An Affair of Honor
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n the morning of June
18, 1804, a visitor handed a package to the former treasury secretary Alexander
Hamilton. Inside was a newspaper clipping and a terse three‑sentence
letter. The clipping said that Hamilton had called Vice President Aaron Burr
"a dangerous man, and one who ought not to be trusted with the reins of
government." It went on to say that Hamilton had "expressed" a
"still more despicable opinion" of Burr‑‑apparently a
bitter personal attack on Burr's private morality. The letter, signed by Burr,
demanded a "prompt and unqualified" denial or an immediate apology.
Alexander Hamilton
regarded Burr as a unscrupulous man. Burr, in turn, blamed Hamilton for his
defeat in the race for governor of New York earlier in the year. When Hamilton
failed to respond to his letter satisfactorily, Burr insisted that they settle
the dispute according to the code of honor.
Gentlemen in late 18th
century America were very anxious to protect their honor. To defend his
reputation, a gentleman might challenge another to a duel, which was followed
by a series of formal responses and negotiations. Only rarely did a challenge
result in violence. Eleven time Alexander Hamilton was involved in affairs of
honor; only once were shots exchanged.
Shortly after 7 o'clock
on the morning of July 11, 1804, Burr and Hamilton met on a dueling ground in
New Jersey, across the Hudson River from New York. It was the exact spot where
Hamilton's eldest son Philip had died in earlier duel.
After he and Burr took
their positions ten paces apart, Hamilton raised his pistol on the command to
"Present!" and fired. His shot struck a tree a few feet to Burr's
side. Then Burr fired. His shot struck Hamilton in the right side and passed through
his liver. Hamilton died the following day.
Hamilton had said he was
going to intentionally fire his first shot to the side. The popular view was
that Burr had slain the Federalist leader in an act of cold‑blooded
murder. In fact, historians do not know whether Burr was guilty of willful
murder. According to the code of honor, if Burr missed on his first try,
Hamilton would have a second chance to shoot.
New Jersey indicted Burr
for murder. The vice president took refuge in Georgia and South Carolina, until
the indictments were quashed and he could finish his term in office.
The early 19th century
was a period rife with conflict and partisan passion.
· The Jeffersonians attempted to use the
impeachment process to rid the federal courts of judges they considered unfit
or overly partisan.
· A former vice president was tried for
treason.
· Britain and France intercepted American
ships and confiscated their cargoes.
· Britain seized naturalized American sailors
and forced them into the British navy.
· Finally, the Unite States once again waged war with Britain, the world's strongest power.