n lady in Richmond, Va.
through General Scott. Mr. Dnvi,
earnestly requested me to deliver pack
age to n highly respectable lady will
whom L was acquainted but when [ de
clmcd that too delicate duty he com
mltted them to the flames. 1t is due tc
the memory of my old friend Davis that
| should say that, although poor man,
hvlng upon tho weekly compensation oi
Two gninCaa received for letters writer
+" the Londol Times, his honor and III
trgrlty resisted large offers of compcnsa
non for Colonel Burr's confidential cor
rcapondence. TIE late Major NJ. NJ
Noah was not only liberal in his nf)rr,
IF money, but impore,natc il his ap
pcals to Mr.. Davis. All, however
proved Intellectual. Mr.. Div is made q,
end of the matter by consi2rkng all tn,
letters that had not been rctirucd t,
the writer's to the flames"