New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-05

the country to a condition OF moran H"'''Hi'H'
Congress. indeed. presented mr1""\i'aI appear
ancr. \ Young America, represented ny Jay anu
Calhoun, Lad arisen. and 'r"nn ~ hoih "'-"'i
tone tlan had been heard thus far IN the century
The voice of this element vas for war, hut Con-
grcss could not he brought 70 treat t"c 'n'''c'
seriously
The result was equally unfortunate anu a"'''"
At the time when, if the national hohoi "'' "
be vindicaed, it absolutely necessary ''''' an
LEGISLATION should be directed toward the prrrara-
ton of The material Of war. the Nati'hai H'S'~
laturc seemed bent upon paralyzins every agency
which could contribute 10 such an emu. WIZ"
the needs of the Treasury were greatest, Congress
deliberately refused TO renew the charter OF the
National Bank which was Gallatins strongest
ally and support In the same spirit all propose
tions for STRENGTHENING the Navy were rejected
and. as if 10 cnbarrasS the Administration uhdei
prctcncc of helping it, bills were passed TOT u"
increase Of the Army. which. while providing lor
military force of th!rty-iivc Thousand men, l'i-
nishcd no means Of cquippng or maintaining Ihrni'
Indeed a dispassonat" retrospect seems 10 co'ii'ii
the impression that Congress hac no sel'o"s INV"
of making war, or TINT the anti-war par! WIZ
too crafty for their opponents. IrhdihS '"c n"''
,nca.IT7S which were to throw the country mt
var th, occupatiou Of West Florida was carried
on, under conditions SO confused that Mr.. Adams
declares !; 10 this day impossible TO say under
what sirale good title that territory Is h'Id.
The contention that Yves! Florida was part
of Louisiana. and Went with the ccSson OF 'e
latter Territory, had been completely eXPiooe"'
Nevertheless, II was revived Tor ms occ"eo"'
Rut when Spain subsequently ccdel the region
tie treaty ignored the American occupation ell
trcly; and by accepting the positions OF t.at
81 I'rif nI tpl.l
Congress upon which alone the occupation bad
previously rested. Practically, of course, anu
from national point Of view. this made TO differ
ercc since once seIz", and occupied, there WAS no
power in existence capable of charging the Si'u''-
ton. lui the case was on parallel win 'h'e"'
hish-hanteL proceedings Of European Govern
mcnis which hid been and were being 50 We
hcmcncntly Denounced, and the in"onsIs''cy OIL 'fe
act was made the more elarin. by the action OF
CONGRESS IN d.sposin. Of the Spanish occupants
of Florida without the least reference t. tAc.r
wishes and inc.nations.
Mr. Adanls's second volume treats Of the events
preceding tie var and the beginning Of tAc con
test The efforts oi riurAncy al London had
faxed, and inevitably, since Lis demand for Tie
repeal of tie Orders in Council, on the ground
that, N'pulcon had Withdrawn Lis DEGREES c""ld not
b. ri.unt:ncd seriously III Elr"r. where every one
l>!cvv tEL' ,ir laiiin and Milan lrrrrS coi.ti'cd
in iu.l force" Nay, more, IL '!.c very time "hch
Madison was preparing 7" declare war on 'N''
uy,h.c,I bass ru>.la and >wrdcu wrrc about :"
challenge ho>tilt!es with France because th"N
would rot o's.N taos. ,.ocrcrs, - tie inJi!% ct
Gc,f :ncti0M Of Amciir..A commerce. rave di's
after Madisous dcclal.iion ~ WAY the lirIt'sA
government, without knowing what had been
done at Washington, repealed the Orders IN C"':n-
~, aus
Justification, tor /, were oHly too abundant. The
li;rI States lad Suffered oV'ra-", and lnjH'r">
from En.!ard :or years, any OH" Of "h"A would
have NARRATED hustil.tcs E.i il y ST AtdI""!
III. luck - E.,Nr ncctcd as t'r pilL'iPI '"'>c
o: ms cnIra:.rc upon lie conflict Ia: Ole trr>
aucr which D., w., impa-,ilr I" r'n'"i>;:'"
Arer tir repre-; ct tie orders III t"'.r." '' III.
p.essment question came I" IL" front b"t 'h''
II was not then or Thereafter rtH''"h a. " SIM
Gent "casls iclh" is sItri"nIN shown IN fhr
fact That when p'acr WAS negotiated II was lett
unsettled ~ the treaty.
How laI Madison really WAS ac:T.'rl hv a pur-
pose to rai>c ,,ir spirit Of 81" Nation then s"i'n
so low-bv "Einciug forward ne flag. nH !" rI''
IT, in IL. hope and belief that ia" r"Op" would
follow and drfcnd tic standard. mist probahlr
remain coni.ciural. Reason cn"u-h ~ las
cours ran De found IN t' intcrA"to.,1 eH,'"rt'>'-
r.cls which were crowdiHS IIor' and NOV talc"1:
npon his Administration. TIE temptation :, cat
the .urdian Knot must have been N"t" strong. "'"t
with 50 cri.s'I;utionrl.v itiouS al i>r' H'I'"'
and IT, will have I" be- admitted That up = ....'
after TIE opchiYC Of The war a." a'iIt|." 81 'h'
mass Of tie people toward I--csc'It!y ~ 'h'
Nor,h-v,, hv 10 nIeal:, such a, l. give 'onipr'
10 a wall Ike Administration. Nor wcrr tie iH''!"i
movements ENCOURAGING. Never did couitf%
Lac. 81 al ~ -,
munitions. Ships and lnoncy were alike iI'klne
OF rnl,:ary capacity tie occuSon called forth non"
whatever lnc cirpa!1r for tic INFUSION OF
Canada threatened 10 result in tie loss Of An"r''ti
territory nulr The incaplcity of DcifboIn. HIl,
Smith pcu.>cirr AID ~ !.4:' r"cry r"nii!Iir"r
piit in the licll invited and "! to Disaster I"i
hans the death Of Grn"!ai Brock Was tiif greatest
piece Of good f"r'Hnr AZ tins mou~H'. for had he
lived hi, great ability, energy ana In'igincnt 'i't
have ren!cIcd tie feeble ncomr"'"ncr or Va" 'b'f'
opposed 20 him mach more compromising" l''
tie Surrender " Hail AZ Detroit and ia" Successive
Gei.,,, which were sustained 81 Niagara I'll h"'
;,.rar To rais. tho American spirit. lnIisiH"n'S
remained almost AT Ii sthnds'lIl Nc" Enfi'h'.
continued 80 grumhc and Tlusr ana 7" 'lc genera!
Government The war l4lguishc'l; ia" conquest
Of Canada seemed indefinitely postponed: all t!.n
Opcrutio ions on land mlscaiI RED lai!rhtAbIy.
At sea things were going differently, however
There the dc,pised little navy began 10 give "A
goo! account Of those English cruisers wh"%
ius..lencc and arrogance in the blotka'l" oi New
\, rk ad done much I" create ana keep alI'"
n s.ut ncnt OF active hatred 10 thrir country. MI
Adams gives the storir, Of tho~" Hhdu'iS Win
really a imirab" fairness. and the splriMor "l thr
achievements Is brought out all the rnoT strongly.
There il, one point, however, which has not been
cleared up as yet When and where dld the
American scainen learn their superior gnnnrrT
Nothing is more cy1rat, III cvriy one Of thrSr
naval conlbats than the fact that the American
GUNNER, fired with astonishing precision and pnIck-
ness Allowing FIR greater pay hical shppiclen'
and activity on their par, We are SIN "a, lar Us
cbpr from understanding how they learned 10
point their guns truly for naval gunnery IS Il
science and a difficult one. nor can II hc picked
nm in n few DAYS The fact is incOntr,tablr, but
Il, oencSis of thr feet Is apLa rent " uuhsccranrd,