The Ongoing Assassinations of Alexander Hamilton vs.

His Immortal and

Haunting Legacy
On July 11, 1804, Aaron Burr, the vice-President of the United States, drew
his weapon and shot Alexander Hamilton, irreparably scarring our republic,
even now, over two hundred years later. Today, when the majority of mankind
is excited over Hamiltonian methods of basing state credit upon the
future-oriented policies of the next generations more advanced cultural and
skill levels, it would be a horrific tragedy for Hamiltons own republic to
blunder into a strategic showdown - meaning a thermonuclear showdown - for
the lack of a proper appreciation of Hamiltons genius and the justice due him.

I.

The Ghost Haunting the White House

On May 12, 2015, the White House received a petition to take Andrew Jackson
off of the $20 bill, and, instead, to honor a famous American woman. (Harriet Tubman
was suggested.) The petitioners cited, in part, Jacksons dirty role in the grabbing of the
Cherokees land, and in their forced march westward, the infamous Trail of Tears. On
June 17th, the White House, in the person of Treasury Secretary Jack Lew, announced
that Andrew Jackson would stay in place, and they would instead demote Alexander
Hamilton. Rest assured, it was just a technical convenience, as the
change had to occur in the $10 bill prior to the $20 bill. Two questions:
Is the White House defensive about Andrew Jackson? Further, do they have any
special malignancy toward Hamilton?
In a related development, back on May 2, 2009, the White House staged a
celebration of poetry and the spoken word, climaxed by a rap-song by Aaron
Burr, celebrating the assassination of Alexander Hamilton. (It concluded
with, Yeah, Im the damn genius that shot him!)[FT1] Michelle and Barack
Obama, both obviously highly amused and somewhat titillated,
enthusiastically led the applause for what, assumedly, was just innocent
cultural enrichment. The President, without blinking, explained, Were here
to celebrate the power of words... [They] help us appreciate beauty and also

understand pain. They inspire us to action.

In the more recent case of the $10-bill, the bizarre behavior could fairly be
assumed to have been prompted by the Presidents recent rejection by his party, and the
nakedness of his pro-Wall Street dance with the Republicans. In the earlier
case of 2009, the Obamas had recently returned from an obsequious
tete-a-tete with the British Queen; and subsequently, Barack Obama,
reportedly, had a bizarre rant with his Stanford Group economic advisors,
pre-emptively dismissing anything that even smelled like Alexander Hamilton.
He might even have cathexized to the rap-song celebration as a bizarre
solace for his tortured soul. (Yeah, Im the damn genius that shot him!)
But the White House wasnt done. In 2012, they invited an Alexander Hamilton rapper
to make his defense against the Burr rapper. If possible, it was even more
disgusting.[FT2] Regardless, it were fair to assume that the name Alexander Hamilton
is a matter of some nervousness, even obsessiveness around the White House. Perhaps,
somehow, on the wall of the White House bedroom, it has replaced Mene mene tekel
upharsin.

II. Hamiltons Entschlossenheit and the Problem of the

Duel
Hamilton embodied a certain singular and bold leadership, born out of his
passion for truth-seeking. Hence, he epitomized a type of leadership not seen in recent
generations of so-called political leaders.
One case study was presented by This Week in
History earlier this year, on the occasion of Hamiltons birthday, January 11th. [FT3]
In covering how, in the 1791/2 establishment of the National Bank, the
Hamilton-led U.S. government beat the speculators (and how, Wall Streetwas
formed in reaction to Hamiltons success), this author highlighted
Hamiltons bold judo-ing of the sex scandal thrown at him. The actual
question was whether a government could make strategic decisions on credit
generation based upon science, or whether all power corrupts, meaning any
Treasury secretary would first serve greed by using the position for insider trading.

Hamilton was entrapped by the wife of a low-level tool of the speculators. When he was
blackmailed by the husband, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe and others - all of whom knew
better tried to propagandize that the money payments were for insider trading. Hamilton
blew the operation up, writing that he was being blackmailed for falling
into a sexual snare.
But the key there was Hamiltons shockingly accurate identification
of the unique level of calumny directed against him, from above the level of the political
hacks. This unprecedented level of calumny was prima facie evidence of a new type of
evil brought into the world (named by Hamilton in 1797, Bonapartism), the imperial
abreaction against the formation of the constitutional republic of the United States.
Just as he had crushed the speculators attack on the National Bank in 1792,
Hamilton led with a naming of the names, confident that a higher truth could
be brought into play to win the day.
Again, in 1800/1, Hamilton brought in the long wave of history to name the
names involved in Burrs stealing of the election and the country. Hamilton had known
Burr for years as a shady character, as one who would speculate on land transactions,
who would bribe legislators, etc. However, when in 1799/1800, Burr shocked Hamilton
by his willingness to sabotage of New York Citys new water company, formed to
stop the recent summer epidemics of disease, Hamilton did not flinch at identifying
this level of deliberate, Malthusian genocide.[FT4] Only the year before, 1798, Malthus,
in the employ of the British East Inda Company, had argued for exposing undesired
populations to diseased, unhealthy waters. Of note, Burr actually proposed turning the
water company into an East India Company. Hence, Manhattan Company became
Manhattan Bank, the origin of Chase Manhattan Bank.] Burr then tried to leverage his
quick and dirty profits to spread an epidemic of greed amongst all parties.
When the 1800 election was tied between Jefferson and Burr, Burr thought he
could play upon the cupidity of the New England Federalists - more than a
few of whom had gotten in on the new way of making money in the Manhattan
Company deal - to swing the tiebreaker to him. Hamilton went after his fellow
Federalists, exposing Burr as a myrmidon, literally, one of Zeuss ant-people.[FT5]
Hamilton explained that, while no one had a greater claim than he, to object to Jefferson,
that while Jefferson could be wrong on every issue, Burrs type of evil was of

a Zeus-ian type, where humanity would be wiped out in favor of ant-like

automatons, Zeuss myrmidons.
Hamilton actually believed in searching out the underlying truth and,
rather than finding a marketing way to avoid the problem of citizens
actually having to think, he would lead with pungent truths. So why would
such a bold and brilliant leader ever accept Burrs demand for a duel? In dealing with the
ghost of Hamilton hanging over the White House, and over the country, this report will
also propose a solution to this admittedly thorny issue.[FT6]
In particular, Hamilton explained, in a note prior to the duel: His
particular situation imposed on me... a peculiar necessity not to decline the call. The
ability to be in future useful, whether in resisting mischief or effecting good, in those
crises of our public affairs, which seem likely to happen, would probably be
inseparable from a conformity with public prejudice in this particular. The
tragic aspect of this is pretty clear - the backwardness in the public that
Hamilton had, on occasion, to lead, would not allow him, in Hamiltons
judgment, to defer the duel challenge and still come to their rescue when
needed. What to make of this? What particular situation and peculiar
necessity?

II.

Over Hamiltons Dead Body

To begin, there is no doubt that Burr cared not a whit about his honor in
his challenge to duel Hamilton. Any reading of the correspondence makes it
undoubtable that Burr was on an assignment to murder Hamilton. (See BOX,
below.) But, first, by way of a brief background: In the 1804 race for
governor in New York, there wasnt a great choice. Vice-President Aaron Burr
was running as an independent (having alienated himself from the
Jeffersonians, after trying to steal the election from Jefferson in 1801)
against the Republican Morgan Lewis, the cousin of the dubious Robert and
Edward Livingston. However, Burr was heavily involved in courting New
England Federalists, which centered around Burrs involvement in a
British-directed New England Secessionist movement. Hamilton was fully aware
of the Secessionist plot, and of Burrs role, and he deemed it, quite

properly, as the most dangerous current threat to the countrys existence.

In the heat of the election, an Albany, New York associate of Hamilton, one
Dr. Charles D. Cooper, had written a letter to be privately circulated
amongst a select group of reflecting Federalists, to end their dalliance
with Burr. Hamilton had done as much, quite effectively, in the 1800/1
election. Included in Coopers letter was a reference to Hamiltons February
visit to Albany: [W]hen he was here he spoke of him [Burr] as a dangerous
man, and who ought not to be trusted. However, the letter then was, in
Coopers words, embezzled and broken open, and published. A brouhaha
ensued, which occasioned a second letter by Cooper, this time written for publication in
the Albany Register. Published on April 24th, Cooper included an emphasis as to how
tame his initial language had been: ...[F]or really sir, I could detail to you a
still more despicable opinion which General Hamilton has expressed of Mr.
Burr. This is what Burr claimed required Hamilton to accept a duel - a
public claim by a second-hand source that Hamilton had privately called Burr
dangerous and something worse.
The election was a few days later, and Burr lost by a significant margin. If
honor had been at stake, Burr would first have to address the author of the
statements, Dr. Cooper. But, of course, he never even thinks of doing so.
Instead, almost two months later, on June 18th, Burr writes to Hamilton
alleging that, having just then discovered Coopers two published letters,
he required satisfaction from Hamilton. (This was not even intended to be
credible. This was a major paper in the states capital, a few days before
the governors election.) Over the next nine days, Hamilton is clear that,
before Hamilton can avow or disavow any words he might have said, Burr
needs to specify how Hamilton has impugned Burrs personal honor (aside from
any political critiques Hamilton had made). Burr insists that Hamilton owes
Burr a blanket and public disavowal of any comment Hamilton might have said
about Burr, at any point. The character of the correspondence make it pretty
clear that a decision had been made to employ the otherwise-used-up Burr to
eliminate Hamilton.
Not much is known of Burrs time between the late April election defeat and
the occasion of the June 18th challenge to Hamilton, except that he spent an

inordinate amount of time practicing with his pistol. However, two curious
letters[FT7]are of note. First, an undated letter by Burr: Having each of us had the honor
of some personal acquaintance with your Excellency we presume no further
references can be necessary to satisfy you of our ability to perform
whatever engagements we may make now of the punctuality and good faith with
which they will be executed. Here, Burr and a comrade have had
dealings with, very likely, some titled figure, and they are ready for their
assignments. The when and where of this note is unknown, but it is
referenced here as an example of Burr as a man for hire. However, since the
note is in English, if it indeed is royalty, it is likely it were intended
for a British Lord or King. In that case, the most likely candidate would be
Lord Melville, Henry Dundas.
The second, and possibly more damning, letter is dated May 23,1804, less
than four weeks after Burrs devastating election defeat and less than four weeks before
Burrs challenge to Hamilton. Signed by the notorious Gen. James A Wilkinson, it is
addressed to Burr: To save time of which I need much and have but little, I propose
to take a Bed with you this night, if it may be done without observation or
intrusion - Answer me and if in the affirmative, I will be with [you] at 30
after the 8th Hour, Yours truly.[FT8] There is no record of the discussion.
However, to evaluate this mysterious assignation, it is useful to identify
Burrs three major, inter-connected projects of the 1804/5 period:
1) Burr had met with British Ambassador Anthony Merry in Philadelphia in the
Winter of 1803/4, contemporaneous with Merrys planning meetings for a
secession of New England. Merrys meetings included New England Federalist
Senators Pickering, Hillhouse and Griswold, and former Senator Cabot. (It was this
Anglophile grouping that Hamilton had to counter back in the Winter of 1800/1, when
Burr had attempted to steal the election.) Hamilton considers this the prime, immediate
threat to the existence of the United States. Further, New York was considered as the
crucial adjunct to make the New England secession successful. Burrs election as

governor of New York was supposed to clinch the deal. From February to April, 1804, it
was Hamiltons personal, and singular, intervention that ended this operation - and ended
Burrs ability to get elected to office ever again.
2) After the late April defeat of Burr, the breaking apart of the West (in
particular, of the newly-acquired Lousiana Purchase territory) seems to
replace the secession of New England in order of importance. While Wilkinson
is known to be involved with Burr in the Western secession, that project
doesnt go live until the Spring of 1805 (and when it does, Wilkinson is
not the prime mover). So, what is Wilkinsons urgent and secretive mission
on the night of May 23rd, 1804?[FT9]
3) The assassination of Hamilton was very likely the topic of the May 23rd
assignation. Simply put, Burr had no future unless he could up his game and show that
he still had value for powerful lords. Further, in late April, 1804, the same time as the
planned Burr victory, William Pitt had pushed Addington out of Britains
Prime Minister position, to toughen up Britains posture[FT10]. It was
Pitts intimate friend, Lord Harrowby - one Dudley Ryder - who gave the
orders to his Ambassador to the United States, Anthony Merry. This grouping
fully expected the secession of New England to be their big success of 1804.
News of Burrs April defeat could not have set well with Merry or his
superiors.[FT11]
Importantly, it is not until August 6th, a month after the assassination of
Hamilton, that the British Ambassador Merry has Burr entered into the
official record for the project to split the West from the United States. It
would not be much of a stretch to assume that Wilkinson had been
communicating to Burr that the decision had been taken for the elimination
of Hamilton - with the assurance that Burr would thereby have his future
made, a future, as Burr put it, that included his role as Emperor of
Mexico. Of course, there is no such record of an assassination order in
Ambassador Merrys reports to the Foreign Office; but, as Wilkinsons note

suggests, he was there that May on a mission where his secrecy must be
secured. Finally, this would explain the curiosity of Burrs preserving
Wilkinsons scribbled note. These are not the sort of notes that one
normally preserves. If it were being proposed to Burr to run a covert
operation, and that only after the successful assassination would he be put
on the books, then Burr would certainly have had some motivation to
preserve the note.
The issue is certainly not whether Burr had been an agent for the British
prior to Wilkinsons secretive visit. He certainly had been. The British had
quite a file on Burr. In particular, in 1803, William Pitt and Henry Dundas
were the ones who prepared Merry for the mission to split up the United States. Included
in their planning was one Colonel Charles Williamson - a close associate of Burr for a
decade, one who had lived the previous two years as Burrs tenant. Hamilton had
upended their Plan A: the New England Secession of 1804. While a decision to eliminate
him could have involved the perceived need to send a message to anyone else who might
even think of acting on Hamiltons level, that presumes there is a potential
Hamilton figure waiting in the wings. Unfortunately, that was not such a
likely prospect. Rather, the main issue in the Spring of 1804 for the Merry
band was whether Plan B, secession of the West, could only be done
over Hamiltons dead body.

IV. Burrs Promised Reward

Following the Burr-Wilkinson meeting of May 23rd, Dundas agent, Charles
Williamson[FT12] has one or more meetings with Burr in June, prior to the
assassination, and most probably prior to the June 18th initiation of the
challenge to a duel. Indeed, if Wilkinsons mysterious meeting was not about
an escalation to an assassination of Hamilton, Williamsons meetings would have

sufficed. Either way, sometime after July 11th, when Burr shot Hamilton, and
before Merrys August 6th report (below), Williamson reports to Ambassador
Merry that the Burr project to fragment the United States has escalated
from the New England Secession to an armed insurrection in the West - and
that Burr is up to the new task. Burr, on July 21, fled New York, avoiding
planned prosecutions for murder initiated in New York and New Jersey[FT13].
Burr found temporary protection in Philadelphia, where he continued his meetings
with Williamson during late July and August. It is even possible that Wilkinson
attended one or more of these meetings.[FT14]
Burr was in a peculiar state of mind at the time. Evidently, he was curiously aroused
by his recent taking of blood, which evidently enervated his sexual conquests. His tactful
way of putting it at the time to his daughter, Theodosia: If any male friend of yours
should be dying of ennui, recommend to him to engage in a duel and a courtship at
the same time.
On August 6th, based upon Williamsons report, Merry writes to Lord
Harrowby his infamous letter:[FT15]
I have just received an offer from Mr. Burr, the actual Vice-President of
the United States, to lend his assistance to his majestys government in any
matter in which they may think fit to employ him, particularly in
endeavoring to effect a separation of the western part of the United States
from that which lies between the Atlantic and the mountains, in its whole
extent. His proposition on this and other subjects will be fully detailed to
your lordship by Colonel Williamson, who has been the bearer of them to me,
and who will embark for England in a few days... [I]f after what is
generally known of the profligacy of Mr. Burrs character, his Majestys
ministers should think proper to listen to his offer,his present situation
in this country, where he is no cast off as much by the democratic as by the
Federal party, and where he still preserves connections with some people of
influence, added to his great ambition and spirit of revenge against the
present Administration, may possibly induce him to exert the talents and
activity which he possesses with fidelity to his employers.

Burr reports to his daughter, Theodosia, that he expects to be made the

Emperor of Mexico. Williamson sails off to London to meet with Lord Melville
and Mr. Pitt on the project.

V. The Ghost of Hamilton

So, did Hamilton fall prey to a dirty British Intelligence operation?
Hamilton left a note for his supporters, and for history, giving his
explanation for participating in the duel: To those who, with me, abhor
[duelling ...] I answer that my relative situation, as well in public as
private, enforcing all the considerations which constitute what men of the
world denominate honor, imposed on me... a peculiar necessity not to decline
the call. The ability to be in future useful, whether in resisting mischief
or effecting good, in those crises of our public affairs, which seem likely
to happen, would probably be inseparable from a conformity with public
prejudice in this particular.
What must be taken into account here is that Hamilton never retired from
the American Revolution:[FT16] not just his more famous accomplishments of
the Constitutional Convention and the National Bank, but his clear-sighted
strategic acumen and boldness in attempting - practically single-handedly to steer the young nation through the Scylla and Charybnis of the
conjoined dangers of Bonapartism and the British Empire divide and conquer
operations. Hamilton knew what was at stake in the project to form our
republic, and he knew (or quickly learned in the course of battle) what kind
of new forms of evil would arise as a consequence, thereof.
Admittedly, one could argue as to exactly how far the American character
had fallen in the five years since Washingtons death. However, Hamiltons
judgment in 1804 was that the public prejudice - whereby actual honor was
deeply confused in the public mind with the bravado of dueling - was too
embedded to be rooted out in time to deal with the advanced threat to the
republic represented by Burr. Hamilton already knew that Burr was prepared

to destroy the nation. He learned during the nine days of Burrs angling for
a duel, that Burrs faction could not walk away from the destroy the
American republic game.
Hamiltons judgment should not be dismissed lightly, as he knew better than
most how sophistry and unprincipled politicking had succeeded in debasing
the public mind. Hamilton knew the risk to the republic was mortal, and
Hamilton, the soldier for that republic, took a mortal risk himself.[FT17]
But the point is, Hamilton knew that he was going to be always, for the rest
of his mortal life, in that peculiar position - of having to put himself
forward to confront dangers that most could not, or would not, see or admit.
In a sense, he knew that he was going to die in battle - just not which
particular battle.
Hamiltons peculiar necessity was wrapped up in his acumen for
historically-specific analyses, regardless of any consideration of career
management. His peculiar necessity had led him to Yorktown, to the
Constitutional Convention, to his 1790-92 fight for implementing the
Constitution, to his government-run smashing of speculators, to his defense
of the integrity of his credit-generation decisions in the so-called
Reynolds affair and to his organizing Federalists in 1800/1 in defense of
Jeffersons election over Burr. When charged with giving money to Reynolds
for insider-trading, he did the unexpected - admitting that he was paying
blackmail money for a sexual entrapment by Reynolds wife. Burr, Jefferson,
Madison and Monroe thought that a man of their caliber would just allow the
public to believe that any and every one who were involved in the
credit-generating power of the government, would also be a part of insider
trading. Certainly, a lesser man would allow such a story, rather than admit
hed been caught in a sexual blackmail situation. Finally, when Burr was
seducing Federalists in 1800 with dirty money, Hamilton reminded his
Federalist circle that no one had more cause to oppose Jefferson than he,
but the Burr that would offer profits by taking down public water and
solicit disease, was a new type of Malthusian evil - in particular, a
Zeus-ian myrmidon, or ant-man. In 1804, how was Hamilton not invoking that same
peculiar necessity for what would be one last time.

Hamilton did not have a death-wish. He had the strongest of reasons to

live, as he stated, for his beloved wife and dear children. That last night,
after seeing Eliza off to bed, Hamilton went to his study and wrote Eliza one last
thought: his confirmed decision not to shoot at Burr in the duel and to take
fire increased the risk that hed never see her again in this life:
The Scruples of a Christian have determined me to expose my own life to
any extent rather than subject my self to the guilt of taking the life of
another. This must increase my hazards & redoubles my pangs for you. But you
had rather I should die innocent than live guilty. Heaven can preserve me
and I humbly hope will but in the contrary event, I charge you to remember
that you are a Christian. Gods Will be done. The will of a merciful God
must be good. Once more Adieu My Darling darling Wife
A H Tuesday Evening 10 oClock
Hamilton knew that the narrow path through which he attempted to steer the
young republic was a risky endeavor. The meaning of his exemplar leadership
comes alive today, when a White House is so haunted with the ghost of Hamilton,
they would make Hamlet blush. Hamilton could look upon death with a
smile, indeed, because he has succeeded, today, in giving us a living
chance, by the example of his leadership and the content of his ideas, in
fulfilling the actual purpose and meaning of his Constitution.

Footnotes
1. The Obamas found the lyrics both entrancing and entertaining. Two excerpts:
a) An excerpt (properly rapped, the rhymes are: dolluh, fathuh, farthur,
harduh, smartuh and startuh):
The ten-dollar Founding Father without a father/Got a lot farther/By workin a lot
harder/By bein a lot smarter/By bein a self-starter...
b) And the show-stopping conclusion:
Alexander Hamilton
We were waiting in the weeds for you
You could never back down
You always had to speak your mind

But Alexander Hamilton, we could never take your deeds from you
In our cowardice and our shame
We will try to destroy your name
The world will never be the same, Alexander!
...Yeah, Im the damn genius that shot him!
The four-minute video, including flashes of the Obamas enraptured response
is at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNFf7nMIGnE
2. The White House was engaged enough to sponsor a rap retort by Alexander
Hamilton (and even one done with suggestions of President Clintons
inflections!). Here, rapper Hamiltons main point is that he had suffered from foolish
pride and foolish love, which led to his being shot. Otherwise, Hamilton brags
that a) Burrs face never made it on money (though the White House may have other
ideas); and b) that Burr and he could have been brothers, bankers on the same side, just
two of the founding fathers all of it transparent nonsense. Rapper Hamiltons
consolation? At least Hamilton is famous and Burr will never be. Again, Obama led the
standing ovation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1G7g1yw86U
As it has been said, with friends like these, one really doesnt need enemies.
3. Hamiltons Singular Genius vs. Wall Streets Rage
http://www.schillerinstitute.org/educ/hist/eiw_this_week/2015/0111/a.html
In particular, note Hamiltons speech on the Bonaparte problem, at the conclusion of
the article.
4. Only the year before, 1798, Malthus, in the employ of the British East India Company,
had argued for exposing undesired populations to diseased, unhealthy waters. Of note,
Burr actually proposed turning the water company into an East India Company.
(And so, Burr turned the Manhattan Company into Manhattan Bank, the actual origin of
todays Chase Manhattan Bank.)
5. An unpublished report, Alexander Hamilton on the Zeus Problem. David Shavin.
Sept, 2014.
6. This report focuses upon the narrow ten weeks or so leading up to the
assassination. See Anton Chaitkins {Treason in America} for the
broader treatment, including the key role of the British Ambassador Merry,

Williamson, and his American confederate, Wilkinson, as part of the networks

of drug-pusher, Henry Dundas (Lord Melville).
7. I found these two letters in the Missouri History Museum collection of Burr papers.
See http://collections.mohistory.org/resource/85546.html
8. {Ibid}. For what it is worth, I found that the Burr Association - yes,
there is one! - proffers a reconstruction after the fact: On that night,
Burr meets with James Wilkinson at Richmond Hill [Burrs home], probably
initiating the formal start of plans to invade Mexico. Everyone thinks War
with Spain is inevitable, and Wilkinson is in charge of the US army thanks
to Burrs recommendation to Jefferson. Burr does not know Wilkinson is a
paid spy for Spain. The Burr Association would have it that Wilkinson led
Burr into Secessionist activities (contrary to the actual progress of events
in 1805-07) and reads backwards from that false assumption to account for
the mysterious evening.
9. General Wilkinson is not usually associated with the murder of Hamilton,
however this is a habit of those who dont see Burrs duel with Hamilton as
having any connection with the plots to dismember the United States.
Wilkinsons May 23rd errand is known, but he also might have played a
support role in and around the assassination itself. For example, he cant
explain his whereabouts from July 10-14, the day before the duel until three
days afterwards. (The general suggests that it took him five days to get
from Washington, DC, to his military post at nearby Frederick, MD.)
10. A contemporary cartoon rendering may be found at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Addington_Ministry#/media/File:Britannia-between-Deathand-the-Doctors-Gillray.jpeg
11. Amongst Melvilles papers, there appears an
October 6, 1804 letter from Williamson, where reference is made to a May
29th order from the newly re-installed Prime Minister, Pitt, that Williamson
report back to London. (If true, this would be an early response by Pitt to
Burrs loss and the setback to the New England Secession.) However,
Williamson goes on to explain that he didnt get the order until August 4th,
and by then, they were deep into Burrs escalated mission. This scenario
suggests that Merry and Williamson proceeded to the assassination without new orders

from Pitt and Dundas. But even here, it doesnt preclude that 1803 orders were
given, inclusive of the elimination of Hamilton, should he destroy Plan A,
12. Williamson officially became a United States citizen in 1792, only in order
to act a land agent for the British Pulteney Associates. Though Sir William
Pulteney was one of the wealthiest men in Britain, he was not allowed at the time to
own land in the United States. (Later, Burr would accept a major bribe from
the Holland Company - and would in turn bribe NY state legislators - to
allow foreigners to speculate in US land in their own name.) At various times, the
U.S. citizen, Williamson, was very clear about his loyalties:
To Dundas, ...[I]f my endeavours to be useful I can deserve the approbation of Lord
Melville & Mr. Pitt I shall be very happy indeed.
To Charles Hope, Lord Granton (the Lord Justice Clerk of Scotland), I would be one of
the Western Watch Dogs of the Empire.
13. Chaitkin, op.cit., reports that on the previous day, July 20th, Burr was able to secure
a payment of $41,783 from John Jacob Astor - a large chunk of over
$100,000 that Burr received from Astor for land sales, between 2003 and
2005. Nice of Astor to oblige in a timely fashion.
14. Dr. Isaac J. Cox says that Wilkerson attended at least one meeting
with Burr and Williamson in Philadelphia, August, 1804 - though it is not
clear upon what he bases this. (In Coxs Hispanic-American Phases of the Burr
Conspiracy, found in The Hispanic American Historical Review, May, 1932.)
15. Over a half-year later, Merry provides an even more unqualified
recommendation. At this time, Burrs blood-lust (and related sexual arousal) is more
under control. Merry finds that Burr more directly apes the British. (For example, when
Burr presided, in early 1805, over the Senate impeachment trial of Judge Chase,
Burr removed the defendents chair and instructed him: In Great Britain,
when an officer is impeached, & Appears before the House of Lords - instead
of having a Chair the Accused falls on his knees & rises not till the Lord
Chancellor directs him. Merry must have welled with pride.) A few weeks
after Burrs (3/2/1805) farewell speech to the Senate - so praised by
biographers as high-minded and statesman-like - Merry could inform

Harrowby (March 29th): Mr. Burr... has mentioned to me that the inhabitants
of Louisiana seem determined to render themselves independent of the United
States, and that the execution of their design is only delayed by the
difficulty of obtaining... assurance of protection and assistance from some
Foreign power, and of concerting... their independence with that of the
inhabitants of the western parts of the United States... It is clear that
Mr. Burr... means to endeavour to be the instruments of effecting such a
connection. All that is needed is a British squadron at the mouth of
Mississippi, plus a loan of $500,000 loan. Burr had all the talents,
energy, intrepidity and firmness which are required for such an enterprise.
16. In this 1840 painting, Hamilton leads the storming of Redoubt #10 at
Yorktown: http://www.dailypress.com/features/history/our-story/dp-hampton-roadsswooned-over-lafayettes-1824--003-photo.html#lightbox=81758015 Hamilton
is the one planting the flag. (I couldnt locate a properly-sized online version.
The original, and very large, painting hangs in the Virginia State Capital
building in Richmond.)
17. The beginning of the end for Burrs dismantling of the republic was
occasioned by a great admirer of Hamilton, Joseph Hamilton Daveiss, the US
Attorney for the District of Kentucky, acting on behalf of justice for
Hamilton. First, he wrote of Burrs treason to President Jefferson, who
promptly ignored the warnings. Daveiss then (properly) assumed that
Jefferson was part of problem, and he launched his own hearings into Burrs
treason. Daveiss was well aware that General Wilkinsons original,
Spanish-run plot to detach the West for Spain, had been transmogrified to
Britains Burr project to separate the West, and to exclude Spain.

BOX

Burrs Dueling Challenge to Hamilton

Burr s initial (June 18th) letter to Hamilton: Coopers letter though
apparently published some time ago, has but very recently come my
knowledge... Burr insists on the necessity of a prompt and unqualified

acknowledgement or denial of the use of any expressions which could warrant

the assertions of Dr. Cooper. Simply bizarre. An actual man of honor first
writes to Dr. Cooper to obtain any satisfaction of Coopers imputation which is Hamiltons (6/20) response: I deem it inadmissable on principle to
consent to be interrogated as to the justness of the inferences which may be
drawn by others... I stand ready to avow or disavow promptly and explicitly
any precise or definite opinion which I may be charge with having declared
of any gentleman. More than this cannot fitly be expected from me; and
especially it cannot be reasonably expected that I shall enter into an
explanation upon a basis so vague as that which you have adopted.
Burr has no interest in inquiring of Cooper, or acting reasonably toward
Hamilton. His (6/21) response: I found nothing of that sincerity or
delicacy which you profess to value. You must give a definite reply as to
what you told Dr Cooper. ...[T]he epithet... has been publicly applied to
me under the sanction of your name. The question is... whether you have
authorized this application, either directly or by uttering expressions or
opinions derogatory to my honor. (Recall that Cooper applied no epithet. He
alleged that Hamilton had said in private something that Cooper described as
a still more despicable opinion of Burr.) Hamilton responds (6/22): Your
first letter, in a style too peremptory, made a demand, in my opinion,
unprecedented and unwarrantable. My answer... gave you an opportunity to
take a less exceptionable course. You have not chosen to do it, but by your
last letter received this day, containing expressions indecorous and
improper, you have increased the difficulties... You should withdraw your
last letter in favor of one which would admit of a different reply.
At this point, Hamiltons second, Pendleton, offers Burrs second, Van Ness,
that Burr should simply specify anything that he take exception to, that
Hamilton said which was not about Burrs public actions, but went to Burrs
personal honor. Then, Hamilton could and would provide Burr with a public
statement renouncing any slights to Burrs personal honor. Van Ness
responded (6/26) with Burrs No deal - that the letters and offer, in
Col. Burrs opinion, evince no disposition on the part of Gen. Hamilton to
come to a satisfactory accomodation. The injury complained of and the

reparation expected, are so definitely expressed in Col. Burrs letter of

the 21st instant [Burrs second letter] that there is not perceived a
necessity for further explanation on his part. Now it made no difference
what Cooper might have been referring to; rather Hamilton would have to deny
any negative personal comment about Burr at any point in the last three
decades.
The duel (the illegal activity was referred to as an interview) will proceed.
Pendleton reports to Van Ness that same day that Hamiltons objection is, the very
Indefinite ground, which Col. Burr has assumed, in which he is sorry to be able to
discern nothing short of predetermined hostility. The next day (6/27)
Burrs message is that he had only escalated his demand because Hamilton had
taken umbrage to Burrs first letter - which, according to Burr, is simply
proof that Hamilton had indeed been the source of the rumors that Cooper
alluded to. The escalation was Hamiltons fault. Col. Burr disavows all
motives of predetermined hostility.
In the letter that Hamilton left for his friends, he explained that: The
disavowal required of me by Col. Burr, in a general and indefinite form, was
out of my power, if it had really been proper for me to submit to be so
questioned; but I was sincerely of opinion that this could not be... Col.
Burr appeared to me to assume... a tone unnecessarily peremptory and
menacing, and ... positively offensive... I hope the grounds of his
proceeding have been such as ought to satisfy his own conscience.
Hamilton knew that Burr had been central to a New England Secession, and had
been defeated in such. Now, Burrs behavior undoubtedly indicated to
Hamilton that Dundas and Pitt, Merry bosses, were desperate enough to
escalate.