Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 14.pdf/498

 called for gravity or seriousness. Aaron He Burr was as on atheLawyer. same side or on opposite sides. 453

too dignified ever to be a trifler. His enun General Erastus Root, who knew Burr well ciation was slow, distinct, emphatic. He [ and served with him in the New York Legis spoke with great apparent ease, but could lature and in Congress, and often heard Burr not be called fluent, although he never ap and Hamilton speak in court said: "As a peared to be at a loss for words, which were lawyer and as a scholar, Burr was not inferior always so choice and appropriate that they to Hamilton, and his reasoning powers were seemed to have been carefully selected; but at least equal. Their mod'es of argument they fell from his lips as if they had been were very different. Hamilton was very written down in a prepared speech and com diffuse and wordy. His words were so well mitted to memory. He never appeared chosen, his sentences so faultlessly formed hurried or confused, or betrayed the slight into a swelling current, that the hearer would est embarrassment for the want of ideas to be captivated. The listener would admire if support his argument, or language in which he was not convinced. Burr's arguments to clothe it. He possessed a memory so were generally methodized and compact. I well disciplined as never to forget anything used to say of them when they were rivals at in the excitement of the legal forum which the bar that Burr would say as much in an in the retirement of his study he intended to half hour as Hamilton would in two hours. use. He said he never spoke with pleasure Burr was terse and convincing, while Hamil to himself, or even self-satisfaction, and ton was flowing and rapturous. They were seemed unconscious of the effect which he much the greatest men in this State, and produced upon the minds of his hearers. perhaps in the United States." In a twenty-minute speech, Burr often A contemporaneous lawyer said : " Colonel Burr pursued the opposite party with completely demolished Hamilton's most notices, motions, applications, bills, and re- elaborate arguments. Until he was elected Vice-President of the United States, Burr arguments, never despairing himself, nor al lowing to his adversary confidence, nor had no superior either at the bar of the comfort, nor repose. Always vigilant and State of New York, or in the United States. Said a lawyer of the time : " No lawyer always urgent until a proposition for com promise or a negotiation between the parties ever appeared before our tribunals with ensued. ' Now, move slowly,' he would say; his case better prepared for trial, his facts ' never negotiate in a hurry.' I remember and legal points being marshalled for com bat with all the regularity and precision of a remark he made on this subject which ap peared to be original and wise : There is a a consummate military tactician. No pro saying, ' never put off until to-morrow what fessional adversary has ever boasted of hav you can do to-day.' ' That's a maxim,' he ing broken, or thrown into confusion the said, ' for sluggards; . the better reading of solid columns in which he had formed them, the maxim is never do to-day what you can or having found spaces in their lengthening do as well to-morrow; because something line, or having beaten him by a ruse de may occur to make you regret your prema guerre. He never heeded expense in com pleting his preparations for trial; and while ture action.'" In every case of importance tried at the laborious himself, he did not stint the labors bar of New York, from 17841.0 1800, Aaron of others, so far as he could command or Burr and Alexander Hamilton were either procure them. Every plea or necessary