USA > New York > New York City > New York city and vicinity during the war of 1812-15, being a military, civic and financial local history of that period, Vol. II > Part 5
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By section 2 the attempt to transport overland or otherwise any naval or military stores, arms or munitions of war, or any article of provisions from any place in the United States to any place in Upper or Lower Canada, Nova Scotia, or New Brunswick, was subject to forfeiture, fine and imprisonment.
Section 3 authorized the collectors of the several ports to enforce said law.
Section 4 was the most important. It provided " that no ship or vessel belonging to any citizen or citizens, subject or subjects of any state or kingdom in amity with the United States, except such as at the passage of this act shall belong to the citizen or citizens, subject or subjects of such state or kingdom, or which shall hereafter be built in the limits of a state or kingdom in amity with the United States or purchased by a citizen or citizens, subject or sub- jects of a state or kingdom in amity with the United States, as aforesaid, from a citizen or citizens of the United States, shall be admitted into any port or place of the United States, unless forced by a stress of weather or for necessary repairs," under pen- alty of forfeiture.
56
FEDERALISTS' MEETING
This law was so framed as to prevent British vessels that were only nominally those of a neutral nation, but in fact belonged to a subject of Great Britain, from being transferred and held by a neutral nation after July 6th, 1812, or sailing only under a neutral flag. The cargo was deemed of the same nationality as the vessel which carried it.
It has been already stated (ante Vol. I., Chapter XXI.), that the embargo law of December, 1813, greatly hindered this kind of intercourse.
. The repeal of the embargo laws and the modifica- tion of the non-importation laws was hailed with delight in New York City and in all the seaport towns. This was the first ray of sunlight that beamed on America from the changed national af- fairs in Europe.
This was regarded by the Federalists as a triumph of their party principles. After the bill had passed the House of Representatives, on the 7th April, as reported by the committee, the Federalists were soon using it for electioneering purposes. There was to be in New York State the annual general election of members of Assembly and State Senators, and also Representatives in Congress for the term which was to begin on the 4th of March next following. The time for the election was on the last Tuesday of April, and would continue for three days. The Federalists were the first to take the field at this election.
On the evening of the 12th of April the "Friends of Liberty, Peace and Commerce," of the city of New York, held a meeting at Washington Hall, pursuant to public notice. Richard Varick was called to the chair, and James Walsh was appointed
57
AND RESOLUTIONS.
secretary. The following resolutions were unani- mously adopted :
" Resolved, That it is the right of freemen at all times to express their opinions of public men and measures ; that it is especially their duty to do so when convened to deliberate on the choice of repre- sentatives ; that in expressing such opinions it is improper to censure without just cause, or wantonly to impair the confidence of the people in their rulers ; but on the other hand, it may be considered a dere- liction of principle to pass over in silence such measures of government as are deemed injurious to the public weal, or to the prosperity of individuals in their accustomed and honorable employments.
" Resolved, That whilst this meeting congratu- late their fellow-citizens on the abandonment of a course of measures, which by destroying our com- merce has reduced the country from a state of un- exampled prosperity to the verge of national bank- ruptcy, they cannot but condemn the inconsistent and versatile policy of these men who, without obtaining any one of their avowed objects, have enormously accumulated the national debt while they have impaired the national credit, increased the burdens of the people while they have dimin- ished their capacity to bear them, and have finally been deterred, by necessity rather than choice, from persevering in schemes which threatened to involve our country in ruin and disgrace.
" Resolved, That the various measures of the general government under Mr. Jefferson and his successors in relation to the commerce of the United States have been productive of general loss, and extensive ruin among individuals, without answer-
58
DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES.
ing any valuable purpose to the nation, either in its foreign relations or domestic concerns ; that com- mercial men and those whose business has depended upon navigation have been deceived, abused and oppressed under the specious pretexts of husband- ing our resources and protecting our seamen ; while the real objects of all the restrictions under which we have been doomed to suffer privations and misery was to second the views of the French gov- ernment in its destructive warfare upon foreign trade, denominated the 'Continental system,' and at the same time so to temporize with circumstances as to maintain the popularity and power of the present administration. And that the evidence in support of this opinion is greatly strengthened by the circumstances under which the abolition of the embargo and non-importation laws has been recon- mended, and by the leading members of the House of Representatives on the passage of the bill through that house.
" Resolved, That this meeting view the proposed repeal of the restrictive system, which has so long oppressed the people of the United States, as an acknowledgment of its inefficacy, as a proof of the incompetency of its authors to the management of our national concerns, and of the wisdom of those who opposed its adoption and progress.
" Resolved, That the only satisfactory mode of insuring happier results is a change of rulers by constitutional elections ; that purity and wisdom in the councils of our State are necessary means for the attainment of a general reform ; and that with our present conviction of the manifest imbecility and inconsistency of the dominant party, we feel that
59
CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL ELECTION.
we can rely with safety upon the talents and integ- rity of those men only who have been educated in the principles of Washington.
"Resolved, Therefore, that we pledge ourselves to support with becoming zeal and by all honorable means the following candidates at the ensuing elec- tion in this city :
"For Representatives in Congress from the First Congressional District, Cornelius Bedell, of Rich- mond, and William Townsend, of Queens. From Second Congressional District, Jacob Lorillard and John Anthon .*
"For Senator for the Southern District, Abraham Odell, of Westchester. +
"For Members of Assembly for the City of New York : John Wells, Augustus Wynkoop, Abraham Russell, Samuel Jones, Jr., Richard Hatfield, David B. Ogden, Philip Hone, Thomas Carpenter, Robert McDermut, Peter A. Jay and James Palmer.
" Resolved, That it be recommended to our friends to call ward meetings and make all suitable arrangements to give success to the foregoing nomi- nations."
The Democrats called the opposition " Tories." A Tory was then thus defined : " Those who desert- ed their country's cause in our struggle for indepen- dence, and from the just indignation and vengeance of our Washington were protected by the British, and now plead for our present overbearing and oppress- ing enemies, to the prejudice of their own coun-
* For an account of the Congressional Districts, see ante Vol. I., p. 223.
+ The Southern Senatorial District then comprised the coun- ties of New York, Kings, Queens, Richmond, Suffolk and West- chester.
60
DEMOCRATS NOMINATE
try ; who seized upon the sacred name of Washington for their standard, with an hypocrisy and impu- dence that nothing but the intrigues of England could support ; who seized also upon the name of our sacred constitution for a further pretext to effect their hellish machinations ; England, who for more than thirty years, 'with calm, cool, de- liberate villainy,' has labored to effect a division among us."
The popular idea of " Whig " and "Tory " at that time was derived directly or indirectly from Trum- bull's famous epic poem, "McFingal," written dur- ing the Revolutionary War.
The Federalists called themselves "The Friends of Peace, Liberty and Commerce."
The Democrats (then called Republicans by them- selves and Democrats by the Federalists) held their nominating convention for New York City much later, being on the 18th day of April. Col. Henry Rutgers was chairman and Col. James Warner was secretary.
The motto of the Democrats was "Union of the States-Sailors' Rights and Free Trade."
Their candidates for Congress were: George Townsend, of Oyster Bay, and Henry Crocheron, of Staten Island, for the First District. In the Second District the candidates were William Irving and Peter H. Wendover. Darius Crosby, of West- chester, was candidate for State Senator from the Southern District.
Their candidates for members of Assembly for the City of New York were : George Warner, Francis Cooper, Joseph Smith, Ogden Edwards, Peter Stagg, Isaac Pierson, Jacob Drake, Peter Sharpe,
61
CANDIDATES FOR LOCAL ELECTION.
Samuel Torbert, Charles Baldwin and Augustus Wright.
All the candidates were voted for at large, and not by districts. Every man could vote only in the ward of his actual residence. He could vote for Senator upon a freehold situated in a different county. In voting upon a freehold for members of Assembly and Congress, the freehold must be in the county of residence .* In voting for Senator a day's possession of a freehold was sufficient, but in voting for members of Assembly and Congress six months' previous possession was required. In every case the seizin of the freehold must be bona fide. New York City was entitled to eleven members of As- sembly at that time.
A meeting was held on the 22d of April by persons who called themselves Washington Federalists, they nominated a spurious ticket for Assembly. Some eminent Federalists were placed on it, but they promptly disavowed any connection with the move- ment. The avowed object was a division of the true Federalists, in order to defeat the success of the general ticket. They nominated the following for Assembly from New York City : Peter A. Jay, Richard Hatfield, Robert McDermut, Thomas Car- penter, William Codman, Gulian C. Verplanck, Gerard de Peyster, William Davidson, Benjamin Butler, David Sherwood and Joseph W. Brackett. Messrs. Jay, Carpenter and McDermut declined to run on that ticket.
A meeting was held by them on the evening be-
* As to other qualifications required to be allowed to vote for a member of Assembly and for Congress, see ante Vol. I., p. 130.
62
SPLIT AMONG THIE FEDERALISTS. '
fore the first day of the election. Oliver Wolcott was chairman and Thomas Morris secretary. They accepted the withdrawal of Messrs. Jay, Carpenter and McDermut, and approved of the other candi- dates "as consistent and American Federalists."
They were called " Coodyites" because Mr. Ver- planck was one of the leaders of this movement .* They were also known as the Radcliff party, be- cause they advocated the appointment of Jacob Radcliff for Mayor and Hugh Maxwell for Surro- gate. Mr. Clinton had already been reappointed Mayor for another year. The Federal young men called a meeting at Washington Hall on Monday, April 25th, to denounce this new party. T. V. W. Varick was chairman and Andrew T. Goodrich sec- retary. The meeting was opened by Mr. Murray Hoffman (afterwards Judge of the Superior Court) "with an eloquent view of the situation of our country." He depicted in strong colors the imbecil- ity of our rulers, the knight errantry of their at- tempt on Canada, their idle prosecution of the war, their wavering abandonment of the restrictive sys- tem, and their willingness to secure their popularity at the expense of every American feeling.
There was great feeling displayed in the canvass. One of the most noted and influential occurrences was the stand taken by Richard Riker in favor of the Democrats. He had long been in the Federal party, and was active in the canvass of Mr. Clinton
* There had been a few Federalists that had been dissatisfied, and refused to co-operate with the regular Federalists for several years. They were called "Coodyites " because several pamphlets and newspaper articles appeared under the name of " Abimelech Coody, Ladies' Shoemaker." They were opposed to De Witt Clinton for Mayor. The writer was known to be Gulian C. Verplanck.
63
RESULT OF THE ELECTION.
for President against Mr. Madison, in 1812. He was for a vigorous prosecution of the war at that time, but still acted with the Federalists. Now he came out openly and boldly at a large meeting of the 3d Ward Democracy and presented resolutions that had the most telling effect in favor of the war. The Assembly ticket was regarded as the most important, because the State was so evenly balanced in the Assembly that the election in New York City would probably turn the scale. The Senate was Federal, and had by this means blocked some legislation in favor of the war. There was no question but that the State was in immediate danger of invasion, and some legislation was neces- sary for self-protection, at least, without regard to the position of national politics. With the As- sembly Federal, and the probable effect it would have on State legislation and measures that would affect the militia for the defence of the State, it was a grave question to vote for a member of Assembly. The question was put, and decided in favor of war measures.
All the Democratic candidates for assembly from New York City were elected by an average majority of 167. The "Coodyite" ticket only had mem- bers of Assembly. They polled ninety-three votes in some wards. The lowest in any ward was eighty votes. The total number of votes polled in New York City was eleven thousand, being one thousand more than ever before.
In the First Congressional District the two Demo- cratic candidates were elected. The Federal ma- jority in the 1st and 2d Wards was 323. In the Second Congressional District both the Democratic
64
.
EFFECT OF THE ELECTION.
candidates were elected by an average majority of 436. The State Senator for the Southern District, a Federalist, was elected by 254 majority.
The Commercial Advertiser said of the Federal- ists : "Of the persons of this description who omitted to vote in the first three wards, there is a sufficient number to have carried in the whole of the Federal ticket." This was the first time that any Democrats were elected to the Assembly from New York City.
We need not speculate as to what would have been the effect if the Federal ticket had prevailed then throughout the State of New York. The movements of the enemy were such in threatening New York City, and the actual invasion of the northern part of the State, and the result before the Legislature was called to a special session by the Governor in September, when all were in favor of self-defence, as a matter of necessity.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Financial Conditions-Treasury Notes Issued-Loans Called For -John Jacob Astor-Jacob Barker-Subscribers to the Loan -Paper Money Plenty.
HE financial needs of the Government had become more urgent than in the previous two years of the war. Many of the liabilities contracted then were becoming due in the early part of the year 1814. All the loans asked for had been taken, and the treasury was almost empty. Of the loan of $7,500,000, taken under Act of Au- gust 2, 1813, being by installments, one-half of it had been paid in during the year 1813, and the other half became due January 15 and February 15, 1814. This, when paid, would not satisfy existing press- ing liabilities. The embargo had stopped revenue in that direction, and there would be nothing to meet the current expenses of the war. Immediate relief must be obtained in some manner before aid could be derived from the new internal revenue, and taxation laws of 1813, which came into effect on January 1, 1814. To obtain loans required de- lay, and would take many months to negotiate them, and that, too, at a very large discount and loss to the Government. The resort to another issue of
66
MORE TREASURY NOTES.
Treasury notes was the most politic, although it had its drawbacks.
However, on the 4th of March, 1814, a law was passed authorizing the issuing of five mil- lion dollars in Treasury notes, payable in one year from date of issue, and bearing interest at same rate and the same in tenor and effect as those of 1812 and 1813, which has been previously stated (Chapter XVIII.). This law also gave further au- thority to the Treasurer to issue five million dollars more in Treasury notes, which latter amount should be considered as part of the stock loan of the year 1814.
The immediate issue of these Treasury notes as needed would give some relief until time could be obtained in which to raise funds under a law of March 24, 1814, which authorized a loan of twenty- five millions on six per cent stock, to run thirteen years.
Jacob Barker, of New York, was then an active lobbyist in matters relating to financial measures, and probably he had more to do with the laws re- lating to the' issuing of Treasury notes, and the terms under which the loans were asked, than any other one man.
There were many financial schemes and plans laid before the Secretary of the Treasury by Mr. Barker about the time of the first loan of 1813, and were persistently kept up by him all the time until long after the war was over.
Mr. Barker spent much time in Washington dur- ing this session of Congress, and had a great deal of influence with the President and his Cabinet.
67
JACOB BARKER LOBBYING.
The Federal Republican said of Jacob Barker in March :
"This gentleman is again carrying all before him at Washington. We speak not of the great 'com- mercial men of the West,' but among all the pol- iticians and merchants of the East there is not one that can compete with this distinguished gentle- man. He appears upon all commercial, financial and banking operations to be the Magnus Apollo of the administration, and we have no doubt that his word controls the policy of the Government in rela- tion to commerce and finance. The merchants of New York would no doubt stare to see Jacob Barker tête à tête with the President, the great man at the levee, the confidential counselor of the departments, and addressing grave Senators with an air as posi- tive and dictatorial as though he was the constitu- tional dictator of America."
In his "Incidents in the Life of Jacob Barker" he states that his principal business at Washington during the session of Congress was for the purpose of having a law passed to establish a national bank, which was then violently opposed by the Federal members of Congress.
The loan on United States stock, under Act of March 24th, was advertised on April 4th for ten mil- lion dollars, as part of the twenty-five million loan. The offers were to be closed by 2d of May, and were to be payable one-fourth on the 25th of May, and one- fourth on the 25th day of each of the ensuing months of June, July and August. The installments could all be paid at once after payment of the first install- ment. On failure of payment of any installment,
68
ANOTHER LOAN ASKED.
the next preceding installment was to be forfeited. Scrip certificates were given to the persons making the payments, and were assignable by indorsement and delivery, and after all payments were made would be funded in the United States six per cent stock, with interest payable quarterly. No offers for a sum less than $25,000 was to be considered by the Government, but a commission of one-fourth of one per cent was allowed to any person collecting subscriptions for the purpose of incorporating them in one proposal. There were many persons who would take smaller sums than $25,000. This gave an opportunity for them to take such sums as they could, as the stock would be issued in small sums.
When the loan was offered in April, Mr. Jacob Barker advertised in the New York Evening Post for persons to join an association to loan money to the Government through him. The amount after- wards offered to be taken by him was relied upon by him to be obtained from others, he retaining the quarter per cent commissions allowed on the loans obtained by him.
The subscribers in New York City for parts of the ten millions of United States loan, under Act of March 24, 1814, accepted May 2, 1814, were as fol- lows :
John Taylor,
$150,000
Alanson Douglass,
50,000
Smith & Nicoll,
80,000
Herman Hendricks,
42,000
G. B. Vroom,
500,000
69
SUBSCRIBERS IN NEW YORK.
Samuel Flewelling,
$257,300
Jacob Barker
5,000,000
Whitehead Fish,
250,000
Some of the persons who were included in the offer made by Jacob Barker were :
Isaac Lawrence,
$25,000
Fred De Peyster,
25,000
John Rathbone, Jr.,
25,000
Francis Depau,
20,000
James Lovett,
20,000
Edmund Elmendorf,
5,000
Wm. P. Van Ness,
25,000
Walter Morton,
10,000
Benj. Huntington,
10,000
Walter Bowne,
20,000
Wm. Van Ness,
20,000
Alex. Ferguson,
.200
David Delapierre,
3,000
Philip S. L. Breton,
10,000
John L. Broom,
20,000
Frederick Bruen,
15,000
James R. Wilson,
30,000
John Icard,
10,000
Earl De Pearce,
5,000
Isaac Jones,
,
4,000
John M. Hicks and
Hicks,
2,000
In his report for December, 1814, the Secretary of the Treasury said : "Of the sum of $9,795,056, which were offered at eighty-eight per cent, or at rates more favorable to the United States, five mil- lions were offered with the condition annexed that if terms more favorable to the lenders should be
CONDITIONS OF THE LOAN.
allowed for any part of the twenty-five million auth- orized to be borrowed the present year (1814), the same terms should be extended to those holding the stock of the ten million loan."
The sum above referred to was that offered by Jacob Barker.
As an apology for accepting this offer, with its conditions, the report said : "Taking into consid- eration the expectation then entertained of an early return to peace, and the importance of maintaining unimpaired the public credit by sustaining the price of stock in the meantime, and also considering the measure was sanctioned by precedent, it was agreed to accept the loan with that condition .* Had the sum to which the condition was annexed been re- jected, the consequence would have been to reduce the amount obtained to less than five millions, a sum altogether inadequate to the public demands, or by
* The precedent above referred to occurred under the Act of February 8, 1813. On the first asking for subscriptions to that loan on 12th and 13th March, 1813, only the sum of $3,956,400 was obtained. On second asking, open 25th to 31st of March, the offers were only $1,881,800, being a very insufficient and dis- couraging amount. The time having expired, negotiations were in progress whereby, on 5th of April, John Jacob Astor sent the following offer to Mr. Gallatin, then Secretary of the Treasury :
"NEW YORK, April 5, 1813.
" Sir :- I will take for myself and my friends in New York, two millions and fifty-six thousand dollars' worth of the loan author- ized by Congress in February last, receiving six per cent stock at the rate of eighty-eight dollars money for one hundred of the six per cent stock, payable in New York by instalments as pro- posed by you, or as may be otherwise agreed on. I understand that in case Government should make another loan during the year I am to be placed on as good footing as the lenders of
71
THIE ASTOR, PARISHI AND GIRARD LOANS.
depressing the stock to eighty-five per cent to have obtained only a little more than six millions, which would still have been insufficient to answer the pur- poses of the Government."
The loan was not all taken, there being a defi- ciency of about six million dollars yet to make up the amount authorized by the Act of 24th March, besides the Treasury notes which were to be issued and considered as part of the twenty-five million loan.
Some of the trouble that Mr. Barker had in paying his installments and the efforts of the Gov- ernment to obtain the further loan of six million dollars, and some account of Mr. Barker's claims
money or contractors for that loan will be. I also understand that I am to receive the quarter per cent which is to be paid to persons procuring subscriptions to the present loan."
On the same date Messrs. David Parish and Stephen Girard, of Philadelphia, made a proposition to take so much of said loan as will amount to $8,000,000, or to the residue of said loan not taken.
For this they were to pay $88 for every stock certificate of $100, and also one-quarter per cent for the amount loaned.
The following was also part of this proposal of Messrs. Parish and Girard : "Provided you will agree to allow us the option of accepting the same terms that may be granted to persons lend- ing money to the United States by virtue of any law authoriz- ing another loan for the service of the year 1813, that Congress may pass before the last day of the present year."
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