The Second War with England, Vol. 1 of 2Headley, Joel Tyler
History
The Second War with England, Vol. 1 of 2
Headley, Joel Tyler
United States -- History -- War of 1812
of the opposition, and yet this soul, full of deep thought and
slumbering fire, looked apparently cold and indifferent on the strife
that was rending the nation asunder. Did not this conduct grow out of
a sense of duty and of patriotism? He could not do less, as a
representative of Federalism, than offer resolutions of inquiry, and
without turning traitor to his constituents, he could not do more for
the administration. Did not that judgment, on whose decisions the
nation afterwards so implicitly relied, tell him even then that his
country was right and his teachers wrong on the great question of war
or no war, and did not that grand heart, which heaved like the
swelling sea when he spoke of the glorious Union, even then revolt at
the disloyal attitude of New England? If this be not true, then his
conduct is wholly inexplicable and contradictory to his after life.
The first session of the Thirteenth Congress continued till August 2d,
when it adjourned to December. In the mean time, a direct tax,
amounting to $3,000,000, apportioned to the eighteen different states,
was laid. A bounty of $25 was voted to privateers for every prisoner
taken, and heavy penalties were placed on the use of British licenses,
and provisions made to raise ten companies for the defence of the sea
coast. The disasters of our northern army, during this autumn,
increased the boldness of the Federalists, and a paper of Boston
openly advocated the proposition for each state to take care of
itself, fight its own battles, and make its own terms. Governor
Chittenden of Vermont, attempted to recall a brigade of militia,
appointed to garrison Burlington, during Hampton's march into Canada,
on the ground it had been unconstitutionally ordered out. The
commander and a part of the brigade refused, when the former was put
under arrest. The Legislature of New Hampshire, in order to get rid of
the democratic judges, appointed by Langdon and Plumer, abolished all
the courts in the state, and constructed an entirely new system, with
new judges. To this high-handed measure the democratic judges refused
to submit, and held court sessions as formerly, side by side with the
new judges. In those counties where the sheriff was democratic, their
decision was sustained by this functionary, confusing and confounding
every thing. By such measures, party spirit was inflamed to the
highest pitch, dividing friends and families and societies. It became
a frenzy, a madness, obliterating, in many parts of New England, all
traces of former urbanity, justice, affection and courtesy. The
appellation of Democrat and Federalist, applied to one or the other,
converted him, in his opponent's eye, into a monster. The charge of
highway robbery, rape or murder would not have been more instantaneous
and direful in its effect. The Boston papers advocated the most
monstrous doctrines, creating great anxiety and solicitude at
Washington. But soon as the New England line was crossed, passing west
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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