t contained much confidential cabinet information. Although this pamphlet wasintended for private circulation, the document was secured and published by Aaron Burr, Hamilton'spolitical and legal rival. Hamilton seems to have read Burr's character correctly from the beginning. Based on his opinion of Burr,Hamilton deemed it his patriotic duty to thwart Burr's ambitions. First, Hamilton defeated Burr's hopes ofsuccessfully completing a foreign mission. Later, Hamilton ended Burr's goal of attaining the presidency.In the election, Burr was tied in votes for the presidency with Jefferson. Thus, the final vote was thrown onto the lame-duck House of Representatives, which was strongly Federalist. Hamilton urged the House to side with Jefferson, who consequently won the election. Last, Burr wished to attain the governorship of New York. Failing to get the Republican nomination, Burr solicited the aide of the Federalists. Hamilton denounced Burr as "a man of irregular and unsatiable ambition who ought not to be trusted with the reins of government." The denunciations seem to have been largely ignored by Burr until this last defeat. After that, Burr forced a quarrel between the two stating that Hamilton said he had a "despicable" opinion of Burr. Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. Before going to this confrontation, Hamilton wrote a letter stating that a compliance with the dueling prejudices of the timewas inseparable from the ability to be in future useful in public affairs. The duel wasfought at Weehawken on the New Jersey shore of the Hudson River opposite NewYork City. At forty-nine, Hamilton was shot, fell mortally wounded, and died thefollowing day, July 12th, 1804. It is unanimously reported that Hamilton himself d...
