the great war syndicate-第2章

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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　the　contest；

their　lands　might　be　ravished；　their　people　suffer。

　　　

From　many　quarters　urgent　demands　were　now　pressed

upon　the　Government。　　From　the　interior　there　were

clamours　for　troops　to　be　massed　on　the　Northern

frontier；　and　from　the　seaboard　cities　there　came　a　cry

for　ships　that　were　worthy　to　be　called　men…of…war；

ships　to　defend　the　harbours　and　bays；　ships　to　repel

an　invasion　by　sea。　　Suggestions　were　innumerable。　

There　was　no　time　to　build；　it　was　urged；　the

Government　could　call　upon　friendly　nations。　　But　wise

men　smiled　sadly　at　these　suggestions；　it　was　difficult

to　find　a　nation　desirous　of　a　war　with　England。

　　　

In　the　midst　of　the　enthusiasms；　the　fears；　and　the

suggestions；　came　reports　of　the　capture　of

American　merchantmen　by　fast　British　cruisers。　　These

reports　made　the　American　people　more　furious；　the

American　Government　more　anxious。

　　　

Almost　from　the　beginning　of　this　period　of

national　turmoil；　a　party　of　gentlemen　met　daily　in　one

of　the　large　rooms　in　a　hotel　in　New　York。　　At　first

there　were　eleven　of　these　men；　all　from　the　great

Atlantic　cities；　but　their　number　increased　by　arrivals

from　other　parts　of　the　country；　until　at　last　they；

numbered　twenty…three。　　These　gentlemen　were　all　great

capitalists；　and　accustomed　to　occupying　themselves

with　great　enterprises。　　By　day　and　by　night　they　met

together　with　closed　doors；　until　they　had　matured　the

scheme　which　they　had　been　considering。　　As　soon　as

this　work　was　done；　a　committee　was　sent　to　Washington；

to　submit　a　plan　to　the　Government。

　　　

These　twenty…three　men　had　formed　themselves　into　a

Syndicate；　with　the　object　of　taking　entire　charge　of

the　war　between　the　United　States　and　Great　Britain。

　　　

This　proposition　was　an　astounding　one；　but　the

Government　was　obliged　to　treat　it　with　respectful

consideration。　　The　men　who　offered　it　were　a　power

in　the　land；a　power　which　no　government　could　afford

to　disregard。

　　　

The　plan　of　the　Syndicate　was　comprehensive；

direct；　and　simple。　　It　offered　to　assume　the　entire

control　and　expense　of　the　war；　and　to　effect　a

satisfactory　peace　within　one　year。　　As　a　guarantee

that　this　contract　would　be　properly　performed；　an

immense　sum　of　money　would　be　deposited　in　the　Treasury

at　Washington。　　Should　the　Syndicate　be　unsuccessful；

this　sum　would　be　forfeited；　and　it　would　receive　no

pay　for　anything　it　had　done。

　　　

The　sum　to　be　paid　by　the　Government　to　the

Syndicate；　should　it　bring　the　war　to　a　satisfactory

conclusion；　would　depend　upon　the　duration　of

hostilities。　　That　is　to　say；　that　as　the　shorter　the

duration　of　the　war；　the　greater　would　be　the　benefit

to　the　country；　therefore；　the　larger　must　be　the　pay

to　the　Syndicate。　　According　to　the　proposed　contract；

the　Syndicate　would　receive；　if　the　war　should　continue

for　a　year；　one…quarter　the　sum　stipulated　to　be　paid

if　peace　should　be　declared　in　three　months。

　　　

If　at　any　time　during　the　conduct　of　the　war　by　the

Syndicate　an　American　seaport　should　be　taken　by

the　enemy；　or　a　British　force　landed　on　any　point　of

the　seacoast；　the　contract　should　be　considered　at　an

end；　and　security　and　payment　forfeited。　　If　any　point

on　the　northern　boundary　of　the　United　States　should　be

taken　and　occupied　by　the　enemy；　one　million　dollars　of

the　deposited　security　should　be　forfeited　for　every

such　occupation；　but　the　contract　should　continue。

　　　

It　was　stipulated　that　the　land　and　naval　forces　of

the　United　States　should　remain　under　the　entire

control　of　the　Government；　but　should　be　maintained　as

a　defensive　force；　and　not　brought　into　action　unless

any　failure　on　the　part　of　the　Syndicate　should　render

such　action　necessary。

　　　

The　state　of　feeling　in　governmental　circles；　and

the　evidences　of　alarm　and　distrust　which　were　becoming

apparent　in　Congress　and　among　the　people；　exerted　an

important　influence　in　favour　of　the　Syndicate。　　The

Government　caught　at　its　proposition；　not　as　if　it　were

a　straw；　but　as　if　it　were　a　life…raft。　　The　men　who

offered　to　relieve　the　executive　departments　of　their

perilous　responsibilities　were　men　of　great　ability；

prominent　positions；　and　vast　resources；　whose

vast　enterprises　had　already　made　them　known　all　over

the　globe。　　Such　men　were　not　likely　to　jeopardize

their　reputations　and　fortunes　in　a　case　like　this；

unless　they　had　well…founded　reasons　for　believing　that

they　would　be　successful。　　Even　the　largest　amount

stipulated　to　be　paid　them　in　case　of　success　would　be

less　than　the　ordinary　estimates　for　the　military　and

naval　operations　which　had　been　anticipated；　and　in

case　of　failure；　the　amount　forfeited　would　go　far　to

repair　the　losses　which　might　be　sustained　by　the

citizens　of　the　various　States。

　　　

At　all　events；　should　the　Syndicate　be　allowed　to

take　immediate　control　of　the　war；　there　would　be　time

to　put　the　army　and　navy；　especially　the　latter；　in

better　condition　to　carry　on　the　contest　in　case　of　the

failure　of　the　Syndicate。　　Organization　and

construction　might　still　go　on；　and；　should　it　be

necessary；　the　army　and　navy　could　step　into　the

contest　fresh　and　well　prepared。

　　　

All　branches　of　the　Government　united　in　accepting

the　offer　of　the　Syndicate。　　The　contract　was　signed；

and　the　world　waited　to　see　what　would　happen　next。



The　influence　which　for　years　had　been　exerted　by

the　interests　controlled　by　the　men　composing　the

Syndicate；　had　its　effect　in　producing　a　popular

confidence　in　the　power　of　the　members　of　the　Syndicate

to　conduct　a　war　as　successfully　as　they　had　conducted

other　gigantic　enterprises。　　Therefore；　although

predictions　of　disaster　came　from　many　quarters；　the

American　public　appeared　willing　to　wait　with　but

moderate　impatience　for　the　result　of　this　novel

undertaking。

　　　

The　Government　now　proceeded　to　mass　troops　at

important　points　on　the　northern　frontier；　forts　were

supplied　with　men　and　armaments；　all　coast　defences

were　put　in　the　best　possible　condition；　the　navy　was

stationed　at　important　ports；　and　work　at　the　ship…

yards　went　on。　　But　without　reference　to　all　this；　the

work　of　the　Syndicate　immediately　began。

　　　

This　body　of　men　were　of　various　politics　and　of

various　pursuits　in　life。　　But　politics　were　no　more

regarded　in　the　work　they　had　undertaken　than　they

would　have　been　in　the　purchase　of　land　or　of　railroad

iron。　　No　manifestoes　of　motives　and　intentions　were

issued　to　the　p