AARON BURR 49 



congress as minister to Paris, backed especially 

 by Madison and Monroe, Hamilton succeeded in 

 compassing his defeat. Again, when Adams 

 had decided upon some important appointment 

 for Burr, Hamilton succeeded in defeating him. 

 This made Burr's promotion to the vice-presi- 

 dency and his own downfall the more exaspera- 

 ting to Hamilton. 



Four years passed. Burr won high honor as 

 president of the senate, and the party nominated 

 him for governor of New York with practical una- 

 nimity. This was too much for Hamilton, who had 

 nothing to lose by indulging his enmity to the full. 

 The campaign against Burr was one of the basest 

 on record. It was one of vilification. Being vice- 

 president, he was at a disadvantage when it came 

 to conducting the campaign, and he was defeated. 



There were many features of this campaign that 

 were peculiarly annoying to Burr, and for the 

 second time in his life he resorted to the duel, and 

 Hamilton was killed. Had Burr died in that hour, 

 history would have a different place for him as well 

 as for Hamilton, but in his death Hamilton was 

 glorified. The most preposterous stories, such as 

 his firing into the air, were invented and believed. 

 The time and the conditions were as bad as they 

 could be for Burr. The North never condoned a 

 duel that ended fatally, and then less than ever. I 

 have no word of apology to offer for the duel. It 

 was weakness, as it always is, and from it came all 

 the ills that befell Aaron Burr. 

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