Aaron Burr

Biography

First years and military service

Burr is born in Newark in the New Jersey on February 6th, 1756. His/her father, Aaron Burr Sr., is then the second vice-president of the college of the New Jersey (currently Université of Princeton) and his/her mother, Esther Edwards, are the girl of famous the Théologie N calvinist Jonathan Edwards. His/her parents die both whereas he is still child and he is high with his sister by his maternal uncle.

He begins in 1769 his studies on the trace of his father with Princeton and obtains his diploma in theology later three years. He then changes completely way to launch out in studies of Droit to the school of Litchfield, in the Connecticut. However, the release of the war of independence will force it to stop its studies.

The war of independence

Engaged in the forwarding of the general Benedict Arnold with the Canada in 1775, it is distinguished while crossing the British lines disguised as a catholic priest to join Montreal where is locked up the general Richard Montgomery to prevent this last of the arrival of the reinforcements. This act of bravery is worth to him a promotion with the row of Major and a nomination at the general headquarter of George Washington.

Seriously sick, it must leave the army the March 3rd 1779 and resumes its studies then and is finally allowed with the bar in 1782. This same year, it leaves for New York where it marries Theodosia Prevost with which it has a girl (also called Theodosia, she dies in 1813) the following year.

Political commitment

In 1789, Burr is named Public prosecutor State of New York then, in 1791, is elected with the Sénat where there remain six years before losing the elections. It then endeavors to organize and develop the democratic party in the State, in particular by the creation of the Tammany Hall. In 1800, he is candidate with the presidency. It then obtains exactly the same number of voices of the electoral college (73) that its rival, Thomas Jefferson, which obtains finally the victory over decision of the Room of the representatives, Burr then becoming automatically Vice-président of the United States of America, under the terms of the law into force at the time. Following this controversy, the Congress vote the twelfth amendment with the Constitution.

Vice-presidency

Like chair Senate, Burr is recognized even by its wilder political enemies for his work. However, its ambition and its opportunism move away it from his/her colleagues professionally and socially. Its relations with president Jefferson one are tended little more, this last never forgiving him its refusal to admit its defeat at the time of the elections.

Its main activity as vice-president will be the presidency of the lawsuit in Impeachment of Samuel Chase, judge with the Supreme court. In 1804, whereas it appears clear that Jefferson wants to draw aside it from the new presidential election, it is presented to the election for the station of Gouverneur of New York.

The duel

Conspiracy and lawsuit

See also: Conspiracy of Burr

At the end of its mandate of vice-president, Burr is exiled with Philadelphia where it becomes acquainted with Jonathan Dayton. The two men, joined thereafter by several other adventurers, set up a conspiracy at large scales (called thereafter conspiracy of Burr ) of which the goal, in the long run seemed to be to form a new State independent in the formed West of territories either conquered on the Mexico, or located on the plains at the West of the the Appalachian Mountains whose Burr would have been the leading one.

Its plans are based then on the certainty of a war between the United States and the Spain. Accordingly, it buys grounds with the Texas which must be used as a basis advanced for a military forwarding. However, it can practically join together only one weak troop of approximately 80 soldiers without any heavy military material.

After a minor incident in the surroundings of Natchitoches in Louisiana between the Spanish armed forces and étatsuniennes, one of the participants in the conspiracy, the general James Wilkinson reveals with president Jefferson the plans of Burr. Jefferson remains without reaction during the year 1806 and awaits 1807 to give an opinion of arrest against Burr which learns it in a newspaper the January 10th 1807. It then tries to flee in direction of the Florida (then Spanish possession), but is stopped the February 19th 1807 in Alabama.

The same year, he is judged for treason by a federal court establishes with Richmond in Virginia. The lawsuit, under the presidency of John Marshall begins the August 3rd 1807. Burr is discharged on September 1st, because the charge cannot introduce the two direct witnesses of its acts of treasons required by the president of the court.

The opponents with Burr claimed, a few years later, that its dream was then to create an empire in Latin America controlling the majority of the farms and from the trade of North America and that if he had arrived to his ends, the United States would have fatally fallen into a Civil war.

End-of-life

Following this business, Burr gives up any hope of return to the political life. It leaves for Europe with an aim of rebuilding its personal fortune. It saw there 1808 with 1812, spending its time between the England, the Scotland, the Denmark, the Sweden and the France. In each one of these countries, it tries without success to make pass its vision of the conspiracy near the various governments. Finally, Burr goes back food to New York in 1812 where it quietly spends the last years of its life. During its years, it keeps an attentive eye on the process of conquest of the West and has, in connection with the Révolution of Texas, this sentence: “What was regarded as a treason for me thirteen years earlier is regarded today as patriotism”.

Aaron Burr dies in 1836 in a hotel of Richmond Port and is buried, just like his/her father, with the Cimetière of Princeton.

See too

Biography

Vidal-G, the irresistible rise of Aaron Burr, vice-president of the United States (Belfond, 1998) ASIN 2714411401
Milton Lomask, Aaron Burr (2 volumes, New York, 1979 and 1983)
James Parton, The Life and Times off Aaron Burr , (2 volumes, Boston and New York, 1898)

External sites

Biography

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