His
accustomed acumen, vigilance, and zeal, were promptly put in
requisition. Full scope was allowed for the display of those great
legal talents for which he was so pre-eminently distinguished. It has
been known to only a very few individuals that on Colonel Burr rested
nearly the whole labour; and that nothing was done, even by the
canvassers, but under his advice and direction. It has therefore been
deemed proper to insert here some of the official details of the case.
They are worthy record, as an interesting part of the political
history of the State of New-York.
"_Statement of the case by the Canvassers, for the advice of Rufus
King and Aaron Burr_.
"OTSEGO.--By the 26th section of the constitution of the State of
New-York, it is ordained that sheriffs and coroners be annually
appointed, and that no person shall be capable of holding either of
the said offices for more than four years successively, nor the
sheriff of holding any other office at the same time. By the ninth
section of the act for regulating elections, it is enacted that one of
the inspectors shall deliver the ballots and poll-lists, scaled up, to
the sheriff of the county; and, by the tenth section of the said act,
it is further enacted, that each and every sheriff of the respective
counties in this state shall, upon receiving the said enclosures,
directed to be delivered to him as aforesaid, without opening or
inspecting the same, or any or either of them, put the said
enclosures, and every one of them, into one box, which shall be well
closed and sealed up by him, under his hand and seal, with the name of
his county written on the box, and be delivered by him into the office
of the secretary of this state, where the same shall be safely kept by
the secretary, or his deputy.
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