The Great War Syndicate | Page 2

streets to meet their fellow-men. What was it
that they should do?
Detailed accounts of the affair came rapidly, but there was nothing in
them to quiet the national indignation; the American flag had been
hauled down by Englishmen, an American naval vessel had been fired
into and captured; that was enough! No matter whether the Eliza Drum
was within the three-mile limit or not! No matter which vessel fired
first! If it were the Lennehaha, the more honour to her; she ought to
have done it! From platform, pulpit, stump, and editorial office came
one vehement, passionate shout directed toward Washington.
Congress was in session, and in its halls the fire roared louder and
blazed higher than on mountain or plain, in city or prairie. No member
of the Government, from President to page, ventured to oppose the
tempestuous demands of the people. The day for argument upon the
exciting question had been a long weary one, and it had gone by in less
than a week the great shout of the people was answered by a
declaration of war against Great Britain.
When this had been done, those who demanded war breathed easier,
but those who must direct the war breathed harder.
It was indeed a time for hard breathing, but the great mass of the people
perceived no reason why this should be. Money there was in vast
abundance. In every State well-drilled men, by thousands, stood ready
for the word to march, and the military experience and knowledge
given by a great war was yet strong upon the nation.

To the people at large the plan of the war appeared a very obvious and
a very simple one. Canada had given the offence, Canada should be
made to pay the penalty. In a very short time, one hundred thousand,
two hundred thousand, five hundred thousand men, if necessary, could
be made ready for the invasion of Canada. From platform, pulpit,
stump, and editorial office came the cry: "On to Canada!"
At the seat of Government, however, the plan of the war did not appear
so obvious, so simple. Throwing a great army into Canada was all well
enough, and that army would probably do well enough; but the
question which produced hard breathing in the executive branch of the
Government was the immediate protection of the sea-coast, Atlantic,
Gulf, and even Pacific.
In a storm of national indignation war had been declared against a
power which at this period of her history had brought up her naval
forces to a point double in strength to that of any other country in the
world. And this war had been declared by a nation which,
comparatively speaking, possessed no naval strength at all.
For some years the United States navy had been steadily improving, but
this improvement was not sufficient to make it worthy of reliance at
this crisis. As has been said, there was money enough, and every
ship-yard in the country could be set to work to build ironclad
men-of-war: but it takes a long time to build ships, and England's navy
was afloat. It was the British keel that America had to fear.
By means of the continental cables it was known that many of the
largest mail vessels of the British transatlantic lines, which had been
withdrawn upon the declaration of war, were preparing in British ports
to transport troops to Canada. It was not impossible that these great
steamers might land an army in Canada before an American army could
be organized and marched to that province. It might be that the United
States would be forced to defend her borders, instead of invading those
of the enemy.
In every fort and navy-yard all was activity; the hammering of iron
went on by day and by night; but what was to be done when the great

ironclads of England hammered upon our defences? How long would it
be before the American flag would be seen no more upon the high
seas?
It is not surprising that the Government found its position one of
perilous responsibility. A wrathful nation expected of it more than it
could perform.
All over the country, however, there were thoughtful men, not
connected with the Government, who saw the perilous features of the
situation; and day by day these grew less afraid of being considered
traitors, and more willing to declare their convictions of the country's
danger. Despite the continuance of the national enthusiasm, doubts,
perplexities, and fears began to show themselves.
In the States bordering upon Canada a reactionary feeling became
evident. Unless the United States navy could prevent England from
rapidly pouring into Canada, not only her own troops, but perhaps
those of allied nations, these Northern States might become the scene
of warfare, and whatever the issue of