The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-04-22
THE WAR OF 1912
Preliminary Incidents the SrugeLe and Dissertations of the War

tack, and having only a single gun
ready for action, not wishing to sac
rifce his men needlessly, the COM
mander of the Chesapeake hauled
down the flag, and permitted the En-
glish commander to search for desert
ers. He took off four men, and with
his ship, rejoined the English fleet
near by, while the Chesapeake limped
back into Hampton Roads. This seem
ed the GROWING insult Of long Sc
ries, and was most Illuminating to
American pride and patriotic fervor.
No doubt the incident would have led
to immediate war except for the fact
that Mr.. Jefferson, who was then Pres
ident. possessed a passion for peace
and he sought first to try out other
measures of war.
He ordered all British men of war
out of American podts and waters, and
took us sharp negotiations with the
British ministry and finally, after some
months, finding no relief from the in
tolerable, impositions upon American
commerce on the part of both England
and France, he sent a message calling
Congress to inhibit all commerce, for
eign bound, from leaving American
ports. Thus it was that the famous
Embargo Act became law on Deem
her %, 1907, and continued in full
force for nearly two years. This was
Mr. Jefferson's great experiment aim
ed to coerce both England and France
into lifting their respective blockades
and recognizing the rights of Ameri-
can shippers on the high seas.
The experiment failed OF its purpose,
was met by both sets of belliger-
ents with dersion and scorn, and just
before the accession of Mr.. Madison
to the presidency, the act was repeal
ed on March 1, 1909, after a period OF
most unexampled suffering for
small and growing nation which must,
of necessity, have outlet for its COM
merce to the ports of the world. In
| its stead, congress suspended inter-
course with Great Britain and France
until one or the other should repeal
| its obnoxious DEGREES interdicting the
commerce OF neutrals with belllger-
ents. Searches and impressments, or
course, were renewed with all their
old time vigor. Thus did our Repub-
lie, through the years, to writhe I'M
der conditions and restraints well nigh
intolerable, and with which she felt
too weak to cope successfully in the
measurement Of arms.
On May 1, 1910, congress repealed
the Non-TntercoyEs9 Act also, thus
leaving cur commerce free to seek the
markets of the world. In case either
France or England should revoke its
hostile DEGREES against neutral COM
merce, the president was authorized TO
renew non-intercourse against the ma
ton still persisting in lawless inter
ference. The shrewd and unscrupu-
lous conqueror Of Europe was not slow
to take advantage of this opportunity
to further strain our relations with
England. He at once announced to
the American minister that the de-
crees of Berlin and Milan, aimed at
neutral commerce, were revoked and
that America would be expected to re-
olire England to d olikeWiSe.
This Of course could have but one
meaning. A break with England was
the price we were to pay for the in
diligence of the Great Emperor. Not
withstanding the fact that Napoleon
issued no edict revoking the DEGREES
referred, to President Madison, never
theless, with most surprising credull-
ty, fastened to announce that the
French had withdrawn their blockade,
and called upon England to do like
wise on or before a day certain, as
! named. This England declined to Go
| on the mere statement of the crafty
/ Bonaparte, and President Madison was
forced to revive the Non-Intercourse
Act against her, thus widening the
breach which must soon burst into
open war Napoleon did not revoke
his decree, and never intended to do
| On To continual tn cOnfScotp Amer
lean vessels and cargoes in European
ports. But he had accomplished his
purpose in bringing America and Brit
ain to the brink of war.
The converting of congress in the
fall of 1911 brought some new and
more vigorous blood to leadership in
! the national councils. The appeared