Burr was, in fact, the "odd man out," but not because he lacked character. He was truly odd because he was the only founder to embrace feminism. He was the only one who truly believed and adhered to the ideal that reason should transcend party differences. He was unique in that he refused to slander his political enemies behind their backs. He displayed an insatiable intellectual curiosity and read widely; his faith in Utilitarianism made him remarkably modern in imaging daring possibilities for social and political change. He consequently embraced an inclusive definition of democracy, defending freedom of speech, promoting the expansion of suffrage and economic rights to the middling classes, and battling prejudice against aliens, free blacks, petty criminals, and women. His moving words (in opposition to a law to disenfranchise aliens) before the New York Assembly in 1799 are worth repeating, for they remind us of his idealism:
"America stood with open arms and presented an assylum to the oppressed of every nation; we invited them with the promise of enjoying equal rights with ourselves, and presented them with the flattering prospect of presiding in our councils and arriving at honour and trust; shall we deprive these persons of an important right derived from so sacred a source as our constitution?"
The evidence shows that as a proponent of equal rights, there was no one among the founders any more enthusiastic -any more genuine- than Burr.
-Nancy Isenberg, Fallen Founder: The Life of Aaron Burr
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