Page:The Burr-Hamilton duel with correspondence.djvu/15

 On Saturday, the 22d of June, General Hamilton, for the first time, called on Mr. Pendleton, and communicated to him the preceding correspondence. He informed him [Pendleton] that in a conversation with Mr. Van Ness at the time of receiving the last letter he told Mr. Van Ness that he considered that letter as rude and offensive, and that it was not possible for him to give it any other answer than that Mr. Burr must take such steps as he might think proper. He said, farther, that Mr. Van Ness requested him to take time to deliberate, and then return an answer, when he might possibly entertain a different opinion, and that he would call on him to receive it. That his reply to Mr. Van Ness was, that he did not perceive it possible for him to give any other answer than that he had mentioned, unless Mr. Burr would take back his last letter and write one which would admit of a different reply. He then gave Mr. Pendleton the letter hereafter mentioned of the 22d of June, to be delivered to Mr. Van Ness when he should call on Mr. Pendleton for an answer, and went to his country house (Hamilton Grange).

The next day General Hamilton received, while there, the following letter: