Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-04-02

Congr-ss was In session. and IN IT, halls
the firc rar,,l luudcr and hla4cd higher
than un mountain 90 plain. In city or
prairie. No mcmlor ~ the government,
from president a. Iagc. ,cnturri 10 o.
po.c th. temI--;uous demands ~ the
Isoplc The day fuf argument upon the
exciting question hal bcen long and
weary unc. aud IL had gone 10y. In les
than a wcck the gr,a, shout Of the $50
pie 49, answered. 10y declaration Of war
against Urat britain.
When ihi. had t-cn done tho~o Who
demanded war hryathcd easier. bat thusc
Who mus, dirCt the war brvathc'i harder.
II Wa inirc,l a time for hard hrraih-
INK. but the gryat mas ~ the people
perceived no ry.,-on wly this should L..
Money thcrv was IN vast abundance. In
every state veil drilled men by thou
sands stool uy..,ly too tlc word to march.
and the military vSIsucncv and knowl.
sdgc gwen by great war ~as YET
strong upon the nation.
To tho I-oplc at lAfgv the plan of the
war Appeared a very obvious AMI very
simple one. Canada had given the Of
fcn-c. Canada should L. made 10 Tay
thr t..ualty. lnaVcry short time 10000.
10000. 0o.O0O men. u necessary, could
D. madc pady Tor the invasion - Can
ala. From platform. pulpii, stump and
ediiorial Office cnmc the cry
aan.. a..
At the sat II government. however.
.ho plan ~ the war did not apIsar 80 Oh
gious. ~ ample. Throwing a great army
into Canada Was all well enough. and
that army would probably do w,llcnough.
but the question which produced hard
breathing In the executive branch u the
government Was tho immediate pro,oc-
tion ~ the "a coasi-Atlantic. Gulf. and
even Pacific.
Ia a storm % national indignation war
had Lcn declared agains,a a power which
al thi. Icriod ~ her history had brought
up her naval forccs 10 a point double IN
strength a. that - any other country IN
the world. And this war had tecn de-
clarcd by a nation which. comparatively
speaking. possssscd no naval strength at
all.
For somo years the United states navy
had bc,n steadily improving, bui this
improvement was not sufficient Ia make
1t worthy u reliance a. this crisis A.
has b.cn said. there was money enough.
and every ship yard In the country could
b. II to work 60 build ironclad mcn-of-
war. but u takcs long time 10 build
ships. and Englards navy vas aloat.
IL was ihc british kc,l that America had
to fear.
By means II tho continental cables u
was known that many % the largest
ulail vessels ~ the British transatlantic
lines. which hal b-cn Withdrawn upon
the declaration ~ war. wcro preparing
In British ports 60 transport troops 10
Canada IL was not impossible tht
thc-c great steamers might land an array
In Canada b.ioro an American army
could D. organiEcd and marched 10 that
province. II might H. that the United
staics would IT, forced 10 defend her
borlcrs. instead oi invading hoso of the
enemy.
In every fort and navy yard all Was
activity; the hammering Of iron went on
by day and by night. but what was 20 10
done when the great ironclads Of Eng
land hammered upon our dcfenses; How
long would Il L. bCforc tho American
tlag would H. sssn no more upon tho
high scas;
IL l. not surprising that the govern
ment found its position one of pcrilous
Responsibility. \ wrathful nation e1-
pccicd Of IL niorc than IL could perform.
All over the country. however, there
were thoughtful men, not connected
with tho government, who saw the
perilous features of the c'situation, and
day by day these grcw lcSs afraid OF
being considered traitors and more will
ing to declare their convictions of the
country's danger. Despite tho coniinu-
ancc Of the national enthusiasm, doubts.
perplexities and fears bcgan to show
themselves.
In the states bordering upon Canada ..
reactionary feeling became evident I'm
lees the United States navy could pre-
vent England from rapidly pouring into
Canada, not only her own troops, but
perhaps those Of allied nations, these
northern states might become the scene
Of warfare. and whatever the issue Of
the con,e- 1, their lands might L. rayished.
their people suffer.
From many quarters urgent demands
were now pressed upon the government
Frum the interior there were clamors for
troops to h. massed on the northern
frontier. and from the seaboard cities
thcro c..m0 a cry for ships that were
worthy To H. called men-of-war; ships To
defend the haTbors and bays; ships 10
repcl an invasion by ga. Suggestions
were innumerable. There was 10 time
20 build. II was urged; tho government
could call upon friendly nations. but
wise men smiled sadly at theso suggcs-
tons. 1t was difficult to find nation de
sirous Of war with England.
In tho midst of the enthusiasms, thD
fears and the suggestions, came rcports
Of the capture Of American merchant
men by fast British cruisers. These ne
ports made the American people more
furious. the American government more
anxious.
Almost from the beginning u this
period of national turmoil, party Of
gentlemen met daily in ono ~ the large
rooms in hotel In New York. 1t first
there were eleven Of these men. ell from
the great Atlantic cities, but their num-
Der increased by arrivals from other
parts Of the country. until at last they
numbered tweniy.three. These gentle
men were all great capitalists. and ac-
cusiomed to occupying Themselves with
great enterprises by day and by night
they met together with closed doors.
until they had matured the scheme which
they had been considering. As soon as
this work was done. a committee was
sent 20 Washington. 10 submit plan 10
tho government.
These twentythrss man bad fOsm~s