nder Hamilton belongs no small share
of founding and shaping the destiny of this powerful country of to-day.
Like many other great and good men, he was obliged to suffer the slander
of the press, which charged him with a misappropriation of the public
money, but as has already been shown in this narrative, it proved
nothing but a foul story concocted through jealousy and partisan hate,
and is no longer countenanced. His salary being insufficient for his
support, he resigned his position and resumed the practice of his
profession in New York. In the warlike demonstration of 1798 he became,
upon the death of General Washington, the Commander-in-Chief of all the
armies of America, but happily the war with France was averted and peace
restored.

Now we come to the saddest page of American history. We have followed
this poor homeless boy from childhood; we have seen him rise from
obscurity to a leading position at the bar, become a gallant soldier and
the greatest financier in America. And yet, when his country most needs
his council and help, we see him, at the age of fifty-seven, stricken
down by an assassin.

Aaron Burr was an ambitious politician. His alleged intrigues with the
Federalists, whereby he sought to effect the election of himself to the
presidency instead of Jefferson, the people's choice, cost him the
confidence of his own party. Knowing New York to be the pivotal State,
he sought the gubernatorial chair through an independent vote, hoping
to secure Federal support, as it was conceded that they could not elect
a candidate of their own. Hamilton, himself as pure as the bright
sunshine, felt his party to be imposed upon by this intruder who, while
professing to be a Republican, was seeking to thrust himself upon the
other party.

At a caucus Hamilton warmly opposed the endorsement of a man whom he
characterized as dangerous and who had not ought to be trusted with the
reins of government. Hamilton took no active part in the campaign, but
his opinion was frequently quoted by those who did, and the result was
Burr's defeat by Morgan Lewis. Attributing his defeat to Hamilton, and
feeling him to be his greatest political rival, he early sought a duel
with him. Hamilton detested this practice, and sought by all honorable
means, as he wrote to his wife, to avoid it. But finally he accepted,
not in the spirit of a professed duelist, but in the character of a
public man. They met on the morning of July 11th, 1804,