The Plot Exposed: Part 2 of 2
Unconsciously, Hamilton rubbed his hand over his left shoulder. In 1804, Aaron Burr had lodged a bullet there during a duel.
Burr was then the Vice President of the United States, and a failed candidate for Governor of New York. And those two facts were the key to the problem.
Hamilton and Burr had been colleagues. Friends, even. Together, they were considered the young, rising stars of the New York Bar. They had argued cases together. They had argued cases against each other. Their trials often attracted spectators merely because of the skill with which the participants matched wits with one other, or with other unspecified windbags of the bar.
But Hamilton had always been rather free with his opinions. He had accomplished great things by expressing his opinions, not the least of which was convincing several very reluctant states, including his own New York, to become part of a federation of united states under one national government.
And the expressive Hamilton had been neither sparse nor yielding in his appraisals to others of the kind of character Burr possessed… which was to say that Hamilton had voiced the opinion that Burr had no character, whatsoever.
In 1800, a freak artifact of the Electoral College system – the method by which electors under the United States Constitution chose the President and Vice President – had resulted in a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr. Ever striving, Burr instantly recognized that it was his opportunity to achieve his greatest ambition.
Jefferson had been intended to be the Republican candidate for President. Burr was meant to be the Vice President. And everyone knew that. The way the college was designed, votes were cast in common for both candidates. He who received the second most votes would become Vice President. On a “slate” ticket, one elector would have had to withhold his vote from Burr to avoid a tie. But there was a fear that Federalist President John Adams might take second place, rather than Burr. If President Adams became Vice President, and Vice President Jefferson became President, Adams could become the thorn in Jefferson’s side that Jefferson had been to Adams through four years of quibbling, contentious hell.
So, despite the fact that most electors trusted Burr as much as Hamilton did, partisan concerns prevailed, and no one withheld a vote. Burr, who suddenly held as much legal claim to the title of President of the United States as did Jefferson, decided to wait and see what might happen. He began lobbying friends and colleagues for support in the Constitutional crisis, and began to make promises to Federalist colleagues so that they might prefer him – a former Federalist – to Jefferson, whose mutual hatred of Federalists was legend.
It was Hamilton, the leader of a major faction of the Federalist Party, who sealed Burr’s fate. He told his friends that Burr could not be trusted, that Burr was likely to attempt to take on more power than anyone would agree to (which should have been obvious, considering the situation)… that Burr was a dangerous man. And his words carried all the more weight because Hamilton was telling his allies to prefer his political arch rival, Jefferson, over his friend, Burr.
Jefferson prevailed, largely by Hamilton’s hand. And in 1804, Burr’s bid for Governor of New York had also faltered and crumpled largely because Hamilton campaigned against him.
In Burr’s eyes – in truth, really – Burr was prevented from being either President of the United States or Governor of New York solely because of Hamilton. It had led to a duel.
In a clearing on a New Jersey shore, they had met early on a July morning. Pistols at ten paces. Burr was a crack shot, but the pistols were smoothbore – not as accurate as a rifled pistol. Hamilton, who disapproved of dueling and who had lost his eldest son to a duel, wished to face the challenge, but meant not to harm Burr. He “wasted his fire” by shooting into the nearby trees only split seconds before Burr’s angry shot raced toward Hamilton’s heart.
The large caliber ball had struck Hamilton’s third rib, which deflected it. It missed his heart by a fraction of an inch, bounced off his left shoulderblade, and then lodged in his collarbone. It had shattered each – his rib, his scapula, and his collarbone. The pain was incredible, and he passed out for a few moments.
Waking, on the ground, his eyes would not focus. But he saw two figures – Burr and his second – retreating from the scene of what they expected would be considered a murder. When others arrived, and found him conscious but in great pain, Burr could have been recalled. But Hamilton was clearly unable to rejoin the duel. He was unable to raise himself on his own, and it was doubtful that he would have been able to raise either arm in his condition. Besides, Burr was gone, wishing to avoid witnesses to place him at the scene of the crime.
Even though Burr had not killed Hamilton, he had clearly meant to. He was ostracized in society. So he had fled for the frontier, to find adventure and fortune there.
Bringing himself back to the present, Hamilton reflected on the irony of Pike’s bringing this story to him.
Hamilton did not find it very surprising that General Wilkinson was involved in a plot employing some sort of military action to split off parts of Spanish territory. In fact, Hamilton had personally corresponded with Wilkinson about just such a possibility. The plan as perceived by Pike was somewhat different, but not unfamiliar to him.
The revelation of Burr’s involvement was also not very shocking. Indeed, it seemed entirely in character for Burr.
“You were the only witness to this?” Hamilton asked, carefully. “And Wilkinson is not aware of what you know?”
“No one else knows, General,” Pike replied. “Though Wilkinson must suspect from my absence that I know something, he had been removed from his office by the time I returned.”
Hamilton nodded, contemplatively. “Surely,” Hamilton surmised, “you had to have had Governor Lewis’ permission to leave your post.”
“Indeed, General,” Pike confirmed. “But I presumed upon our friendship. I called in a favor and asked for special permission to leave just after I arrived, before Wilkinson could find a way to stop me. I did not explain what I had discovered.”
“You were quite correct, not to tell Governor Lewis.” Hamilton explained, “Meriwether Lewis is a fine scientist and explorer, but he is neither a soldier nor an administrator. He wouldn’t have the wherewithal to deal with this.” He paused and looked Pike in the eye. “So I am the first person in whom you have confided?”
“Yes, General.”
Hamilton thought for a long moment. “Very well,” he said. “Captain, please allow me to consider this, and I will be in contact with you. Will you please advise me as to where you are staying?”