Part 27 (1/2)
”What was the temper of the people of New England?”
”At that time, sir, they seemed to be in a state of incipient rebellion, because of the pa.s.sage of the embargo act. I was satisfied that the New Englanders were ripe for revolt and separation.”
”Well, was any action taken on your report?” asked the president.
”No, sir. My performances in the matter so pleased Sir James, that he promised to give me lucrative employment in the colonial government; but I waited and waited for the fulfillment of that promise, and in the meanwhile Sir James died. I went to England last year to seek remuneration for my services from the home government. I was flattered and cajoled for awhile, and introduced into the highest circles of society; but what did I want of society? I wanted money, and money I must have.”
”Did they not pay you?”
”Not a cent.”
”What did you ask?”
”I demanded thirty thousand pounds sterling and not a farthing less. I had done the odious duty of a spy for my government. I had risked my fortune, my liberty and my life in the service of England, and she requited me with empty promises.”
”They made you no offers?”
”None. I offered to take a lucrative position in Canada.”
”And they offered you none?”
”No. At last they seemed to grow weary with my demands, and hinted very strongly that the disaffection in New England toward the government of the United States was nothing more serious than a local partisan feeling, and, as a polite way of dismissing me and getting rid of my demand, they referred me to Sir George Prevost, the successor of Sir James Craig.”
”And have you called on Sir George?” asked Mr. Madison, coolly.
”No, sir; I have had enough of their delaying and dallying, and instead of sailing for Quebec, I sailed for Boston, determined, if the government of the United States would pay me for it, to divulge the whole secret of British perfidy to this government.”
”We'll pay ye, won't we, Misther Madison?” put in Terrence, with his characteristic impertinence.
”What proofs have you of the perfidy of Great Britain?” asked the president.
”I have letters, sir, and official doc.u.ments which would make any honorable man blush.”
”No doubt of it, yer honor,” put in Terrence.
”Have you those papers with you, Mr. Henry?” asked the careful president.
”Some of them.”
”Will you produce them, so I may judge what they are?”
”Yes, the prisident and mesilf want to get a squint at the dockymints,”
put in Terrence.
The very impertinence of Terrence was his success. Mr. Madison could not repress a smile.
Henry laid before the president the strong doc.u.mentary evidence, which clearly proved that Great Britain, while indulging in the most friendly expressions toward the United States, and negotiating treaties, was secretly engaged in efforts to destroy the young republic of the West, by fomenting disaffection toward it among a portion of the people, and intriguing with disaffected politicians with an expectation, with the aid of British arms, to be able to separate New England from the Union and re-annex that territory to the British dominions.
Madison, who was just about to declare war against Great Britain, was well satisfied of the importance of Henry's disclosures. Examining them carefully, he asked: