E321 .W92 M ^ii'm' tii fW; i^<. miWMyKkWl W-:" sy^'T^ ^*7'. i?\nl«:?'i > -^■ V \ S> * ^ r.^ ' J r-^^. .^'\ -J^ ^':^^. ^ ^^0^ "■ -^ -'-^^^^•" "\/ /Jfe'v %,^^ A c^ CORRECT STATEMENT OF THE FARIOUS SOURCES FROM WHICH THE HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN ADAMS WAS COMPILED, AND THE Motives for its Suppression BY COL. BURR: miii) some (BhmMim^ ON A NARRATIVE, BY A CITIZEN OF NEW-YORK. Second Edition corrected with Notes. ^By JOHM WOOD, AUTHOR OF THE SAID HISTORY. NEIV'TORK: ?RINTED AND SOLD F OR THE AUTHOR, BY C. 8l R. WAlTE 1802. gi€onttt i^tatement, &c, No task is more difficult or painful than properly to correa a mistatement of the aBions of party orof indivi- duals, occasioned by erroneous information or a too impli- cit confidence in intriguing charaaers ; yet no labour ough to be esteemed more praiseworthy than an investigation of thisnature. The prideor obstinacy inherent inhuman nature. too often refuses this tribute which virtue requires, and men in general are unfortunately over-zealous to pursue with" avidity that road which ignorance once has diaated rather than to retreat into the more noble path of honest integrity. The politics of America appear to a British alien, on a superficial survey, only as a simple question respeaing the preference of aristocracy ; but, after a Httle experience, and a more minute knowledge of parties, a .ceneof faaion and intrigue, pervadingallranks of society. gradually unfolds itself, in a manner that must excite the asionishmcnt even of those best versed in the arts of £u. 3opcan policy. The unwary foreigner, acquamted only with those principles fixed by the constitution of the States^ readily embraces the cause of that party which appears to show most address, and most zeal in defending the rights of that people among whom he has chosen his iuturc resi. dence. The real patriots ot this description are most ire- quently men who conceal themselves in silent obscurity, unwillincT to mix in the bustle of the political world, until [ 4 ] the invaded rights of therr country call them forth to ac- tion, and exposff to view their latent virtues. The licenti- ous, the needy and the ambitious, are in general the appa- rent patriots of every country, whom accident most fre- quently introduces to the acquaintance of the unknown stranger. With these men, who daily promise relief and improvements to the peeple, he contracts an acquaintance, partakes in their career of popular applause, and gradually imbibes tenets that, under other circumstances, he would have spurned with contempt. Such is the unfortunate lotofmost|of the British patriots who have emigrated to this country; intoxicated with that love of liberty which an hereditary right has implanted in the breast of every Briton, they view every stain which tarnishes the edifice of their constitution with the deepest regret, and, as if aftuated by the frenzy of parental affec- tion, they wish for the total dissolution of the objeft nearest their afFe£lions, rather than be the painful witnesses of its decay. Unable to accomplish their desires, in the mo- ment of mad despair they withdraw themselves from their native homes, and as a last resource retreat to that country which was colonized by their ancestors under like motives and like patriotism. There it is their utmost ambition to maintain those sacred rights of which they were deprived in their own country, and trusting the sincerity of every clamorous advocate of liberty as impressed with the same sentiments, they enlist in his party and confide in his in- tegrity, until some fortunate accident dispels the cloud of hypocrisy which veils him from their eyes, and discovers the patriot from the impostor. I might indulge more largely in this prefatory digression, but vanity or prejudice would probably be attributed as the cause; and were I to give a detail of those circumstances [ 5 1 which led myself to America, and of the ftrst acquaintances I formed upon my airival, it would justly be deemed as proceeding from an egotism, tedious to the reader and unfruitful to the public. 1 shall therefore, without fur- ther apology, enter upon the subje6l which constitutes the title of the following pages: — ON the 19th of June, iSoi, I entered into an agree- ment* with Messrs. Barlas and Ward, booksellers in New. York, to write a History of the United States of America during the Administration of President Adams. As the transaftions which have since taken place; have arisen in a great measure from the opposite charafters of these two booksellers, it may not be im.proper if I bestow a little at- tention on this circumstance. — Mr. Ward is a young man of the strictest integrity and honour, and as to politics has * The following is a copy of the articles entered into by Messrs. Barlas & IVari and myself We the Subscribcrs'have received the following Letter from Mr. Wood and bind ourselves to agree to the conditions therein expressed under the Penalty of me Hundred and Fifty Dollars, WILLIAM BARLAS. M. WARD & Co. NeW'Ttrkf June 29^,1801, Messrs. Barlas & Ward. Gentlemen, I hereby cnqage to write a History of the United States of America, during the Administration of John Adams, Esq. to be contained, in nearly four hundred and eighty pages, of thirty lines, and to be com» pkied bv the end of Avigust nex^, or September at farthest; which His, tory, I give to you, as also the Copy Right thereof, in the United States, under the penalty of one hundred and fifty dollars. I am Gentlemen, Yeiw obedient Servant, New-York, No. 4, Wall-Strcct, JOHN WOOD, ioth June, 1801. [ 6 1 taken no aftivc part in favour of either party, but Mr. Bar. Us, unfortunately for himRelf and mankind, is in a degree a character of a different complexion ; with his acquaint- ances he professes himself the warmest friend to the adniini- sf rat ion of Mr. Jefferson, and often insinuates that he has occasionally contributed to the aid of the anti-federal prints, while to the public he assumes the modest appearance of clerical indil?L^rence. Mr. Barlas, however, as being the oldest partner m this business, had the preference given to him in all matters of dispute. By our letter of agreement a clause was inserted at the desire of Mr. Barlas, that the work should be finished by the end of August or Septem- l^er, I did nut ohjaSi to the clause at the instant of sub- scribing the articles, not doubting bat Messrs. Barlas and Ward would, for their own interest, allow the period to he prolonged, if necessary. Pievious to the commence- ment ot the work, 1 had calculated upon my labour, rather ss a field of amusement than that of laborious research ; it was impossible to have conceived that the annals oi a go- vernment of H new country, such as the United States, for f./ur years, should be enveloped in mystery, cibal, and in- trigue, and.thatall the public prints should bea coile6iion oi iafschDoHs fabricated by the hirelings of party ; but I 50on discovered, that to investigate the truth from volumes oi newspapers devoted to opposite interests, would require several years in place of a itw months. Before the stipu- iJted period was expired, I conununicatcd my sentiments to Mr. Ward, and requested a prolengation oi the period, lo which he appeared lo gi\'e his cordial assent, but upon conversing wiih Mr. Bjrlas, they both insisted, I suppose from the advice of Barlas, that the book should be finished v/itliin the time prescribed, otherwise tiiat 1 would lv>rleit tho pjjiaJty thut 1 had agreed upon in my letter of the 19th wfjjiie. [ 7 ] Thus circumstanced, I was under the necessity of tbro.v- ing tDgether my materials, I may say without either pro- per arrangement or due consideration. These materials were principally collefted from the Aurora, Mr. Duane's private letters, and Callender's works, besides some occa- sional hints I received from gentlemen in New-York and Philadelphia. My correspondence with Mr. Duane, or rather his let- ters to me, originated not through Barlas and Ward, as he has stated in his letter in the Aurora, but from an applica- tion which I made to him respe8;ing the letters of Curtius : This application was made about the first oi Ju'V, and from that time until the month of 061ober, Mr. Duane sent me, occasionally, information as to chara6lers and events, sometimes couched in the form of letters, and at other times expressed in the form of history, leaving it to my own discretion to alter the language or not. Notwith- standing this adive part which Mr. Duane had in the com- pilation of the history, he is pleased to assert in the Aurora of the 12th July, that it contains neither veracity or dignity. Such an observation would certaialy have pro- ceeded with more propriety from any other critic than Mr« Duane, when the fafts furnished by him are well known to be the most false and libellous in the whole book. These facts, as he termed them in his letters, related principally to Mr. Adams, and c on)pose almost all the anecdotes in- serted in the history respefting the late president. The fallacy of the stories reported to me by Mr. Duane, I was then ignorant oF, but can now assure the public, that I have been informed by persons more respe61dble than Mr. Duane, that there is not the smallest foundation either for the anecdote of the Alchemist, mentioned in page 503, or for the stories rcspcting Mr. Adams and Doctor fr*iHkijin, [81 related in chapter XII. "'^ Mr. Duanc was particularly sec^u- lous in his letters in requesting that I should by no means omit to describe, in tiie most pointed manner, the enmity of Mr. Adams towards Dr. Franklin; but upon a fair inves- tigation of this matter, I have discovered that Mr. Adan^s never displayed any marks of hatred to Doctor Franklin himsclF, but only towards Bache the printer,uAvho raised Mr. Duane to his present cnunence. This was certainly an a61 of gratitude in Mr. Duane, but that species of gra- titude which ought to receive the severest censure, the raising the reputation of a friend at the expense of his enemy, and, without having the boldness to execute the stratagem himself, to impose the task upon a stranger. The character given of James Ross, of Pennsylvania, in page 184, was drawn from the Aurora, but as to the truth of the charges there adduced against Mr. Ross, I have not had an opportunity of determining. The probability, how- ever, is that they arc false, as they have been reported by Mr. Duane. The characters given of the members of con- gress (who voted for the alien and sedition bills, that of Mr. Bingham and Mr. Ross excepted) in the history, from page 182 tothecntl of the sixth chapter, were entirely ta- ken from Callender's Prospect, pages 122, 123, 124, 125, -44' ^15' ^4^' ^ ^47' *^^ ^^^^ ^^'^^ volume. The language *Mr. Duaue stated in one of his letters expressly that the sum of/ 15,000 Stfilmg, was given to Mr. Charles Dilly, a Bookseller in London, for the purpose of suppressing or purchasing the materials, which Mr. Diily liadl procured from the friends of Dr. Franklin, for the purpose of compiiinp a History of the Life of that Philosopher; he did not mention by whom the money was given, but from several insinuations in his letter, it appeared that Mr. Ad.ims must have been intended as the Suppressor, — The story however is entirely false, for Mr. Dilly has declared not only that he never received any sum, for the suppression of the History oi Doctor Frankjin'k Life, but that such a Publication as this, was n:ver contemplat- ed by him. [ 9 J is a little altered, but the reader will perceive that the sen^ timents are the same. The character of Mr. Bingham 1 obtained from the friends of Mr. Duane when at PhiJadeU phia. I however am induced to suppose by other inform- ation, that although Mr, Bingham is not the brigntest man in the world, his enemies have extremely exaggerated his faults. The articles entitled Briiish puacy, were entirely extracted fromCallendcr's works, his Sketches of America, and Annual Register. The Contents of the sixth chapter of the History, from the commencement to page 168, were drawn from the second chapter of the first volame o\ Callender's Prospect.* The account I have given of * This part relites to the dismissal of Vv llljam Gardener Commissioner of Lonns for New Hampshire, a supposed insult offered to General Sumter of South Carolina, and an account of a tumult at Philadelphia, on the 9th of May 1798,. with some other anecdotes ^vhich are very much misrepre- sented, but as they are entirely copied from Callender, whose incorrectness I had not reason to suspect when I compiled the History, I have thought proper both for the satisfaction of the reader, and as a proof of the manner in which 1 have been misled, to transcribe a few paragraphs on this jubjc'ct from that writer. *' Bache collected and armed some of his friends. The six per cent myr- jnidons heard of his preparations, and fortunately desisted from their plan. They filled the streets with noise and alarm ; but they did not hazard an attack. The history of that night has never been completely told. It was affirmed, at the time, that a large quantity of arms was lodged by the governm.ent faction in a house near the hall of congress, and that, m case oi disturbance, riiuskets and ball v/ere to be distributed to \\\£ ycun^ citizens, as the attorney's mob chose to call themselves. Happily, the in- habitants at large, are acquain:cd with the worth of peace, and the storm blew over. But for this good foriunc, thanks are not due to vhe genuine friends 6f order, as some persons impudently term themselves. Unqwcs^ tionably, Philadelphia contains many characters that would rejoice in biood- ?hed. ♦' B L I^> ] BIounl'5 con:,piracy, and the negociation of this country with the Directory of France, were collected from the *' On the cvcn-ng oF the same fast day, about thirty lads appeared in a body, in Philadelphia, with French cockades. Th cy made no disturbance They were disperied by the magistrates, who committed some of them to prison. The federal mob were by far more numerous, more noisy, and more apparently dangerous. No attempt was made by the magistrates to reduce thcni to quiet. But at length some republican troops of horse as- sembled on the streets; and the young cit'zens took themselves out of the way. We had musick ai»d poetry, sucii as they were, for several nights after. The treasury songsters descended so very low as to serenade Lis- ten's printer." •' In summer, 1798, general Sumter of South C arolina, w?s grossly in- sulted at the new Circus in marker-street, Piiiladelphia, because he did not clap his hands, when the president entered the place. The general sat in one of the front rows, when a rumour spread that Mr. Adams was coming in, A clapping of hands commenced, and one Fitzhugh called out, in a loud voice, asking why the general did not clap ? A second rumour arose, and a second demand for c'apping was made upon this venerable veteran. At the same time, Fitzhugh attempted to seize his hands, and force him to clap. General Samter represented that there was no mutual acquain- tance to justify such freedoms, that he was a stranger to the gentleman and gsked if the latter knew ty^o he zvas? "Oh, damn you, we know you, *' and all your party," replied the royalist. " I hope, in six months time, *' to see you all banished from the country." Then turning to one ma- jor Oram, he went on thus: *' docs not Dayton keep these fellows in *' excellent order?'' His last words referred to the insolence of that super- eminent ruffian, the late speaker of ihe house of representatives. The je- Tond rumour of the approach of his majesty of Braintree proved, also, groundless. At last, Mr. Adams did appear. Fitzhugh then attempted to snatch off general Simuers's h?.t, askii^g why, like the rest of the com- pany, he did not uncover? The general found out hrs name, and called for him, next inoming, at his lodgings; but Fitzhugh was gone." *' Party spirit has extended even to cliaritable institutions. The dispen- sary at Philadelphia was lately conducted by six physicians, who gave at- '•.-ndance^rt^f:;. One of :hc«!e: was Dr. James Reynolds. In place of L 11 ] Aurora, as also were my remarks on the constitution ol Connecticut, and the characters of Mr. Trumbull, Mr. TreaHwell, Mr. Thomas Grosevenor, Mr. Thomas Sey- mour, Mr. Aaron Austin, and Mr. David Dagget. These last are to be found in the Aurora of April, 1801. In the character of General Hamilton, which Mr. Duane thinks proper to call a panegyric fraught with falsehood, I have certainly committed some errors, bat the principal error is one, which detra£ls from the integrity of that able officer in place of adding an undue lustre to his virtues. The reader will easily perceive that I allude to the stale story of Mrs. Reynolds. Followingthe mistatement of Cal- lender, I have represented that woman as an amiable and virtuous wife, seduced from the afre6lions of her husband by artifice and intrigue. That woman, however, I have been informed from the best authority, from the authority even of her own acquaintances, to have been one of those unfortunates, who, destitute of every regard ior virtue or honour, traffic with the follies of youth, and lay their snares to entrap the feeling heart and benevolent mind ; such was the origin of her acquaintance with Mr. Hamilton, whose thanking him for his acceptance of a trust by which he could gain nothing, the managers took offence at his attendance. Only one objection could be started against this inteUigent and estimable man. Dr. Reynolds is a friend ' to political liberty. The other five physicians wrote a letter to the mana- gers, representing tbat they could never admit the introduction of such a principal for dismission. The board had no* even the decency to send these gentlemen an ansv;er. Their letter was returned back again, with the copy of a minute, made by the boaid, and dated May 31, 1798. In that paper, the managers say that " the contents of this letter are of a nature improper to be ccmidercdP The physicians immediately gave in their resigna- tion, adding that they would continue their services, until successors could be appointed. The managers sent them a second minute, and, without thanking them (or the latter part of their cojr,munlc?tion, accepted ©f their propc^al to resign." [ 12 ] unsuspecting generosity became the victim of her art anc! duplicity. The dates in the article of liisllfe, are also erro- neous, as well as the island of his birth, which was Ncvis and not St. Croix. Th in the age of infancy, for I had mentioned, in my History, that after the death of presi_ dent Burr, the care of his education devolved on Mrs. Burr. This circumstance I have thought particularly ne* cessary to notice, not only as a mattei of justice to Mr. Burr, but to expose the malicious intent of the writer oi the Narrative, who, to promote the views of his party, and decra£l from the integrity of Mr. Burr, concludes his paragraph by the following sarcastic expression ; — *' To one who is looking forward to the Presidency, to gain * Mr. Hardle in his life of Mr. Burr's father, says, that in the fall of '-^TSy* president Burr went to Philadelphia on some business, and on "h's return in the same year died in the fory-third year of his age. — Fiom ~-J:is paragrsj^h I think ilw mistake in Mr. Burr's age originated. [ I'? ] at the age of fifty, five years on the side of youth, is t)o in- considerable acquisition.'"' After leaving Mr. Burr on the morning of the loth of December, I .waited on Mr. Ward and communicated to him my desire of purchasing the edition and copy-right of the History, with the intention of suppressing it, addingj that a particular friend was anxious this should be done, both on account of the republican interest which the pub- lication would injure, as well as from a personal regard to myself; and that if he and Mr. Barlas would agree to any reasonable ^rms, ray friend would immediately clos^ with them. Mr. VVdid appeared entirely satisfied, bult said it v/as necessary to have the consent of Nlr. Barlas, who he supposed would agree upon the payment of all their expenses. I saw Mr. Ward in the afternoon of that day after having conversed with Mr> Barlas, but was astonished to find that Barlas could noc be brought to an agreement, except upon very extravagant terms. "^ I saw Mr. Burr to^ wards eveningj and related to him my fears of the impos- sibility of treating vviih my books-tljcrs, Mr. Barlas in particular. Mr. Burr thought it an unfortunate circum- stance, but said he had no doubt if the danger ot publish- ing a libellous book was properly explained to them, that they would agree; he also inquired it I knew w'uo were the particular acquaintances or patrons ol Mr. Bulas; X mentioned Dr. Wiison of Columbia college as one, up'^n * Although Mr. Ward agreed finally with Barlas In his demands, ye^ the blame ought alone to rest with the latter, for Barlns always consulted his ov/n pleasure, and not hi^ partners in every circumstance attending both the publication and suppression. Barlas in the beginning of the negociation continued to raise his demand*;} he first asked 1500 dollars, then isooo, ana I believe was once for jncisLlng upon 2500. as a proper compensdti&n. [ 38 ] which Mr. Burr promised he should see that professor the next morning upon the subje£^. In our conversation this evening, Mr. Burr observed, that independent of the libel. Jous matter, I had fallen into several inconsistencies in my description of characters, particularly that of General Washington.* Mr. Burr's opinion of the abilities of Washington, I confess, was not the most favourable ; but certain am I, that I never heard Mr. Burr express himself in such derogatory terms of General Washington as the friends and party of Mr. Jefferson and Mr. Clin- ton always do+ — No one knows this so well as the writer of the Narrative — no one has heard so much abuse thrown on the character of Washington in the companies which he frequents as this same citizen ; but want of candour has caused him to attribute the opinions of his own party particularly to Mr. Burr ; for he knew the prejudice of the public was greatly in favour of Washington ; he w^s not ignorant that could this odium be thrown upon Mr. Burr alone, that a principal point would be gained, and he therefore has endeavoured to ruin the popularity of Mr. Burr, by apparently reprobating those opinions ivhich he and his friends foster in private, and nourish together. In regard to General Dayton, Mr. Burr disapproved that in a history of important events, personal transactions * The inconsistencies which Mr. Burr alluded to were the cpposite characters given of Washington in different parts of the history, and which inconsistency, I in some manner apologized for, in the paragraph relat- ing to Washington's death. + I have heard a violent Clinto nian declare, in presence of the Narra- tive writer, that he regarded the Presidency of Washington, as one of the most unfortunate circumstances which ever befell America. Duane and his companions always bestow similar epithets of praise upon Washingron and Adams, and most commonly place the actions of the former tic the «ead of their list of despotic crimes. ' [ 19 ] should have a place ; that the letters between Dayton and Childs proved nothing more than a commerciajl transaction, which has been practised by oany others besides Mr, Day- ton ; that the violence of party rage often threw the blackest colouring over the most trifling matters, which it did in the transaction between Dayton an4 Chiids ; and I believe he might have added, that from the letters themselves, it ap- peared that Childs was indebted to Dayton to a consider- able amount, Mr. Burr also remarked, that I had been •led into an extravagant mistake with regard to the anecdote I related of Mr. Hamilton at the capture of the redoubt at York-Town ; that the MarquLs de la Fayette was a man of the greatest humanity, and that my information must have been erroneous. Respc6];ing Mr. JeSlfrson, the conversa- tion arose from Mr. Burr's observing, that I mentioned in my History, that, in the first meeting of congress alter the election of Mr. Adams, Mr. JefFerson should have addres- sed the senate in an extempore speech : Mr. Burr told me this was a mistake. Remarking upon the character of Mr. Jefferson, I observed to Mr. Burr, that although 1 regard- ed the President as a man of sound judgment, and well fit- ted to fill the office he now holds, yet, 1 by no means deem- ed him a character of enterprise or of the first genius, un- derst-anding by the word genius, a faculty of mind which Providence has granted to a few individuals who have ex- plored the hidden paths of nature, and by their actions, have astcnhshed the ordinary intellccl of man. To this opinion Mr. Burr appeared to give his assent, but never dropped a single expression in any manner or degree dis- respectful of Mr. Jefferson. He seemed also as;** lished that I should have represented Mr. Finckney as a man ot Ic&s integrity than Mr. Hamilton, knowing the former, without any disparagement to the latter, to be a man of tne strictest honour in the United States. These were the C 30 ] substance of all the remarks as to characters, which Mr. Burr made to me : what he may have said to Others 1 kuow not, nor shall I attempt to investigate/^ * It is impossible for the reader to perceive the deceitful aim of tl-.c Narrative writer, so weU as by contrasting what I have stated, with the falsehoods contained in p. 17 and 18 of the Narrative. •* It 'vvas objected that the character of Mr. Hamilton, Charles C. Pirick- re/, Jonathan Dayton, and General Washington were net accurately deli- neated , and it was added with great tenderness that the book contained many libellous passages. He therefore enquired whether an agreement could not be made wijh Barlas and Ward to suppress it ? He conceive^ that the character of Mr. Hamilton was misrepresented, meaning where en- comium was bestowed upon him it was unmerited — that Mr. Charles C. Piackney, who was represented by Mr. Wood as a person ol less integrity than Mr. Hamilton, was a man of purer principle than any other in the union. Upon General Washington, undeserved eulogiums he said had been, lavished; and that during his Presidency he had evinced himself a person possessed of unbounded vanity without talents eiiher as a soldier or a scholar. Continuing his criticisms, Mr. Wood, he observed, had wholly mistaken the character of the honourable Jonathan Dayton. Referring to his connection with Francis Childs, which Mr. Wood had noticed in his history to the disgrace of Mr. Dayton, he declared that Childs was a sco'ur.. drel and indebted to Mr. Dayton in the sum o^ one hundred thousand dcU tars. The character given by Mr. Wood of Mr. Adams, he liked; it was a bad one, and he thought it representative of the ex-piesident. Mr. Burr reserved his critical remarks on the character given by Mr. Wo&d of Mr. Jefferson to the last. This he did not think exactly descriptive of that illustrioQS person. He observed that Mr. Jefferson was not a man ol genius; he was 7i plodding, mechanical person, of little activity of mind and possessed of a judgment not very discriminative. Mr. Jefferson he said had also another great failing ; he courted and was fond of popularity \ He suggested to Mr. Wood the propriety of writing his character anew, and prom!scd to furnish him with facts relative to Mr. Jefferson which were little known to the public, and which wo\ild be found exceedingly interesting. '* The Narrative writer also declares, that Mr. Burr never condescended to mention any of the libellous passages. This is a mistake, he marked several, among the Nc\v»England characters in particular. [ 21 ] I saw Mr. Ward on Friday the nth of December, and represented to him the dangers which would await Barlas and him, as well as me, from prosecutions, if the history were published. He appeared to be of the like opinion, but said it was impossible to convince Barlas, who had ta« ken the advice of his friends, and saw nothing in the history that would be libellous : he urged another objection to the suppression, that a manuscript copy had been sent to Lon- don a few days before with a Mr. Hodson, by the ship Juli- ana, in order to be published, and unless it were recalled the suppression could not take place, I immediately com- municated this intelligence to Mr. B^^rr, who was at din- ner v/ith some company ; he came to the door and chartred me by all means, to order Messrs. Barlas and Ward to stop the publication in London. The brig Recovery was to sail that evening for Greenock, and no other vessel was to sail for several days. Messrs. Barlas and Ward agreed to write to Hodson to stop the publication, on condition I should either give up the name of the person with whom I was negociating, or give them proper security for any loss they might incur from stopping the publication in England. This I was unwilling to do without orders from Mr. Burr^ and therefore I returned to his house, but unfortunately he had gone cut. The R.ecovery was to sail at six o'clock, hy which circumstance I had no other alternative than to give Messrs. Barlas and Ward the name of Mr. Burr, or drop every idea of suppressing the History. In thi« dilemma, I preferred mentioning the name of Mr. Burr, in expectation he would never he known as the suppressof — Messrs. Barlas and Ward having given me an obliga-* tion lor 300 dollars to that purpose, I saw Mr. Burr upon Saturday the 12th, and inbrmedi him, that orders had been sent hy Messrs. Barlas and C 22 3 Ward, with the brig Recovery, to stop the English edi- tj'on ; at the same time I put into his hands, copies of let- ters which had been written for that purpose, with which he seemed perfectly satisfied. The only difficulty which now remained, was to compjomise the matter with Barlas and Ward? to efFe6l which, Mr. Burr advised me to write to them the following letter, and not the one which is first inserted in the Narrative, which is incorrect, false, and erroneous. GENTLEMEN, Having discovered, lately, tha; the History of the Administration of John Adams, which I compiled for you, is, in several parts, false and erroneous, as it regards pub- lic events, artd entirely incorrect as it regards individual characters, I have the most anxious desire that It should be suppressed, for wliich purpose I engage to indemnify you fpr the neat expenses of paper and print, and to furnish you. with an altered copy, fit for the press, in the space of ten days — the copy-right of which I assign over to you in the same manner as the former. In the event of your non- compliance» I shall feel myself under the necessity to pub- lish th* above to the world, and also to set on f(X)t a new work in vindication of those characters I may have injur- ed, so that the whole of the malice and injury done, which never were intended by me, may rest on you alone. I remain, Gentlemen, your's, &c. JOHN WOOD. New-York, 12 Dec. 1801. * To Messrs. Barlas. IVard and Co. * The fabricated letter in the Narrative is as follows, being materially differeat both as to sentiment and expression, NeohVark, December iltk, 1801. Gentlemen, I hereby propose to indemnify you for the nett ex- penccsof priming the History of the Administration of John Adams; r 23 ] I received an answer from Messrs. Barlas and Ward refusing my offer ; but agreeing to suppress the work for two thousand dollars, or fifteen hundred dollars with a new- manuscript copy.* These proposals neither meeting Mr. including the paper thereof, and to furnish you with a new maruscnpi copy in the space of ten days from this date, on condition that the present edition be entirely suppressed. — Should it not be suppressed you will be prosecuted for the libel it contains, ., I am Your'5, Gentlemen, Mesirs. Bartas & IVard, JOHN WOOD. It is stated in a note at the bottom of the 21st. Page in the Narrative that ** it had been said by Mr. Burr, that if the I'roprictors would not suppress the work, they would (or should) be prosecuted by Mr. Dayton, who would not allow them the option of giving up the Author." This is altogether false, no such expression having ever been used by Mr. Burr in my presence. * *• New-York, December iiM, 1801. •' Sir, •• We have received your proposals, Wherein you offer to indemnify ug for our nett expcnces, and give us another manuscript copy within the space of ten days, provided vvc agree to suppress the edition which we have printed, *• We have no objections to suppress 4he w^ork, provided we receive a competent indemnification. The nett cxpences would be no object to us> considering the risk we have run, and the trouble we have had ; and also the uncertainty but what we should be put to the same trouble again after we had printed the altered copy — However we offer you the following conditions, which, if you agree to, you may depend upon the most strict compliance ©n our part. "1st. Wc will emtTcly suppress the edition, provided wcneceivptwo thousand dollars, or, ^ *' fid. We will run the risk of printing another edition, and destroy the one v;e have finished, for fifteen hundred dollars. *' N. B. If neither of the above proposals should be agreed to by you, ... [ 24 1 Burr's approbation nor my own, it was necessary to fall orf some other expedient to suppress the work. Mr. Burr naturally supposed, that if a new edition, having all the errors and mitakes in the former corrected, and real facts inserted, could be privately printed, and when furnished, to be offered to Messrs. Barlas and Ward, in exchange for their incorrect and libellous book, they could not possibly, cvtn regarding their own interest, have the smallest objec- tion ; but if, contrary both to prudence and reason, they should persevere in their plan of publishing the original work, the only remedy was to publish the new edition, and furnish them with an appendix correcting the errors in the old one- This scheme, to which there can be attached neither blame or censure, was alone frustrated by Barlas and Ward daily lowering their demands, until at last they offered to suppress the History for iioo dollars, indepen^ dent of too dollars to Mr. Barlas for his share of the copy- light, Mr. Ward having relinquished his claim, in order to receive the profits arising from the printing of the new work.'* These were the terms finally agreed 'apon between ve must publish the work with an appendi,^, wherein you may insert any corrections you may think proper. Mr. JOHN WOOD» M. WARD & Co. W. BARLAS." * " A^ew-VoT^, December 16, 1801. Mr. Woor>. Having been delayed In the publication of your history some time, and having Ordered back the copv we transmitted to London, by your order, wc wish to come to some final determination upon the subject, as it will be Ini possible for us to be hindered in tlie publication any longer; wc «h;!iefore as our ultimate conditions, offer you the followinp/. JVC. We will snnnress the printed edition for 1250 dol. provided wc rece f'^'^tis, another copy within the spec of dayo. The mon:y we have actually p:iid out amounts to 1050. The tlmc^ wi [ 25 ] Messrs. Barlas, Ward, and myself, and with which Mr» Burr appeared satisfied, when he left New- York for Wash- ington. The night previous to his departure I saw him, and he informed me that he had given orders to W, P. Van Ness to settle the business, meaning the payment of the money. Had this immediately been efFe61ed, most probably the world would never have been made acquainted with the transaction, and malicious characters would not have had an opportunity ofthrowing their insinuations, and darting their venom with impunity, as they have now done, against the second chara61er in the United States. The particular cause of the failure of the immediate payment of the mo- ney, I am not acquainted with ; whether it was owing to Mr, Burr, or the negligence of his friends, I know not. It might have proceeded from Mr. Burr, hearing his name be- have lost by being delayed, the trouble \vt have had, the loss we shall sus- tain in stopping the London copy, and the disadvantage in laying a consi- derable time out of our money, we may calculate (at least) at 200 dol. which sum, added to what we have already paid, is 1250 dollars. If you are not inclined to agree to the above proposition, we will pro- ceed to publish the work, you giving us immediately the corrections, which we will print in an appendix, but which must not exceed eight pages. M. WARD & Co. WILLIAM BARLAS." *' New-VorA, Dec. iiG, iSoi, Mr. Wood. Wc agree to deliver up to you the copy right of the new History of the Administration of John Adams, for two hundred dojiars as soon as wc have received th* money which wc arc to receive for suppressing ihe edi- tion which we have printed. M:. ward and Co. WILLIAM BARLAS.'» D [ 26 ] came public in the business, which it did a few days after his departure from New- York, owing to the folly of Barlas, who ran among his friends, and particularly to Mr. George Clinton and Mr. Chcetham, to advise with them (as he said) how he should proceed against the Vice President. Mr. Barlas, unfortunately, was made acquainted with all the steps and incidents which had taken place in the trans- action; he knew the alterations which were to be made in the second edition, and before the name of Mr. Burr was revealed to bim, I had acquainted him with the observa- tions which the person for whom I was negociating had made on certain charafters in the History; this was indis- pensably necessary, as Mr. Ward, as well as Mr. Barlas, insisted on knowing the alterations which were proposed in the new History. These were communicated, I sup- pose, by Mr. Barlas, to others; so that in the course of a few days, not only the name of Mr. Burr, as the suppres- sor of the History, but all the circumstances attending the transaftion, were known in most of the private circles in town.* The friends of Mr. Burr had, therefore, in his absence, a difficult part to aft ; being ignorant, probably, of the express orders which 1 received from Mr. Burr, in order to conclude a bargain with Messrs. Barlas and Ward, they naturally hesitated about the payment of the money, conceiving, perhaps, that the transactions would tend to kurt Mr. Burr with the Republican interest. As they were all strangers to me, except Mr. Van Ness, no inter- course was held between us; while from a variety of^au- * Mr. Cheetham was a daily visitor of Mr. Barlas's at this period. One day Mr. Ward and 1 called at his shop, when Cheetham was in a back room along with Barlas's sister, procuriRg from her such information as Barias himself might be unwilling to reveal — Fearing to be seen he or- dered the courteoui maid to conceal him under a bed until our departure. [ 27 ] ses, I was on terms of intimacy with several of the friend* of Mr. Clinton. This circumstance unluckily created in the minds of the former, suspicions of an unfavourable proceeding in me towards Mr. Burr. This was repeatedly suggested, and reiterated to me by Mr. Clinton's party, v'hose views I did not then comprehejj^, and who did not fail to endeavour to rouse, by every possible means, my indignation against the Vice-President. The friends of Mr. Burr, Mr. M. L. Davis in particular, were repre- sented as using every endeavour to blacken my chara6ler, by reporting that I received no orders from Mr. Burr, re- spefting the suppression of the History. Anxious to have the disagreeable business in which I had engaged termi- nated, 1 wrote to Mr. Burr, then at Washington, request- ing him to order payment of the stipulated sum to Messrs. Barlas and Ward; and acquainting him, at the same time, that they had formed the resolution of prosecuting for the fulfilment of their agreement with me. Mr. Burr having returned no answer to my letter, I regarded it as a matter of equity due from me to Messrs. Barlas and Ward, that I should furnish them with some document of the transac- tion which passed between us, as several accidents might arise in the period of a twelvemonth which would deprive them of the benefit of my evidence in a court of Justice. I therefore, without any hesitation, gave th«m an affidavit, expressive of the orders which I received from Mr. Burr relative to the purchase of the edition and copy-right. — This affidavit was given by me, as both Messrs. Barlas and Ward, and Mr. Tunis Wortman will declare, with no other intention but to serve as a proof of the bargain, in theevent of my death or absence from New- York*. Know- * Mr. Wortman was particularly solititious about this affidavit, and pl<^dg- cd his honour that it should never be known unless it was necessary to produce it in a court of law— yet notwithstanding his promise as well as Barlas' IQ the t 28 ] ing Mr. Barlas to be a man of weak mind, and in vvho«;e promises of secrecy I could not place the greatest reliance ; I stipulated, previous to making the affidavit, that it should be deposited either with Mr. Ward or Mr. Wortman, and on no condition whatever to be made public, or given to Mr. Barlas.* WHether Mr. Barlas made offers of it to others, I now not ; but if he did, it was without Mr* Ward's authority, or mine; and his attempts would have been fruitless, as he could never have possessed himself of it — and Mr. Duane's story of Mr. Coleman's having of- fered a thousand dollars for the affidavit, must be a false- hood, for both Mr. Barlas and Mr. Coleman have suffi- ciently explained to the world their correspondence on that head. Messrs. Barlas and Ward, being possessed of this affida- vit, resorted, as thi Narrative states, to Mr. Harrison, the late recorder of New-York, in order to have his advice, "who, Lbelieve, after the facts were stated, entertained no same cffvict, the circumstance was publicly known in the course of a few kours. Mr. Wortman was anxious when Barlas and Ward first consulted him that a prosecution should be instituted against Mr. Barr, and he appeared to enter into the spirit of their cause with the greatest zeal—His ardour however abated in a few days, and he was rather inclined to adopt the measures which I afterwards state. ♦ Mr. Wortman even went so far as to name certain days and hours on vhlch he told Mr. Wrird he was to conclude the business with the friends of Mr. Burr, he also added, that he had several meetings with them on the subject, but who those pretended friends of Mr. Burr were, Mr. Wortman though repeatedly asked has never yet mentioned. The group was pro- bably composed of Mr. D, Witt Clinton, his drowsy.headed brother Georpc, the new Commissioner of Bankruptcy, Jonathan Pearsee, Jun. and rfic Deputy Attorney General, wiih his humble servant the Citizen Editor. [ 29 ] doubt of Mr. Burr's liability to the payment of the sum agreed upon tor the suppression of the edition. A prose- cution would then have been instantly instituted against Mr. Burr, had not Mr. Woriman engaged to procure the money by subscription from the friends of Mr. Burr. This proposal of Mr. Wortman's was rather singular, when it is known he never conferred on the subjeGt with a single friend or acquaintance of Mr. Burr's, except Mr. Van Ness : he however contrived to quiet the minds of Messrs. Barlas and Ward tor nearly a fortnight, by daily promis- ing them hopes of success without a prosecution ; but Messrs. Barlas and Ward being at length tired out with delays, they were resolved to wait no longer, and had come to the determination of prosecuting, when Mr. Van Ness called one forenoon upon me, and promised to pay the sum of one thousand dollars, on condition that all the printed copies of the History should be delivered up to him : He added, at the same time, that he did this entirely without the knowledge of Mr. Burr, and was uncertain whether it would meet with his approbation. I immediately commu- nicated this offer to Mr. Ward, who accompanied me to the house of Mr. Van Ness, and the business would, in all probability, have been immediately settled, had Mr. Wort- m^ returned a copy of the History, with which he had been entrusted by Messrs. BaiLs and Ward, as counsel for them ; but unloituncitely this copy could not he procur- ed ! After repeated promises on the part of Wortman to return it every hour, he was at length compelled to con less that he had betrayed his trust, by giving a loan ot die book to an acquaintance at some distance from town. Thus Messrs. Barlas and Ward were reduced to their former dis- agreeable suspense. The conduct of Barlas on this occa- sion was truly laughable. It Mr. Burr was the obje61 of his censorious tongue before, Mr. Wortman was doubly [ so J so now ; and the cars of strangers, acquaintances, and friends, were assailed by the clamours of the clerical bookseller, narrating the treachery of counsellor Worlman. Mr. Van Ness, however, agreed, that if the book should make its appearance within the period ot a week, he would still adhere to his promise. It was at length produced in a fortnight from the specified time, and given bv Mr. Waid into the hands of Mr. Van Ness ; but several obstdcies now occurred, which occasioned a procrastination of the payment. Mr. Van Nc&5 was justly apprehensive" lest the copy which Mr. Wortman had, was copied previous to being returned; a bond was therefore required from Messrs. Barlas and Ward, as also on^ from me, binding ourselves that the History should never appear to the public. Barlas and Ward, after several aays' hesitation, at length complied ; but as I had no other interest but to see the book suppres- sed, I refused to give any bond, but one in which I bound myself never to publish the same History, reserving the privilege, however, of publishing detached parts from it. This precaution I thought particularly requisite, as I had been informed by Mr. Cheetham and Mr. Rikcr, that Mr. M. li. Davis, and other friends of Mr. Burr, were sedulous in propagating a report that the History was highly aristo- cratieal, and therefore ought to be suppressed by the repub- lican party. I shall, however, add, in justicc'to Mr, Davis, that I never heard the report from any other quarter but the Clintonians, and it probably was intended by them for no other purpose but to withdraw my partiality from Mr. Burr ; fsr every endeavour was used, both by Mr. Riker and Mr. Cheetham, as well as others of their party, to persuade me togive to the public a complete statement of all the conver- sation which passed between Mr. Burr and myself, rc- «pe£ling the History ; otherwise that 1 must consider my- r 31 ] self as having forleitcd, not only their friendship, but that of the republicans in general. This pressing anxiety on the part of Mr. Riker and Mr. Cheetham, was certainly un- necessary, for by one means or another they had possessed themselves of all the circumstances attending the suppres- sion, and were therefore fully as adequate as I was, ii they were posses.sed of candour, to give an accurate statement of them to the world ; but, pursuing their ordinary policy, they were desirous of imposing the task upon another, well knowingthc odium they woald incur by an attack upon (he Vice President, for a transaction which must be deem- ed of a laudable nature, when properly explained. Mr, Ri- ker, however, acted in this business in a much moreculpa- ble manner than Mr. Cheetham. The latter ought, perhaps, from the ties of gratitude, to have condu6ied himself with more propriety towards Mr. Burr; but since he has declar- ed hostilities against the friends of the Vice-President his behaviour has at least been consistent; he has not, like many others, under the mask of friendship, darted the dag- ger of scandal at the head of Mr. Burr. He avows him- self his public enemy, and afts accordingly. Mr. Riker, on the conttary, affc6ls in the company with Mr. Burr*5 friends, the greatest attachment to the Vice President ; he expresses his astonishment that it should be supposed hei« unfriendly to Mr. Burr; he protests, upon his honour, that Mr. Burr will always reiain his support, and in a fawning courteous manner launches forth into ridiculous eulogiums upon the abilities and the virtues of Mr. Burr, whom he fit-queiitly declares to be one of the greatest men in the Union; and, without any hesitition, places him in the group of talents, over which (la Mr. Rikcr's opinion) Mr. Jeffer- son and Mr. De Witt Clinton preside. Yet this same Deputy Attorney General, who-m nature hds only fitted to a£l as the coxcomb of intrigue, with bows and smiles re- r 32 3 ceivcs the Clintonian faftion at his nightly levees, and in thewarmc^t language ofeffeminate rhetoric declaims against the Vice-President, approves of the proceedings of Mr. Checthain, and twists, and turns, and searches all the capa- city of his brains for new arguments against what the /z///^ Jdlow is pleased to term, the iittlt hand. Such has been the conduft of Mr. Riker: respecting the Narrative, I shall not assert that either he, or Mr. Cheet- ham, Mr. Osgood, or Mr. Wortman,or even Mr. Clinton is the author. This was entrusted to me as a secret, and it shall remain so on my part. I shall only observe, that I had several conversations with the author, and those who advised with him previous to the publication of the Narra- tive; and repeatedly gave it as my opinion, that Mr. Burr's motives wereonlytopreventthepublication of abook which he deemed libellous and incorre6t. I confess, that at.that period, owing to stories which were artfully told me re- specting the attempts cf Mr. Burr, and his friends, to ruin my charaCler, I would have had no objeClions to have seen a fair statement of the case published, with such extra£ls from the History, as to show that it was not wrote by a •* tool of Mr. Adams, and Mr. Hamilton's;" which tale, it was said, Mr. Davis propagated. The insertion of the letters, excepting the first, which was false and incorrecl was not objedionable, as they went to prove only the sup- pression of the History by me, as an agent of Mr. Burr's; but as to the comments and observations made by the writer of the Narrative, as well as several mistatements regarding thebiography of Mr. Burr, and my conversations with him, I opposed at the instant I saw the proof sheets, and imme- diately set about writing a correft statement of the Sup- pression, which I gave, when finished, to Mr. Ward; but which he, tor :;everai reasons, declined publishing. The t ^3 ] jti correctness of the Narrative, in this respefl, I have made ho hesitation of declaring whenever the question Was put to me, and frequently; when a silent observer ol the conver- sation of strangers, I haVe regarded it a matter of justice due to Mr. Burr, to make the circumstance known. The Narrative states, that Mr. Van Ness penned a cer- tificate, or paper of falsehoods, in order to exculpate Mr. Burr from having had any thing to do with the suppression. This is certainly a mistake; Mr. Van Ness drew up a pa- per, giving an account of the transaftion, to the best of iiis knowledge : but I refused to sign it, as I thought it prefer- able, if it should be necessary to subscribe my name to any Statement, that it ought to be public, and not private. Such was theorigin and conclusion of a trarrsa6iicn, which* though innocent and praise- worthy of itseff, and which few- men, except Mr. Burr, would have had the generosity to have done, has yet been construed and twisted into a pl'ot against the administration of Mr. Jefferson. When I meil- tion the name of our President, I trust it will not be sup- posed that I include Mr. Jefferson in that band who have raised the voice of calumny, not only against Mr. Burr, but against every honest man, »md every virtuous deed. Th6 pi^moters of this villainous scheme, it is to be hoped, are only confined to the state of New- York : their views are not to support Mr. Jefferson more than Mr. Burr, or, in short, any one individual, but the idol of their party, Mr. Dewitt: Clinton. This is not denied, but proudly confessed in their private meetings and secret circles; and at the tables of their political debauch, the nameof Dewitt Clinton, and suc- cess to his ele8:ion as Vice-President, frequently precede as a toast, either the constitution of the states, or the states^ man of Monticello. It is not my intention, in these page.% either to be an advocate for Mr. Burr, or Mr. Jefcersoti ; [ 34 ] but candour requires it, that when malice provokes popular resentment against any individual, by unjust and crafty means, the slander should be checked, and the lurking as- sassin of character, with his fawning treachery, exposed to view. Mr. Deputy Attorney General Rikerisnot tl)e only personal enemy who^acts in private against Mr. Burr. Mr. Counsellor Wortman is not inferior in thisrespcct---but an insinuating laugh covers the designs of the former, while the mark of Cain stamped in the womb upon the forehead of the latter, holds him forth to the world as a person for honesty to avoid, and for prudence to guard against. Mr, Wortman is however, less to be dreadc-d on this account, for in such a countenance treachery always displays itself, and the schemes of infamy are easily defeated ; but the mo- dest smiles of Riker (from whose apparent s)n]paiht*tic eyes a ray of compassion perpetually beams) frequently be- guile the most guarded acquaintance, and deceive the most wary opponent. There are others who trim about oscilla- ting in the medium beween the Vice President and Mr. Clinton. One of the leading characters of this description is Mr. Gelston : this man, fearful perhaps of being displac- ed, makes ample amends for the political intcgiity which his predecessor, Mr. Sands, displayed when in cffice, w hose only object was a just and faithful discharge of the import* ant trust vested in the collectorshlp of N. York. But Mr. Gciston, if we may judge from his conduct, regards the study and practice of political intrigue as ol much more im- portance to the community, than the labour of investigat- ing the itnports and exports ol the state. Determined up- on figuring on the theatre of politics, and of partaking in that political bustle which accident has created, without in- curring the displeasure of either the President or Vice Pre- sident, he cultivates the favour of both Clinton Ions and Burrites, presses with great cordiality the hand of Mr. [ 35 ] Cheetham, dines with Mr. Burr, and with the utmost com- plaisance spends the evening with Mr. Clinton. Another of these accommodating satellites, I am sorry to say, be- longs to that order of men whom christian charity ought to mark, and in whose actions chrlsiian ca ndcur ought to be an unerring characteristic. The reader, perhaps, may suppose I wish to insinuate Dr. Linn, as several unjust assertions were thrown upon the character of that worthy clergyman in the History of Adams' Administration, butthe remarks there made were from misinformation and from an ignorance of his works. The reverend gentleman here al- luded' to, is a man whose name is as significant ot his thoughts as it h expressive ot his actions: I mean no other than Dr. M Knight who, while he courts the Clin- ton interest at the table of the Governor of the State, op- poses with the friends of Mr. Burr the daring and ambiti- ous spirit of Mr. Dewitt, converses with Mr. Riker upon Divinity, endeavours to prove the Christianity ot Mr. Jeffer- son, and often laments, it is said a want of the same ortho- doxy in Mr. Burr. The champion and hero of duplicity is, however, Mr. Duane. To recite the various tricks and schemes this fellow has practised, since the death of Bache left him the editorship of the Aurora, would com- pose a nauseous detail of several volumes, but I shall here restrift myself solely to those circumstances in his conduct which are connefted with the History of the Administra- tion of President Adams. I have already stated, that, in j general, all the circumstances furnished by Mr. Duane in 1 his letters to me, proved afterwards to be the grossest false- hoods, most probably fabricated by himself, like his stupid tale respe6ling an intercourse which General Hamilton and I are said to have carried on by the means of a Scotch- man, a tutor in Mr. Hamilton's family, as if Mr. Hamilton were he ev^n inclined to communcicate his sentiments to [ 36 ] another llvii^g in the same place, could not do it but by the medium ot a third person, Mr. Duane was particu- larly unfortunate in this invention, as it happens Mr. Ham- iltoa never employed a tutor in his family, neitber Scotch or Irish, his children having been educated at thf, public schools in New- York.* Duane, being afraid thst the contents of his private let- ters would be made public after the History was said to be suppressed, wrote me the following letter from Washing- ton. Washinvion^ fd. 7, 1802. Sir, Several applications having been made to me for the History of John Adams* Administration, which was to have been sent me long since for sale, and as the delay has tended to an imputation on my veracity, I think it pro- per to apply to you to give me such information on the na- ture of the delay as may enable me to justify myself. Should you have relinquished the design of publishing^ I shall consider it as matter of justice to me, that you re- turn such letters as \ have addressed to you, communicat- ing hints and facts on the subje£t. You will learn all that passes here from the public papers, as well as it could be conveyed in any way but by the eyes and ears. Strange occurrences have arisen kere^ but they all tend lo an ultimate good. Do the republicans in N. Y. not mean to memorial on the judiciary repeal ? Some in- iluential men should stimulate Dr. Mitchell on the imbe- ^ The teacher who is entrusted witft; the care of Mr. Hamilton's chiU ^rcn, is a Mr. Scott, and tl^at gentleman will declare that he and I have «vcr at any period conversed »bout Mr. Hamilt«n. [ 37 1 fiillty of the naturalization bill, produced by the committee pf which he is chairman : My friend Chatham should toucl^ that subject, and enter as much into details of arguments and principles as possible, for the committee will other- wise sleep over it. Smilie,from Pennsylvania, an IrisK- man^ is the only member on it zealous and active. This city increases in population, convenience and com- forts, and promises to be a great theatre of civil and politi- cal action in a few years. I am, Sir, with reispe6l, yoar obedient servant, WM. DUANE. Mr. Duane's observation upon Dr. Mitchell, and the imbecility of his natiiralization bill, is worth notice, as it exemplifies, in a striking manner, the duplicity of his f ondu6i ; for Duane was writing in this disrespectful man- ner of Dr. Mitchell to a stranger whom he never saw, at the very instant he was puffing up at Washington the poli- j.ical talents andoratorial powers of the chemical professor \ abusing the trustees of Columbia college because they dis- missed the Dr. for leaving his charge, and sounding the ^nliscoveries of Mitchell throughout the United States.— This was exactly a parallel of his conduct towards Mr, Burr, when in this city at the book fair. He «tcepted of a family breakfast from Mr. M. L. Davis, at which Mr. W. P. Van Ness, Mr. Swartwout, and Capt. Sandford were present. It was not the desire of Mr. Davis, or his friends, to introduce the subjed of the Narrative, which was then making some noise in the city ; they wished only to com- pliment Mr. r)uarie upon his arrival in New-York, and tQ converse with him on general topics ; yet did Mr. Duane, pr his friends for him, propagate a report, that the breakfast?* \yas intended as a political snare to entrap the editor of the Aurora, and bring him over to the interest of Mr. fiuri" \ [ 38 ] that Mr. Duane, with manly fortitude, rejected all their proposals, and listened to their arguments with contempt. That while Capt. SandFord stamped with his cane, and Mr. Davis bellowed with rage against De Witt Clinton and Cheetham, Mr. Duane should have preserved a respectful coolness of temper. Such was the story fabricated, and put in circulation, to impose upon an ignorant populace ; and to which Duane himself must have been, in some de- gree, accessary. That the deceitful editor wishes to im- press sentiments of the same nature upon the public mind with regard to Mr. Burr, is evident from the followiirg sentence in his letter of the loth July, published in the Aurora. — ** I owe Mr. Burrneither gratitude for Javours conferred^ nor dislike for disservice ; oj his disposition t9 render me service I have had proof, of mine to maintain my independence he is not ignorant** To the friends of Mr. Burr, Mr. Duane apofogized for not taking an immediate part in the dispute between them and the Clintonians ; but promised he should do his duty to Mr. Burr in that re- spe6l, before the commencement of the Pennsylvaina elec- tion. At a public dinner, in the house of Mr. Wortman, . at which Riker, Cheetham, Jonathan Pearsee, jun. and the leading Clintonians were present, Duane was invited ; here it appears, that the Aurora editor found himself more at his ease ; he heard (It is said) with infinite satisfaction, the opprobrious epithets which were heaped on M. Burr, — entered himself into the spirit of their scurrility, and de- clared, the only reason which prevented him from aiding the efforts of Mr. Cheetham, in his attacks upon Mr. Burr, was the fear of dividing the republican votes in the Pennsylvania election. The same sentiment he avowed io several others ; and in particular to a gentleman living at Newark. He told Mr. Ward, as also some of the friends •f Mr. Burr, that he approved of Mr. Burr's conduct [ 39 ] in suppressing the History ; and yet he asserts, in his let- ter in the Aurora, that he thought it an extraordinary- transaction. Such was the duplicity and opposite conduct oF Mr. Duane, when in this city, towards Mr. Burr. — With the friends of the latter, he afFefted the warmest par- tiality towards the Vice-President. In company with the Clintonians, he espoused their cause, and dwelt with plea- sure upon the dangerous intrigues of Mr. Burr; but ia presence of the moderate republicans, he protested his intention was to remain an indifferent spectator to the dis- putes ot both parties — to be a partizan of neither, but to support the present administration. — With regard to my putting his letters into the hands of Mr. Burr, it was nei- ther improper, nor by any means a breach of confidence. They were wrote to me for the avowed purpose of publish^ ing their contents to the world ; no secrecy was attached to them — no private matters were contained in them, nor was there a single expression prohibiting me from quoting Mr. Duane as may authority for the facts which they contained. Had they been founded in truth, and not fabrications, Mr. Duane could have had no cause of complaint. This is evident from the anxiety which he expressed to have them returned ; he dreaded the consequences of others seeing them, and probably imagined, were I the only person who had perused them, he might very ingeniously have it in his power to dispute their contents ; for as to breach of confidence in respect to letters, Duane ought to blush when he uses the expression. A man, who was partly the means, of ransacking, in a clandestine manner, the books of a public office— who did not hesitate to publish to the world the contents of letters evidently intended for the post office — who glories in being the discloser of secrets and the unfolder of private caucuses, ought to veil himself from society ; to look to his own heart for consolation. - t *o 1 dnd not appeal to the world, from whom he ckn only ex- pect insult and bitter reproach.* The publication of the History, after being suppressed, is the only circumstance which can attach any blame or cen- sure to the friends of Mr. Burr ; this was certainly an un- guarded a6l, but it was done without Mr. Burr's know- ledge, I suppose, to exculpate his character, and show the world his real motives for suppressing it. This aft, I confess, irritated me not a little against the friends of Mr. Burr, Mr. Van Ness in particular, and oc- casioned a short letter which I addressed to him on the oc- casion in the American Citizen; soon after the appear- ance of my letter to Mr. Van Ness, several queries were put to me in the Citizen, evidently with the design to draw forth some fresh information respefting Mr. Burr, and the suppression. Who they were wrote by I know not, although from several circumstances Mr. Riker appeared to me at the time to have been the author ; he expressed, a particular anxiety the first c vcning of their appearancfe when 1 was in his company, that I should answer them and for several days afterwards whenever he met me in the street, with a smiling countenance he would address me, '^ well, Wood, when are you to answer those Que- ries?'* ♦ Mr, Duane does not attempt to disprove any of the charges of which he Is here accused, but, like a cowardly poultroon^ aftei- his infamy is detect- ed ; he rails in language which even the most profligate of his adherents would be ashamed to express. He talks of humanity, with a heart unable to comprehend the term, and of physiognomy with a mind only capable of discerning the rascality of his own. He is to all iturn's and purposes an outcast of nature, designed to act the part of a fiend, to serve the devil on earth, and to tormeni hinim hell. t *1 ] During a temporary absence from New-York upon some private concerns, it is well known that the editor of the Citizen fabricated a story that I was bribed by the iri«nds of Mr. Burr to abscond; no insinuations could have been more infamous than this. Mr. Cheetham must have been well satisfied from a letter 1 wrote to Mr. Jonathan Pear- see, jun. his intimate friend, that this was not the case. Mr» Cheetham, in short, was the only editor in New-York who had it in his power to have contradifted the report of my absconding; in place of which he gave the story addition- al currency by stating it as a question, whether or not the little band had sent me off. This very cirumstance alone is sufficient to prove to any person of candour or common understanding, that the attacks made by the editor of the Citizen, upon the conduct of Mr. Burr, proceed not from motives of justice and patriotism, but from personal en- mity, and a desireto exalt his patron Mr. De Witt Clinton to the Vice Presidency of the United States. The enmi- ty of Mr, Cheetham towards Mr. Burr, has been attribut- ed to various causes: I have endeavoured to investigate lliein, and it is with regret, I must confess, that I can trace tlie malice of this editor to no other source but that unna- lural disposition which is found in the breasts of some men to stab, when opportunity offers, the heart of their great- est benefador and most generous friend. Mr. Burr was certainly the friend and benefa6lor of Mr. Cheetham, not from any political motives, but from a desire of befriend- ing to the utmost of his power every foreigner who arrives, that appears possessed of a show of talents and industry. Mr. Cheetham dare not deny that it was at the intercession of Mr. Burr alpne, that Mr. Denniston accepted him as his partner in the American Citizen. The conversa- tion which passe4 on that occasion is worth narrating, as [ « 3 it will exemplify Mr. Burr's zeal for having an impartial and well conduced paper in the city, while it will prove Mr, Burr's aversion to scurrility and personal abuse. Af- ter Mr. Burr was appointed Vice-President, Mr. Cheet- ham waited upon him and expressed a desire of becoming the editor ot the Citizen, acquainting Mr. Burr at the same time with the extravagant demands which David Dennist- on required for the half of the establishment; Mr. Burr desired Mr. Chcetham to call upon him at an appointed hour along with Denniston. The original editor of the Citizen entered Mr. Burr's apartment without being in- troduced, upon which Mr. Burr inquired, v/ith his usual politeness, the name of the stranger; Mr. Denniston, without giving time to Cheeiham to answer, replied, *' I am the editor of the Republican paper." What " Re- publican paper?" Mr. Burr naturally asked. The " Ame- rican Citizen," replied Denniston. " You certainly do not call the American Citizen a Republican paper," was Mr. Burr's answer, knowing that the stupidity of the American Citizen at that period did no honour to any cause. Mr. Denniston apologized in the best possible manner for the weakness of his talents, by candidly con- fessing he had received no education, and had just come from the^ough. Mr. Burr, struck with astonishment af the ignorant simplicity of the man, inquired the motives which induced him to abandon his proper occupation, and commence the editor of a newspaper. Mr; Denniston an- swered, •' Sir, my cousins the Clinton Jamily insisted upon my going to New -York after the death o/Greenleaf, as they were unable to find a person so proper to support the cause oj Republicanism^ Mr. Burr, more and more surprised, asked if his cousins assisted him in the editorial depart- ment. " No (said Denniston) I do it all myself, and ihink it done very well." Several other observations followed on [ *3 ] the part of Mr. Burr, which are unnecessary to mention ; but which so mortified the then editor of the Citizen, that he willingly accepted Mr. Cheetham as a partner upon Cheetham's own terms. The truth of this conversation I think. the reader may rely upon ; I had it from two per* sons who received it from Cheetham and Denniston, who certainly would never fabricate a story that throws a stigma upon one of the partnership. I have every reason to suppose that it was Mr. Burr's desire that there should have been an impartial paper in New-York, devoted tQ theinterestofno particular individual but to principle alone. Had the Citizen been conduced on that plan, it would have received not only the patronage of Mr. Burr, but of every independent Federalist and Anti-federalist, and of every honest man who might be desirous of knowing foreign and domestic transaftions without the alloy of scurrility, and the rancour of personal calumny. But the mind of Cheetham and his talent o! expression being only adapted for the vilest productions, the American Citizen soon degenerated from a mass of incoherent ab- surdity into that of Billinsgate abuse, defaming the brfght- €st characters and vilifying the most virtuous citizens. It was then and then only, that the friends of Colonel Burr, and several independent republicans stepped forward, and regarded it their duty to withdraw their support from the paper ; and, if Mr. Cheetham pleases, he has it in his power to favour the public with a number of names which were ordered to be erased from his subscription list long before any attack upon Col. Burr ever appeared. After my return to Nev/-York, about the first of July, Mr. Riker and Mr. Cheetham as:ain set on foot a new scheme in order to drag Mr. Burr before^the public. A story was reported by them, to me, in the most plausible r 44 ] manner, that Mr. Burr censured my conduct in the sever- est terms ; that Mr. M. L. Davis propagated, upon the- authority of Mr. Burr, that there was not a single truisn* in the Narrative ; and that I had never seen Mr. Burr a- bove once or twice in my life, and then only for a few minutes; in short, that all the circumstances relative to the suppression, must have been fabricated by myself. They advised, as the only possible means to vindicate my character, to write to Mr. Burr, lequesting him to meet^ upon those points, in presence of two of his own friends and two of mine. — Mr. Riker, and Mr. Jonathan Pearsee, jun.* at the same time offered their service on my part, in order to examine the Vice-President. The following let- ter was accordingly drawn up by me, under erroneous im- pressions, in presence of Mr. Riker, who prohibited his own name to be mentioned, although he pledged his honour he would meet on the subje£i* Sir, My charafter and veracity having been considerably affe6led, owing to a report circulated by Mr. M. L. Davis, and your other friends, that I received no orders from yoq respeBing the suppression of Adams' History; I consider it necessary to give to the world a correal statement of that business; but previous thereto, would esteem it a favour if you would oblige me with an interview, in presence of four gentlemen, two of whom you will be pleased to name, as I shall take the liberty of naming the other two. If this mode of interview should not meet with your appro- bation, you will be so obliging as to fix upon any other * Mr. Pearsee was not present ^when the proposal was made ; but at the ^uest of Mr. Riker, who sent Denniston to him on the business, he inx. mediately complied. [ ^5 3 wsanrter of communicating our sentiments, or meeting to- gether, otherwise you will pardon me if I interpret your silence on the subjeft as an entire refusal of the request/ I remain, with the greatest respe61. Your obedient servant, JOHN WOOD. Pine-street Academy^ ^tk July^ 1802. One difficulty, however, presented itself — who should be the bearer of the letter; as it was thought a matter of importance, that it should be delivered into the hands of Mr. Burr by some person of chara£ler, and not sent by the post-office. Cheetham and Denniston at once volunteered to be the bearers; but I objefted to the propriety of cither of them going, as it evidently would have been insulting Mr. Burr. Mr. Riker, therefore, proposed Mr. Jonathan Pearsee, jun. as a proper person. Mr. Pearsee accord- ingly, was spoken to, and accepted of the embassy ; but after having the letter in his possession a few hours, he declined going. Mr. John Fellows on account of his gigantic figure, was the next person who was requested to wait on Mr. Burr ; but Mr. Fellows, after some hours hesitation objefted to the mission. Mr. Crygier was then applied to, as being an acquaintance of Mr. 3urr's; but this gentleman, after consulting with his friends, also re- fused the honour which Mr. Riker wished to confer upon him. Several other persons were afterwards named by Mr. Riker, to whom Denniston was dispatched, in order to solicit their acceptance of being letter carrier in a busi^ ness of importance to the party ; but nobody being found of hardiness enough to face Mr. Burr, Cheetham and Den- niston at length thought of resorting to a taylor, who has Jately been appointed messenger to the commissioners of [ +6 ] bankruptcy. This poor fellow, although honest enough, was too stupid either to perceive the intent or meaning of their scheme, and would proudly have accepted of t!ie offer, had not his friend, Ferguson, the new made secre- tary to the said commissioners, been prv'?sent; who, by expatiating on the necessary etiquette to be observed in entering the Vice-President's apartment, entirely discon- certed the nerves of the taylor, and frustrated the plan of M; . Riker. — I mention these circumstances only to expose the low cunning which Riker and his friends, who are destitute of all candour, praOised in order to efFeft their political designs ; for in any other case, anecdotes of this description would appear trifling. As to the letter, which I afterwards sent by a servant, it was not a matter respeft- ing which I was very anxious. I confess I took some in- terest to ascertain how far the sincerity of Mr. Riker and his friends was to be relied on; as I have no manner of doubt, had Mr. Burr complied with the request contained in the letter, that the Deputy Attorney General, notwith- standing his honour, would have shrunk from the inter- Tiew like a felon conscious of his guilt. The ofiFice this man holds, alone entitles him to any respect, either at the bar, or in private ; — strip-ped of the dignity which the Clintonian interest has conferred, he would soon fall back into his former station, neglected and despised, a frivolous conceited coxcomb, and quibbling attorney. After the statement which I have given of the suppres- pression, and for tne truth of w'lich, Mr. Ward, as well as others, will vouch, I believe there can be no man, how- ever indifferent to the politics of parties, who will not rea- dily allow, that the odium which has been thrown upon Mr. Burr, in the transaction of suppressing the History, has not only been unfounded, but altogether the efFeft of 1 [ *7 ] the jealousy and ambition of men, who are destitute of generosity, and who interpret every indifferent act, as a bar thrown in the road of their own preferment. But it fortunately happens, that calumnies of this nature, with- out injuring the individual upon whose head they are in* tended to fall, are of service to the public. They serve to bring forward such characters as Osgood, Wortman» and Riker, who would fain be thought to take no part themselves, but meanly skulk behind the shoulders of some fellow like the editor of the Citizen, and give their bully such advice as they have neither spirit to avow or defend. I am almost ashamed to sport so oiten with the name of the Deputy Attorney General, but his coiuiuct towards all parties provokes resentment, while the insig- nificance of his person and abilities, which are distorted by conceit, also rouse indignation, and make the creature at once both hateful and contemptible.* The reflexions which the editor of the Narrative ofFers on the suppression, are in the highest degree trifling and absurd. His first assertion is, that the right of purchasing literary productions, by individuals, is more peikiiicious than the regular abridgment of the freedom of the press by law. In answer to this, I shall only observe, that while printers' devils can be bought, and characters such as the author of the Narrative, can bribe, the suppression of lite- rary productions, by individuals, will always prove abor- * The late conduct of the Deputy Attorney General proves him to be -a knave as well as a fool, by appearing a second ic a duel, he ha& violated the laws of his country, and betrayed the trust reposed in hiia by the people j no epithet of reproach can be too severe for such conduct, and, if passed over in silence, it will be no way astonishing to sec ere long, the little coxcoraical fellow act the part of a Gladiator in the court of justice. [ 43 J live, and will ultimately tend only to make the intended suppression notoriously public. The author of the Narra- tive, in his disingenuous style, proceeds, *• This practice (the prafticeot suppression) is peculiarly inauspicious in a Vice-President ; it is ominous of a subtle, dangerous, and unfriendly disposition ; — it bespeaks a desire to cherish vice by concealment, and to elevate it upon the ruins of virtue." — The above language might be pardonable in a man ignorant of the contents of the suppressed work, ot who had reason to believe that its publicity would benefit mankind ; but what epithet of reproach will not the reader bestow upon this political hypocrite, when he is informed, that he not only had a printed copy in his possession, but had perused it, and confessed to his friends its inaccuracy, and libellous nature. Yet these are facts, which, when necessary, can be proved. With his natural effrontery, he judges of the feelings of the public by the coldnes* of his own, and affirms, that it will not be believed that Mr. Burr would voluntarily offer twelve hundred doU lars to shield Mr. Wood from federal prosecutions. As I have already stated Mr. Burr's motives for the suppression, I shall not discuss this question with the Narrative writer, whose heart is callous to every mark of benevolence, whtJi feels not for the frailties of others, but rejoices at the vices cf the world, and is overwhelmed with sorrow at the ap^ pearauce of virtue. He says also, that the story is tot^ Quixotic to be accredited in this age of reason. This is a subjeft upon which, if I pleased, I might torture his soul, and compel some precious confessions. I could ask theNar- rative writer who the infidel was, that established Driscoi and his temple of reason in this city, and what the infidel's motives were afterwards for withdrawing his money which he lent to Diiscol ; whether or not his intention wa* i« L *^ 1 publish privately the same Temple of Reason, and to pro^ cure his friend, blind Pn and B:Urue'4 I confess until I Was made acijuainted with all he pirticalars of this society, which may bs termed the Colurabiai lUuminatij tliat I treated iht volumes of Barruel and Robison with idle contempt; 1 viewed therri only as visionary tales and the fabrications of artful men ; but the similar schemes which have been privately acted in this city, and which havc-bev^n disclosed to me by one of the leading members, who if necessary will substantiate them in a court of justice, have removed fro.n my mind every doubt on the sub* j-'Ct, and I am confident will satisfy the most unsuspicious christian, that a re^ruiar plot has been carrying on in this coanrry under the auspices of the ^nfiiels in Europe, for the abolition of cluistianity* - [ 50 J that the incorreft edition should be buried in oblivion ; that it should never be known that there were men who assu- med the appellation of lepublicans, and were themselves cither natives or citizens of the United States, base enough to ^fabricate falsehoods, and in the most plausible manner, to impose them upon a stranger, in order to send them Jorth to the world in the pompous form of an oftavo volume. The suspicious and cold hearted Clintonian, may still demand, why this correct edition did not take place ; an answer is ready, and which will carry convic- tion to every honest mind. The folly of Barlas, with the malice of Riker, Wortman, and Cheetham, made the original suppression public; at the same time, they veiled the transaftion in such mysterious cloathing, as rendered any father interference on the part of Mr. Burr, highly improper. As to the after publication of the History, it was done, as I have stated, without Mr. Burr's knowledge and in his absence ; nor did this even take place until Mr. Van Ness had certain information that Mr. Cheetham and others had purloined copies in their possession; and that there was every probability of spurious copies being pub- lished in different parts of the United States. There are several trifling incidents which I have stated in the preceding pages, that it may be necessary to explain before I take my leave of the subje6l of the suppression. — - J have mentioned that I informed Mr. Burr, that Do6lpr Wilson of Columbia College, was an intimate acquaint- ance of Mr. Barlas, and probably would have it in his pow- er to persuade him to accede to reasonable terms. Mr. Burr 1 understand, waited for that purpose on Dr. Wilson ; the conversation which passed between them I believe was short, as the Po61or was under the necessity of attending the duties of bis class at the hour at which l^lr. 3urrcalU [ 51 ] cd. Doctor Wilson certainly declined interfering in the business, but his reason I believe, was not that mentioned in the Narrative, ** That the work was to be suppressed to favour some federal gentlemen, whose charafters he did not admire.'* 1 rather imagine his motives proceeded from a desire of avoiding any political controversy, which he probably imagined would take place, if the suppression became pul^lic. I mention this not with the intention o£ throwing a refle6lion upon Dr. Wilson, but to destroy any erroneous impression which the note in the Narrative respefting him may have occasioned. It has been stated that Mr. Wortman betrayed his trust by lending the History, which he received from Messrs. 3arlas and Ward, with the express orders only to peruse it himself, but on no consideration to allow that privilege to another. This circumstance merits a little attention, as it will serve both to unfold the species of integrity which Wortman possesses, as well as from some circum- stances which attended the absence of the book, to lead the reader to the main prompter of the Narrative. After Wortman had the book in his possession, I requested the loan of it from Mr. Ward, in order to show it to Mr. Ri- ker, to have his opinion on several libellous passages, as at that time Messrs. Barlas and Ward had not decided whetht^r they would \,ro3ecute Mr. Burr, or publish the History. I accordingly received the book and gave it to Mr. Riker; but the evening previous to Mr. De Witt Clinton's departure, for the seat of Government, Mr. Wortman sent for the book, as he said it would efFeft a suit against Mr. Burr, if the History should be lent out or read. Yet, notwithstanding this declaration of Mr. Wort- man's, it appeared before ten days afterwards upon Mr, Van Ness's application, to have all the copies in his pos- t 5^ ] session, that Mr. Wortman himself gave the book aU^ay to' some acquaintance, who, most probably was no other but Mr. Dc Witt Clinton, both from the circumstance of hia requesting to have it the evening- before that senator lelt town, as well as from the length of time which elapsed al- ter being demanded by Mr. Van Ness, until it was return- ed. No other conclusion, in fa6>, can be formed; for if the book had been sent to any indifferent acquaintance, Mr. Wortman, as he was obliged to confess his breach of trust, would have had no objcftion to have mentioned the name of the person in whose possession it was; this open- ness would even have palliated his guilt, but to have re* vealed the name of De Witt Clinton, would have at once unhinged the design af the faflion, and brought to view the Grand Master of the Great Band*. If we consider Air. W'ortman, as a61ing upon this occasion the humble servant of Mr. Clinton, he certainly deserves the merit which is due to a dark intriguer, and in this rcspcft his Countenance by no means betrays his condufl ; but I hope *■ I stated it to be the intention of Riker, Wortman, Osgood, and their partizans to raise ^Ir. De Witt Clinton to the Vicc-Prcsider.cy of the United States, but I expressed a hope that their scheme did not extend beyond tiic State of New-Yoik. In this 1 have however been mistaken j having been iuformed fiom undoubted authoriiy that a Republican Caucus was held ai the scat of government before the rise of Congress, in which that mea- sure '.vas n:iJillv agreed upon — Of this circumstance the writer of the Nar- rative is well acquainted, althouf;h to the public he veils the sccrcct desire of hiS heart and only at present deals forth his wanton abuse against Mr. Burr, After havinj- in this manner laid the foundation of power for h-s tivorite, he will next pave the way bv srrewino; in abnudcuce praise and panej^vric upon all the actions of De Witt Clinton. He will relate most j>rob«ib]y qv^ry circumstance in the life of Governor George and will even attempt to prove that the nephew inheriis alt the qualifications of the Uticle^ v.ith t'le addition of a knowledge in letters to which Brissot has dccU»ici the veneriiblv Govcrsior has no clairj. or pretensions. [ 53 ] the circumstance will also serve a useful purpose, and rc^ main a lasting index of the degree of confidence which may be placed in Counsellor Wortman. I have mentioned that I had several interviews with iht author of the Narrative, previous to the publication of that pamphlet. The reader will, therefore, naturally expe6l that I should know the sources from which he had receiv- ed his information. When the Narrative v/riter declared to me his intention of publishing a statement of the busi- ness, he drew from his desk a- parcel of sheets containing all the circumstances relating to the suppression, which he had colle£ied from every individual, who, like Barlas, had {oily enough to be duped by the Crafty Clintonian. I objected, after reading them, to a number of the incidents which he had either fabricated himself, or had been impos- ed upon him by others. . I attempted to reason with him Upon the impropriety, as well as stupidity, of publishing a statement which I should disprove, and which would be demonstrated not only incorre61:, but as proceeding from malicious motives; he heard^ with a sarcastic smile, my account of the business, and said, lohattver might be writ- ten^ he would engage Mr. Burr should not contradid it. The writer of the Narrative, from a long acquaintance with Mr. Burr, knew that his natural disposition, independent of the station which he holdsj would never suffer him to descend to a paper war with a writer of pamphlets. From Mr. Burr, therefore, he thought he had nothing to lear ; and he probably imagined, from the circumstantial proofg which accompanied bis Narrative, as well as the friendly terms upon which he and I stoodj that I would not call the truth of his statement in question, even although he had the assurance ^r rather baseness, to insert in it a faisei and incorreft iettci , .vith my name subscribed, having been unable to procure a copy of the original one* [ 54 ] Respefting the proposed correfted, or second edition of the History, the Narrative mentions, that Col. Burr, "waste furnish materials for writing new biographies of the Presi- dent, Mr- Hamilton, C. C. Pinkney, Dayton, &c. He was also to supply him with such matter as would make the work appear almost entirely new. It was determined that the negociation should be prosecuted with less vigour ; that it should be carried on in such a way as would be nearly equivalent to a suspension. During this relaxation, Mr. Wood was to compose a new history of the administration, preserving such p irts only of the old one as accorded with the views of the Vice-President : — And, as expedition was the soul of the expedient, an assistant to Mr. Wood was to be procured. Mr. Cornelius Van Ness, brother to Mr. William P. Van Ness, was mentioned by Mr. Burr, as a trusty person, and truly fitted for the office. This young gentleman was to arrange the fa61s, and to lay them before Mr. Wood, sheet by sheet, in such order as that he might easily give to them his classical dress. As the sheets were thus written, they were to be sent to Mr. William A. Davis, the printer, who, it w^s supposed, could work ofFan edition of twelve hundred and fifty copies (the number of Bailas and*Ward's edition) in twelve or fourteen days. This was to be done with that secrecy and promptitude which characterizes the movements of the Vice-President." I have thought proper to transcribe this paragraph at large, to serve as a specimen of the wanton 'acuity which the writer of the Narrative possesses for fa- brication.* Mr. Burr, as I have already stated, only in- ♦ As a specimen of the want of candour in the writer of the Narrative, I ihall remark a note which he has in the 8ist page of his View, *« He ♦here sut€« tljat about ihc time that Luciu* Junius Brutus vras wiittcn, [ 53 ] tended to have pointed out the different mistakes into which I had been led; and if a new edition had gone on, to have, perhaps, direfted me to sources where I might have had a view of the transa6tions of the administration, without that mixture of falsehood and scurrility which is fpund in newspapers devoted to opposite parties. The letter which I addressed to Mr. Van Ness in the American Citizen, after the publication of the History, will without doubt, be seized upon by Mr. Rikerandhis friends ; every sentence will be scrutinized, and every word laid hold of by the critical paw of the Citizen, in order to show my enmity to Mr. Burr : but even that letter will, by every candid person, be regarded only as the effe6l of a momen- tary difference, when both Mr. Van Ness and myself la- in June or Jaly i8oi, Mr. Lang had a paragraph in his Gazette, stating that Mr. Burr had a few days before dined at a private house, with many federal characters in this city, and had declared to the company, that unless the respectable part of Federalists would support the present administration it could not stand ! It went so far as t® insinuate in pretty plain terms that Mr. Burr seemed to be of opinton that there was not sufficent talent and res t)ect ability in the Republican party to support a truly dignified admini- stration." He afterwards adds ** we assert tliat there is the greatest rea- son to believe that the substance of the paragraph was strictly correct — It is known that Mr. Burr was unwilling to have the facts examined." He forgets however to tell the cause of Mr. Burr's unwillingness which I shall take the liberty of relating not on the authority of Mr. Burr, but on that of a person who wns acquainted with the circumstance. — The Narrative writer when he observed the paragraph -fn Lang's paper posted away to Mr, Burr's house, and without having the modesty either to ring the door bell or en- quire of the servant if Mr. Burr was disengaged, rushed forwards info the dining apartment where Mr. Burr and a few friends were seated at dinner. It was the season of mad dogs and the first sungestion which it is said oc- curred to Mr. Burr, was that one of these animals had chaced the fellow jn ; the leader therefore will net be surprised that Mr. Burr was unwil- MHg to hold mucli conversation with the man. t 56 3 boured under erroneous impressions, when we were both deceived and when the artful Ci^nning of Clintonian depen- dents had created in a manner a temporary animosity be- tween us. I spoke in that letter something about Mr. Van Ness having threatened prosecutions. In the queries which were afterwards put to me in the Citizen, I was ask- ed what these prosecutions were ; I promised to answer the question at a future period. I now embrace the op- portunity. Mr.^Van Ness justly supposed, that most pro- bably there would be prosecutions instituted against me by some of the federal party, unless a proper explanatiori was given. He was inclined to believe I suppose from malevolent reports, that so far from apologizing for the mistatements I had made in the Histoiy, I was resolved to persevere, and insist upon their correftness, at the same time that I would calumniate Mr. Burr, for his endeavours to suppress the work. This was the only idea I am cer- tain Mr. Van Ness entertained, when he mentioned th^ phrase prosecutions, I have been compelled, more than once, in the course of the preceding pages, to mark the folly of the bookseller Barlas. Nothing can be more irksome or disagreeable than to torture beings of his description; it affords no amuse- ment to the reader, and only pain to the writer ; but, as almost all the unfortunate incidents which have taken place, and all the noise respefting the suppression, have originated from him alone, it was, on my part, an unavoidable duty. The fretful uneasiness — the suspicious anxiety—the ser- vile meanness, and the hypocritical cunning which he dis- played every moment, were perhaps never equalled by any of his profession. His racing about, from friend to foe, to inform them of his transaftion with the Vice Pre- iidentt can not be better described than in Pope's humorous [ 57 ] description of Bernard, in the Dunclad ; and with thest ludicxous lines, I shall take leave of ray friend Barlas. As when a dab chick waddles thro* the copse. On feet, on wings, and ffies, and vf ades, and hops, So lab'ring on with shoulders, hands, and head. Wide as a Windmill all his figure spread With Arms expanded Barlas row'd his slate. The designs of the Clintonians are also apparent from another pamphlet published by the writer of the Narrative; but the assertions there made, it is not my intention to disprove or discuss. I wish neither to be the advocate of Mr. Burr nor Mr. JefFerson,or in short any one individual in preference to another in America. The mistakes into which I have been led, both as to charafters and events, ought to be a caution to every foreigner, not to embark too rashly in the support of any party, either federal or anti- federal. I have, however, considered it a task, which I particularly owed to those whom I have involved, and whose names I have dragged before the public, to give this correct statement of the political transaftion in which I have been engaged. At the same time that 1 take this fare- well ot party controversy, I must declare, that no one laments more than I do, the unhappy differences which have arisen among the citizens of the United States. The cause of republicanism suffers more by such di- visions, than by either the fetters of kings, or the dungeons of despots. The real friends of liberty are truly disgusted, while the pretended patriot rejoices at the prospect before him, and hopes to share in those spoils which ambition and discord have created. I am well aware, that an infidel host, regardless either of truth or honour, will pour forth Vhe venom of their malice against me, but their arguments. r 58 ] as well as their billlns gate, I shall leave to the c redulity o{ men, whom ignorance may cause to be ensnared. I know the pitiful advantage that will be taken of unguarded words that may havebeen dropped in the moinent of error, when breathing the noxious fumes ol Clintonian abuse, and when surrounded, if I may be allowed the expression, by an en- crustation of the vilest deceit. I think I see the villainous mind of the Aurora editor, searching every nerve of his dark and poisonous brain for fresh ideas of calumny and slander. I behold the Citizen bully, in the chamber of the Deputy Attorney General, with Wortman at his el- bow, and the basest fabrications before him. Perhaps this language may appear too passionate— perhaps it may be thought to savour too much of that of my enemies ; but it is the expression of truth, the sentiment of my breast, and the words of experience. I have now done my duty to myself and the Citizens of the Union. It belongs to them, and not to me, to discard the factious ; and to advise all honest men to unite f®r the benefit of their country, and the preservation of their Constitution. 311 I, w :'>;!''•' f 'Mill ^ it ^^n^^ ^ /-lit** 4v>s-fi ^yy^'4'Mw4 ^' • 'MM ^' '^':'': iSr^^ M I