An affair of honor: in the summer of 1804, Vice President Aaron Burr challenged Alexander Hamilton to a duel. To this day, no one knows who fired the first shot. (American History).Imagine Vice President Dick Cheney and Senator Joseph Lieberman debating on the Senate floor. The debate becomes heated, and tempers flare. Finally, one man challenges the other, to a duel. Both step outside, load their pistols, and await the command to fire. Until the mid-1800s, duels, or "affairs of honor," were common. They arose from disputes, false claims, and insults. Men issued such challenges as a way to restore personal honor. On July 11, 1804, U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr burr (bur) bur. burr n. Variant of bur. burr 1. a plant seed capsule carrying many hooked structures which catch in animal coats thus promoting dissemination of the plant. and Alexander Hamilton, a former delegate to the Constitutional Convention, faced off in an infamous (notorious) duel. By the next day, a bullet had ended the life of one man and tarnished the reputation of the other. Great Statesmen Aaron Burr, a Revolutionary War officer, served as U.S. Vice President (1801-1805) under President Thomas Jefferson. Alexander Hamilton, the nation's first Secretary of the Treasury, had also distinguished himself as a lawyer and an adviser to George Washington. In 1800, Hamilton protested Burr's ambition to become Vice President. "Mr. Burr is determined... to climb to the highest honors of the [government]," Hamilton wrote to a friend. "He is bold, enterprising, and intriguing [scheming], and I feel it is a religious duty to oppose his career." Both men rivaled each other in service and political ambition. They were also bitter enemies. In the election, Jefferson ran for President and Burr for Vice President on the Democratic-Republican ticket. Back then, voting procedures called for the person who got the most Electoral College electoral college, in U.S. government, the body of electors that chooses the president and vice president. The Constitution, in Article 2, Section 1, provides: "Each State shall appoint, in such Manner as the Legislature thereof may direct, a Number of Electors, votes to become President and the person who came in second to become Vice President. Jefferson and Burr tied, so the election was thrown into the House of Representatives. It took 36 ballots to break the tie, with Hamilton helping to defeat Burr. Hamilton's criticisms of Burr were well-founded. Many people said that Burr entered politics solely to pursue power and prestige (influence). To which Burr responded: "Great souls have little use for small morals." War of Words In the summer of 1804, Hamilton again maligned ma·lign tr.v. ma·ligned, ma·lign·ing, ma·ligns To make evil, harmful, and often untrue statements about; speak evil of. adj. 1. Evil in disposition, nature, or intent. 2. (criticized) Burr. His term as Vice President about to expire, Burr was then running for Governor of New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of . At a dinner party, Hamilton called Burr a "dangerous man and one who ought nor to be trusted with the reins of government." The comments got back to Burr. After losing the election, Burr wrote to Hamilton, demanding an apology for his insults. Hamilton refused, and Burr challenged him to a duel. The matter would be settled with bullets, not words. Both men had homes in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. where duels were illegal. They agreed to meet at a clearing in the woods in Weehawken, New Jersey Weehawken is a township in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 13,501. Weehawken was formed as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 15, 1859, from portions of Hoboken and North , overlooking the Hudson River Hudson River River, New York, U.S. Originating in the Adirondack Mountains and flowing for about 315 mi (507 km) to New York City, it was named for Henry Hudson, who explored it in 1609. Dutch settlement of the Hudson valley began in 1629. . Final Farewells On the eve On the Eve (Накануне in Russian) is the third novel by famous Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, best known for his short stories and the novel Fathers and Sons. of their duel, Burr and Hamilton prepared for death. Each wrote to his loved ones loved ones npl → seres mpl queridos loved ones npl → proches mpl et amis chers loved ones love npl . "If it had been possible for me to have avoided this duel," Hamilton wrote to his wife, Eliza, "my love for you and my precious children would have been alone decisive. But it was not possible without sacrifices which would have rendered me unworthy of your esteem." Hamilton also wrote a letter to Nathaniel Pendleton, his "second" at the duel. Traditionally, each duelist had a supporter, or second, to give commands and serve as a witness. Hamilton told Pendleton to share the letter with others after the duel. Burr wrote to his daughter. "I am indebted to you, my dearest Theodosia," the letter reads, "for a very great portion of the happiness which I have enjoyed....Adieu. Adieu." Day of Reckoning On the morning of July 11, 1804, Burr and his second, William Van Ness Van Ness may refer to: People
Hamilton arrived a few moments later, accompanied by Pendleton. Dr. David Hosack, Hamilton's personal physician, stayed behind with the rowboats. Hamilton and Burr bowed formally. Van Ness and Pendleton measured off 10 paces and loaded the pistols. The duelists took their spots, armed and ready. Hamilton faced east, toward New York City. Burr faced west, toward the frontier. Pendleton looked at his watch. Seconds later he shouted: "Present!" Both men fired, smoke billowing bil·low n. 1. A large wave or swell of water. 2. A great swell, surge, or undulating mass, as of smoke or sound. v. bil·lowed, bil·low·ing, bil·lows v.intr. 1. . Burr stood tall, still as a statue. Hamilton swayed, stood up on his toes, and then fell on his face. Burr took a step toward his fallen rival. But Van Ness grabbed him and led the way back to their boat. Dr. Hosack raced to the clearing and cradled Hamilton, who muttered: "This is a mortal wound A Mortal Wound is an injury from battle or an accident which directly leads to the death of an individual. Death is not instantaneous, but follows the injury. It is lethal unless proper medical treatment is immediately given. , Doctor." Blood rushed from his side. The bullet had torn through Hamilton's stomach and was lodged in his spine. Pendleton and Hosack carried Hamilton to the boat. They rowed furiously back to New York, but nothing could be done: The wound was too grave (serious). Hamilton died the next day at the age of 47. A Hero and a Villain News of Hamilton's death sparked sadness and anger, as the nation mourned a great man. Many people directed their anger at Burr. One of the first duelists ever to be charged with murder, Burr fled south to avoid arrest. In the fall, when the commotion had died down, he returned to Washington, D.C., and finished his term as Vice President. Years later, Burr was accused of plotting to create an independent republic in the Southwestern U.S. He was arrested and tried for treason treason, legal term for various acts of disloyalty. The English law, first clearly stated in the Statute of Treasons (1350), originally distinguished high treason from petit (or petty) treason. Petit treason was the murder of one's lawful superior, e.g. . After being acquitted, a penniless pen·ni·less adj. 1. Entirely without money. 2. Very poor. See Synonyms at poor. pen  ni·less·ly adv. Burr slipped away to Europe with
money gathered from friends.Eyewitness An individual who was present during an event and is called by a party in a lawsuit to testify as to what he or she observed. The state and Federal Rules of Evidence, which govern the admissibility of evidence in civil actions and criminal proceedings, impose requirements Accounts Eyewitness accounts enable us to re-create the duel. But the supporters of each man made competing claims Both Van Ness and Pendleton argued that the opponent fired first. Although historical accounts are often influenced by personal loyalties and motivations, primary sources provide valuable information about historic events. Government records diaries, and personal letters are all examples of primary sources. Historians pore pore (por) a small opening or empty space. alveolar pores openings between adjacent pulmonary alveoli that permit passage of air from one to another. over such documents like detectives, searching for dues and missing information. Because of conflicting reports, details of the final moments of the duel remain a mystery. "The word 'present' was then given," wrote Van Ness. "The pistol of General Hamilton was first discharged, and Colonel Burr fired immediately after." According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. Pendleton, Hamilton had decided that shooting Burr would be morally wrong: "He had made up his mind not to fire at Burr, but to fire in the air." Pendleton supported his account by releasing Hamilton's letter. In it, Hamilton wrote: "It pleases God to give me the opportunity to reserve and throw away my first fire, and I have thought even of reserving my second fire." Whatever the truth, Burr's own actions hurt his reputation far more than any insult Hamilton had ever hurled. Your Turn WORD MATCH 1. infamous A. criticized 2. intriguing B. influence 3. prestige C. serious 4. maligned D. notorious 5. grave E. scheming THINK ABOUT IT Why did Hamilton believe the duel was unavoidable? ANSWERS 1. D 2. E 3. B 4. A 5. C |
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