Memoirs Of Aaron Burr, Volume 1 - Matthew L. Davis (top android ebook reader txt) 📗
- Author: Matthew L. Davis
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To Jacob De Lamater.
New-York, October 30Th, 1792
Dear Sir,
Your Letter By Mr. Addison Was Particularly Kind, After My Long
_Supposed_ Silence. We May Make Use Of _Both Keys Or Ciphers_, And If
Some Of The Persons Or Things Are Designated By Different Characters,
No Inconvenience Will Arise; If There Should, We Will Correct It.
_V_ Is To Be The Candidate, As My Former Letter Will Have Told You: He
Has The Wishes Of 9 For His Success, For Reasons Which Will Be Obvious
To You. Do You Think That 8 Would Be Induced From Any Motive To Vote
For Him?
Yours Affectionately,
A. Burr.
Footnote Pg 339
1. 17 Ed., Ch. 7, More General.
Footnote Pg 340
2. 2 Hawks., 5, 51, Irish Oct. Edit., 2 Mod. 261 Statute 1 Wm. And
Mary, Sess. 2, Ch. 2. See Also Sec. 12 Of The Same Statute.
Chapter XVII Pg 341
On The 2D Of October, 1792, Governor Clinton Nominated Colonel Burr To
The Council Of Appointment As Judge Of The Supreme Court Of The State,
Which Nomination Was Immediately Confirmed. Thus, Within The Short
Space Of About Three Years, He Was Appointed By The Democratic Party
To The Several Important Stations Of Attorney-General, Senator Of The
United States, And Judge Of The Supreme Court.
Chapter XVII Pg 342The Last Appointment
Was Made Without Consulting Mr. Burr. As Soon As He Was Notified Of
The Fact, He Informed The Governor Of His Non-Acceptance; Yet So
Anxious Was His Excellency, And So Strong Were His Hopes That Colonel
Burr Might Be Induced To Withdraw His Resignation, That Be Refused To
Lay It Before The Council Until The Legislature, On The 7Th Of
December, Adopted The Following Resolution--
"Whereas It Appears To The Legislature, By The Records Of The Council
Of Appointment, That Aaron Burr, Esq., One Of The Senators For This
State In The Senate Of The United States, Was, On The 2D Day Of
October Last, Appointed One Of The Puisne Justices Of The Supreme
Court Of Judicature Of This State: Thereupon,
"_Resolved_ (If The Honourable The Senate Concur Herein), That His
Excellency The Governor Be And Hereby Is Requested To Inform The
Legislature Whether The Said Aaron Burr Hath Accepted Or Refused The
Said Office."
On The 24Th Of October, 1791, Congress Convened, And Colonel Burr Took
His Seat In The Senate Of The United States. In Those Days It Was The
Practice Of The President, Accompanied By The Heads Of Departments, To
Proceed To Congress Hall For The Purpose Of Meeting The Two Branches
Of The National Legislature, And Opening The Session With A Speech, To
Which A Response Was Made By Each Body Separately. On The 25Th The
President Made His Annual Communication; Whereupon The Senate
"_Ordered_, That Messrs. Burr, Cabot, And Johnston Be A Committee To
Prepare And Report The Draught Of An Address To The President Of The
United States, In Answer To His Speech, Delivered This Day To Both
Houses Of Congress In The Senate Chamber."
The Next Day Colonel Burr, As Chairman Of The Committee, Draughted And
Reported An Answer, Which Was Adopted By The Senate Without Alteration
Or Amendment: An Occurrence, It Is Believed, That Happened In Only Two
Other Instances During The Period That Speeches Were Delivered By The
Executive. After The Election Of Mr. Jefferson The System Of Sending
Messages Was Substituted.
The Journals Of The Senate Afford Ample Evidence That Colonel Burr Was
An Industrious And Efficient Member Of That Body. During The First
Session Of His Term Of Service He Was Placed On Numerous Committees,
Some Of Them Important, And Generally As Chairman. His Business Habits
Soon Became Evident, And Were Called Into Operation. His Character For
Firmness Was Well Established Before Be Took His Seat In The Senate;
But On The 9Th Of January, 1794, It Was Displayed With Effect. In
Consequence Of A Difference Between The Two Houses, A Bill To Increase
The Standing Army Was Lost.
Chapter XVII Pg 343Mr. King, Of New-York, By Consent, Introduced A New Bill; It Was
Entitled "An Act For The More Effectual Protection Of The Southwestern
Frontier Settlers." Unsuccessful Efforts Were Made By Colonel Burr And
Others To Amend It, By Striking Out Some Of Its Most Odious Features;
But There Was A Decided Majority, As It Was Known To Be An
Administration Measure, Determined On Carrying It Through. The Bill
Was Ordered To Be Engrossed For A Third Reading, And The Question On
Its Passage Was To Be Taken On The Last Day Of The Session. By The
Rules Of The Senate, The Question Could Not Be Put If Any Member
Objected. Colonel Burr Objected, And The Bill Was Thus Defeated.
Notwithstanding His Public Engagements, Colonel Burr'S Mind Was
Constantly Employed With The Education Of His Daughter. Mrs. Burr'S
Health Was Gradually Declining, Insomuch That She Was Unable, At
Times, To Attend To Her Domestic Concerns. This To Him Was A Source Of
Unceasing Care And Apprehension. His Letters To His Daughter Are
Numerous. They Are Frequently Playful, Always Interesting, Displaying
The Solicitude Of An Affectionate Father Anxious For The Improvement
Of His Child.
Chapter XVII Pg 344To Mrs. Burr.
Philadelphia, 18Th January, 1793.
By The Enclosed To Mr. Gurney, [1] I Have Requested Him To Write Me A
Letter Respecting The Health Of The Family, And Theo.'S Improvement.
Request Him To Enclose, On A Separate Sheet, Some Columns Of Figures,
Pounds, Shillings, And Pence. I Shall Show The Letter And Enclosure As
A Specimen Of His Talents To Some Persons To Whom I Wish To Recommend
Him. Beg Him To Use No Uncommon Word Or Expression. He Will Pardon
This Piece Of Advice When He Recollects That I Know So Much Better
Than He Does What Will Suit The Persons To Whom It Is To Be Shown. If
He Should Offer His Letter For Your Perusal Before He Sends It, Remark
Freely; It Will Be A Kindness Of Which No One Is So Capable.
Should This Come To Hand After He Has Given His Lesson On Saturday,
Send Him His Letter, And Request Him To Call On You, If You Should Be
Able To Bear Five Minutes Conversation With Him.
I Wrote You Yesterday, And Have Nothing To Add Respecting Myself; And
Only A Repetition Of My Prayers For You, With My Most Affectionate And
Anxious Wishes.
A. Burr.
Chapter XVII Pg 345To Mrs. Burr.
Philadelphia, 8Th February, 1793.
You May Recollect That I Left A Memorandum Of What Theo. Was To Learn.
I Hope It Has Been Strictly Attended To. Desire Gurney Not To Attempt
To Teach Her Any Thing About The "Concords." I Will Show Him How I
Choose That Should Be Done When I Return, Which, I Thank God, Is But
Three Weeks Distant.
It Is Eight Days Since I Left Home, And I Have Not A Word From Any One
Of The Family, Nor Even About Any One Of Them. I Have Been Out But
Once, Half An Hour At Mrs. P.'S, A Concert; But I Call Often At Mrs.
L.'S. I Am More And More Struck With
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