Details
BURR, AARON. Autograph letter signed ("A. Burr") to JOHN JAY, Governor of New York; New York, 5 September 1800. 2 pages, 4to, integral address leaf in Jay's hand, with docket, remains of wax seal, seal break and one fold break.
BURR DEFERS TO HAMILTON
A letter written during a crucial period in Burr's career, five months before the election that brought Jefferson to the Presidency. The official opponents in the campaign--one of the most virulent in American history--were the incumbent President John Adams, supported by the Federalist party, running against his own Vice-President Jefferson, who had earned the support of the anti-Federalist Republicans. Aaron Burr, having narrowly defeated the Federalist Alexander Hamilton in the New York legislative election earlier that year, had managed to obtain the Republicans' endorsement as vice-presidential candidate, but owing to a peculiarity of the original electoral system, the vice-presidential and presidential candidates were not so designated in the ballots. When the electoral votes were counted in February 1801, Burr and Jefferson tied, each receiving 73 votes, and Burr refused to concede. He received the backing of a group of Federalists who viewed him as the lesser of two evils, but in the end Alexander Hamilton persuaded a majority of Federalists to support Jefferson. Burr quickly disclaimed having competed for the office and was designated Vice-President.
In this letter Burr interestingly describes having referred a question of attendance in the militia to his arch-rival Hamilton, inspector-general of the provisional army since 1798, who was to fall under his bullet less than four years later: "Yesterday...I received your letter of the 22nd Augt. The condition of returning or abating one hundred dollars for every day less than eight that my attendance might be required at Hartford appeared to me to be so utterly inadmissible that I called on General Hamilton to know whether you & he had understood each other. It seems that you had not. He supposes that the eight days are to be counted on the whole time of absence. If this should be also your intention, I agree to the proposition. The other interpretation might subject me to the whole labour of preparation and expence of the Journey for Eighty pounds, which I presume cannot have been your intention."
BURR DEFERS TO HAMILTON
A letter written during a crucial period in Burr's career, five months before the election that brought Jefferson to the Presidency. The official opponents in the campaign--one of the most virulent in American history--were the incumbent President John Adams, supported by the Federalist party, running against his own Vice-President Jefferson, who had earned the support of the anti-Federalist Republicans. Aaron Burr, having narrowly defeated the Federalist Alexander Hamilton in the New York legislative election earlier that year, had managed to obtain the Republicans' endorsement as vice-presidential candidate, but owing to a peculiarity of the original electoral system, the vice-presidential and presidential candidates were not so designated in the ballots. When the electoral votes were counted in February 1801, Burr and Jefferson tied, each receiving 73 votes, and Burr refused to concede. He received the backing of a group of Federalists who viewed him as the lesser of two evils, but in the end Alexander Hamilton persuaded a majority of Federalists to support Jefferson. Burr quickly disclaimed having competed for the office and was designated Vice-President.
In this letter Burr interestingly describes having referred a question of attendance in the militia to his arch-rival Hamilton, inspector-general of the provisional army since 1798, who was to fall under his bullet less than four years later: "Yesterday...I received your letter of the 22nd Augt. The condition of returning or abating one hundred dollars for every day less than eight that my attendance might be required at Hartford appeared to me to be so utterly inadmissible that I called on General Hamilton to know whether you & he had understood each other. It seems that you had not. He supposes that the eight days are to be counted on the whole time of absence. If this should be also your intention, I agree to the proposition. The other interpretation might subject me to the whole labour of preparation and expence of the Journey for Eighty pounds, which I presume cannot have been your intention."