The National tribune., 1900-10-11
THE AMERICAN
CATILINE.
CONTINUED from first page.)


followed, but it is needless to weary the
reader with all of it. This correspond
ence shows noble man caught in the
meshes of a web woven by a subtle vii
ain. Burr drew final recapitulation for
the guidance of his second, and at last the
challenge was given and accepted. Ten
days had elapsed since Col. Burr had first
sent for Mr.. VanNess, and it was now
the 9th of June. Mr.. Pendleton said
court was then sitting, in which Gen.
Hamilton had business to transact, and he
would also want little time to arrange
his private affairs, and therefore some de-
lay was unavoidable. This was assented
to, and the next morning appointed for a
meeting of tn. seconds to confer further
on the time and place.
On this meeting of the seconds Mr..
Pendleton presented n paper which he
said he had received from his principal, a
paper which contained some remarks upon
the matters in dispute. This paper was
un earnest endeavor on the part of Gen.
Hamilton to avoid hostile meeting. The
material passage was as follows:
"Mr. Pendleton is authorized to say
that in the course of the present discus
sion, written or verbal, there has been
no intention to evade, defy or insult, but
sincere disposition to avoid extremi-
ties, if it could be done with propriety.
With this view Gen. Hamilton has been
ready to enter into frank and free ex-
PLANTATION on any and every subject Of a
specific nature; but not to answer gen
eral and abstract inquiry, embracing n
period too long for any accurate recollec-
ton, and exposing him to unpleasant crit
icisms from, or unpleasant discussions
with, any and every person who may have
understood him in an unfavorable sense"
When Mr.. VanNess was informed OF
the paper, before looking at it, he said:
"If it contains specific proposition for
an accommodation l will receive it with
pleasure; if not, l must decline doing so,
as my principal considered the correspond
ence completely terminated by the accept
ance of the challenge"
''The paper contains no such PROPOSE
tion," answered Mr.. Pcndleton, holding
the document in his hand, but consists
of remarks on your last correspondence"
Il will not receive it, then. All that re-
mains for us is the final arrangements for
the duel, and / will call in day or two
to make them"
With this Van Ness abruptly left Mr..
Pendleton's office. There is no doubt but
that some blame should rest on VanNess.
He hated Hamilton and longed to see the
great Federalist out of the way, for he
reasoned that with Hamilton would die
the Federal party. This was an oppor-
tunity for Burr to kill his rival not to be
lost.
The seconds conferred several times be-
fore arrangements We're finally concluded
but at length, July IL, 1904, at o'clock
a. M, was fixed for the time; the place,
Weehawken; the weapons, pistols; the dis
tance, 10 PAGES. Twentysevcn days had
elapsed since Burr sent for VanNess to
arrange the matter, and the secret was
known to between seven and 10 persons.
1T is all arranged" said Mr.. Pendle-
ton, entering the office of his principal.
"When is it to be and where" asked
Hamilton, growing a little pale.
Neutrality-suspicious. PAGES, July
II. at in the morning."
Hamilton turned away, his lip slightly
trembling, and began to count the days
left him on earth.
(To be continued)