John Adams / Abigail on Burr

John Adams
Abigail Adams



Abigail Adams: I just can’t believe it. Yesterday you mentioned a bit too casually that Hamilton was dead. Now it is in the newspapers. I can’t see us grieving too much but it was a brutal killing.

John Adams: There is nothing about dueling that isn’t brutal. It begins with overheated discussions among men of opposing views—often political. They may manage to hold their tongues at first but among their own friends who, of course are sworn to secrecy, they let out all the horrible names they can think of about their opponents.

Abigail Adams: I can well imagine. And since men have more trouble keeping secrets than they will readily admit, a word here and there is bound to leak out. And we women are accused of gossiping.

John Adams: In the case of Alexander Hamilton, it is not difficult to believe that his vile accusations caught up with him. Think about it. A little bastard climbing and clawing his way into a society of the well-born but he retained some of the street habits of using language carelessly. He had skills and the fortune of having pleasant physical features.

Abigail Adams: Not to criticize George Washington to whom we owe quite a bit in having you succeed him in the presidency but he was charmed by the man who fought as a young officer in the war. Much of Hamilton’s good fortune came from our friend George.

John Adams: Let’s not forget Hamilton’s innate ability to debate difficult issues, his skill as a writer and an ambition that knew no bounds.

Abigail Adams: Well why doesn’t the government outlaw dueling?

John Adams: The laws are still in a state of flux. Rather than outlaw dueling, it was considered a better solution to control and modify some of the conditions. While I was in France I read how certain cities in Germany outlawed dueling only to find that the combatants would move their location across a river or beyond a forest to another town.

Abigail Adams: I suppose that defeated the whole purpose.

John Adams: Yes, and any of the humane modifications were thrown out in a more savage environment. I’ve heard of instances where the ten paces requirement was ignored and the duelists fired at will ignoring the instructions.

Abigail Adams: We both know that with Hamilton and Burr, their personal and professional animosity had quite a history. What made it explode?

John Adams: The explosion was not sudden but rather a gradual seething of anger. Firstly, Hamilton was a Federalist. Burr was a Republican-Democrat. Politically, they were in constant conflict. In 1791, Burr was successful in winning the United States Senate seat from Hamilton’s father-in-law, Philip Schuler. Not only did the seat pass over into the camp of the enemy, according to Hamilton, but the votes would not be forthcoming for Federalists projects.

Abigail Adams: How did Aaron Burr get involved in that scathing criticism of your presidency?

John Adams: That document was written by Hamilton which he wanted to keep for private use. To his dismay, Burr obtained a copy and had it published, not to disparage me but to embarrass Hamilton.  It showed the duplicitous nature of the Secretary of the Treasury who would even attack a fellow Federalist and the extremes that Burr would go to hurt his enemy. That document,
“The Public Conduct and Character of John Adams” may have been partially responsible for my defeat of reelection for a second term.

Abigail Adams: I suppose it did some harm to our party as well. You did splendid work as president and with the support of a strong Federalist Party; you would have had your second term.

John Adams: President Washington did give me full support for my first term. Although many wanted Washington to be president for a third term, he declined and moved back to his beloved Mt. Vernon. It was only after three years of retirement that he died at the age of 67. The fact that I did not get a second term was not entirely the fault of others. The nation hated the Jay Treaty and felt we had sold out to England. The mood was for change. The presidential contenders were Jefferson and Burr. And, wouldn’t you know it, the balloting resulted in a tie. Hamilton decided to get his revenge on Burr by using his influence with congress to lobby on behalf of Thomas Jefferson. Many think that Hamilton’s efforts did not make a difference but the election was won by Jefferson.

Abigail Adams: And these differences were enough to make them want to risk their lives in a duel!

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