The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-03-14

ports made the American people mort
furious, the American government NOR.
anxious.
Almost from The beginning Of t!ai
period of national turmoil, party c:
gentlemen met daily In one Of the larg.
rooms in . hotel in New York. At Grs:
there were eleven Of these men, all frcn
the great Atlantic cities, but their mum.
Der increased by arrivah from othes
parts Of tho CON stSy, until q hast the,
numbered twen9ss4hDee. Thcao gentle
nen were ali great capitalists, and &C.
custon,cd to occupying themselves with
great enterprises. Ey day ana by nigh,
hcy met together with closed doors.
until they had matured the scheme which
they had been considering. As soon aS
this ""-'' We done. a ccr:r';tt"" va
sent to Washingtou, to submit plan to
the government.
These twenty.three men had formed
themselves into q syndicate, with the
object Of taking entire charge Of the war
between the United States and Great
Britain.
This proposition was an astounding
one, but tho government was obliged to
treat it with respectful consideration.
The men who offered it were power in
the land, power which no government
could afford to disregard.
The plan Of the syndicate was compre-
hensivo, direct and simple. It offered to
assume tho entire control and expense Of
the war, and toeffect q unsatisfactory peace
within one year. As q guarantee that
this contract would be properly per
formed, an immense sum of money
would be deposited in the treasury at
Washington. Should the syndicate be
unsuccessful this sum would be for
feitcd, and it would receive no pay for
anything it had done.
The sum to be paid BY the government
to the syndicate, shou,dit bring the war
to satisfactory conclusion, would de-
pend upon the duration of hostilitics.
That is to say, that Us the shorter the
duration of the war, the greater would
be the benefit to the country, therefore,
the larger must be the pay to the syndi-
cate. According to the proposed con-
tract, the syndicate would receive, if the
war should continue for a year, one
quarter the sum stipulated to be paid if
peace should be declared in three months.
If at any time during the conduct of
the war by the syndicate an American Eea-
port should be taken by the enemy. or q
British force landed On any point of the
scacoast, the contract should be con-
sidered at IN end, and security and pay
ment forfeited. If any point on the
! northern boundary of the United States
should be taken and occupied by the
enemy, 81, ,000, 900 of the deposited &C.
curity should be forfeited for every such
occupation, but the contract should con-
! tinuc.
It was stipulated that the land and
naval forces Of the United States should
remain under tho entire control of the
| government, but should be maintained
as a defensive force and not brought
into action unless any failure on the part
of the syndicate should render such
action necessary.
| Tho state of feeling in governmental
circles, and the evidences Of alarm and
distrust which were becoming apparent
in congress and among the people, ex-
erted an important influence in favor Of
the syndicate. The government caught
at its proposition, not as il 1t wero q
straw but as If it were a life raft. The
men who offered to relieve the executive
departments of their perilous response
bilities were men of great ability, promi-
nent positions, and vast resources, whose
vast enterprises had already made then,
known all over the globe. Such men
wero not likely to jeopardize their repa-
tations and fortunes in q case like this,
unless they had we'll founded reasons for
believing that they would lie successful.
Even the largest amount stipulated to be
paid them in case OF success would be
less than the ordinary estimates for the
military and naval operations which had
been anticipated: and III case OF failure
The amount forfeited would go far to
repair the losses which might be SIS
,aiacd by the citizens of the various
states.
At all events. should the cyndicate be
allowed to take immediate control of tho
wax, there would be time to put tho
@,ny and navy. especially the latter, in
1.tecr condition to carry Oh the ccntes,
il case Ct the failure Of tho syndicate
Organization end construction nligh:
,.iil go on. and, should 1t be necessary
l.o army and navy could step into the
,cntest fresh and well prepared.
Al branches of the government united
il accepting the offer Of the syndicate
The contract was signed, and the world
waited to see what would happen next.
The influence which for yecrs had beer
exerted by the interests controlled by ths
men composing the syndica.e had it
effect in producing popular confidence
in the power of the members of the syn
dicate to conduct war as successfully
as they had conducted other giganti,
enterprises. Therefore, although predic
tons of disaster came from many quar-
ters. the American public appeared will
ing to wait with but moderate impatienc,
for the result of this novel undertaking.
The government now proceeded t.
mass troops at important points on th'
northern frontier; forts were supplied
with men and armaments; all coast de
fenses were put in the best possible con
dition; the navy was stationed at impor
tant ports, and work at the ship yard
went on. But, without reference to al
this, the work of the syndicate immedi
atcly began.
This body OF men were of various pol
itics and of various pursuits in life. Blu
politics were no more regarded in tn
work they had undertaken than the,
would have been in the purchase Of Ian,