D. J. Medley - "The Church and the Empire"

Theodor Mommsen - "Römische Geschichte Book 5"

Maria Monk - "Awful Disclosures"

Nell Speed - "Molly Brown's Orchard Home"

Annual Bibliography of Commonwealth Literature 2007
This paper argues that discourses of love in Ghanaian market literature for youth offer a view into complex negotiations of agency and empowerment. Drawing on Deborah Durham's notion of youth as "social `shifters'" and Francis Nyamnjoh's conception of the "interconnectedness" of agency, I take Ghanaian market literature as one specific case of how African literature for youth foregrounds questions of continuity and change as African societies enter into increasingly complex global relations. In this literature for youth, received notions of love, often constructed out of impressions from American pop and hip hop music, carry new notions of agency that compete with existing "domesticated" forms. Authors like Ike Tandoh and Evelyn Tay employ discourses of love to offer youth alternative avenues for empowerment in a context of socio-economic disenfranchizement. In a creative process of "straddling", this writing both reveals and reproduces the contradictions that obtain in youth configurations of agency.

Memoirs of Aaron Burr, Volume 2.

M >> Matthew L. Davis >> Memoirs of Aaron Burr, Volume 2.




Your most obedient and humble servant,

W. P. VAN NESS.

NATHANIEL PENDLETON, Esq.



In the evening of the same day I received from him the following
answer:--

No. XI.

June 26, 1804.

SIR,

I have communicated the letter which you did me the honour to write to
me of this date, to General Hamilton. The expectations now disclosed
on the part of Colonel Burr appear to him to have greatly extended the
original ground of inquiry, and, instead of presenting a particular
and definite case for explanation, seem to aim at nothing less than an
inquisition into his most confidential conversations, as well as
others, through the whole period of his acquaintance with Colonel
Burr.

While he was prepared to meet the particular case fairly and fully, he
thinks it inadmissible that he should be expected to answer at large
as to every thing that he may possibly have said in relation to the
character of Colonel Burr at any time or upon any occasion. Though he
is not conscious that any charges which are in circulation to the
prejudice of Colonel Burr have originated with him, except one which
may have been so considered, and which has long since been fully
explained between Colonel Burr and himself, yet he cannot consent to
be questioned generally as to any rumours which may be afloat
derogatory to the character of Colonel Burr, without specification of
the several rumours, many of them, probably, unknown to him. He does
not, however, mean to authorize any conclusion as to the real nature
of his conduct in relation to Colonel Burr by his declining so loose
and vague a basis of explanation, and he disavows an unwillingness to
come to a satisfactory, provided it be an honourable, accommodation.
His objection is the very indefinite ground which Colonel Burr has
assumed, in which he is sorry to be able to discern nothing short of
predetermined hostility. Presuming, therefore, that it will be adhered
to, he has instructed me to receive the message which you have it in
charge to deliver. For this purpose I shall be at home and at your
command to-morrow morning from eight to ten o'clock.

I have the honour to be, respectfully,

Your obedient servant,

NATHANIEL PENDLETON.

WM. P. VAN NESS, Esq.


I transmitted this to Colonel Burr; and, after a conference with him,
in which I received his further instructions, and that no
misunderstanding might arise from verbal communication, I committed to
writing the remarks contained in No. XII., which follows:



No. XII.

Wednesday morning, June 27, 1804.

SIR,

The letter which I had the honour to receive from you, under date of
yesterday, states, among other things, that, in General Hamilton's
opinion, Colonel Burr has taken a very indefinite ground, in which he
evinces nothing short of predetermined hostility, and General Hamilton
thinks it inadmissible that the inquiry should extend to his
confidential as well as other conversations. To this Colonel Burr can
only reply, that secret whispers traducing his fame and impeaching his
honour are at least equally injurious with slanders publicly uttered;
that General Hamilton had, at no time and in no place, a right to use
any such injurious expression; and that the partial negative he is
disposed to give, with the reservations he wishes to make, are proofs
that he has done the injury specified.

Colonel Burr's request was, in the first instance, proposed in a form
the most simple, in order that General Hamilton might give to the
affair that course to which he might be induced by his temper and his
knowledge of facts. Colonel Burr trusted with confidence, that, from
the frankness of a soldier and the candour of a gentleman, he might
expect an ingenuous declaration. That if, as he had reason to believe,
General Hamilton had used expressions derogatory to his honour, he
would have had the magnanimity to retract them; and that if, from his
language, injurious inferences had been improperly drawn, he would
have perceived the propriety of correcting errors which might thus
have been widely diffused. With these impressions Colonel Burr was
greatly surprised at receiving a letter which he considered as
evasive, and which, in manner, he deemed not altogether decorous. In
one expectation, however, he was not wholly deceived; for the close of
General Hamilton's letter contained an intimation that, if Colonel
Burr should dislike his refusal to acknowledge or deny, he was ready
to meet the consequences. This Colonel Burr deemed a sort of defiance,
and would have felt justified in making it the basis of an immediate
message; but, as the communication contained something concerning the
indefiniteness of the request; as he believed it rather the offspring
of false pride than of reflection; and as he felt the utmost
reluctance to proceed to extremities while any other hope remained,
his request was repeated in terms more explicit. The replies and
propositions on the part of General Hamilton have, in Colonel Burr's
opinion, been constantly, in substance, the same.

Colonel Burr disavows all motives of predetermined hostility, a charge
by which he thinks insult added to injury. He feels as a gentleman
should when his honour is impeached or assailed; and, without
sensations of hostility or wishes of revenge, he is determined to
vindicate that honour at such hazard as the nature of the case
demands.

The length to which this correspondence has extended only tending to
prove that the satisfactory redress, earnestly desired, cannot be
attained, he deems it useless to offer any proposition except the
single message which I shall now have the honour to deliver.

With great respect, your obedient servant,

W. P. VAN NESS.

NATHANIEL PENDLETON, Esq.


I handed this to Mr. Pendleton at twelve o'clock on Wednesday the
27th. After he had perused it, agreeable to my instructions, I
delivered the message which it is unnecessary to repeat. The request
it contained was acceded to. After which Mr. Pendleton remarked that a
court was then sitting in which General Hamilton had much business to
transact, and that he had also some private arrangements to make,
which would render some delay unavoidable. I acceded to his wish, and
Mr. Pendleton said he would call on me again in the course of the day
or the following morning, to confer further relative to time and
place.

Thursday, June 28th, ten o'clock P. M., Mr. Pendleton called on me
with a paper which he said contained some views of General Hamilton,
and which he had received from him. I replied, that if the paper
contained a definite and specific proposition for an accommodation, I
would with pleasure receive it, and submit it to the consideration of
my principal; if not, that I must decline taking it, as Mr. Burr
conceived the correspondence completely terminated by the acceptance
of the invitation contained in the message I had yesterday delivered.
Mr. Pendleton replied that the paper did not contain any proposition
of the kind I alluded to, but remarks on my last letter. I, of course,
declined receiving it. Mr. Pendleton then took leave, and said that he
would call again in a day or two to arrange time and place. Tuesday,
July 3d, I again saw Mr. Pendleton; and, after a few subsequent
interviews, the time when the parties were to meet was ultimately
fixed for the morning of the 11th of July instant. The occurrences of
that interview will appear from the following statement, No. XIII.,
which has been drawn up and mutually agreed to by the seconds of the
parties.



No. XIII.

Colonel Burr arrived first on the ground, as had been previously
agreed. When General Hamilton arrived, the parties exchanged
salutations, and the seconds proceeded to make their arrangements.
They measured the distance, ten full paces, and cast lots for the
choice of position, as also to determine by whom the word should be
given, both of which fell to the second of General Hamilton. They then
proceeded to load the pistols in each other's presence, after which
the parties took their stations. The gentleman who was to give the
word then explained to the parties the rules which were to govern them
in firing, which were as follows: "The parties being placed at their
stations, the second who gives the word shall ask them whether they
are ready; being answered in the affirmative, he shall say--_present_!
After this the parties shall present and fire _when they please_. If
one fires before the other, the opposite second shall say _one_,
_two_, _three_, _fire_, and he shall then fire or lose his fire. He
then asked if they were prepared; being answered in the affirmative,
he gave the word _present_, as had been agreed on, and both parties
presented and fired in succession. The intervening time is not
expressed, as the seconds do not precisely agree on that point. The
fire of Colonel Burr took effect, and General Hamilton almost
instantly fell. Colonel Burr advanced towards General Hamilton with a
manner and gesture that appeared to General Hamilton's friend to be
expressive of regret; but, without speaking, turned about and
withdrew, being urged from the field by his friend, as has been
subsequently stated, with a view to prevent his being recognised by
the surgeon and bargemen who were then approaching. No further
communication took place between the principals, and the barge that
carried Colonel Burr immediately returned to the city. We conceive it
proper to add, that the conduct of the parties in this interview was
perfectly proper, as suited the occasion."

In the interviews between Mr. Pendleton and Mr. Van Ness, they were
not able to agree in two important facts that passed on the ground.
"Mr. Pendleton expressed a confident opinion that General Hamilton did
not fire first, and that he did not fire at all at Colonel Burr. Mr.
Van Ness seemed equally confident in opinion that General Hamilton did
fire first; and, of course, that it must have been _at_ his
antagonist."

Such was the statement made by the friend of Colonel Burr. It is now
proposed to insert such explanations of, or remarks on, the
communications between the parties as emanated from the friend of
General Hamilton. None were given previous to document No. III.
Immediately after that letter, dated 21st June, are the following
remarks:--

"On Saturday, the 22d of June, General Hamilton for the first time
called on Mr. Pendleton, and communicated to him the preceding
correspondence. He informed him that, in a conversation with Mr. Van
Ness at the time of receiving the last letter (No. III.), he told Mr.
Van Ness that he considered that letter as rude and offensive, and
that it was not possible for him to give any other answer than that
Mr. Burr must take such steps as he might think proper. He said,
further, that Mr. Van Ness requested him to take time to deliberate,
and then return an answer, when he might possibly entertain a
different opinion, and that he would call on him to receive it. That
his reply to Mr. Van Ness was, that he did not perceive it possible
for him to give any other answer than that he had mentioned, unless
Mr. Burr would take back his last letter, and write one which would
admit of a different reply. He then gave Mr. Pendleton the letter
hereafter mentioned of the 22d of June, to be delivered to Mr. Van
Ness when he should call on Mr. Pendleton for an answer, and went to
his country house."

[After No. V., dated June 23d, is the following:--]

"Mr. Pendleton understood from General Hamilton that he immediately
answered that, if the communication was pressing, he would receive it
at his country house that day; if not, he would be at his house in
town the next morning at nine o'clock. But he did not give Mr.
Pendleton any copy of this note."

[After No. VIII., dated June 22d, is the following:--]

"This letter, although dated on the 22d of June, remained in Mr.
Pendleton's possession until the 25th, within which period he had
several conversations with Mr. Van Ness. In these conversations Mr.
Pendleton endeavoured to illustrate and enforce the propriety of the
ground General Hamilton had taken. Mr. Pendleton mentioned to Mr. Van
Ness as the result, that if Colonel Burr would write a letter,
requesting to know, in substance, whether, in the conversation to
which Dr. Cooper alluded, any particular instance of dishonourable
conduct was imputed to Colonel Burr, or whether there was any
impeachment of his private character, General Hamilton would declare,
to the best of his recollection, what passed in that conversation; and
Mr. Pendleton read to Mr. Van Ness a paper containing the substance of
what General Hamilton would say on that subject, which is as
follows:--

"General Hamilton says he cannot imagine to what Doctor Cooper may
have alluded, unless it were to a conversation at Mr. Taylor's, in
Albany, last winter (at which he and General Hamilton were present).
General Hamilton cannot recollect distinctly the particulars of that
conversation, so as to undertake to repeat them without running the
risk of varying, or omitting what might be deemed important
circumstances. The expressions are entirely forgotten, and the
specific ideas imperfectly remembered; but, to the best of his
recollection, it consisted of comments on the political principles and
views of Colonel Burr, and the results that might be expected from
them in the event of his election as governor, without reference to
any particular instance of past conduct or to private character."

"After the delivery of the letter of the 22d, as above mentioned, in
another interview with Mr. Van Ness, he desired Mr. Pendleton to give
him, in writing, the substance of what he had proposed on the part of
General Hamilton, which Mr. Pendleton did, in the following words."
[See No. IX] [After No. XII., dated June 27th, is the following:--]

"With this letter a message was received, such as was to be expected,
containing an invitation which was accepted, and Mr. Pendleton
informed Mr. Van Ness he should hear from him the next day as to
further particulars.

"This letter was delivered to General Hamilton on the same evening,
and a very short conversation ensued between him and Mr. Pendleton,
who was to call on him early the next morning for a further
conference. When he did so, General Hamilton said he had not
understood whether the message and answer was definitively concluded,
or whether another meeting was to take place for that purpose between
Mr. Pendleton and Mr. Van Ness. Under the latter impression, and as
the last letter contained matter that naturally led to animadversion,
he gave Mr. Pendleton a paper of remarks in his own handwriting, to be
communicated to Mr. Van Ness, if the state of the affair rendered it
proper.

"In an interview with Mr. Van Ness on the same day, after explaining
the causes which had induced General Hamilton to suppose that the
state of the affair did not render it improper, Mr. Pendleton offered
this paper to Mr. Van Ness, but he declined receiving it, alleging
that he considered the correspondence as closed by the acceptance of
the message that he had delivered.

"Mr. Pendleton then informed Mr. Van Ness of the inducements mentioned
by General Hamilton in the paper for at least postponing the meeting
until the close of the circuit; and, as this was uncertain, Mr.
Pendleton was to let him know when it would be convenient."

_Remarks on the letter of June 27, 1804, which Mr. Van Ness declined
to receive._

"Whether the observations on this letter are designed merely to
justify the result which is indicated in the close of the letter, or
may be intended to give an opening for rendering any thing explicit
which may have been deemed vague heretofore, can only be judged of by
the sequel. At any rate, it appears to me necessary not to be
misunderstood. Mr. Pendleton is therefore authorized to say, that in
the course of the present discussion, written or verbal, there has
been no intention to evade, defy, or insult, but a sincere disposition
to avoid extremities, if it could be done with propriety. With this
view General Hamilton has been ready to enter into a frank and free
explanation on any and every object of a specific nature; but not to
answer a general and abstract inquiry, embracing a period too long for
any accurate recollection, and exposing him to unpleasant criticisms
from, or unpleasant discussions with, any and every person who may
have understood him in an unfavourable sense. This (admitting that he
could answer in a manner the most satisfactory to Colonel Burr) he
should deem inadmissible in principle and precedent, and humiliating
in practice. To this, therefore, he can never submit. Frequent
allusion has been made to slanders said to be in circulation. Whether
they are openly or in whispers, they have a form and shape, and might
be specified."

"If the alternative alluded to in the close of the letter is
definitively tendered, it must be accepted; the time, place, and
manner to be afterward regulated. I should not think it right, in the
midst of a circuit court, to withdraw my services from those who may
have confided important interests to me, and expose them to the
embarrassment of seeking other counsel, who may not have time to be
sufficiently instructed in their causes. I shall also want a little
time to make some arrangements respecting my own affairs."

"On Friday, the 6th of July, the circuit being closed, Mr. Pendleton
informed Mr. Van Ness that General Hamilton would be ready at any time
after the Sunday following. On Monday the particulars were arranged.
On Wednesday the parties met at Weehawk, on the Jersey shore, at seven
o'clock A.M. The particulars of what then took place appear in the
statement, as agreed upon and corrected by the seconds of the
parties." [See No. XIII.]



DOCTOR DAVID HOSACK TO WILLIAM COLEMAN.

August 17, 1804.

DEAR SIR,

To comply with your request is a painful task; but I will repress my
feelings while I endeavour to furnish you with an enumeration of such
particulars relative to the melancholy end of our beloved friend
Hamilton as dwell most forcibly on my recollection.

When called to him upon his receiving the fatal wound, I found him
half sitting on the ground, supported in the arms of Mr. Pendleton.
His countenance of death I shall never forget. He had at that instant
just strength to say, "This is a mortal wound, doctor;" when he sunk
away, and became to all appearance lifeless. I immediately stripped up
his clothes, and soon, alas! ascertained that the direction of the
ball must have been through some vital part. [2]

His pulses were not to be felt, his respiration was entirely
suspended, and, upon laying my hand on his heart and perceiving no
motion there, I considered him as irrecoverably gone. I, however,
observed to Mr. Pendleton, that the only chance for his reviving was
immediately to get him upon the water. We therefore lifted him up, and
carried him out of the wood to the margin of the bank, where the
bargemen aided us in conveying him into the boat, which immediately
put off. During all this time I could not discover the least symptom
of returning life. I now rubbed his face, lips, and temples with
spirits of hartshorn, applied it to his neck and breast, and to the
wrists and palms of his hands, and endeavoured to pour some into his
mouth. When we had got, as I should judge, about fifty yards from the
shore, some imperfect efforts to breathe were for the first time
manifest; in a few minutes he sighed, and became sensible to the
impression of the hartshorn or the fresh air of the water. He
breathed; his eyes, hardly opened, wandered, without fixing upon any
object; to our great joy, he at length spoke. "My vision is
indistinct," were his first words. His pulse became more perceptible,
his respiration more regular, his sight returned. I then examined the
wound to know if there was any dangerous discharge of blood; upon
slightly pressing his side it gave him pain, on which I desisted. Soon
after recovering his sight, he happened to cast his eye upon the case
of pistols, and observing the one that he had had in his hand lying on
the outside, he said, "Take care of that pistol; it is undischarged,
and still cocked; it may go off and do harm. Pendleton knows"
(attempting to turn his head towards him) "that I did not intend to
fire at him." "Yes," said Mr. Pendleton, understanding his wish, "I
have already made Dr. Hosack acquainted with your determination as to
that." He then closed his eyes and remained calm, without any
disposition to speak; nor did he say much afterward, except in reply
to my questions. He asked me once or twice how I found his pulse; and
he informed me that his lower extremities had lost all feeling,
manifesting to me that he entertained no hopes that he should long
survive. I changed the posture of his limbs, but to no purpose; they
had entirely lost their sensibility. Perceiving that we approached the
shore, he said, "Let Mrs. Hamilton be immediately sent for; let the
event be gradually broken to her, but give her hopes." Looking up we
saw his friend, Mr. Bayard, standing on the wharf in great agitation.
He had been told by his servant that General Hamilton, Mr. Pendleton,
and myself had crossed the river in a boat together, and too well he
conjectured the fatal errand, and foreboded the dreadful result.
Perceiving, as we came nearer, that Mr. Pendleton and myself only sat
up in the stern sheets, he clasped his hands together in the most
violent apprehension; but when I called to him to have a cot prepared,
and he at the same moment saw his poor friend lying in the bottom of
the boat, he threw up his eyes and burst into a flood of tears and
lamentation. Hamilton alone appeared tranquil and composed. We then
conveyed him as tenderly as possible up to the house. The distresses
of this amiable family were such that, till the first shock was
abated, they were scarcely able to summon fortitude enough to yield
sufficient assistance to their dying friend.

Upon our reaching the house he became more languid, occasioned
probably by the agitation of his removal from the boat. I gave him a
little weak wine and water. When he recovered his feelings, he
complained of pain in his back; we immediately undressed him, laid him
in bed, and darkened the room. I then gave him a large anodyne, which
I frequently repeated. During the first day he took upward of an ounce
of laudanum; and tepid anodyne fomentations were also applied to those
parts nearest the seat of his pain. Yet were his sufferings during the
whole of the day almost intolerable. [3]

I had not the shadow of a hope of his recovery; and Dr. Post, whom I
requested might be sent for immediately on our reaching Mr. Bayard's
house, united with me in this opinion. General Rey, the French consul,
also had the goodness to invite the surgeons of the French frigates in
our harbour, as they had had much experience in gunshot wounds, to
render their assistance. They immediately came; but, to prevent his
being disturbed, I stated to them his situation, described the nature
of his wound, and the direction of the ball, with all the symptoms
that could enable them to form an opinion as to the event. One of the
gentlemen then accompanied me to the bedside. The result was a
confirmation of the opinion that had already been expressed by Dr.
Post and myself.

During the night he had some imperfect sleep, but the succeeding
morning his symptoms were aggravated, attended, however, with a
diminution of pain. His mind retained all its usual strength and
composure. The great source of his anxiety seemed to be in his
sympathy with his half-distracted--wife and children. He spoke to me
frequently of them--"My beloved wife and children" were always his
expressions. But his fortitude triumphed over his situation, dreadful
as it was; once, indeed, at the sight of his children, brought to the
bedside together, seven in number, his utterance forsook him; he
opened his eyes, gave them one look, and closed them again till they
were taken away. As a proof of his extraordinary composure of mind,
let me add, that he alone could calm the frantic grief of their
mother. _"Remember, my Eliza, you are a Christian,"_ were the
expressions with which he frequently, with a firm voice, but, in a
pathetic and impressive manner, addressed her. His words, and the tone
in which they were uttered, will never be effaced from my memory.
About two o'clock, as the public well know, he expired--

"Incorrupta fides--nudaque veritas
Quando ullum invenient parem?
Multis ille quidem flebilis occidit."

Your friend and humble servant,

DAVID HOSACK.



"After his death, a note, which had been written the evening before
the interview, was found addressed to the gentleman who accompanied
him to the field; thanking him with tenderness for his friendship to
him, and informing him where would be found the keys of certain
drawers in his desk, in which he had deposited such papers as he had
thought proper to leave behind him, together with his last will."
Among these papers was the following.

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