The Irish standard., 1901-08-17
The Ill-Fated Exile of Erin Who Sought
a Refuge on an Island in
the Ohio River.
Fled From the Storms of His Own Country
to Become the Victim of
Conspirator.

Nearly every reader Of American his I
tory is familiar with the name of Har-
man Blcnncrhassett, his adventures
and his misfortuncs, writes "Old-
Timer in the Buffalo Union and
Times. They have, suppose, read Of
his descent from English royalty, his
family connections in the county OF
Kerry, Ireland, his marriage to a near
relative, his sale of the entail of his
ancestral estates. his flight to America,
his settlement on Il beautiful island
that he purchased in the Ohio river
in the carly part Of the century, his
elegant mansion ana gardens there
created, his expensive library, pictures
statuary and philosophical apparatus
set up in the American Wilderness, and
of the distinguished visitors that from
time to time were his and his accom-
plished wifc's guests. How happy he
was i'm all his relations until the slip
perry serpent glidcd into his island
Eden in the person of the ambitious
Aaron Burr, proposing to he founder
of an American empire and drawing
this guilclcss Irish gentleman into his
reasonable schemes. running his char
actcr, disllonoring his wife, and mulct-
ing him in great pccuninry loss. 1t is
one Of the pathetic rcctnls of the last
century to which Il new chapter has
just been added by one who from the
Iame given as author, l suppose to be
Il relative.
Uarman Blenncrlassctt, according
TO this new rccitcr, was lincal de-
sccndant Of Edward Ill. of England.
In Queen EliZabcths time his anccs-
tors came in for Il piece Of the general
Irish spoliation. lie succeeded to the
Kerry estates on the death of his two
older brothers. At the age of 81 he
fell in love with his niece, Madeline
Agncw, an English girl, aged 1S, and
married her. This outrageous alliance
was received with great dsfavor and
absolute hostility by the relatives of
both parties. She was in every way
worthy of him only for the unfortu-
nate inccstuous relationship Beauty
education, wit, accomplishments in
letters and arts were hers, and such n
woman, with tastes and thoughts in
harmony with his own, he unlawfully
sought and won for companionship
through life. But oh, the rcpugnance
Of It! She was disinherited by her
father for this glnring sin. Hc was
treated with coldncss and disdain by
friends and relations. He could not
withstand the resentment that was
shown him and he resolved to sell the
estate and fly with his Illicit bride to
America. This and not the supposed
republican ideas that had got into his
head at the whirl Of the French revolu-
tlon, brought him to the United States,
far away from friends, associates and
relatives-from any one who could
communicate to his children their un-
happy parentage. He had money in
abundance, but misfortune seemed to
beset him at every advance. For some
time people seemed to envy him his
apparent happiness, but they were not
aware Of the moral cankcr that gnawed
at his soul. The evil consequences Of
marriage within the forbidden degree
Of consanguinity made their appear
ancc with the birth Of their first child,
Dominick, who was moral dcgcne-
rate; the second child died in infancy;
the third child, boy called after him
self, was also degenerate; the fourth
child, girl, died in infancy; the fifth,
and last, boy named Joseph Lewis.
grew up and received classical educa-
ton and was trained to the law, but
became dissipated and unfortunate.
Burr, when he was planning his
scheme Of empire, first called upon him
in 1905, at his island Eden and re-
ceived a kind reception.
But, some may ask, who was Aaron
Burr? He was n brilliant New Eng
land lawyer, of the same political creed
as Thomas Jefferson, but whom he op-
posed for the presidency of the United