History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 68

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776

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278

HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

war, which it was now seen was inevitable. An aet passed Congress on April 23d providing for arming the whole body of militia of the United States, but the arms were not to be delivered until a later date. Governor George Truitt, of Delaware, in a message to the Legislature, on November 15, 1808, stated that the hope which they had long indulged of a happy conclusion of the differences with the belligerents of Europe was then almost extinguished, and he con- sequently recommended a revision of the State militia law. He said he had received a letter from the see- retary of War, calling upon him to organize thirteen hundred and thirty-two of the state militia. On January 11. 1809, a resolution was passed by the Lower House of the Legislature, in-trueting the senators and Representatives in Congress from Delaware to prevail on the general government to erect certain fortifieations for the protection of the State. They asked for four or more batteries, one to be placed near New Castle, one near Wilmington, one near Reedy Is- land and the fourth near Lewes. On January 19th, fol- lowing, the Senate considered the resolution, and amended it slightly, adding Port Penn as a fit locality for placing an additional battery, and substituted the clause " one or more at each place " for "four or more." In this the House coneurred, and copie, were forth- with sent to Washington.

On January 23d, Mr. Fisher, elerk of the House of Representatives, presented for concurrence in the Senate, a bill authorizing the cession to the United States government, of all jurisdiction over such places in the State of Delaware as might be cho-en for the erection of forts and batteries. A resolution also passed the State Senate February 11th, " that it will be dangerous to the freedom of these State- to place at the disposal of the President of the United States a standing army of fifty thousand volunteers ;" in this, however, the House refused to eonenr.

Many similar resolutions bearing upon the war were introduced in the Delaware Legislature, and in fact, in all the A-semblies of the various States at this time. A telegraph line by means of signals was built by Jonathan Grout for the Philadelphia Chamber of Commeree from Reedy Island to that eity. The first communication sent by this line was on the 8th of November, announcing the arrival in the Delaware of the ship "Fanny," from Lisbon.

There was a brief lull late in 1809, owing to the prospeet of peace, which followed the arrival of David M. Erskine, who had been sent out as minister plenipotentiary by England at the beginning of Mr. Madison's administration. Being anxious for peace, he had let his ardor carry him too far, and his recall was requested. He was followed by Francis J. Jack- son, whose insolent bearing exercised little influence toward soothing the political pains of the nations. The non-intercourse act,-a mild form of the embar- go,-which had been pas-ed when the latter measure was repealed, was now enforced with great strictness against England, but was also repealed May 1, 1810.

In the divisions of party consequent upon the pas- sage of the embargo act, the people of Delaware ar- ranged themselves under the Federalist leadership ot their United states Senator, Hon. James A. Bayard. Win. Giles, of Virginia, offered an opportunity in Congress for a direct attack upon the embargo art, by introducing a resolution to repeal the obnoxious art, except as to Great Britain and France, and to make provision by law for prohibiting all commercial in- tercourse with those nations and their dependencie-, and the importation of any article into the United States, the growth, produce or manufacture of either of these nations, or of the dominions of either of them. This opportunity to as-ail the embargo Mr. Bayard promptly seized by moving a resolution to amend, so as to render the repeal general, and to prevent the passage of those clauses which were in- tended to prohibit commercial intercourse with the belligerent nations.

It was the hope and expectation of the administra- tion that the adoption of Mr. Giles' resolution sns- pending intercourse with Great Britain and France would be the immediate and necessary prelude to open war -- that the exposure of vessels to capture and condemnation under the Orders in Council would place the nation in a predicament that would render hostilities inevitable. The Senator from Delaware, opposed to war, denied that England was an enemy, and that any eau-e existed to make her one. Admitting that there were many and heavy complaints to be made again-t her conduet, and not denying that cause existed which might justify that, he asserted that such a measure was forbidden by policy and not required by honor. He avowed that whatever' were the aggressions of England, and however little he was disposed to defend or palliate any aggres-ion, public or private, against the rights and honor of the coun- try, he yet felt with equal sensibility all that the coun- try had suffered from the aggressions of the French ; be denied that what was right in one nation, could be wrong in another. The war upon neutral rights- that part of it, at least, which scorned even the pre- text and mask of propriety, and openly and flagrantly violated established usage and principle-commenced with the Berlin Deeree, which, finding its sanetion neither in precedent nor principle, asking for no right and established only in presumed power, for- bade to neutrals a trade with England or her colonies, or the transportation of her manufactures or produce; that what England had done, flagrant as it was, de- rived a feeble but indeed plausible apology from the equally novel pretext of retaliatory right. Unques- tionably it was unsound doetrine that could assert the insufficient exen-e ; but in the scales of national injustice, the original introduction of illegitimate and noxious preten-es, at least counterbalanced, and per- haps far outweighed, the imitation that pursued with no tardy pace the original initiate wrong ; that Eng- land could be repronehed with merely a breach of in- ternational law, while France superadded to the same

...

279

THE WAR OF 1812-15.

infraction a wanton breach of faith plighted by the and while protecting fair and legitimate commerce, most solemn instrument that can mature and make the administration deemed the lives and liberties of the sailors of more inestimable value than the ships and goods. perfect that boud by which different communities are hell together.

In his opposition to the measures of Mr. Madison's achninistration, the Senator from Delaware voiced the sentiments and opinions of the Federal party in the State he represented, and the open sincerity with which he traced the relative position of the United States with the belligerent powers echoed the feelings and sentiments of the Federal party of the country. The Legislature of the State, in Isil. stood six Federalists and three Republicans in the Senate and fourteen Federalists and seven Republicans in the House of Representatives. But notwithstanding this Federal predominance in the Legi-lature, the popular vote in the State evidenced an early change of political parties. The Federal popular majority at the fall election in 1811 in Kent, was one hundred and twenty-two, and Sussex six hundred and fifteen. while the Republican ( Democratie) majority in New Castle was six hundred and ninety-seven, showing a Federal popular majority in the State of only forty. When the General Assembly convened on the 7th of December, James Sykes was chosen Speaker of the Senate, and Cornelins P. Comegys Speaker of the Hon-e of Representatives.

Public events had rapidly progressed towards open war with England. France had responded to the efforts of the administration in the non-importation law of May, 1810, and announced in the following November the repeal of the Berlin and Milan De- crees, but Great Britain adhered to her Orders in Council. After a year had elapsed since the repeal of the French decrees, Great Britain, instead of re- tracting pari passu her course of unjustifiable attack on nentral rights, in which she had profe-sed to have been only a reluctant follower of France, advanced with bolder and continually increasing strides upon the rights of Americans on the high seas. To the categorical demand of the United States for the re- peal of her Orders in Council, she affected to deny the practical extinction of the French decrees and ad- vancing a new and unexpected demand, she inereas- ed in hostility the orders themselves, by insisting that the repeal of the Orders in Council must be preceded not only by the practical abandon- ment of the decrees of Berlin and Milan, but by the renunciation on the part of France of her whole system of commercial warfare again-t Great Britain.

The instructions npon which Great Britain founded her action for violating the maritime rights of the United States were not merely theoretical, but had been followed by repeated aets of war. The Ameri- can people not being of that sect which worships at the shrine of a calculating avarice, took cognizance, not only of plundering ships and cargoes, but listened with attentive ears to the groans of their sailors, vie- tims of a barbarity unparalleled, and of their suffering wives and children deprived of protectors and parents ;

In the month of June, 1812, President Madison communicated ro Congress a message in which a declaration of war was recommended ; which promptly passed the House of Representatives, but encountered in the Brpate serious ditileulties. The Senator from Deloware, Mr. Bayard, while equally sensible of the injuries, ard yieldling nothing to the warmest advo- cates of hostilities in real for the honor and prosperity of the conners, vet felt and insisted that honor was not to be vindicated nor pro-petity promoted by angry and precipitate measures, that would plunge the country unprepared inro war. Foreseeing the dis- grace inevitably attendant on a hasty adoption of the resolution, he foretold, with a sagacity that was his distinguishing tribute, the evils that must certainly

HON. JAMES A. BAYARD.

ensue. Imbued with these apprehensions, Mr. Bayard, on June 16th, moved to postpone the further consideration of the measure until October 31st. While saeredly believing in the spirit of his country- men, Mr. Bayard denied the neeromaney of the ad- ministration ; he knew that the days of Cadmus were gone, and that the dragon's teeth would remain un- prolific in the ground ; that troops must be levied, disciplined, trained and supplied before they could be relied on against the disciplined armies of the greatest military power on earth. Had Mr. Bayard's1

1 James Ashton Bayard, the famous Delaware statesman, way born July Es, 1707, and ted August 6, 1811. He was of of I Huguenot stock. His Father, De J. A Brand, dying in 172, young Bavard was adopted into the tumly of his uncle, by whom he was litendly educated and soon pose to a high position in the law and in public allah. He was a m tober of Congress from 1737 to lant, and I matei Stib. Senator from 1844 to 1-13. In Congress he was re brated as a Federalist leader, and was largely influential in ele ting Jefferson president. In the mpwach- ment of senator Blount ho was prominent as completing the trial. He opposed the war with fireat Britain in 1912, and was a member of the Peuce Commission from the American government to secure Russiun

280

HISTORY OF DELAWARE.

resolution passed and the declaration of war been postponed for three months, the early efforts of the American army would not remain a cloud upon the splendor with which it closed the war. The short- sighted policy of the impatient administration ex- pected to find in the arrangements of Gen. Hull a substitute for army preparations. The whole frontier from Michilimackinac to Plattsburg, the extensive sea-board, covered with the richest and most useful population of the country, the multitude of vessels on the ocean, the mass of property accumulated in England-all were placed in jeopardy for the sake of striking a blow, towards which the adequate force was supposed to be concentrated, without giving the enemy time for preparation. Mr. Bayard's object was to place the country on something like an equality with the contemplated foe. He said :

"He was greatly influenced in his motion for postponement from the combined considerations of the present defenceles combition of the country and the protection which Providence had given ny against it maritime power in the waiter -rason. During the winter months you will be protected by the elements. Postpone war until November and we shall not have to dread an enemy of our coasts bill Apourl. In the mean time go on with your recruiting , fill up, discipline and train your army. Take the stations, if you please, which will enable you to open an early campaign. Your trade will have time to return hotue before hostilities commence, and having all your ships and seamien at home, yon mmy be prepared to put forth all your strength upon the ocean on the opening of the ensuing spring. Shall we, by an untimely precip- tancy, yielthing to a frettul impatience of delay, thow our wealth into the bands of the enemy, and feed that very rapacity which it is our object to subdue or to punish."

The declaration of war was passed, and the advice and opinion of Senator Bayard was demonstrated in their wisdom and application. The people of Dela- ware supplemented their patriotic purpose to defend the country with an earnest effort to advance and promote its material prosperity.1 The Mosers. Du Pont & Company, near Wilmington, are reported in Niles' Register for July, 1812, as manufacturing " woolen goods of the value of $150,000 to $200,000 per annum. The adjacent country is filled with sheep, wool be-

mediation. As one of the commission he negotiated the treaty of Ghent in 1814. On his return he was selected as a comunisioner to effect a commercial treaty with Great Britain, but died while making prepara- tions to go abroad. He declined the French and Russian nusions during his public career. His son, James A. Bayard, Jr., was United States Senator from 1801 to Ist4. Another son, Richard, was in the United States Senate from 1936 to 1839, and from 1 to 115. Mr. Bayards wife was a daughter of Governor Richard Bissett, of Delaware. Hon. Thonms F. Bayard, Secretary of State under President Cleveland, is his grandson.

Immediately after Colonel Allen Mclane, the collector of the customs at Wilmington, received the Secretary of the Treasury's com- munication of the 14th Inne, antonineinig a declaration of war against Great Britain, &c. the surviving officers of the fontmental Army, resid. ing in Wilmington and its, vicinity, associated, with a number of their fellow-citizens exempt from military service by law, aud resolved as follows:

" We, whose names are hereunto subscribed, citizens of the borough of Wilmington, and its vicinity, above the age of forty-five years, and hy law exempted from requisition to perform military anty, anxious for the welfare of our beloved country, and apprehensive that the erist loay arrive, when the young and active may be called into distant service, do hereby agree to form ourselves into a muhtary corps, to be devoted solely to the defence of the Borough aforesand, agamet invasion ; and in obedience to the constituted authorities, to endeavor to preserve order, promote harmony, and maintain the authority and efficacy of the Laws.

" Of the old Continental Line, Allen M' Lane, Peter Jaquett, Eilw. Roche, David Kirkpatrick.

Of the old Continental staff, Dr. James Tilton, Dr. G. Monro, Dr. E. A. Smith,

&". &c &c."

coming one of the staples of the farmer. Ten years heure we may send broad cloths to England, if her government will permit us, or at least supply hier manufacturers with the merino wool, having enough for ourselves and to spare ; for it is ascertained that the sheep rather improve than depreciate with us, The stock is increasing with unheard of rapidity."

The peace party had gained a strong foothold in Delaware, and when the bill declaring war finally came up in the House of Representatives, on June 18, 1812, Delaware's representative, Henry MI. Ridgely.2 voted in the negative. But he was not alone, as a number of the representatives of twelve of the seven- teen States voted in the same way. The bill was, nevertheless, carried by a vote of 79 to 49, and war was declared to be existing "between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the de- pendencies thereof and the United States of America and their Territories."

Delaware had all the while been preparing for hostilities and was in readiness when the President issued his proclamation. When the Legislature had convened at Dover, on January 7, 1812, Governor Joseph Haslet forwarded a message through John Fisher, then Secretary of State, a part of which may well be quoted as a specimen of true American pat- riotism :

" Fellow-Citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives :

"Nothing could contribute more tomy satisfaction at this time, and on this occasion, than to be justified, from the picture of our foreign rela- tions, in offering to you my congratulations on the adjustment of all our differences with the belligerents of Europe. But unhappily for our beloved country, it would seem as if a participation in the devilstations of war must be its portion, and however reluctant we may be to engage in hostility with any power, it will be a sulgeet of consolation to the patriot and soldier amidst the din of arms, to reflect that such a state of things was avoided as long as it could be, consistently with the honor and the rights of the nation. Our rulers have left no honorable effort unemployed toarrive at a friendly and sincere adjustment of every exist- ing difference with both Great Britain and France, But in proportion to the anxiety which our government has evinced to accomplish this desirable end, the former of these powers has receded from the ground of compromise and increased the difficulties which pre-existed ; unzotit- tion with her has become a formal nalhty, and a magnanimous offer of amity the ofgeet of derision au contempt.

"France, indeed, has revoked her deciers which so injuriously affected our commerce, but their revoration is unaccompanied with an offer of retribution for the une sampled pillage of our property, committed under them. She also vexes our commerce by municipal restrictions, untavor- able to a fair and anncable intercourse.

" Under this aspect of our public affairs. it behooves us to be prepared for such n crisis as may ultimately occur. An umion af sentiment among ourselves ; a determined support of the constituted authorities of the general government in such measures as they may adopt for the general security ; a patriotic resignation to the privations which a state of hostility may produce, and minds firmly and valorously bent on faring the conflict whenever it happens will be necessary for us all, if de mean to co-operate in the defense of our right -. In obtaining these rights thu State of Delaware was a fearless and effectnal coadjutor, and will au- doubtrally be counted among the last in surrendering them.

" In proportion as she prizes the blessings of a virtuons and republican self-government, ought she to le hrm and resolute in her endravar to preserve it. Squill and ununjantant as she may be as a member of the Umnos, 1 trust that in the temble awe of wat, her citizens will be as efectul guardians of the public liberty as those of any part of our country. In contfiets more awful than may again ocenr, her blurs received upor: the 'embattled plain ' the grateful plaudits of an expiring

2 Henry Moore Rilgely was born in Dover, Angust 6, 1774, and dir Angu-tt, IN47 Hrs haber, Dt. Charles Ridgely, was a distinguished physician and ettizen of Kent County, Delaware, Houry M. Hugely Was celebrated for his legs knowledge and ability, and also for public services, having been a un mibwer of Congress from IsIl to Is15 : w cretary of State of Delaware in 1917 for three terms, and United states senator from 182h to 1820.

THE WAR OF 1812-15.

281

In this message Governor Haslet urged upon the 1 .. Alature the importance of amemling the militia Fans to meet the emergency of the time. He says :

.. . 4. 4- the hour is het known when we my be employer to Iminist a quota for the common de base which, as a romperdient part of the m n, we are bound to contribute ' 1

On April 19th, Congress passed an act authorizing & detachment from the militia of the United States. The Secretary of War issned circulars to the Governor- of the various States, informing them of this requisi- tion and of the quotas required of each. On receipt uf this communication, the Governor of Delaware immediately forwarded a message to the Legislature, slated May 20th. The quota required of Delaware was ten thousand men, July organized, armed and equipped for active service. The tiovernor urged the necessity of immediate action to comply with the request of the President. He also called the atten- tion of the Legislature to the necessity of a revision of the militia laws, as he had been informed by the Adjutant-General that the inefficiency of the existing lw> rendered a compliance with the Government undlers an absolute impossibility. The Assembly had, on January 31, 1809, authorized the Governor to purchase arms and equipments when the troops were actually called into service. By the President's requisition, however, the militia were required to be ready to march at a moment's notice, and as the law did not authorize the purchase of arms before they were commanded to take the field, obedience to this was impossible, and amendments were accordingly necessary. In this both the Senate and House will- ingly complied, and the necessary Delaware troups were organized and placed at the disposal of the General Government.

The census of Isto and other reports and state- ments, which were published about the time that war was declared, showed a marked increase in the popu- lation of Delaware as well as encouraging commercial progress. The following table will show the increase of population by counties : :

LHE NIEES.

Whites.

1 Total.

Tice Whites

Total

1 ree Whites.

I'Mtal ..

los to. History has recorded these deeds in four fairest gases, and limity

waiting on this address in his Weekly forget of January lash, sad : "Har rone leslet's he -size is worthy of the principles for which has fithet diel at P'rim rtott."

1. .. rnor Joseph Haset wis bien in kent County, Pelawate Ili-

A .. . at the battle of 19merton in 157. od Ins wile survived Jum Fitt & tw days Young Hashet was taken midler the guardiansingend thiet

This total of 72,674 in Isto was divided as follows: males midler ten years of age, 9M2 ; males between ten and sixteen, 14-0; males between sixteen and twenty-six, including heads of families, 5150 ; males between twenty-six and torty-tive, including heads of families, 5866; males of forty-five and upwards, 2678. Among females, those under ten numbered 0041 ; between ten and sixteen, 1370; between six- tren and twenty-six, including heads of families, 5541 ; between twenty-six and forty-tive, including heads of familie-, 5527 ; and those above forty-live, including heads of families, 2-76; all other free persons, except Indians not taxed, 13,136; slaves 4177.

The census in Isto showed a sufficient population in Delaware to add another representative in Con- gress, the State being then represented in the House by Henry W. Ridgely. and in the Senate by Hons. James A. Bayard and Outerinidge Horsey.4

A report issued from the Treasury Department showing an abstract of the tonnage of the shipping of the several districts of the United States, on the last day of December, 1810, made the following show- ing for Wilmington : Registered, permanent tons, !the, 789.63. temporary, 553.05; enrolled and li- cen-ed, permanent tons 95ths, 6182.54, temporary 79.10: licensed under twenty tons, coast trade, tons 95ths, 687.45,-making an aggregate tonnage of 8192.17. Another report from the register of the treasurer's officers showed the exports from Delaware for the year ending October 1, 1s11, to have aggre- gated $$8,632.

From nearly every quarter of the country the re- spotre came that the country had borne with injury and insult until forbearance had ceased to be a virtue. Among the voice, for war none were more clear and unmistakable than that of Governor Haslet's mes- sage. Reviewing the history of affairs between England and the United States from 1768 to 1812, and characterizing the various acts of wrong and outrage as they deserved, he added :

" War has been declared. In whatever light the measures which led to it may be viewed, the feelings of every Autori an must require that it be porrented with vigor Avere to war, we know that an efficient presention of that in which you are engaged will be the best security against war heteattet. The crisis has rome when we must convince the world that we know how to value our right-, atul have hv atis bo enfolie them ; that our long safe ring of noguris has proceeded from our love of pesce, not from any apprehensions of the event of war; that our friend- step is to the desired and our county to be deprecated.

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History of Delaware : 1609-1888, Part 68

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn Publication date: 1888 Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards Number of Pages: 776

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898. cn
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: Philadelphia : L. J. Richards
Number of Pages: 776