CHAPTER   XYIII.

CLOUDS   GATHER,
The Geeat Eekor of Bukk's Pitblio Life—Distkibution of the Spoils — Oheet

ham AND   THE AmEKIOAN   OiTIZEN—BuEE'S OoUKSE ON THE JtJDICIAKY BiLL — ThB

Suppressed Histoky of Adams's Administeation — Hamilton's Moebid Appeb¬
hensions—Buee at the Washington Banquet — Hamilton's New Tactics —
Cheetham's Calumnies — Theie Eefutation — The Wak of Pamphlets and
Newspapers — Dueling then — Hamilton's Eldest Son Falls in a Duel —
Duel between John Swartwout and De Witt Clinton —Eobbkt Swabtwout
AND Eichaed Eikee's Duel — Duel between Coleman and Captain Thompson

—BUKE EUNS FOE GOVEENOE OF NeW ToEK — ThE CONTEST — BUEE DEFEATED.

I

But Fortune was now tired of befriending this man. His
position was imposing, but hollow. As a politician, he never
had any real basis; such as great ideas, strong convictions,
important original measures, a grand policy; nor were his pe¬
culiar gifts of a nature to charm the multitude.

Aaron Burr should never have touched politics. He had no
business with politics. Having made up his mind at old Dr.
Bellamy's, that Honor was the god for a gentleman, and that
Chesterfield was one of his prophets, he should have been con¬
tent to practice law, get a fortune, shine in society, make the
tour of Europe, patronize the fine arts, give elegant dinners;
and so have been the inane and aimless indiAddual that the
rich American, since the Revolution, has usually plumed him¬
self upon being. Or, he should have emigrated to France.
In soldiers. Frenchmen, and children, ambition is a nearly in¬
evitable incentive to exertion, and therefore pardonable. But
for the citizen of a~ free State to seek or accept high public
office for any smaller object than the public good, is not
pardonable, but pitiable. The fatal day in the life of Aaron
Burr Avas not on which he and his amiable foe both fell on the
field of honor, never to rise, but on that on which he resolved,
for party and personal reasons chiefly, to turn politician.