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The Hamilton–Burr Duel, Days Later, in a Letter to Hamilton's Brother-in-Law
The Hamilton–Burr Duel, Days Later, in a Letter to Hamilton's Brother-in-Law
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The Hamilton–Burr Duel, Days Later, in a Letter to Hamilton's Brother-in-Law

This letter from New York City attorney Thomas Cooper to Alexander Hamilton's brother-in-law Stephen Van Rensselaer gives Cooper's perspective on the "flimsy and ridiculous" pretext for which Hamilton and Aaron Burr met on the dueling ground in New Jersey, where Hamilton was mortally wounded. Cooper declares that no death in the country had been "so sincerely and so universally lamented."

[HAMILTON–BURR DUEL]. Thomas Cooper, Autograph Letter Signed, to Stephen Van Rensselaer, July 20, 1804, New York, New York. 4 pp., 7.5" x 12.625". Expected folds; loss on third page from tearing seal on opening, affecting two words; very good otherwise.

Excerpts
"We have scarcely recovered from the shock occasioned by the melancholy and ever to be regreted Exit of our Friend Genl Hamilton. I do not believe there was a Death in this country so sincerely and so universally lamented. Washington had arrived at an age where in the course of Nature his Life might be expected to terminate, and his Death was a natural one. I forbear expressing sentiments as to the manner in which the other was taken from us. The Pretext made use of to bring about the Interview was flimsy and ridiculous—too much to require argument to demonstrate. It is said there was previous practicing. I cannot credit it. If however it be so, there never was a blacker [slander?].
"It has given me much uneasiness that this paragraph should have been caught at by him for the Pretext. I am however convinced that if that had not existed a Pretext would not have been wanted. From his own Publication it appears that he saw there was to be no End to the violation of what he stiles the Courtesies of Life, without terminating the Existence of a man whose candor and Integrity and Public virtue would still continue to scourge him. It was necessary that his [chagrin?] should have a victim."

Historical Background
Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr had been rivals in law and politics for twenty years. The cordiality of their relationship was broken when Hamilton endorsed Thomas Jefferson over Burr during the electoral college tie of 1800-1801. Hamilton encouraged fellow Federalists to vote for the lesser of two evils, explaining in a letter to Oliver Wolcott that Burr was "bankrupt beyond redemption except by the plunder of his country. His public principles have no other spring or aim than his own aggrandizement.... He is truly the Catiline of America."

The immediate provocation for the duel was Burr's attempt, while still a sitting vice president, to win election as governor of New York in 1804. Even though Burr had broken from his own party and was supported by many New York Federalists, Hamilton used his influence against Burr, which was a factor in the eventual victory of Republican Morgan Lewis.

Charles Cooper wrote a private letter relating incidents at a dinner in March 1804, at the Albany home of John Tayler, attended by Hamilton and James Kent. Cooper told his friend that Hamilton had described Burr as "a dangerous man and one who ought not to be trusted." Unfortunately, the friend leaked the contents of the letter, and before long they appeared in print. Defenders of Hamilton, such as his father-in-law Philip Schuyler, said Cooper must be erroneous, for Hamilton's neutrality in the gubernatorial contest was well-known. But Cooper wrote another letter, telling his friend that his previous comments were quite correct, and he could tell him of a "still more despicable opinion which Hamilton has expressed of Mr. Burr." It was this mysterious allusion that both deeply offended Burr and gave Hamilton little room to apologize or retract with honor, when they began to exchange letters through their soon-to-be seconds, Philip Van Ness (for Burr) and Nathaniel Pendleton.

In late June and early July 1804, both Burr and Hamilton followed the known rules of the Code Duello, by which gentlemen of the early modern period settled differences and tested their honor. Owing to his defeat in the gubernatorial election and his growing political irrelevance, Burr became desperate – his decision to enlarge his demands, arguing that Hamilton should disclaim having leveled any private criticism of Burr, quickened their path to the dueling grounds at Weehawken. Hamilton could not lie—he had criticized Burr many times—but he also could not meet Burr's demands without surrendering his ability to lead men in the future, in a political or military sense.

Hamilton, according to biographer Ronald Chernow, knew that Burr might shoot to kill, but was not suicidal. In fact, he set appointments for July 11, the day of the duel, with the expectation that he would conduct a normal day of business after the interview. Hamilton also resolved not to fire at Burr (at least on the first round), because he had become convinced by religious arguments that dueling was immoral—he had also lost his eldest son, Philip, in a duel at Weehawken two years earlier.

Burr afterward wrote of Hamilton's bellicose disposition at their morning interview as a justification for his own decision to shoot at Hamilton. Many Federalists countered by relating rumors that Burr had, for months, been engaging in target practice with his pistol. At their duel, Hamilton's shot hit a branch above, while Burr's hit Hamilton's torso, striking his liver and lodging in his spine. He suffered grievously and died the next day. Gouverneur Morris eulogized Hamilton at his funeral on Saturday, July 14, at Trinity Church, and moved for the establishment of a fund to support his widow and children. Observers agreed that the sight of Hamilton's four sons, all eighteen years or younger, crying on the stage next to Morris, was the most affecting scene of the funeral.

Thomas Cooper (d. 1817) graduated from the College of New Jersey (Princeton) in 1784 and was admitted to the bar in New York in 1787. He was an attorney in New York City and served as Master in Chancery from at least 1801 to 1814.

Stephen Van Rensselaer III (1764-1839) was born in New York City, the eldest child of Stephen Van Rensselaer II, the ninth patroon of Rensselaerswyck, a vast estate in upstate New York, and Catharina Livingston, daughter of Philip Livingston, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His father died when he was young, and he was raised to succeed his father as lord of the manor. He attended the College of New Jersey (Princeton) and graduated from Harvard College in 1782. In 1783, he married Margarita "Peggy" Schuyler (1758-1801), and they had three children, including Stephen Van Rensselaer IV (1789-1868). His marriage made him the brother-in-law of Alexander Hamilton, who had married Elizabeth Schuyler in 1780. In 1785, Van Rensselaer took possession of Rensselaerswyck and over time became landlord to more than 80,000 tenants. He served as a Federalist in the New York State Assembly (1789-1791) and New York Senate (1791-1796). He was Lieutenant Governor of New York from 1795 to 1801 and narrowly lost the election for governor in 1801 to George Clinton. During the War of 1812, he led a failed invasion of Canada that ended with defeat at the Battle of Queenston Heights. He served on the Erie Canal Commission from 1816 to 1839, including fourteen years as its president. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1822 to 1839 and cast the deciding vote in the 1825 contingent election for president that gave New York's vote and the election to John Quincy Adams.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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