New York and Its Institutions, 1609

The rise of Burr was not so completely from obscurity. His father and grandfather having been pre-eminently distinguished for both moral and intellectual greatness, he inherited the prestige of a great and honored name. Graduating with honor at Princeton, in 1772, at the early age of sixteen, he had two or three years for reading and observation before the outburst of the Revolution. The times were fraught with great events, and the military ambition with which his whole soul was aglow soon burst forth in rapid and dashing strides for glory and renown. In those perilous northern campaigns under Arnold, he bore a distinguished part; and, though a beardless youth, he had the honor of carrying General Montgomery bleeding from the field, and

of supporting his dying head. He was for a short time associated with Washington as one of his aids, the connection being soon dissolved with mutual disgust, which never afterwards suffered any abatement. At the close of the war, Burr and Hamilton, neither of whom had spent much time in the study of law, on being admitted, began to practice in New York, where each rose with the rapidity and brilliancy of a rocket—entering regions which rockets could not. The old members of the bar being mostly legally disqualified on account of their former disloyalty, these intrepid young military celebrities, with scarcely more than a single bound, placed themselves at the forefront of the profession, from which they were never subsequently displaced. Burr, in particular, from his family associations, soon became immensely popular, drawing numerous and wealthy clients, in whose service he speedily amassed a fortune. In the meantime his success in politics was equally brilliant. In 1784 he was elected to the State legislature, and the following year appointed Attorney-General of New York. In 1791 he entered the United States'' senate, where he continued six years, when he was again sent to the State legislature. Here he fought a bloodless duel with Mr. Church. The electoral college of 1800, having by some mischance cast an equal number of votes for Burr and Jefferson, the House of Representatives, on its thirty-sixth ballot, elected Jefferson President, leaving Burr the Vice-president of the United States. It was during this term that the fatal duel occurred between him and Hamilton. Burr had purchased the famous Richmond Hill mansion, where he lived with his family in much splendor. This building, erected previous to the Revolution, stood on a fine eminence, on what is now the corner of Varick and Charlton streets, then far out in the country, and was surrounded with richly cultivated gardens and parks. It had been the headquarters of General Washington, and at a later period was occupied by one of the British Generals commanding New York. Hamilton owned a fine country residence on the Kingsbridge road (near Central Park), but at the time of his death lived in Park Place, near Broadway. Burr's popularity having much waned, and seeing no prospect of being'' returned to the presidency, sought to be elected Governor of New York. In this he was also overwhelmingly defeated.