The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-07-08

Mr.. Henry Adams, In his History OF the
United States Under ~Jefferson's Adminis-
tration," commenting on this duel. says;
mo one over explained why Burr do not
drag De Witt Clinton from his ambush and
shoot him, a. two years later Burr shot
Hamilton with less provocation.'
In 1904, much 10 the annoyance OF DO
Witt Clinton, his uncle, George Clinton,
ambitious 10 become Vioe-President me
was, II 10 known, elected to that nice on M
JefYersonian ticket, declined a renomina-
tion or the Governorship OF New YORK.
George Ciinton's withdrawal left. appar-
emily, the feli wide open TO Chancellor
Lansing, who was put forward by the Clin-
ton-LivinEston Spencer coalition, but ulti-
mately Lansing's name was Withdrawn
for the reason that he would not pledge
himself to allow the Clintons to dictate his
appointments. Morgan LOWS, Chief 0
toe Of the Supreme Court and o brother-in-
law of Chancellor Livingst:n and Edward
Livingston, was nominated In his place.
and 1t began to look as II Aaron Burr, the
opposing nominee, who had the support OF
many Federalists and Of LAnsing'a friends,
might be successful. But the great infau-
ence which Hamilton still possessed over
the Federalists was cast against him, and
as the Neutrality-suspicious. combi.
nation held the upper counties with q grip
Of steel, Burr was eventually beaten In the
State by moro than 5000 votes, though no
carried the city by 100. An analysis OF the
vote showed that but for Hamilton he might
have won, and from that moment Burr
determined to put his implacable enemy
out Of the way. Mr.. Henry Adams mas
expressed the opinion that Burr was
not a vindictive man and has pointed
out that this was the second time whom
Hamilton had stood in Burr's path
and vilihed his character. Burr could
have no reason 10 suppose that Ham.
ilton was deeply loved, for he knew that
four-hfths Of tho Federal party had adopted
his own leadership. whom pitted against
Hamilton In the late election 1.-THE election OF
President by the House Of Representatives
in the winter OF le00-01l, and he knew, too
that Pickering, Griswold and other leading
Federalists had recently separated from
Hamilton in the hope Of making Burr him.
self the chief OF q Northern confederacy.
Burr never cared for the past-the present
and future were his only thought; but his
future in politics depended on hts breaking
somewhere through the line Of his persona!
enemies Among these Hamilton was
the most formidable and, therefore. he had
to be removed. Duels were common enough
on both sides OF the Atlantic at the time;
De Witt Clinton had just fought one, as we
nave seen, at Weehaw ken but Burr strangely
misjudged the eject that the death OF Ham
ilton was to produce upon theh hearts and
minds OF his oountrymen. II Warrington
and Lincoln be excepted, IL Ia doubtful II
an American WA ever more deeply mourned.
Burr became a name Of horror. Orators
Ministers and newspapers exhausted them
selves in execration of him, though, as a
matter of fact, he did nothing more than
De Witt Clinton had just done with i'm
punity. The difference was that De Witt
Clinton wa a man who. in spite OF some
faults, was beloved by multitudes and
deserved we'll Of his State and country
whereas Burr was a man Of almost in
credible baseness, as Is proved by the fact
that he left to his executor without instruo-
tons his extensive correspondence with
reputable women, having carefully in
dorsed each letter with the writer's full
name. To the executors credit, the letters
were either returned to the writer's or con-
signed to the flames. n AZ the time Of his
duel with Hamilton he had instructed his
daughter, in the event OF his falling on the
field, to read these very letters, which had
come to him in the course Of love intrgues
and Affairs Of gallantzy. Herein Burr
reached a pitch Of moral obllquity that
happily for mankind, is found in few human
beings.
Not long after their combination had
resulted In the election OF Morgan Lewis
to the G~overnorship, De Witt Clinton, now
Mayor Of New York city, and his uncle.
George Clinton, now Vioe-President, broke
with the Livings.ons. By this quarrel
De Witt Clinton had but little to gain, for
in no event were the Livingstons then
likely to continue long in New York politics.
and he had much to lose by oondemniug
himself to a career OF almost unbroken
opposition at their hands for the rest of
his life. In the contest for the Legislature
in 1900, the Guilds, as the Lewiaites had
come to be called, having secured the
support OF the Federalists beat the Clin-
tonites by q small majority. A Lewis
Council OF Appointment hen made e clean
sweep OF De Witt Clinton's friends, aud
removed him from the Mayoralty OF New
York city. Seldom has that town been
reused to greater passion by a Governors
act. It could even then be said OF Clinton
that his name was associated with every
memorable enterprise for the public good.
In spite of shortcomings, he hadbeen q great
Executive, and before the sun went down
on the day Of his removal q large majority
OF the Republican members OF the Legis-
lature, guided by the deposed Mayor,
nominated Daniel d. Tompkins for Gov
ernor, In place of Morgan Lewis. In April,
1907, Tompkins was elected Governor by a
large majority. The future was to show
that in thus putting Tompkins forward
De Witt Clinton had made grave mistake.
Had Clinton himself succeeded Morgan
Lewis in the G%overnorship In 1907, his way
to the Presidency, upon which his eye was
already fixed, might have been opened
easily and securely. As it was, he obtained
50 electoral votes for that office In 1912.
In 1907, however, he felt himself constrained
by the bitterness Of the offended Living
stons and the unfriendly disposition Of
the Federalists to flank distractions by
presenting an unobjeotionable candidate for
ne,.rnor 90 IL m ma IN ma A that ha aa-