The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-03-16
sent to Washington, to submit plan to

1nese twenty-three men nau 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 the government was obliged to
treat it with respectful consideration.
The men who offered it were a power in
the land, power which no government
could afford to disregard.
The plan of the syndicate was compre-
hensive, direct and simple. 1t offered to
assume the entire control and expense of
the war, and to effect satisfactory peace
within one year. AS 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
feited, and it would receive no pay for
anything it had done.
The sum to be paid by the government
to the syndicate, should it bring the war
to satisfactory conclusion, would de-
pend upon the duration of hostilities.
That is TO say, that as 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 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 sea-
port should be taken by the enemy, or
British force landed on any point of the
seacoast, the contract should be con-
sidered at an 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 Sc
curity should be forfeited for every such
occupation, but the contract should con-
tinue.
It was stipulated that the land and
naval forces of the United States should
remain under the entire control of the
government, but should be maintained
as defensive force and not brought
into action unless any failure on the part
of the syndicate should render such
action necessary.
The 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 if it were a
straw but as if it We're 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 them
known all over the globe. Such men
were not likely to jeopardize their repu-
tations and fortunes in case like this,
unless they had well founded reasons for
believing that they would be 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 anticipates; and in case of failure,
the amount forfeited would go far to
repair the losses which might be sus-
tanned by the citizens of the various
states.
At all events, should the syndicate be
allowed to take immediate control of the
war, there would be time to put the
army and navy, especially the latter, in
better condition to carry on the contest
in case of the failure of the syndicate.
Organization and construction might
still go on, and should it be necessary,
the army and navy could step into the
contest fresh and well prepared.
All branches of the government united
in accepting the offer of the syndicate.
The contract was signed, and the world
waited to see what would happen next.
The influence which for years had been
exerted by the interests controlled by the
men composing the syndicate had its
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 gigantic
enterprises. Therefore, although predic
tons of disaster came from many quar-
tiers, the American public appeared will
ing to wait with but moderate Impotence
for the result of this novel undertaking.
The government now proceeded to
mass troops at important points on the
northern frontier forts were supplied
with men and ornaments; all coast de-
lenses were put in the best possible con-
dition; the navy was stationed at impor-
tant ports, and work at the ship yards
went on. But, without reference to all
this, the work of the syndicate immedi-
ately began.
This body of men were of various pol
itics and of various pursuits in life. But
politics were no more regarded in the
work they had undertaken than they
would have been in the purchase of land
or of railroad iron. No manifestoes of
motives and intentions were issued to
the public. The syndicate simply went
to work. There could be no doubt that
early success would be direct profit to
it, but there could also be no doubt that
its success would be vast benefit and
profit, not only to the business enter
/ Al