Washington, its sights and insights [1909]Monroe, Harriet Earhart
History
Washington, its sights and insights [1909]
Monroe, Harriet Earhart
Washington (D.C.) -- Description and travel
Burr tells us that at the age of eighteen the Spirit of God came upon
him with such power that he fled to the woods to settle that great
question which faces every human being—"Shall I be a Christian?" He said
to himself: "I purpose as a lawyer to succeed by the tricks of the
trade. There is many a short cut in business which a Christian could not
take, therefore I shall not be a Christian."
He tells us that the Spirit of God never again troubled him. He sinned
against the Spirit, that unpardonable sin. Left to himself, his destiny
led him to a high place only to make his fall more terrible. Socially he
was the most charming man of his day, but he entered no home which he
did not defile. No woman loved him but to her sorrow.
Burr was holding the position of Vice-President as a Republican when he
was nominated by the Federalists for Governor of New York. Some of the
leading men of that party refused to support him, among them Hamilton.
This led to the duel in which Hamilton was killed, July 11, 1804.
Burr was disfranchised and banished by the laws of New York, and was
indicted for murder by the authorities of New Jersey for having killed
Hamilton on the soil of that State. He could not enter either New York
or New Jersey to settle his business. He was bankrupted, and more than
$5,000 in debt when all his property had been sold and the results paid
over.
The day before the duel Burr had a right to suppose himself a more
important man than Hamilton. Was he not Vice-President? Had he not just
received a majority of the votes of the City of New York for Governor of
that State, in spite of Hamilton's greatest exertions? Yet the day after
the duel the dying Hamilton had the sympathy of every human being, and
Burr was a fugitive from justice, not knowing friend from foe. Never was
there a greater revulsion of feeling.
Southern men tried to console him by their more courteous demeanor.
Between the time of the duel and the convening of Congress, Burr had
kept himself south of Mason and Dixon's line, for in any Northern State
he would have been arrested on a requisition on the Governor.
He went back to Washington and again presided over the Senate, but was
simply scorched by the open, daily manifestations of the scorn of
Northern Senators. The Southern men were more courteous in their
demeanor. On Saturday, March 2d, he took leave of the Senate. That body
was in executive session, therefore no spectators were present. Mr.
Burr, one of the most eloquent as well as one of the handsomest men of
his day, rose in his place after the galleries had been cleared. He
began his address by saying that he had intended to remain during his
constitutional time, but he felt an indisposition coming upon him and he
now desired to take leave of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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