Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-03-16
A Precedent for Armed Action

n kOH AfkHlGO ACtNO1l
To bis address to Congress, asking
for wei to arm merchantmen and
protect American rights, President
Wilson reminded Congress that there
Is abundant American precedent" for
such action. Precedent is not only
abundant, but specific. There is to be
found in the early history of the Re-
public a curious parallel between the
present situation, which has made
armed neutrality necessary, and the
way in which similar action was
made possible, despite the opposition
of a faction 10 an earlier Congress
which was swayed by an alien inter-
est.
After Washington had set the Ma
ton on a neutral course and had re-
tired from the Presidency war was in
progress between Great Britain, our
former foe, and France, our former
friend and ally. Both nations began
preying upon our commerce, but of
the two France was the more offensive.
The corrupt Directory was in power;
Napoleon was winning his first vic
tories, and French arrogance knew no
bounds. The government refused to
receive our minister, American shipping
was %ruthlessly seized, our citizens
we're mistreated and the nation insult
ed.
President Adams resented all this,
but realized that we were practically
powerless. We had no navy, the army
was enfeebled, aud the country was
divided in sympathy: Accordingly
Adams still tried to preserve peace by
negotiations, and sent three commits
sioners to Paris to treat with the un-
scrupulous TalIeyrand. AT the same
time Adams called a special session of
Congress to put the Nation in a state of
defense. The American commissioners
were further insulted by the French
Government, which made it quite clear
that we were expected to buy immunity
for our commerce by paying blackmail.
1t was IN answer to these demands
that Thomas Pinckney made his cele-
brated declarations: 1--WE will spend
millions for defense, but not oae cent
for tribute"
Adams laid the matter before Con-
gress, and there was a demand for
war from the Federalists. Jefferson
and his party opposed such action. The
correctness of the Presidents report
was questioned. Then Alexander Ham
ilton had his followers pass a resolution
demanding to see the correspondence
between the American commissioners
and Talleyrand's bride solicitors. The
names were omitted, but the whole
story of insult and attem pied black
mail was published. The entire Ma
ton was aroused; craftsmanship almost
disappeared; "Hail, Columbia" and
"Adams and Liberty, " set TO the music
now used for 1.-THE Star Spangled Ban
ner,n became the val songs of Nation
resolved to defend itself against French
aggressions.
Congress passed emergency defense
laws at once, one of them creating the
Navy Department.; others provided
for the building and purchasing of war
ships; still others for the arming of mer-
chantmen, and authorizing them to de-
fend themselves from attack. The
Army was to be r~eorganized and Wash
ington was called from his retirement
to take command. Our treaty with
France was abrogsted, and onr first
Navy put to sea. It included the
frigates United States, Constitution
and Constellation. This last named
vessel, which, along with the other
frigates, had been the laughing stock
of the French and English navies, at
tackled and captured the French frig.
ate L'Insurgente and before the trouble
ended eighty-four French vessels were
captured by the American Navy. In
the face of such resolute action France
was brought to terms. There was nc
declaration of war, but nothing but
armed neutrality on our part and
complete backdown on the part Of
France prevented it. Before long
France was ready to receive an Amer
lean Minister aud to treat Americs
with that respect due a nation.-Brook'
lyn Eagle.