NORTH AMERICA, CIRCA 1812
PART I - The Reluctant Minority
Timeline- 1783 - The Treaty of Paris ends the American Revolution. The United States of America is officially recognized by the government of Great Britain.
- 1800 - The Third Treaty of San Il Defonso sees Spain return the colonial territory of Louisiana to France.
- 1803 - Spain finally relinquishes control of Louisiana to France. Fifteen days later, the French Emperor Napoleon sells the territory to the United States for $15,000,000.
- 1807 - 1812 - American anger towards Great Britain grows as Royal Navy ships board U.S. Navy ships searching for deserters and for cargo being sent to Napoleonic France which is at war with Britain.
- 1808 - James Madison is elected President of the United States, succeeding Thomas Jefferson.
- 1810 - Several "Warhawk" politicians are elected to the U.S. Congress. Prominent among these are John C. Calhoun and Henry Clay.
- June 18, 1812 - The United States declares war on Great Britain. This measure, pushed through by the Warhawks is vehemently opposed by the Federalist-controlled New England states which depend upon British trade and share a border with British North America (aka Canada).
THE WHITE HOUSE - WASHINGTON, DC, June 25, 1812:
"This is preposterous!" thundered Henry Clay. The man to whom he was speaking - or rather shouting at - was the President of the United States, James Madison.
Madison frowned and cast an eye at Secretary of War William Eustis. "Have you anything to say for your fellow New Englanders, William?"
Eustis sighed and grimaced. "I can certainly understand their opposition to the war. We men of Massachusetts depend in large part on trade for our livelihoods and though the war in Europe has been bad for business, at least we weren't facing outright blockade by the Royal Navy."
Clay's face grew redder. Over Clay's shoulder lurked his compatriot, the equally fiery John C. Calhoun. Madison spoke up lest one of the two young congressmen jump in again. "Mr. Speaker," he said calmly to Clay, "I'm sure you know that in a government such as ours, which endeavors to represent peoples of diverse needs and wishes, such conflicts as these are sure to arise."
Clay opened his mouth, but it was Calhoun whose voice was heard first, "Conflict indeed! This is treason, pure and simple!"
Madison shook his head. Had he once been this young and full of self-righteousness? He remembered that when he had been the age of these two so-called "warhawks" the not-yet-independent United States had also been battling the British and he remembered many a confrontational exchange in Congress. The question was how to defuse the situation.
Eustis spoke again. "Treason is a strong word. The Constitution does not require the states to muster their militia at the beck and call of the Federal Government, gentlemen." He nodded towards Madison, "As our president surely knows."
Madison had helped craft the Constitution and knew this all too well. But the fact that the New England states were not only refusing to call up their militia to help prosecute the freshly-born war against the British, but were also openly discussing seceding from the American Union? Well, it was as near treason as you could get. Still, he knew that he had to appear fair and balanced and act as the President of the entire United States. And, to be honest, he was against the war himself.
"Gentlemen, let's discuss this rationally..."