Burr, Aaron (1756-1836), was vice president of the United States from 1801 to 1805, under President Thomas Jefferson. Burr’s brilliant career and promising future declined disastrously after he killed Alexander Hamilton, Jefferson’s most famous political opponent, in a gun duel in 1804. Burr’s reputation was hurt further when he was charged with working to make part of the southwestern frontier an independent nation.
Early years.
Burr was born in Newark, New Jersey, on Feb. 6, 1756, and graduated from the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University) in 1772. He fought with the Continental Army in the Revolutionary War from 1775 to 1779, rising to lieutenant colonel. In 1778, Burr distinguished himself at the Battle of Monmouth.
He became a lawyer in 1782 and practiced in Albany, New York, and New York City. Soon, he became a top U.S. lawyer. He served New York as a state legislator and as attorney general in 1789. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1791, defeating Alexander Hamilton’s father-in-law, General Philip Schuyler.
Gains recognition.
The Democratic-Republican Party chose Burr as Jefferson’s vice presidential running mate in 1796 and in 1800. According to the voting procedures of the time, each Electoral College member voted for two people. The person with the most votes became president and the person with the second most votes became vice president. Jefferson lost his bid for the presidency in 1796 but became vice president under President John Adams. In the 1800 election, Burr and Jefferson received the same number of electoral votes, tying for the presidency even though the electors who voted for them intended to elect Jefferson to the presidency and Burr to the vice presidency. The U.S. House of Representatives had to take 36 ballots to break the tie, finally electing Jefferson as president. Burr became vice president. Hamilton, who disliked Burr more than he did Jefferson, helped elect Jefferson.
Burr ran for governor of New York in 1804. Hamilton again opposed him. Burr lost the election. He then challenged Hamilton to a duel. On July 11, 1804, the men faced each other with pistols in Weehawken, New Jersey. Burr fatally wounded Hamilton with one shot. A New York coroner’s inquest “found a verdict of wilful murder by Aaron Burr, vice president of the United States.” A New Jersey grand jury indicted him for murder, but he was never arrested. Burr presided over the Senate until his term ended.
Tried for treason.
After his vice presidency, Burr engaged in a complex web of questionable activities. He traveled through the American West and recruited men. The commander in New Orleans, General James Wilkinson, whose patriotism has also been questioned, arrested Burr. The question was whether Burr was assembling a group to invade Mexico, whether he was scheming to detach part of the southwestern frontier from the United States, or both.
Burr was tried for treason in 1807 and was acquitted (declared innocent) of the charges. Burr later went to Europe and tried to arouse support for his Mexican scheme. When he returned to the United States in 1812, he entered the country under an assumed name, Adolphus Arnot. He again prospered as a lawyer in New York City, using his own name. Burr died on Sept. 14, 1836.
See also Blennerhassett, Harman; Democratic-Republican Party; Hamilton, Alexander; Jefferson, Thomas (The Burr conspiracy).
