Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1913-07-20
PENSION PAPER
 ON EXHIBITION Government Disposes of Aaron Burr's Application In Unique Manner. IS IN A GLASS CASE Are of Historic -WashingtOn's
 Letter to Burr Found
 By Clerk. -
(By JONATHAN WINFIELD)

Washington, July 19.- After some delay-seventy-n years, to be more or less exact-the United states gov ernment has decided on a finel action on Aaron Burr's application for pen sion. The government proposes to put the application in the National Museum. This is patriotic and quite inexpensive method of disposng of a formal application for money.
 Exhibited in glass enclosed case in the museum, the papers may rest peacefully and indefinitely, telling future generations that in his last days Burr was considerably hard up" This is. a fact not generally known. But if future generations happen to be observant they may notice that the papers show Uncle Sam to be bit tardy in matters of pensions.
 Historically, the papers are very valuable. They contain letter writ ten by George Washington to Aaron Burr, which even today-about 135 years after the letter was penned-is in a state of perfect preservation. Any student of values of historical relics can tell how much such thing is worth. Officials at the National Museum declare the letter to be .in- valuable
 The paper is a bit yellow but it is intact. The ink is trifle faded but can be read without difficulty even without the aid of glasses. And fur thermore, the letter reveals a bit of Washington's character more clearly than volume of history. The missive shows how the General treated with his officers. Burr had written to Washington, requesting ,leave of ab- sence from military duty on account of i'll health and suggesting that while off duty his pay may be discontinued.
 Here is George Washington's reply to Burr:
 Head Quarters. Frederick, 26 Oct,
 177S
 Dear Sir:-
 T have your favor of the 24th. You in my opinion, carry your ideas ct delicacy to far, when you propose to drop your pay while the recovery of your health necessarily requires your absence from the service. It is not customary, and it would be unjust You therefore have leave to retire un- til your health is so far re-established as to enable you to do your duty.
 Be pleased to give the Colonel no tice of this that he may know where to calling upon you should any un- forseen exigency require it.
 "I am Dear Sir
 Your mo. obt. servt.
 George Washington "Lt. Col Burr. K, :,
 George Washington's letter is re- garded as the most valuable paper among the sheaf composing Burr's ap- plication, but the application itself, Burr's formal appeal for a pension, has much historical worth because it is Burr's own record of his military service, written in 1884 just two years before his death at the age of eighty years. in Port Richmond, Staten Island, N. Y. The papers contain no mention of Burr's famous duel with ' Alexander Hamilton in which Hamil- ton was mortally wounded
 Burr even failed to mention in the papers that he, had been vice presi- dent of the United States and re- < ference to the fact that he was ar rested and tried for treason for at Z tempting to form a republic west of the. Mississippi is also omitted. In < the application it is recited, however, that Burr was unable to appear in < court to swear to the facts by reason of bodily .infirmity." Then it is set forth "that at Elizabeth Town in the State of New Jersey, in < the month of June, one thousand seven < hundred and seventy-five. Burr, ageu eighteen years, volunteered to join the Continental Army at Cambridge in the State of Massachusetts, and arriv- ca there with all reasonable expedi- tion." Then follows the complete his tory of Burrs military career. The record covers both sides of four sheets of legal size paper and is-close- " written.
 The discovery of these papers (they really were discovered in ont pense of the word) created quite { bit of excitement among officials il Washington. An ancient clerk, pot tering among the "old files" of th Pension Office, pulled aside som dusty papers and glimpsed the words 3e0rge Washington" signed in