The Dominion's Dilemma: The United States of British America

by James Devine

  The Residency

  July 14, 1833

  12:00 noon:

  Wellington had been enjoying supper at the French Consulate when the Southern commissioners dropped their explosive news on the G-G. As Van Buren and the Duke were working in much closer concert than Jackson had preferred, Wellington’s whereabouts were no mystery. A messenger had been sent and a late night meeting arranged.

  The Southern commissioners’ meeting with Wellington and his aides, Bratton and Sir John, this morning had therefore been somewhat prima forma: the Duke received the delegation stony-faced and expressed real emotion---anger---only at the Southerners’ sneering dismissal of Parliament’s authority to arbitrarily enact Empire-wide legislation.

  The Duke and Sir John were now in the G-G’s office with Van Buren’s version of a kitchen cabinet: Blair, Cass, new A-G Butler, and Colonel Burr. General Scott, though not officially a member, was also in attendance, due to the military ramifications.

  Wellington was blunt in his direction: Van Buren was to take whatever steps were necessary, including the use of force, to maintain control. He was authorized to call for volunteers, as London would be unable to provide military help in the foreseeable future. However, the Government still held out hope of a negotiated settlement.

  “You gentlemen should be aware that the Syrian crisis has entered a new and more delicate phase,” he added. “Word was received from London some time ago that the Egyptians have retreated. Apparently, this Pasha Ali, once the Russians finally located him, took one look at General Mikailov’s artillery and decided he didn’t really need to worship at the Mosque of St. Sophia after all…

  “The situation now is the one that fool of a Sultan should have thought of before he asked the Russkis in: how does he now get them out? It may be summer, but if I know the Bear, he’s hibernating already…”

  Wellington looked at the grimly chuckling group. “However, that is not our problem. The mask is now off: the real question is before us. This is, no more or no less, a struggle for political power. Are you gentlemen convinced the Southerners will see this through? Or, as Sir John here feels, is this a desperate ploy now that they’ve realized the other sections are in favor of emancipation in some form or other?”

  The new G-G was nodding his head vigorously and affirmatively. “They mean to see this through, Sir. They’ve gone too far with this declaration to back down now. Their antique code of honor will not allow them to capitulate, though it would allow them to graciously accept our capitulation…”

  Blair now stood and addressed Wellington. “I’m afraid the G-G is right. You yourself hit the nail on the head, Your Grace. This is a struggle for political power. If the South capitulates without a fight, they lose more than their slaves. They lose any hope of maintaining or reviving their dwindling power here in Georgetown by bringing Texas and the rest of the Mexican Southwest into the Dominion as states bonded to them. After all, just as slavery is the common bond tying the Border States to the South, so it would be with the Southwest. Take slavery out of the equation and what would those wild, untamed lands stretching from the Red River to the Pacific have in common with South Carolina?”

  Colonel Burr was chuckling, which seemed somehow to annoy Blair: “You disagree, Colonel?”

  “Certainly not, Frank. It simply strikes me as the ultimate irony in this catastrophe: the South threatening to secede in part because of its intention to extend slavery to the Southwest.”

  He flashed his now-familiar mischievous grin: “Doesn’t it strike you gentlemen as ironic that they seem determined to fight the rest of the Dominion over land that we do not rule in order to plant their peculiar institution where it may well be economically-impracticable? Who’s to say if the soil out there is suitable for raising cotton and tobacco?

  “If their damned,” he nodded at the G-G, “antique code of honor hadn’t gotten, as usual, in the way, they’ve have stood a good chance of squeezing a long-term exemption from Andy’s emancipation convention. And based on the Duke’s word from Syria, London would have been forced to go along.”

  He grinned again, this time at Wellington. “After all, that 23-million pounds Exchequer wouldn’t have had to send over here could instead have very nicely financed whatever action may have to be taken against the Russians. Come to think on it, it seems in any case that it will…”

  The Duke cleared his throat loudly. “Yes, Colonel, an interesting perspective…” He cleared his throat again.

  “However, I’m more interested at this moment in hearing the plans for putting an end to this so-called secession business. Mr. Governor-General…”

  Van Buren was cautiously firm: “Actually, Your Grace, there is little in the way of immediate action that we can do. We certainly cannot override their right to free assembly, so they can meet unimpeded. And their right of free speech allows them to label such meetings anything they wish, including a ‘constitutional convention’ or whatever they will now term their infamous caucus. We can, you realize, move against them only if or when they attempt to interfere with such Dominion business as tariff collection or the postal service…”

  “Or when they attempt to seize Dominion property such as arsenals or coastal forts.” Scott had been silent throughout the meeting. “Reinforcing such facilities of military significance is something we can do immediately, Sir.”

  Now Cass, despite his bad leg, was ponderously getting to his feet. “I’m not sure if that’s such a good idea, Mr. Governor. Might be seen as a provocation, actually goad them into doing something calamitous…”

  The damn fool, Scott thought. Damn politicians. The hell with it…

  “Calamitous, Mr. Secretary? They’ve already announced they’ve seceded. Do you think they’re going to wait for us to hand over the keys to Fortress Monroe or the Harper’s Ferry arsenal? If we don’t reinforce our military installations throughout the upper South right now, you’ll see some damn banner floating over them by fall in place of the Stars and Stripes. And then we’ll have to go back down and retake them…”

  Cass fired back, glaring at his old rival. “You’re insubordinate, General. It’s not your place to argue policy. You’ve overstepped your bounds…”

  “Then what the hell am I doing here, Mr. Secretary?”

  “That will be enough, gentlemen.” Matty Van’s voice was low but surprisingly commanding. Scott, who had seemed poised---at least in the Colonel’s approving view---to throw Cass out the open window and onto The Residency lawn, stepped back. The icy blue eyes, however, continued to drill into the Secretary’s face.

  The G-G looked from one combatant to the other: “Your points are both well-taken. However, you’ll recall the Duke’s opening remarks, which I choose to take as London’s explicit direction: maintain control.”

  He now expanded his gaze to include the others in the room. “I believe reinforcing the garrisons falls under that directive. General Scott will proceed to reinforce in an orderly and understated manner. No provocative show of force; just beef up their defenses.

  “Meanwhile, we will continue to negotiate but will refrain from calling for volunteers unless or until this Southern caucus, or whatever they will be branding themselves, makes a belligerent gesture.” He could see Wellington precipitously nod his head, the eyes glowing.

  Ben Butler, the new Attorney General, however, wasn’t satisfied: “I beg your pardon, Mr. Governor, but could you, ah, define ‘negotiate’?”

  Van Buren smiled for the first time: “Perhaps that is too definitive a word, Benjamin. Continue to talk might better express my intention…”

  “Are you quite sure about that, Matty?”

  Every head, including Wellington’s, turned to look at Burr. While he had regularly contributed his views, till now he had never questioned Van Buren---or Jackson---directly. “Why just continue to talk? Why not continue with the emancipation convention preparations as if this Southern manifesto had never been delivered?”

  Butler began to
smile as the logic of Burr’s proposal dawned. “Yes, Colonel, I believe I see your point. By continuing with the convention preparations while ‘continuing to talk,’ we demonstrate to the people their government’s continued willingness and commitment to compromise. We cast the Southerners as aggressors while we simultaneously carry out London’s direction to negotiate.

  “A fine idea, Colonel, I endorse it.”

  Wellington rose, a small smile on his face. “I asked for this meeting, gentlemen, to ascertain your response to this crisis. I shall write London that the authorities in Georgetown are committed to a peaceful solution, but are taking prudent steps to cover any eventuality. Now, I am due at the Liaison Office. I’m told there was another ship due at RNS Baltimore late yesterday with further word from Syria. It also, apparently, is carrying a report on this Russian agent. Seems the chap caused a small commotion in London on his way here...”

  After the G-G walked the Duke into the hallway, he returned to address the group: “All right, gentlemen. I’m happy Wellington got a taste of the American method of decision-making. Rather more democratic than he is accustomed to, I daresay…”

  The reactions of the others ranged from Scott’s grunt to the Colonel’s outright laugh.

  “Well now: Benjamin, your department should proceed with the convention preparations…

  “I trust you and General Scott, Lewis, can proceed to reinforce the garrisons without ‘goading’ those temperamental Southerners unnecessarily...

  “It will fall to you, Frank, to keep tabs on this caucus of theirs. We need to know if they’re turning it into a provisional rebel government of sorts.”

  The G-G’s face was hard in a way only his fellow New Yorkers had seen it before. “That will be the signal, you realize. Once they create positions and name men to them: that will be the crossing of the Rubicon. We must pray they remain perched on the far bank…”

  ___________

  State Capitol Building

  Richmond, Virginia

  July 17, 1833:

  General Gaines had met privately with the Southern commissioners last Saturday, shortly after their unpleasant Wellington meeting. That same day, he had accompanied them back to Richmond, leaving word of his whereabouts only with Lieutenant Beaufort.

  At the start of today’s military organizational meeting, he had reassured the other members of the ‘War Department’ committee Calhoun---in his capacity as provisional leader of the temporary Southern government---had appointed, that his absence from Georgetown would probably not be noted for some days. “Scott won’t miss me, that’s for certain,” he said bitterly. “That damn traitor hasn’t given me anything meaningful to do since I reported in from Florida two years ago.”

  “Are we certain that Scott is not with us?” asked Senator Rives, who was chairing the committee (and knew full well the answer).

  Jaws dropped across the table as Gaines briefly outlined the USBA War Department working papers he had obtained through Lieutenant Beaufort. “So, gentlemen, you can trust me that Scott has as little sympathy for the South as Daniel Webster…”

  The meeting proceeded to the question of coalescing the seceding states’ individual militias and volunteers into one or more unified armies.

  Across Richmond, similar committees were working on, among other things, a constitution; procurement of a treasury; a structure of operational government; naval development and diplomatic policy for the newly declared entity calling itself the “Confederate States of America.”

  A final committee was preparing options concerning relations with the British Government.

  ___________

  Liaison Office

  Georgetown, D.C.

  July 23, 1833, 12:30 p.m.:

  A large map of the eastern portion of North America, with key USBA military installations carefully identified, had been placed on an easel in Wellington’s office. The Duke and Captain Bratton were discussing the question of USBA Army defense of those in the Upper South when Sir John appeared at the door.

  “A delegation, Your Grace, identifying itself as the ‘Confederate States Imperial Relations Commission’ seeks a meeting. There are three, ah, gentlemen in all, headed by John Tyler…”

  Wellington’s mouth curved downward and his eyes narrowed. He took a deep breath as he shook his head from side-to-side angrily, glaring at Burrell. “I’ll not recognize any such ‘Commission.’ Great God! The impudence of these fellows!”

  He walked to the window and stared out, while Bratton made a silent motion for Burrell to remain. The Duke turned the matter over in his mind for several minutes before pivoting.

  “Tell Mr. Tyler and these other chaps, Sir John, that as His Majesty’s Government does not recognize any such entity so identified, there can be no formal meeting.

  “However, as the Liaison Office is in business to coordinate the relationship between the Government and its North American subjects, I will be pleased to meet informally. If they wish to accede to those conditions, you may show them in…” He paused and nodded affirmatively, the beak nose bobbing up and down.

  “At 1:30 p.m.”

  The Liaison’s political chief exchanged tart smiles with Bratton and bowed. “Certainly, Your Grace. If those conditions are acceptable, I will usher them in after they’ve…what’s the American colloquial? ‘Cooled their heels,’ I believe…for 55 minutes.”

  ___________

  Considering the sweltering Georgetown weather that heated up the Liaison Office to near combustible temperature, the meeting was, as Burrell later remarked to his crony Senator Webster, “singularly cold.”

  The Confederate commissioners---though Wellington repeatedly refused to recognize them as such---offered what amounted to a take it-or-leave it proposition:

  “The states of Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana, as well as the territories of Arkansas and Florida, have formally severed their voluntary relationship with the USBA, Sir,” spokesman Tyler announced. “Whether the fore-mentioned states, which have formed a new government we have tentatively named the Confederate States of America, remain a part of the British Empire as an autonomous dominion or become an independent nation is contingent upon a single, non-negotiable issue: property rights as they have been traditionally defined.”

  The gaunt, goateed Virginian paused as if expecting a response. Seeing Wellington simply staring inscrutably at him, Tyler hurried on:

  “The CSA requires a total exemption, in perpetuity, from the legislation now before Parliament requiring the mandatory emancipation of all slaves in the Empire.” He paused again momentarily before adding:

  “This exemption once agreed to, will allow for the discussion and resolution of other issues of concern to the CSA: chief among them the question of foreign policy initiatives directly affecting our citizens.”

  ___________

  Indian Queen Hotel

  July 23, 1833, 6:00 p.m.

  “When Tyler finished, the silence in the room was…” Burrell reported to Webster that evening in the Indian Queen’s taproom, “…profound.

  “Not a muscle moved in His Grace’s face for what seemed a bloody eternity. The, ah, commissioners began to fidget. One of the others---can’t recall the chap’s name---opened his mouth at one point as if to speak, but apparently thought the better of it.

  “The Duke finally rose from his chair and walked to the window. He remained looking out towards The Residency for some further time. Finally, he turned and, with his hands folded behind him---no doubt so the Southerners couldn’t see his clenched fists---spoke in a tone best described as ‘uncompromising’:

  He had met earlier in the month with another informal delegation. Perhaps he had not cogently expressed the position of His Majesty’s Government: strict adherence to the Colonial Compact. Under its terms, the government now permanently established in Georgetown is recognized as the sole representative governing body of the British American people, b
oth domestically and imperially. In perpetuity.

  “When it became obvious that the Duke was finished; had no intention of considering, let alone discussing, their ‘non-negotiable’ demands, Tyler gathered up his papers and rose from his seat.”

  “After his fellow commissioners followed his example, he addressed the Duke in formal tones:

  There would be no further attempt by the CSA to reach a settlement. The terms of the Colonial Compact having been violated by both London and Georgetown, it was now declared by the South to be null-and-void. His people wished only to be left in peace to conduct their own affairs in their own way. However, any attempt by either London or Georgetown to subjugate the South would be resisted, by means of armed force if necessary.

  “Without another word, the Southerners turned and marched out of the building.”

  ___________

  Webster shook his head. “They’ve lost touch with reality. Calhoun’s mesmerized them all. The damn fools…”

  Burrell smiled. “The Duke’s thoughts, exactly. In fact, he paraphrased something General Scott apparently told him some time ago. It seems you have a saying, some of you: ‘South Carolina: too small to be a nation; too large to be an insane asylum.’ His Grace now thinks the asylum needs to be expanded…”

  The Massachusetts Senator downed his drink and called for another.

  “Well, Sir John. They’re still too small to be a nation… Unfortunately, it looks likely it will take quite a large quantity of blood to demonstrate their insanity…”

  ___________

  War Department

  Georgetown, D.C.

  August 8, 1833:

  The abrupt, though anticipated, resignation of Luke Beaufort on August 1st had strained the Department’s already taunt workforce, especially as two non-commissioned officers (one unexpectedly) had also gone South.