Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-07-27

[ Ben Periey Poor Recollectious.


Aaron Bur enjoyed the reputation O,
having delivered the most impreeeive
speech ever uttered in the Capitol, vheu
ne took leave OF the Senate az its presid.
ing ofiicer. have heard a Senator Who
vas present state that nearly every one
was In tears and se unnamed that II
was nearly an hour before they could
recover themselves sufficiently to choose
q President pro tenn. The characteris-
tics OF Vice President Burr's manner
appeared to have been elevation and
dignity, . consciocsness Of superiority,
ETC.; nothing Of that whining adulation,
those canting. hypocritical complaints
OF want OF talents, assurance Of his en-
deavors to please them, hopss of their
iavors, etc. On the contrary. he told
them explicitly that he had determined
70 pursue conduct which his judgment
should approve, and which should Sc
cure the suffrage Of his own conscience;
and he had never considered who else
should be pleased or displeased. AL
though il was but justice on this occa-
sion TO thank them for their Difference
and respect to his official conduct, the
constant and uniform support he had
received from every member, for their
prompt acquieecence In his decision,
and to remark, 10 their honor, that they
had never descended 20 a single motion
OF passion or embarrassment; and, 80
far a. he was from apolo9izinR for his
defects. he told them that on reviewing
the decisions he had had occasion to
make, there was no one which, on re-
dection, he was disposed to vary or re-
tract.
Burr was unquestiopably one of the
most remarkable men that our country
has ever produced. The designs that
clouded his name in his own day with
tho suspicion and the charge of treason
differed very little from the occupation
Of Texas by citizens of the Omitted
States, the temporary Independence of
the territory occupied, and its final in
corporation into the Union. And with
his duel with Hamilton, in which the
great financier fell, Barr was victim TO
the harbarOue customs of those DAYS,
and he killed a popular favorite, Other
vices cluster around his name, but they
cannot present him, even to the eye of
moral judgment, as less than an 'arch-
angel fallen"
When boy, residing with my parents
in New York, at the corner of Maiden
lanc and Broadway, used to see Burr
pass every morning and evening, going
to and from his law Office. Tall, and
walking with q soldier-like air, he at
tracted attention as he passed along,
and people would stop and point him
ort to others after he had gone by. One
day I was in the law Office of Allen Dye.
where my uncle, the late Allen Dodge of
Hamilton, was studying his profession,
and Burr came to inquire about case
in which he was counsel. regarded
him with dread, and yet WIS fascinat-
ed by the courtesy Of his manner. the
pleasant expression of his bright, keen
eyes and the gentle winning tones of
his voice. He was at that time virtually
an outcast from the circles in which he
had once been leading figure. Very
poor, he took cases that other lawyers
refused to touch, and he Otter found il
difficult to procure the neoessaries of
life. Yet he never lost his dignity and
and appeared, amidst the
trials and vicissitudcs of his old age, to
enjoy that peace and serenity that only
q quiet conscience can bestow. He was
the first political "boss" of
the State Of New York, and it was by
following his advice that Van Boren
passed from Office to office, until he be-
came president of the United Strtes.