Selasa, 31 Desember 1996

Well If It Isn't Aaron Burr, Sir. (Further On Cataline . . . In Addition To Trump.)

À propos of Charles Fried's post invoking Cicero on Cataline, I couldn't assist merely cry back over again what Alexander Hamilton wrote close Aaron Burr inward his efforts inward 1800-1801 to persuade his beau Federalists serving inward the House to really vote for Hamilton's lifelong nemesis, Thomas Jefferson, for President.  (I wrote to a greater extent than close this fascinating floor here.)  Notwithstanding his profound disagreements amongst Jefferson on virtually everything, Hamilton insisted that it wasn’t fifty-fifty a unopen call—that Burr would live far to a greater extent than unsafe to the Nation, for reasons that should audio painfully familiar.  Here's around of what Hamilton wrote close Burr inward his letters to his beau Federalists.  Uncanny, isn't it?:

■ “[T]there is zilch inward his favour.  His private grapheme is non defended yesteryear his most partial friends. He is bankrupt beyond redemption except yesteryear the plunder of his country.  His world principles accept no other saltation or aim than his ain aggrandisement per fas et nefas.  If he can, he volition sure disturb our institutions to secure to himself permanent mightiness together with amongst it wealth.  He is genuinely the Cataline of America—& if I may credit Major Wilcocks, he has held real vindictive linguistic communication respecting his opponents.”  [to Oliver Wolcott, Dec. 16]

■  “The solar daytime of the month of Burr equally President would disgrace our Country abroad.  No understanding amongst him could live relied upon.  His private circumstances homecoming disorder a necessary resource.  His world principles offering no obstacle.  His ambition aims at zilch brusque of permanent mightiness together with wealth inward his ain person.”  [to Theodore Sedgwick, Dec. 22]

■  “Burr loves zilch merely himself; thinks of zilch merely his ain aggrandizement, together with volition live content amongst nothing, brusque of permanent mightiness inward his ain hands.”  [to Harrison Gray Otis, Dec. 23]

■  “His ambition volition non live content amongst those objects which virtuous men of either political party volition allot to it, together with his province of affairs together with his habits volition oblige him to accept recourse to corrupt expedients, from which he volition live restrained yesteryear no moral scruplesTo make his ends he must lean upon unprincipled men together with volition travel along to adhere to the myrmidons who accept hitherto seconded him. . . .

Can it live doubted that a human being who has all his life speculated upon the pop prejudices volition consult them inward the object of a War when he thinks it expedient to brand one?  Can a human being who despising commonwealth has chimed inward amongst all its absurdities live diverted from the project design of Ambition which must accept directed this course?  They who suppose it must sympathise petty of human nature.”  [to Oliver Wolcott, belatedly Dec.]

■ "[T]his human being has no regulation world or private.  As a pol his sole saltation of activeness is an inordinate ambition; equally an private he is believed yesteryear friends equally good equally foes to live without probity, together with a voluptuary yesteryear system, amongst habits of expence that tin dismiss live satisfied yesteryear no fair expedients.  As to his talents, corking management & cunning are the predominant features—he is nevertheless to give proofs of those company abilities which characterize the statesman. . . .

The maintenance of the existing institutions volition non conform him, because nether them his mightiness volition live likewise narrow & likewise precarious; nevertheless the innovations he may elbow grease volition non offering the substitute of a organization durable & safe, calculated to give lasting prosperity, & to unite freedom amongst strength.  It volition live the organization of the day, sufficient to serve his ain turn, & non looking beyond himself.  To execute this plan[,] equally the proficient men of the province cannot live relied upon, the worst volition live used.

Let it non live imagined that the difficulties of execution volition deter, or a calculation of involvement restrain. The truth is that nether forms of Government similar ours, likewise much is practicable to men who volition without scruple avail themselves of the bad passions of human nature.

. . . [H]e cannot live satisfied amongst the regular emoluments of whatever component subdivision of our Government.  Corrupt expedients volition live to him a necessary resource.  Will whatever prudent human being offering such a president to the temptations of unusual gold? . . .

Let me add together that I could scarcely refer a discreet human being of either political party inward our State, who does non mean value Mr Burr the most unfit human being inward the U. S. for the component subdivision of President.  Disgrace abroad ruin at dwelling are the in all probability fruits of his elevation.

For Heaven’s sake my honey Sir, exert yourself to the utmost to relieve our province from together with then corking a calamity.  Let us non live responsible for the evils which inward all probability volition follow the preference [for Burr].  All calculations that may atomic number 82 to it must essay fallacious."  [to James Bayard, Dec. 27]

■  “Of an ambition likewise irregular together with inordinate to live content amongst institutions that instruct out his mightiness precarious, he is of likewise bold together with sanguine a temper to mean value whatever thing likewise hazardous to live attempted or 2 hard to live accomplished.

As to [his] talents they are corking for management together with intrigue—but he is nevertheless to give the showtime proofs that they are equal to the fine art of governing well.

As to his theory, no mortal tin dismiss tell what it is.  Institutions that would serve his ain run (such equally the Government of French Republic of the introduce day) non such equally would hope lasting prosperity together with glory to the Country would live his preference because he cares alone for himself together with zilch for his Country or glory.

Certain that his irregular ambition cannot live supported yesteryear proficient men, he volition courtroom together with employ the worst men of all parties equally the most eligible instruments.  Jacobinism inward its most pernicious score volition scourge the country.  [to James Ross, Dec. 29]

■  “As to Burr these things are admitted together with indeed cannot live denied, that he is a human being of extreme & irregular ambition—that he is selfish to a score which excludes all social affections & that he is decidedly profligate. . . .

[I]t is said . . . that he holds no pernicious theories, merely is a mere “matter of fact man.”  But is it a recommendation to accept no theory?  Can that human being live a systematic or able statesman who has none?  I believe not.  No full general principles volition hardly piece of occupation much improve than erroneous ones. . . .  Ambition without regulation never was long nether the guidance of proficient sense.”  [to James Bayard, Jan. 16]