The hostility of these prominent individuals had now arrived at the highest point; all attempts to effect a reconciliation failed, and a duel at Hoboken resulted in the death of Hamilton and in the flight of Burr, disgraced by a coroner's verdict of" wilful murder."

About the same time, there were strong expectations of a war between the United States and Spain.

General Wilkinson, Colonel Burr, and others, formed a plan of operations against Mexico in case of war. But General Wilkinson became alarmed at the change of affairs, forsook his associates, and took measures to defeat the very scheme that he had originated, and with the Mexican government made a merit of having defeated it, claiming for his services a large reward, while Colonel Burr was stigmatized as a traitor to his country, and tried for his life. No proof to substantiate the charge was found against him, and he was therefore acquitted.

Colonel Burr now embarked for England, to mature a project of effecting a revolution in South America; but, failing in his expectations of aid from England, he applied to Bonaparte, yet with no better success, and returned to his own country. He reëstablished an office in New York, where he continued to practise law till his death, which occurred April 14, 1836, in the 81st year of his age.

He dis

CLINTON, JAMES, was born in 1736, at the residence of his father, in Ulster county, New York. played an early inclination for a military life, and held successively several offices in the militia and provincial troops. During the French war, he exhibited many proofs of courage, and received the appointment of captain-commandant of the four regiments levied for the protection of the western frontiers of the counties of Ulster and Orange. In 1775, he was appointed colonel of the third regiment of New York forces, and in the same year marched with Montgomery to Quebec. During the war, he rendered eminent services to his country, and, on the conclusion of it, retired to enjoy repose on his ample estates. He was, however, frequently called from retirement by the unsolicited voice of his fellow-citizens; and was a member of the

Convention for the adoption of the present constitution of the United States. He died in 1812.

CLINTON, GEORGE, vice-president of the United States, was born in the county of Ulster, New York, in 1739, and was educated to the profession of the law. In 1768, he was chosen to a seat in the colonial assembly, and was elected a delegate to the Continental Congress in 1775. In 1776, he was appointed brigadier-general of the militia of Ulster county, and some time after a brigadier in the army of the United States, and continued, during the progress of the war, to render important services to the military department. In April, 1777, he was elected both governor and lieutenant-governor of New York, and was continued in the former office for eighteen years. He was unanimously chosen president of the Convention which assembled at Poughkeepsie, in 1788, to deliberate on the new federal constitution. In 1801, he again accepted the office of governor, and, after continuing in that capacity for three years, he was elevated to the vice-presidency of the United States- a dignity which he retained till his death, at Washington, in 1812. In private, he was kind and amiable, and as a public man, he is entitled to respectful remembrance.

CLINTON, DE WITT, was born in 1769, at Little Britain, in Orange county, New York. He was educated at Columbia College, commenced the study of the law, and was admitted to the bar, but was never much engaged in professional practice. He early imbibed a predilection for political life, and was appointed the private secretary of his uncle, George Clinton, then governor of the state. In 1797, he was sent to the legislature from the city of New York, and two years after was chosen a member of the state Senate. In 1801, he was appointed a senator of the United States, and continued in that capacity for two sessions. He retired from the Senate in 1803, in consequence of his election to the mayoralty of New York-an office to which he was annually reëlected, with the intermission of but two years, till 1815, when he was obliged to retire by the violence of party politics. In 1817, he was elected, almost unanimously, governor of the state,

was again chosen in 1820, but in 1822 declined being a candidate for reëlection. In 1810, Mr. Clinton had been appointed, by the Senate of his state, one of the board of canal commissioners; but, the displeasure of his political opponents having been excited, he was removed from this office in 1823, by a vote of both branches of the legislature. This insult created a strong reaction in popular feeling, and Mr. Clinton was immediately nominated for governor, and elected by an unprecedented majority. In 1826, he was again elected, but he died before the completion of his term. He expired very suddenly, while sitting in his library, after dinner, February 11, 1828. Mr. Clinton was not only eminent as a statesman, but he occupied a conspicuous rank as a man of learning. He was a member of a large part of the benevolent, literary, and scientific societies of the United States, and an honorary member of several foreign societies. His productions are numerous, consisting of his speeches and messages to the state legislature; his discourses before various institutions; his speeches in the Senate of the Union; his addresses to the army during the late war; his communications concerning the canal; his judicial opinions; and various fugitive pieces. His national services were of the highest importance; and the Erie Canal, especially, though the honor of projecting it may belong to another, will remain a perpetual monument of the patriotism and perseverance of Clinton.

CABOT, GEORGE, was born in Salem, Massachusetts, in the year 1752, and spent the early part of his life in the employment of a shipmaster. He possessed a vigorous and inquisitive mind, and took advantage of every opportunity of improvement and acquisition, even amid the restlessness and danger of a seafaring life. Before he was twenty-six years of age, he was elected a member of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, which met with the visionary project of establishing a maximum in the prices of provision. There he displayed that sound sense, and that acquaintance with the true principles of political economy, for which he afterwards became so much distinguished. Mr. Cabot was a member of the state Convention assembled to deliberate on the adoption of the

federal constitution, and in 1790 was elected to a seat in the Senate of the United States. Of this body he became one of the most distinguished members, and enjoyed the unlimited confidence and friendship of Hamilton and Washington. In 1808, he became a member of the Council of Massachusetts, and, in 1814, was appointed a delegate to the Convention which met at Hartford, and was chosen to preside over its deliberations. He died at Boston, in 1823, at the age of seventy-two years. He possessed a mind of great energy and penetration, and in private life was much loved and esteemed. As a public man, he was pure and disinterested, of high sagacity and persuasive eloquence. His favorite studies were political economy and the science of government.

CHAMPE, JOHN, a soldier in the American revolution, was born in Loudon county, Virginia. In the year 1776, he was appointed a sergeant-major in Lee's regiment of cavalry, and, after the discovery of Arnold's treason, was employed by Washington in a service of much danger and difficulty; this was, to visit the British army as a deserter, in order to ascertain if any other American officers were engaged in that conspiracy, and to secure, if possible, the person of Arnold. In the latter object of his enterprise he unfortunately failed; but he effected his own escape in safety, and returned to his companions. Washington treated him munificently, and presented him with his discharge from further service, lest, in the vicissitudes of war, he should fall into the hands of the enemy, and perish upon a gibbet. He died in Kentucky, about the year

1797.

CRAIK, JAMES, was born in Scotland, where he received his education for the medical service of the British army. He came to the colony of Virginia in early life, and accompanied Washington in his expeditions against the French and Indians in 1754, and in the following year attended Braddock in his march through the wilderness, and assisted in dressing his wounds. At the commencement of the revolution, by the aid of his early and fast friend, General Washington, he was transferred to the medical department in the continental army, and rose to the first rank and distinction. He continued in

the army to the end of the war, and was present at the surrender of Cornwallis, on the memorable 19th of October, 1781. After the cessation of hostilities, he removed to the neighborhood of Mount Vernon, and, in 1798, was once more appointed by Washington to his former station in the medical staff. He was present with his illustrious friend in his last moments, and died in 1814, in the eighty-fourth year of his age. He was a skilful and successful physician, and Washington mentioned him as "my compatriot in arms, my old and intimate friend.”

CUSHING, THOMAS, was born at Boston, in 1725, educated at Cambridge College, where he was graduated in 1744. He engaged early in public life, and, in 1763, was chosen speaker of the General Court of Massachusetts, and continued in the office for several consecutive years. Though patriotic in his principles, he was by no means violent, and by his intervention much good was effected between the contending parties. He was a member of the two first Continental Congresses, and, on his return to his state, was chosen a member of the Council. He was also appointed judge of the Courts of Common Pleas and of Probate; and, on the adoption of the present constitution, he was elected lieutenant-governor of the state, and continued so until his death, in 1788.

COOKE, ELISHA, a physician of Boston, Massachusetts, was graduated at Harvard College, in 1657. He distinguished himself by his vigorous efforts in advocating popular rights, during the contentions between the legislature of the colony and the royal governors. In 1689, he went to England as agent of Massachusetts, to procure the restoration of the charter. He was bold and patriotic, and possessed much strength of intellect. After holding various important offices in the province, he died in 1715.

ELISHA, Son of the preceding, and also distinguished in the early political contentions of the province, was graduated at Harvard College, in 1697, held several public offices, and died in 1737.

CRAFTS, WILLIAM, a lawyer and miscellaneous writer, was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1787. He received his education at Harvard College, and studied law in his native city, where he acquired some reputation