The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-02-05
gatGtsceIIanerms.
oLD-TIME POLITICS.

Gn0 Olu-JlLDo pOlltlCiAn0 wv
much unjustly from a fancied, not real
defect in character than did Gen. Cass
from the charge Of being Constitutionally
timid man. His life, military and po-
litical, gave the lie to the assertion, but
still it was made and believed by many
who ought to have known better. They
could specify no one act to give color to
the assertion, but still the charge was
made. In the best sCCeptation OF the
term, Gen. Cass was gentleman, and,
as such, was careful of ipjuring the feel
ings of others, and still more careful re-
garding acts derogatory to q neighbor,
unless he knew it to be true, and then
not unless some good end was to be sub
served. These assertions may have laid
the foundation of the charge, but true or
false, the charge of timidity was not a
true one.
At the commencement Of the war of
1912 Gen. Cass led an Ohio regiment to
the field, and when Canada was invaded
was the first man to land, his regiment
was the first to put foot on Canadian
soil, and he fought the first battle at Aux
Canada, a few miles above the British
fort at Maiden. He drove the enemy
from the bridge they we're guarding, and
the victory was so great that it left NAL
den Fort at the mercy of his regiment.
He was compelled to forego all the ad-
vantages in consequence of the peremp-
tory order of Gen. Hull to return. Had
Maiden been taken, the whole of Canada
West would have been in American pos
session. Although absent with his COM
mand, suCcoring a party with supplies
for tie army, Gen. Caes and his men
were included in the surrender of De-
troit. AS soon as exchanged he volun-
teered his service as aid to Gen. Hsrri.
son, and participated in the battle of the
Thames.
After the appointment of Gen, Cass as
Governor of Michigan, he met large
tribe of Indians at Sault Ste. Marie for
the purpose of making treaty. He
had single company Of soldiers with
him to guard the United States proper.
ty. A large number of Indians from
Canada came over, and throughout in
terfered with the American Indians.
The treaty dragged, the Indians were
drunk and boisterous. Instigated by
the Canadian Indians, who in turn
were instigated by British emissaries
and Canadian whisky, they had a war
dance under the English flag, planted on
American soil. Seeing the crisis, and
knowing that nothing but bold measures
would save himself and command, Gen.
Cass rushed into the midst of the exCit-
ed thropg, seized the English flag, tore
it down, and, placing his foot upon it, in
both English and the Indian languages,
proclaimed his intention of shooting the
first man that dared to hoist that flag on
American soil. The Indians " ere cow
ed; the Canadian Indians were ordered
to leave, and they did on the next day.
General Cass made a satisfactory treaty
with the tribe. Such were specimens of
his timidity 10 war, and when surround
ed by hostile Indians.
Gen. Cass, while Governor of the Ter
ritoTy of Michigan. was invited by Gen.
Jackson to Washington as Secretary of
War, in which position, with the full
concurrence of President Jackson, he
issued the instructions to Gen. Scott that
prevented notification in South Carolina
from being carried to its intended trea.
sonable end, Neither Gen. jackson nor
Secretary Cass had the confidence in
Gen. Scott that Scott had in himself fand,
therefore he was bound hand and foot
with instructions, which, being follow
ed, prevented bloodshed, Failing in
health, the close confinement Of the
War Office being too much for man
who had always been accustomed to out
door life, Gen. Cass resigned. As it was
his wish to visit Europe, Gen. jackson
rendered him the French Mission, which
was accepted. 1t was in this position
that Gen. Cass showed nerve greater
that any other Minister on record. 1t
fully disproves the charge of timidity.
The war with England in 1912 was de.
Clared because of the British Govern.
ment claiming the right, and exercising
1t, Of stopping American vessels on the |
high seas, and after search, impressing |
such seamen as the boarding officer |
thought proper, to serve in the British |
Navy. This they did under the pretense
that they we're born subjects of the Eng.
lish King.
In the history of English aggression
no one subject was of a character more
mortifying than to give up this right of
search. While Minister to France, Gen.
Cass permitted no question of diplom
acy, having the least bearing on the in
terest or honor of the United States, to
escape his strictest scrutiny. The Eng
lish Ministry aCquiesced in the determi-
nation Of that Nation (for England is a
Nation with big "N'), to wipe out the
disgrace of being forced by the United
States to back down from her right, as
the great naval power of the world, to
search vessels of other nations. But
bided her timel
In January, 1912, the British Govern
ment had procured secret treaty to be
made with Russia, Prussia, Austria and
France, providing for the right to search
vessels. This treaty with the five great
powers of EuroDe-knoWn then and
since as the Quintuple Treaty-was tri-
lmph for Esgland, while it would hum
BILE the United States; for against Rus
Bia, Prussia, Austria, France and Eng.
land the United States would have but
little show. All the Sovereigns Of the
countries named had signed the treaty
In France it required the approval Of
the French Chamber of Deputies, as the
treaties in the United States have, before
being Of binding force, to be approved
by the United States Senate. The mat
ter was kept 30 secret that IL was not