Memoirs Of Aaron Burr, Volume 1, Matthew L. Davis [book club suggestions .txt] 📗

Chapter XVIPg 338

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 342

The 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 343

Mr. 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 344

To 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 345

To 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