A. BURR.


On the 2d of July, 1782, Colonel Burr was married to Mrs. Theodosia
Prevost. In April preceding he had entered into the practice of the
law in the city of Albany. His attention to business was unremitted.
In consequence, he soon found himself crowded with clients from every
quarter of the state. During his residence in Albany, his mind was
exclusively engrossed with his profession and his family. In the
education of Mrs. Burr's children by her first husband he took a deep
interest. Neither labour nor expense was regarded. It was his wish
that they should be accomplished, as well as educated men.

The preliminary treaty of peace having been signed, Colonel Burr
resolved to remove his family to the city of New-York so soon as the
British should evacuate it. Here he anticipated (and in this he was
not disappointed) an extensive practice. On the 20th of November,
1781, the legislature of the State of New-York passed an act
disqualifying from practice, in the courts of the state, all
"attorneys, solicitors, and counsellors at law," who could not produce
satisfactory certificates, showing their attachment and devotion to
the whig cause during the then pending war with Great Britain. This
act was in full force at the peace of 1783, and remained so, without
any attempt to modify it, until March, 1785, when a bill was
introduced into the legislature to repeal certain sections of it, so
far as they operated upon individuals therein named. The bill was
lost. But, on the 4th of April, 1786, the restriction thus imposed on
the tory lawyers was removed by an act of the legislature.

The law of 1781, previous to its repeal, had operated most favourably