The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-19

nrfe
that thS raj ssSthis VA not 20 much
union with the south or even the In
'fueuce OF Virginia. a. II wan democracy; and
he could not 'Soe' that, by subdivision OF the
Union. any other result would be achieved than
TO make. in some parts Of the country, democ.
racy all the moro concentrated and troublesome.
Two or three Of the Federalist leaders wero bo-
ginning to think that possibly the people, after
all, might not DO very bad repositories Of power.
and were trimming their sails to catch the popu.
lar breeze. Rufus King and Oliver Wolcott
were among these. Not one of them. however,
argued that neither New England, nor New
York. nor any other section. had q right to
leave the Union. Washington. II 10 true,
had worked for Tan indissolublo union;' but
his colleagues, clearly, did not suppose the
Union to DO indissolublc. Cabot, while un-
prepared for precipitate action. wished, as
We have seen, not to be misunderstood. "a
separation now is impracticHblo. because wo
do not feel the necessity or utility of It, sepa-
ration will DO unavoidable when our loyalty to
the Union 10 generally perceived to be tho
instrument of debasemont and impoverlsh.
ment." This quotation represents the average
height OF the logic -used-secession rather
than poverty. Cabot thought It possible that
the Administration could DO involved in a war
with Great Britain. and that such o war would
be 90 unpopular In New England No to give q
chance for disunion. Meanwhile. the conspira-
tors must wait. The relatively patriotic section
Of the Federalists. headed by John Adams. was,
indeed. of another spirit; even its members,
however. did not contend that secession was i'm.
possible. They simply proposed to make 1t hot
for those who plotted 1t.
vi.
1t is we'll known that the embargo imposed by
President Jefferson proved especially burden
some TO New England shipping. While tho os-
tensible purpose of the measure was to insure
our vessels against capture. 1t wns really in
tended to mako the inhabitants OF Great Britain
and France suffer for lack Of commodities only
to DO secured from the United States. A meas.
ure. however, which might be endurable for an
agricultural people could be productive only Of
misery for a commercial one. For some years
past New England had become less
and less agricultural and moro and moro
manufacturing and commercial. 1t could
not eat Its goods; It must send them to
market. Now, however. its ships were rotting
at the wharves, Under these circumstances
tho Eastern States soon grew restless, and the
almost suppressed leaders OF 1904 emerged from
their retreat. Pickering denounced the ombargo
as a first step toward war with England. and the
Massachusetts, Legislature. which had at first
Endorsed the measure. In Its next session con.
demned 1t. In the early part Of 1909 u Force
bill was passed by Congress. which allowed the
use of the army and navy In enforcing the en-.
barge and making seizures. In the Boston
papers this act was printed In mourning and
public meetings wcre held to mcmorialize
the Legislature. The Legislature took strong
ground in the way Of justifying Great Britain,
and demanding Of Congress the repeal OF
the embargo and a declaration OF war with
Franco. Tho Enforcement act was declared
mot legally binding" and resistance to it was
recommended This was. of course. as clear an
example of notification as had been afforded by
Virginia In 1893. Tho truth is that, at this
time in Massachusetts,, ministers. preached
notification and politicians urged 1t from
tho platform. Nor was Connecticut a whit
behind her neiRhbor. We have the au.
thority of John Quincy Adams for the state
ment that at this time t1sOs-9) the Essex
Junto' planned a New England conven.
tion to consider the expediency of secession.
Adams himself was 30 outspoken In opposition
to the plotters that the Massachusetts Lesisla.
turo passed a vote OF ceusure upon him, whero.
upon he resigned his seat in tho United States
Senate. THERE'S no doubt, however. that New
England was really suffering. land this time IL was
not the Federalist leaders alone who created the
EcNVl III emohTSO "ab unCnuur1Di0, ana IL
was raised in March. 1900. f.
+ Meanwhile, 1t was evident that war between
the United States and Great Britain WAS inoyi.
table, and secret agents of the latter power were
commissioned to travel through New England
to find out how much disaffcction existed, and
to foment 1t. Tho C mmission OF one John Henry
WAS made out by Sir James Craig, Governor Of
the British provinces OF North America. This
commission asked for the earliest in
Rs TO how far. in the case of war. England could
look for assistance" Henry reported that 1.-The
Governor Of Vermont male no secret of HIS
determination. as Commander-in-Chicf OF the
State militia, to refuse obedience to any COM.
mand Of the general Government" Vermont, 1t
should be noted, was the only one OF tho nve New
England States which Madison carried in 1903.
From Boston, the British secret agent wrote in a
similar vein. but, not concciving himself vol
treated by his employers, he, presently, turned
all his papers over TO our Government. The
Committee on Foreign Relations. TO whom these
documents were submitted, reported that the
British Government had been deliberately press.
Ing measures to divide the States. When, in
June, 1872, II formal declaration of war
against Great Britain was made. the Federalists
In Congress issued an address to the people
of Now England declaring the war need.
less and nnwise. The Massachusetts House of
Representatives thereupon denounced the war
as a wanton sacrifice OF the interests of New
England. It called upon the citizens of the
State to assemble In town meetings for tho pur-
pose, not of aiding the Federal Government, but
of hindering 1t. Express yonr sentiments
without fear" was the ADVICE given, land lot
the sound of your disapprobation OF this war be
loud and deep. Let there be no volunteers, ex-
cept for defensive war" By this advice to
the c~itiZonb. the State of Massachusetts
aaaartAd tIa rtOhf RI nvArruln - -
Congress. and. furthermore. refused to
fight In any war when not assailed on
Its own soil. This. OF course. WAS notification
In an unmlstakable form. About tho same time
Gov. Griswold Of Connecticut professed that he
did not believe the militia Of that State could
DO ordered TO obey q Continental officer. Gen.
Dearborn then agreed that the militia In each
State should be commanded by Majors from the
State furnishing them. whereupon Gov. Girls.
void promptly adopted another basis Of COM
plant. In other words. the New England States