Existing comment:
Scoundrels.
Hamilton & Burr
Hamilton and Aaron Burr had known each other for decades, often on friendly terms, but they were at political odds once Burr became a leading member of the rising Republican party in the 1790s. The following interactions, all occurring within a three-year span, illustrate their complex relationship before the fatal duel:
* After an "affair of honor" arose between Hamilton and James Monroe over the Reynolds Affair revelation, Burr helped prevent it from escalating to a duel.
* Hamilton helped Burr obtain a charter for his private water company and was furious to learn that it had been a ruse for Burr to create his own bank.
* The two were successful co-counsels in two major legal cases, with Hamilton's fiery style complementing Burr's concise arguments.
* When Federalists considered voting for Burr, a Republican, in a presidential tiebreaker with his fellow Republican Thomas Jefferson in 1800, Hamilton started a vitriolic whispering campaign against him. |