The 200-Year Duel (The Hamiltons and the Burrs are still at it)

The Weekly Standard ^ | December 13, 2004 | Matthew Continetti

[society-by-contract]

Great piece and three cheers for Burr for dispatching of that damn Federalist.

[bahblahbah]

I dunno, maybe that whole treason thing kind of puts a damper on Burr's legacy.

[Dog Gone]

Great article. Hamilton would most definitely be in the the camp of the big government Democrats today, but Burr was no Republican.

Hamilton promoted some things which made us a great nation. The very limited banking envisioned by the Founders would be chaos in today's environment.

[Vigilanteman]

Burr "was a smart, clever man, and he said a number of funny things," the historian Richard Brookhiser, who curated the Historical Society's exhibition, has said. "But he was an empty narcissist."

Much like his descendent, Al Gore, eh?

[RWR8189]

Big government circa 1800 is not the same thing as big government in 2004.

[Dog Gone]

Agreed. I am extrapolating to the future with regard to Hamilton. I might well have agreed with him back then.

[ScottFromSpokane]

"Actually," confided Antonio Burr, "he was a lot like Bill Clinton."

Hamilton partisans, on the other hand, acuuse Burr of being "a lot like Bill Clinton."

[Lion in Winter]

BTTT

[Ciexyz]

I strongly recommend the Ron Chernow bio of Hamilton. I've been reading it for a month now, it's a massive book, full of marvelous anecdotes. Hamilton's early life was so tragic, it's amazing that he rose above it as he did.

A comment about Burr sticks with me: the few memoirs that Burr wrote were filled with gossip, boasts about his sexual conquests, inconsequential fluff. Contrast this with the large body of essays that Hamilton produced.

It was such a tragedy that a nonentity like Burr was the one to put out the lights on Hamilton's promise.

[x]

"There is an elegant memorial in Washington to Jefferson," George Will once said, "but none to Hamilton. However, if you seek Hamilton's monument, look around. You are living in it. We honor Jefferson, but live in Hamilton's country."

Well said. It's funny to think of McGreevey paying tribute to Aaron Burr.

It's certainly possible to criticize Hamilton, but he lived in the real world and tried to deal with real world problems. Jefferson, his chief opponent, was a great visionary, but a much less realistic thinker.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Much like his descendent, Al Gore, eh?

And Gore Vidal?

[A Jovial Cad]

Excellent article. It simply flabbergasts me that anyone would flak for Burr at this late date, though I do think he genuinely regretted killing Hamilton.

Hamilton would have made a fair president, but he would've been a far better United States Senator. As a deliberative body, the Senate would've been uniquely suited to Hamilton's genius and wit. He was a great American, and the seeds for the great country we live in today were at least partially planted by Alexander Hamilton.

[A Jovial Cad]

It's certainly possible to criticize Hamilton, but he lived in the real world and tried to deal with real world problems. Jefferson, his chief opponent, was a great visionary, but a much less realistic thinker

Exactly right--you defined it just how it should be seen historically.

[Verginius Rufus]

How unfair of them to blame Burr for Hamilton's death, when it was obviously the fault of the gun manufacturer.

If I'm not mistaken, Burr was sued for divorce by his wife on grounds of adultery, and the decree granting the divorce was issued the very day he died.

[edeal]

"Hamilton would have made a fair president, but he would've been a far better United States Senator."


Hamilton could not become President for the same reason Arnold can't become President.

Hamilton was born in the Bahamas, he was not a natural born citizen of any of the united states.

[Lancey Howard]

Very interesting piece. Thanks for posting.

[bloodmeridian]

bump for later

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[Lancey Howard]

Hamilton partisans, on the other hand, acuuse Burr of being "a lot like Bill Clinton."

So they agree with Antonio Burr.