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The Senate met behind closed doors. Debates were secret, and only skeletal outlines were permitted to reach the light of day. It is therefore extremely difficult to appraise properly this portion of Burr’s career. Yet he was evidently active in the debates and very well thought of by his confrères. A contemporary remarks that “deference [was] shewn his opinions by his senatorial colleagues,” and that “it was ... universally acknowledged, that no other State was so respectably represented as the State of New-York, in the combined talents of Mr. Burr and Mr. King.”^[189]

However, the Annals of Congress give verification to contemporary opinion and furnish a fairly accurate guide to his standing and to his position on men and measures.

The Senate opened with due solemnity on October 24, 1791. On October 25th, the fledgling Senator from New York was made chairman of a committee to draft the Senate’s address to the President of the United States.^[190] And almost immediately thereafter he was given a host of committee assignments. Included in these were some of considerable importance.^[191]

In the Second Session, starting on November 5, 1792, he commenced a persistent campaign to abolish the shroud of secrecy in which the Senate proceedings were enveloped, and to throw open the doors to the public during all debates. At this particular time the motion was defeated by a large majority.^[192]

The message of President Washington on the Indian troubles and the necessity for a larger military establishment came in for a great deal of warm debate and maneuvering. Burr was the chairman of the committee that considered the message, and there were rumors abroad concerning his stand, and the probability that he had been offered a military command as a reward for the position he took. He denied it peremptorily—to his wife, it must be understood, not to the general public. He made it a fixed rule of life never to deny rumors or accusations. “You may expect a host of such falsehoods as that about the Indian war,” he declared. “I have not been offered any command. When the part I take in the bill on that subject shall be fully known, I am sure it will give entire satisfaction to my friends.”^[193]

Burr, regardless of self-interest, was always to be a warm supporter of a strong military establishment. His Revolutionary service had left a deep impression on his mind; he was always to appreciate complimentary references to his soldiering far more than those concerning any other phase of his career.

He devoted himself arduously to his duties. He was not content with the ordinary routine of the average Congressman. He wished to perfect himself in his profession, to become able to act intelligently and with understanding on measures of government. Especially was he interested in foreign relations. But, pursuant to a highly monarchical policy, the archives of the Department of State were not available to Congress. Only those matters and such particular correspondence which the President was graciously willing to present to its attention, could be inquired into by the legislative branch of the Government.

Burr resented this, and applied to Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of State, for permission to examine the archives of the Department mornings before the regular opening time. Permission was granted. Burr threw himself into his researches with characteristic energy. He was there every morning promptly at five, copied or made extracts until ten, when the doors were formally opened. Then he attended sessions of the Senate, and spent his evenings studying and digesting his notes. Then, one fine day, Washington heard of the practices of the Senator from New York, and put a stop to it by peremptory order.

“Thomas Jefferson presents his respectful compliments to Colonel Burr, and is sorry to inform him it has been concluded to be improper to communicate the correspondence of existing ministers.”^[194]