The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-12-18

colonial fireplace, and gave the other
officers the key to the wine cellar. The
party remained all night, and the OFF,
GERS became hilarious over the punch
below It is said that Washington was
very wroth the next morning at this
abuse of hospitality and drove his
sword into the sod with such force as
TO snap it off near the hilt. Certain it
is that Colonel Zebulum M. Pike drop
ped spur in mounting his steed in the
morning, for the spur with his name
engraved thereon is still to be seen. 1t
was a little way down the road, at the
old tavern, that Washington and La
fayette had a memorable conference on
the eve of the battle of Monmouth. In
1901 Commodore Thomas Truxton, u.
S. N, who had captured the French
frigate rInsurgent on his own Constel-
ation in 1899, bought this mansion and
made it his home. was Commodore
Truxton who was the host of Aaron
Burr.
Aaron Burr was the son of the Presi-
dent of Princeton College, a remarkable
graduate from that institution at the
age of 16. He was brilliant and hand
some, an athlete, fine speaker and a
master of English; but in his fascina-
tons over women he was phenomenal.
II is said that with a glance of the eye
and a simple pressure Of the hand
Aaron Burr could charm any woman
out of her senses, and certain it was
that his rapid highway of life was
marked by a trail of broken hearts and
dishonored homes.
He became Senator in 1871 and Vice
President of the United States in 1901,
Jefferson being President. On the re-
election of Jefferson, however, Burr
was dropped, and George Clinton of
New York was made Vice President in
1904, the most momentous year of
Rurr's life
During Burr's upward career there
was another Princeton boy who had
been doing wonders. He was Alexan-
der Hamilton, youth of great promise,
of Huguenot descent, combining the
prudence of the Scot on the father s
side with the wit and restless spirit of
the Gaul on the mothers. He steadily
rose through the ranks of mediocrity
till Washington appointed him Secre-
tary of the Treasury in 1889 In this
office he founded the financial system
which is in vogue to-day, perpetuating
his memory. AS Webster said: He
smote the rock of national resources and
abundant streams of revenue gushed
forth. He touched the dead corpse of
public credit and it sprang to it's feet
Burr soon conceived a growing jeal-
ousy and hatred for his rival. In 1904.
failing to be made Vice President again
with Jefferson, Burr attributed his de-
feat mainly to the influence of General
Hamilton. He resolved to be revenged
for this fancied injury. In point of
fact, Burr's questionable career was Of
fensive to the Administration and to all
right minded men. He was paying the
penalty of a sacrificed conscience.
BURR'S MISFORTUNES.
| The published communications be-
tween Hamilton and Burr prove con-
clusively that the latter prodded and
nagged the General into a duel, though
1t was generally known that General
Hamilton hated the medieval man.
ner of settling personal differences.
Burr was a dead shot, and he knew it.
The challenge given, Hamilton felt
compelled to accept or be branded by
the scurrllous Burr as a coward for
ever after. The fatal meeting took
place on the Hudson banks about where
Weehawken has since risen, at day.
break. July IL, 1904. Burr sent his
bullet into Hamilton's body and fed.
Hamilton died within twenty-four
hours. even while Burr was in hiding
in the top attic of the old mansion at
Cranbury, fifty miles away, making