Alida; or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War.
Page 43
CHAPTER IV.
Still may the soaring eagle's quenchless eye, Watch o'er our favour'd country, brave and free, Where the bright stars and stripes in honour wave, The sacred emblems of our liberty.
[M. W. Beck: "The Ballot-Box" (song). Here quoted from _The United States magazine and Democratic review_, Volume 5, 1839. Last verse:
Let your eagle's quenchless eye, Fixed, unerring, sleepless, bright, Watch, when danger hovers nigh, From his lofty mountain height; While the stripes and stars shall wave O'er this treasure, pure and free, The land's Palladium, it shall save The home and shrine of liberty.]
Many disagreeable circumstances now combined to disturb the happytranquillity of the American government. "A war had for some timeexisted between France and England. America had endeavoured to maintaina neutrality, and peacefully to continue a commerce with both nations.Jealousies, however, arose between the contending powers with respect tothe conduct of America, and events occurred calculated to injure hercommerce and disturb her peace.
[_Interesting Events_: Second War:
The remote causes of the second War with Great Britain appear to have arisen from the war existing between that power and France. America endeavored to maintain a strict neutrality, and peaceably to continue a commerce with them. Jealousies, however, arose between the contending powers, with respect to the conduct of America, and events occurred, calculated to injure her commerce, and to disturb her peace.]
"Decrees were first issued by the French government preventing theAmerican flag from trading with the enemy; these were followed by theBritish orders in council, no less extensive than the former in design,and equally repugnant to the laws of nations. In addition to thesecircumstances, a cause of irritation existed sometime between the UnitedStates and Great Britain. This was the right of search claimed by GreatBritain as one of her prerogatives. To take her native subjects,wherever found, for her navy, and to search American vessels for thatpurpose. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of the American government,the officers of the British navy were not unfrequently seen seizingnative British subjects who had voluntarily enlisted on board ourvessels, and had also impressed into the British service some thousandsof American seamen.
[_Interesting Events_: Second War:
The Berlin Decree of 1806, and that of Milan, in the succeeding year, (both issued by the French government, to prevent the American flag from trading with their enemy,) were followed by the British Orders in Council; no less extensive than the former, in the design, and equally repugnant to, the law of nations. In addition to these circumstances, a cause of irritation existed some time between the United States and Great Britain. This was the right of search, claimed by Great Britain, as one of her prerogatives. This was to take her native born subjects, wherever found, for her navy, and to search American vessels for that purpose. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of the American government, the officers of the British navy, were not unfrequently seizing native born British subjects, who had voluntarily enlisted on board of our vessels, and had also impressed into the British service some thousands of American seamen.]
"In consequence of the British and French decrees, a general capture ofall American property on the seas seemed almost inevitable. Congress,therefore, on the recommendation of the president, laid an embargo onall vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States.
[_Interesting Events_: Second War:
In consequence of the British and French decrees, a general capture of all American property on the seas seemed almost inevitable. Congress, therefore, on the recommendation of the President, on the 22d of December, 1807, laid an embargo on all vessels within the jurisdiction of the United States.]
"In a moment, the commerce of the American republic, from being, inpoint of extent, the second in the world, was reduced to a coastingtrade between the individual states. The opposition to the act inseveral of the states was so great that they unanimously declaredagainst it, and individuals throughout the whole seized everyopportunity of infringement; therefore Congress thought proper to repealthe embargo law, and substituted a non-intercourse with France andEngland."
[_Interesting Events_: Second War (quoting "Grimshaw's Hist. U. States"):
"In a moment, the commerce of the American Republic, from being, in point of extent, the second in the world, was reduced to a coasting trade between the individual States." The opposition to the act in several States was so great, that they declared against it, and individuals throughout the whole, seized every opportunity of infringement. In 1809 Congress repealed the embargo law, and substituted a non-intercourse with France and England.]
It was now generally expected that the session in Congress, with thedecision of the president, would eventually terminate in actualhostilities. The difficulties the chief executive had to encounterwere many and perplexing, being fully convinced, under existingcircumstances, that the Americans must engage in combat after all. Hetherefore knew it to be necessary to rouse the feelings of the Americanpeople, to realize, more clearly than they did, the true situation oftheir country, that they might be prepared for the approaching crisisthat he believed unavoidable.
[_A&M_:
The troubles which gave rise to the disseveration of England from America had already commenced, which broke out the ensuing spring into actual hostilities.]
[_Lives of Signers_: Hancock of Massachusetts:
The difficulties which he had to encounter were many and perplexing.]
[_Lives of Signers_: John Adams of Massachusetts:
Being fully convinced ... that "they must fight after all," he felt it to be necessary to rouse the feelings of the delegates from other colonies, to realize, more clearly and more correctly than they did, the true situation of their country. This he saw was indispensable, that they might be prepared for that distressing crisis of their political affairs, which it was obvious was approaching; and which he even then, with a few others, believed was unavoidable.]
This period was full of anxiety and danger. A war was deprecated by allthe leading patriots of the day; they were fully persuaded that it musttake place; they therefore unitedly determined to prepare for the stormin the best manner they were able. All material business was in a mannersuspended in New-York; the face of things wore a dismal aspect, and thegreater part of the community were in dismay. A heavy gloom hung overthe inhabitants generally, while all their affairs appeared in adeclining state, discouraging to the industry and best prospects of thepeople.
[_Lives of Signers_: John Adams of Massachusetts:
The period was full of anxiety and danger.]
[_Lives of Signers_: Gerry of Massachusetts:
A civil war was deprecated by all the leading patriots of that day. But the measures which the British government had long pursued towards the colonies, had fully persuaded them that it must take place.... and they unitedly determined to prepare for the storm in the best manner they were able.]
[_Alida_ page 143 (chapter XVIII):
All business of importance, at this time, was in a manner suspended in New-York; the face of things wore a dismal aspect, and the greater part of the community were in dismay; occasioned by the continuance of hostilities with Great Britain. All appeared in a declining state, discouraging to the industry and best prospects of the inhabitants.]
Alida's father was no friend to political controversy, yet he passedmuch of his time in conversing with his friends on the present affairsof America. He knew that party spirit and animosity existed more or lessat this time, and that he must consequently often meet with those ofopposite opinions; yet his honest and patriotic zeal for the good of hiscountry still remained the same. He was attached to liberty fromprinciple; he had talents to discriminate and see into the justice ofthe measures of government; his retirement gave him full opportunity toreflect on them seriously, and solve
them in his own mind, and see theirabsolute necessity, in order to maintain the honour, freedom, andindependence of the American nation. Would the same wisdom in thegovernment continue that had so nobly preserved us since ourindependence? But he had no reason at present to suppose otherwise, andthat he who now guided the helm of affairs, was one of steady anduncorrupt principles, of stable character, altogether uninfluenced byany sinister views, and was willing to sacrifice his individual reposefor the noble purpose, and with the hope of settling it again on thenation, with a firmer basis, at some future period, when the expectedcontest should be decided.
[_NY Weekly_: "Champagneaux" in "Anecdotes and Remains of Persons Connected with the French Revolution":
He ... was attached to liberty from principle, at a time, and in a country, when it was not unusual to be so, from mere speculation!]
What feelings of commotion and deep anxiety must agitate the bosom ofthe magnanimous hero who is labouring truly for the interest of hiscountry, and is actuated alternately by the claims of justice andhumanity, and on whom a whole community must depend for council in casesof severe emergency, when his chief satisfaction consists in promotingthe interest and welfare of that community. When the hour of exigencyarrives, his mind, endued with the light of piety, feels its ownlittleness, his weighty thoughts are big with the impending danger thatno human arm may be able to arrest. Impressed with religious awe, andfeeling conscious of his dependence for aid on the all-wise Disposer ofevents, he bends in humble supplication to implore the favour of thatgreat and beneficent Being whose power alone can save, and in whosemighty arm alone is victory.
[["(All-wise) Disposer of events" was a stock phrase.]]
The father of Alida received regular intelligence by the daily papersrespecting the political excitement in New-York; besides, he madefrequent visits to the city to see his several children, as one of hisdaughters had resided there since her marriage. There was every kind ofconveyance at the neighbouring village suited to the accommodation oftravellers, both summer and winter, and the rapid improvement of thetown had long been a current topic of the inhabitants as well asvisiters, while they praised the proprietor of the new pavilion, in hismanner of conducting it, and his excellent accommodations; and it wasthe general opinion that in the course of a few years this would becomea place of no small consideration.