976. BURR (Aaron), Distrust of.—
I had
never seen Colonel Burr till he came here as
a member of the Senate. His conduct very
soon inspired me with distrust. I habitually
cautioned Mr. Madison against trusting him
too much. I saw afterwards that under General
Washington's and Mr. Adams's administrations,
whenever a great military appointment
or a diplomatic one was to be made, he
came post to Philadelphia to show himself and
in fact that he was always at market, if they
had wanted him. He was indeed told by Dayton
in 1800 he might be Secretary of War;
but this bid was too late. His election as
V. P. was then foreseen. With these impressions
of Colonel Burr there never had been
any intimacy between us, and but little association.
When I destined him for a high appointment,
it was out of respect for the favor
he had obtained with the republican party
by his extraordinary exertions and successes
in the New York election in 1800.—
The Anas. Washington ed. ix, 207.
Ford ed., i, 304.
(1804)
