The Dominion's Dilemma: The United States of British America (59 page)

       “That’s why I expect to hear from ‘Harry of the West’ in the next day or so. He’ll work out an exemption that satisfies this man Ewing and his Westerners. Then, knowing the Yankees will go along with just about anything, he’ll come to us. There may be strings attached that I’ll have to cut off---perhaps accept a few to save several faces---but eventually, he’ll present it to Jackson.”

    Nodding his head, the long hair bouncing off his shoulders, Calhoun looked pleased. “Probably through you, James, or perhaps Frank Blair. At any rate, by the time Jackson comes to the Hill next week, we’ll have our exemption in the bag.”

       McDuffie looked at his chief. “And Wellington will go along?”

       “Yes. In view of the Syrian situation, he’ll have to. And once he puts his prestige behind it, Parliament will accept an exemption---though perhaps not an all-inclusive one---despite Quincy Adams’ predictable howling.

       “After all, the ‘Hero of Waterloo’ will have saved the Empire once again by securing peace in America. And, therefore, in India, too.”

___________

The Deerhead Inn

June 8, 1833, 11 a.m.:

    With a brood of over a dozen children to support back in Ohio, Thomas Ewing was resigned to the confines of a hotel room while in Georgetown. Shabby as it might be, the Deerhead was as good as any. Now, on Saturday morning, he was sitting at a back table in the dining room, grudgingly accepting a compromise proposal worked out by Clay, Benton and Frelinghuysen over the course of the two previous days. The trio had arranged in a late night message to meet him for a 9 a.m. breakfast.

     “Then you’re agreed, Senator, that we should now proceed en mass to The Residency to offer the G-G this compromise? Even before we propose it to either the abolitionists or the Southern radicals?”

      Clay was sizing Ewing up shrewdly. He had paid scant attention to the Ohioan in the previous Congress, though Dan Webster had labeled him a ‘comer’ in their late afternoon drinking sessions in Clay’s office. Knowing that his own very appearance might be enough to set Jackson off, Clay intended to remain in the background during the scheduled negotiations at The Residency this afternoon. Since Benton, too, had clashed personally with the G-G (an infamous Nashville bar brawl that had led to the young Benton’s evacuation to Missouri over 20 years prior), someone else was required to take the lead. The patrician Frelinghuysen would, in his own way, also be oil to Jackson’s water…

       The Ohioan thought the proposal overly generous to the South---from the abolitionist point of view, to say nothing of London’s---yet probably not generous enough for Calhoun’s faction. The Southern fire-eaters smelled blood, in his opinion, and would not accept any limitations on slavery or its expansion westward.

    Clay’s compromise called for a 25-year exemption from the Parliamentary bill, on the grounds that, while eliminating bondage elsewhere would simply allow the slaves freedom in societies they would invariably come to dominate, the blacks here would be entering a predominately white, educated society. The 25-year exemption would be utilized in part to bring rudimentary education---financed by the Empire and overseen by the Dominion---to the slaves so that, at the end of the period, they would have a better chance for survival. While minimally affecting the Southern culture and economy.

         To sweeten the deal further, the Administration, backed by Congressional resolution, would urge and work for Empire absorption of Texas, by whatever means necessary.

         “Well, Senators,” Ewing sighed and looked at the trio, “if we go to The Residency as a centrist block and can get Old Jack to sign on, it at least provides a starting point from which to negotiate. And might ratchet down the rhetoric among the wild men on both sides.”

       He frowned suddenly: “But what will Wellington say? He came here to enforce the existing emancipation bill. We’re watering that down, from his original perspective, considerably.”

     “Well, Tom,” Hart Benton said with a grin, “one duck at a time. Let’s concentrate on getting a Dominion response.”

___________

John Tyler’s Townhouse

Georgetown, D.C.

June 8, 1833, 7:00 p.m.:

      The Southern inner-circle---the Calhouns, Troups, McDuffie---had all gathered for a previously arranged dinner-party at the Tylers when James and Sarah Polk arrived shortly before 7 p.m.

       Polk, whose wife had become resigned to his prolonged absences, had spent a fascinating afternoon at The Residency after leaving Calhoun’s breakfast meeting.  Now he reported to an enthralled audience:

       A group composed of Clay, Benton, Ewing and Frelinghuysen---calling themselves the ‘Centrist Committee’---had appeared at The Residency around 1 p.m., expecting a sit-down with the Governor-General. Jackson, however, was closeted with General Scott and the Secretary of War all afternoon. The G-G had come out briefly to authorize him and Blair to meet with the committee and to brief them on the Syrian situation, including its implications for the emancipation debate. The G-G’s secretary, Donelson, had shuttled between the two meetings, updating Jackson…but never explaining exactly what was happening in the Old Man’s private office.

       Polk then explained, to much initial glee (though Calhoun’s dark smile barely registered), Clay’s proposal. “Now then, there are three additional steps ascertained: The Committee, or at least Clay and possibly Benton, will seek a meeting with you, John, for tomorrow. A message may be waiting at your townhouse. Another meeting, of course, will be arranged to brief Webster and the lesser of his fanatics.

       “Finally, a meeting of the Kitchen Cabinet will begin at The Residency at 1 p.m. tomorrow to discuss the proposal. Hopefully, we’ll find out what all this War Department business is about.”

        Calhoun waited till the comments had died off before speaking.

        “I’ll receive Harry and whoever else shows up. We can entertain any and all proposals without committing to any…until we see what Jackson officially has to say later in the week.

     “As for this ‘War Department business,’ well, I have a good sense of what that’s all about…and why the meeting went on so long.

       “James, you’ll of course let me know the outcome immediately post tomorrow’s meeting. Pay particular attention to Cass’ reaction to all this. I believe he and Jackson received quite a shock today in their meeting with Scott. See what you can find out…

    “Meanwhile, ladies and gentlemen, while there are many long and excruciating turns yet to navigate, I believe our cause grows ever closer to reality.  I believe a toast is in order.” He smiled, tiredly but fully, for the first time all evening as the others applauded loudly.

      Even though none, save Floride, were completely sure what
cause
it was…

___________

Arlington-Georgetown Road

June 8, 1833

8 pm:

     Since Tousaint and Ugene both worked for the Dominion government, and had the necessary identification to prove it to any snickering guards, they had little trouble getting across the Long Bridge and into Virginia. Motley, with identification that demonstrated that his family were tenant farmers at Hunting Creek Farm, had come across the previous night and had remained south of Cranford. Only Crispus had significant explaining to do. Which he accomplished by flashing his Spanish Consulate ID and mumbling about delivering papers to the Spanish commercial agent in Richmond.

     What none---except Ugene---suspected was that the guards had been instructed to let them pass with no more than cursory harassment. The guards, Marines dressed in civilian attire, had of course been furnished their descriptions and checked each off the list as they came across.

     There was enough traffic on the Georgetown-Alexandria road that none of the gang wondered about the lack of enforcement between the Bridge and Cranford. Motley and Donfield were simply happy to disappear into the traffic, while Tousaint, with that cockiness that Ugene correctly identified as arrogance, thought that four young blacks, riding separately over two days, was too sophisticated a plan for any dumb white soldiers or marshals to decipher.

     The operation was to commence when Wellington, alone or with his aide, was sighted riding back from Cranford. While the other three were still at work, Motley, with a day off from the Indian Queen, had been hiding in the woods about halfway from Cranford to the Bridge since noon. He spotted the Duke---by this time everyone in Georgetown, white or black, could identify him---accompanied by one solidly built aide, ride by about going south two hours later. Crispus, who had made friends with the white American in charge of the Consulate’s physical plant and could get off an occasional hour or two early, rode in two hours later.

     From Tousaint’s perspective, getting Doby and himself to the rendezvous location on time was the trickiest part of the operation. But Ugene had been waiting when he rode past the War-Interior building around 5:30 on his favorite mount from the family stables. Tousaint grinned at Doby’s problems with the horse Jurgurtha had rent him at noon time but made little conversation as the two passed through the apparently flimsy security and clattered out onto the Bridge.
Unless
Wellington has indigestion or something and leaves early, we’ll be there with time to spare.

___________

General Scott had set up his operational headquarters at Arlington House and, with a good view of the road, had been waiting since leaving the Residency. Still smarting from the General’s decision to place the operation in the hands of Captain Goodwin and the Marines, Lieutenant Wilder was with him, though Tom was sent by back roads to secure the proposed southern escape route to Hunting Farm once Tousaint and Doby were identified as coming down the road. A strong Army guard also set up a roadblock just above Arlington to seal off the northeastern route back into Georgetown. Both Tom’s command and the soldiers north of Arlington had fanned off the road under Scott’s design to close off the woods as if by swinging doors inward should the gang attempt to escape by scattering. A third USBAA contingent from the 4
^th
Artillery had already secured Hunting Creek Farm itself once Motley had been spotted heading northeast.

                                   ___________

A sudden shrill whistle, a bird call they had used while hunting ducks in Foggy Bottom, alerted Tousaint that he and Ugene had arrived at the rendezvous. Motley and Donfield emerged out of the growing dusk. Instantly taking command, Numidia quieted the mutual greetings and sent Motley and Doby back to the east side of the road. Donfield, who had the best eyes of the foursome, was ordered up a tree to keep watch on the road north from Cranford. It was 6:35 p.m. by the Williams College class watch Tousaint glanced at before replacing in his vest pocket. He pulled his horse off the road, dismounted and sat leaning against a tree to wait.

___________

     And wait. The time dragged on so slowly, but surely, that Numidia began to consider the chances that the Cranford conference had dissolved into a liquor-soaked supper that would keep the participants at the plantation overnight. (The possibility that he had misinterpreted Sebastian’s report to Moses of course never occurred to Tousaint.)

     Just as he had begun to consider that the snatch might have to be called off for the night, Donfield was suddenly back.

     “Two riders coming up the road. One’s big enough to be that Brit aide of Wellington’s…”

     And the other?”

     “Hard to tell. But they’re both ridin’ real easy.”

     Tousaint cursed. “Can’t spring a trap on
that
. Is it Wellington or not?”

     Donfield spit. “See for yourself. They’ll be along any minute…”

___________

     Arthur Goodwin closed his telescope and turned to his second-in-command. “Damn good thing there’s a full moon tonight. Makes things easier when you can see your prey…”

     “How about the bait?”

     “Can’t see anyone coming up that road, but our friends down there are getting into the saddle.
They
must think its Wellington…”

     Goodwin and his troop had worked their way to a hill northwest of the rendezvous point after tracking Numidia and Doby from the Long Bridge. Rather than risk detection by dividing his command and sending half east of the road, Goodwin was counting on split-second timing and surprise to overwhelm the blacks before they realized a trap had been sprung. The Captain knew an Army unit under Wilder was following Wellington up the road. That cut off the escape route south. But he had no intention of requiring the Army’s assistance. The Marines would take care of this little chore themselves. Piece of cake…

___________

     An avid fox hunter, His Grace Sir Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington, now found that he rather enjoyed the role of the fox. Of course, knowing half the colonials under official arms in the District of Columbia, directed by his trusted old comrade Winfield Scott, were lurking in the area made playing the role somewhat less tense. Even though he could hear Harry’s muttering that they would have been better off with a full contingent of Royal Marines surrounding them…

     Despite Bratton’s being an accomplished ‘diplomatic,’ Wellington knew Harry considered himself above all a bodyguard. So even though the Captain, on an intellectual level, knew security in this case must be left to the USBA authorities, it was only human of him to want the best security available. And, as an Englishman, that meant the Royal Marines.

     But the Duke had ruled that all out. He had had no choice, really, once Scott had proposed and outlined the plan, but to let the Americans handle things their way. Even though he had a sneaky feeling Scott had enjoyed turning the hunter into the hunted…