The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-11-24
"BlennerhaSSett' and -
y ~ It's Shortcomings.

4. M.
company oi Boston as romance" one of the hest sell
ing books OF the present day. The reason Tor lis helms 60
~ no means plain Tor is valueess historically and tn
reader who IS honest with himself admit thai from
literary standpoint il is crude badly constructed and unre
heVed by anything more than fash OF clever
ness,
ii accepts the word romance" as Implying an ute
disregard OF facts they have been given to the world
recognized historical authorities one must aeknowleds b
Benncrhase has been properly designated by its autho
and publishers IL is quite likely that no book that has eve
Even 90 the public contains greater amount OF mis-
representation twisting OF well established truths or nm
necessity baekenng OF characters which have hereofor
heen considered immune from such attacks il ii
reproachahe.
For the purpose perhaps of explaining some of the re
makable features Of his book Mr. Pdgn writes prefac
N which he deporcs the load OF oboQy and caumny" un
der which Burs memory has staggered during the mast cen
his lifetime hy voice pen made answer to charge
made against him presented TO friends any argu
ment or evidence to teute them The author then goes
to- say For twenty years | have read about this man
here no American about whom much has been written
and within the pages OF book like this can only hope
incorporate ITS spirit for its substance would fill volumes
Where the statement OF has been adherc
TO- Where the language is imaginative such words haw
been chosen 20 express fiction seemed conform 70 hos
used TO convey facts in other words if the characters il
TINS romance did not do the things say the words
tributed them from what they did do or saw il seem
proper to infer that they would have done said them ha
occasion offered or circumstances been propitious"
Such reasoning this specious and should certain
be ineffective Had MI Pidgin written romance about his
torical characters without attempting pervcr history
make hero and martyr of a who left such rccor
behind him as did Burr he might with all propriety hav
put whatever words best suited him in the mouths OF hi
characters and might have made those characters
great many things that the real people did do Such
proceeding might be accepted species of artistic hcens
ana so passed over especially 1t had the effect Of en-
HANGING the value the interest OF the story. But Mr.
idgn by the OF this wholly remarkable logic of his
has attempted to change the history the greatest
on earth, and that the expense of great and good men
Under the circumstances there possible so
an act And it must be admitted even by the ,yarnes adj
! mir Nc tI4
instead OF raising the latter in the estimation Of the Aueri
San people will have opposite effect of th
means employed by the author in his attempt make Bur
other than what he has been believed to be for
It seems probable that the book was named "Blenner
hasse simply because the of the rishman who in
habited the island Beautiful the Ohio river and whit
aided Burr in planning for the establishment OF an empire
the Southwest the oldest aud the most attractive per
haps of all the may find in reading Of the lit
deeds OF Burr No other for the title OF thu
book be imagined for Harnan Beunerhassett and hi
wife made considerably less prominent than any
several other characters in the story,
1t is not the purpose Of this review attempt decid
any OF the points N the controversy as to the respeety
merits or dement's Of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton
Each reader OF history OF this tale Of Mr. Pdgns
personally make that decision The pistols which spoke whe
and Hamilton faced each other at Weehawken Height
that Hateful morning in July 1904 round the world
The world decided between the two then and
must do The decision be changed OF course
but be said in all candor that nothing Mr. Pdgu ha
put into his book likely to have the effect that apparently
he much desires.
y =
1t should be sufficient 70 say here only that Aaron Bur
painted in the most attractive colors by Mr. Pdgu
that Alexander Hamilton is depicted low, cunning
schemur scourdre who deserved even worse fate thai
uay made appear in this effort Of Mr. Pidgn that Ham
on Willingly up his lite knowing that his death from
Burrs bullet would Burrs political ruin In fact
Hamilton made to say lust after the departure OF the maj
| lNau Ness) who brings Burrs challenge; My God
wu be best that should die his hands. But if / meet
physical death will leave behind that which will hi
political ruin. / q doomed man. but so is Aaron Burrl"
And while thus solioquizing. according to this "ro
nance a smile the face OF Hamiltonl
II is only in these ways that Mr. Pdgn attempts t
iiscredit Hamilton and exat Burr He refers variou
fines in that norton OF his book which tells OF the aege
preceding the duel to mysterious (whose nam
is never mentioned who his death bed make aft
which given Bur friend Van Ness and by hin
conveyed Burr This affidavit are led to believe b.
Mr. dgn contains matter which proves that Hamilton wa
soudre Of the deepest dye and that Burr fully JUST
ned in killing him and holding his memory up to the scor
of the world And are asked to believe too, that Bur
refused allow ibis affidavit to be made public until h
years after his death Notwithstanding the alleged fact tha
il contained his complete Justification The packet contain
ing this extremely important document finally falls into tn
hands of the author himself according TO the story but
fortunately for Mr. PdEn Burrs memory and the American
pity that that document could have been made par
Of the history Of the United States il would be interesting
to ay the least OF IL
Thomas Jefferson placed in very unenyable po
sitious in 0ir. Pdgins romance lie IS shown as con
nyng at the ruin OF Burr several different ways some
which are quite disreputahe According the story hi
tool is one John Graham service officer who in tn
discharge OF his duty is made 10 do all sorts Of despcabl
things
The ceverest feature OF the whole book is the manner Il
which the author works the creduy and the sympatb
the reader The average American is always glad TO TAX
the part OF the dog any fight and Mr. Pdgn ap
preciatng this fact has handled his story max
Burr appear in the role of prosecuted misunderstood in
dvidual who never has chance show why he bein
prosecuted or having the chance is proud and high
minded TO take advantage Of IT, To the casual reader
fright appear that great OF Burrs well known fault
are pointed out when matter Of fact the author sur
over or ignores entirely all Of the really bameabe thing
which history lays at the door OF the third vice president
the United States and anything approaching pecca
dllo is so twisted and distorted appear virtue in IN
end The brave act Of Burr carrying the body Of Genera
Montgomery of the battlefield in the face of CALLING FIRE
referred repeatedly other actions for which Bur