The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-05-09

friend found it's way into the Albany
papers. 1t contained, among others,
these two sentences: Gen. Hamilton
and Judge Kent have declared, in sub
stance, that they looked upon Mr..
Burr to be a dangerous man, and one
who ought not to he trusted with the
reins of government Il could detail
to you a still more dispicable opinion
which Gen. Hamilton has expressed
of Mr.. Burr"
The election took place in the latter
part of April, 1904, and about the mid
die of June the paper containing DR..
COOper's letter was brought To the
knowledge of Col. Burr.
The Fatal Correspondence.
He summoned Il friend, William i.
Van Ness. Il lawyer, atterward judge
Of the United States district court, and
sent by him Il note to Gen. Hamilton,
with the Cooper letter, the offending
passages being marked, saying: You
must perceive, sir, the necessity of Il
prompt and unqualified acknowledge
ment or denial of the use Of II eX-
pressions which would warrant the as
SertionS of DR.. Cooper"
Hamilton had lot seen the letter,
but after reading it he replied to Mr..
Van Ness that the matter required
consideration, for it certainly must
have occurred 10 him that for some
thing like twelve years past he had
been expressing both 'despicable" and
more deSpicable opinions of his
rival.
Two days later. on June 20, Hamil-
tN,, ,.N,l,Al 60 ID maj. In n IAyr and In
geriouS letter in which he sought 10
show that without a more distinct
statement of the particular opinion
aScribed to him he could not make the
avOwcl or diSavOwel demanded. Il
deem it inadmisSible on principle.' he
said, ito consent To be Intercepted as
to the business of differences which
may be drawn by others from what
ever | may have said of IA political OPP
ponent. in the course of fifteen years
competition" And added Il stand
ready To avOw or diSavow promptly
and explicitly any precise or definite
opinion which | may be charged with
having declared of any gentleman.
More than this cannot be fifty expect
ed from me; and especially it cannot
be reasonably expected that | shall
enter into an explanation upon a basis
so vague as that which yOn have
adopted. | trust, on more reflection.
YOU will see the matter in the same
light with me. If not, | can only re-
gret the circumstances, and must
abide the consequences
Burr Tolerates No Evasion.
Burr'S reply came as direct as a pis-
tOl shot.
Political opposition car never alb
solve gentlemen from the necessity of
a rigid adherence to the laws of honor
and the rules of decOrum. l neither
claim such privileges nor indulge it in
others. The common sense of mankind
atfiXes to the epithet adopted by DR..
Cooper the idea of dishOnor. 1t has
been publicly applied to me under the
sanction of your name. The question
is not whether he understood the
meaning of the word, or has used it
according to syntaX and with gram
NAUTICAL accuracy, but whether ynl
have authorized the application, either
directly or by uttering expressions or
opinions derogatOry to my honor
After this letter, accommodation was
out of the question, though some eff
lOIl was llldbt ny tIt StNollhS W II
the subject within the realms of adj
justment. But in the nature OF things
this was impossible. for HamiltOn's
criticisms of Burr had covered too
long a period. Other correspondence
followed, and statements We're made
by the principals, but all to no pur-
pose. and on June 81 Burr's challenge
was delivered and accepted. Maj. Ma
thaniel PendletOn, the grandfather OF
George II. Pendleton, was Hamilton's
second, Mr.. Van Ness acting for Burr.
Owing to engagements in the
meeting was arranged for July IL. two
weeks later, and the designated place
Weehauken on the Jersey shore. On
this same spot, a ~favOrite dueIling
ground in those days, Hamilton's old
est son, Philip. had fallen in a duel
the preceding year.
HamiItOn's Pathetic Letter.
HamiltOn's last letter, written the
night before the duel, is a pathetic
justification for his course. and con
tains the admission that his criticisms
of Burr had been of that character TO
lead to just such o result.
The story is familiar. how, on July
4 the Order of the Cincinnati, of which
Hamilton was president general, held
their annual banquet, and both Burr
and Hamilton were present, Hamilton
singing, at request, his favorite bal
lad, The Drum"
In the early morning Of July IL the
parties stood facing each other, pis-
tolls in hand, at the appointed place.
The word was given and the ball from
Burr's pistol pierced Hamilton's body.
inficting a mortal wound. Hamilton's
pistol went OFF, presumably not inten-
tionally, for he had resolved to with
hold his fire. The ball from it cut the
twigs from the branches Of a tree over
Burr's head and four feet wide of