1862 (53 page)

Napier’s temper began to fray. He would not be interrogated by a damned servant. Or slave. “Do you really have a message for me or not?”

“Documents, yes. sir. but not a message.”

Now Napier was thoroughly puzzled. The colored woman was highly articulate and not afraid of displaying it. He’d heard of educated slaves, but most in the South went out of their way to hide the fact lest they become the victims of white anger and jealousy.

Clarke made a move towards the woman. Napier waved him back. “Madam, why are you talking to me like this?”

“Sir, it is widely spoken that the alliance is a marriage of convenience and that England would now like to get out of it. Is that true?”

“I don’t think I will discuss matters of national policy with you,” Napier responded sternly.

Abigail smiled inwardly. He hadn’t denied it. “Then, if England truly wishes to break from the Confederacy, these may help it to do so.” She held out a small pack of papers. “I only ask one favor.”

Napier’s anger faded and he was thoroughly intrigued. “And what might that be? Your freedom? That I cannot give you.”

“General Napier, if these documents are as important as I think, then my freedom will come swiftly. What I wish, however, is my safety. If, as I said, they are important, then the Confederate government and General Hampton will quickly figure out how you got them. If they are worthless, then discard them and I shall leave. However. I think they are of great worth and I will need your protection. Ultimately, I would like to get to the North.”

With that, she handed over the papers. Napier took them and began to read. Halfway through, she noticed that he was sitting up straighter than he had been. When he finished, he read them a second time. Then he folded them and put them inside his jacket. He smiled at Abigail.

“Thank you. You have done us all a great service. Captain Clarke!” The aide jumped from his chair. “Sir.”

“First send a message to Lord Lyons to meet me here as soon as possible. Then get me Major Arbuthnot from the cable office. After that, see if General Wolsey is strong enough for a conference. Finally,” he paused and looked at Abigail, whose composure had finally broken and who was quietly weeping. “See to it that this, ah, lady is transported in utmost secrecy to the fleet with instructions from me that she is to be taken to Canada as soon as possible. From there, arrangements are to be made to get her to New York.” Abigail began to cry openly. “Could it be Boston, sir? I have family in Boston.” Napier smiled expansively. “My dear lady, we would send you any place on this earth if you so wished it.”

My Dear General Hampton.

In response to your letter, let me give you the utmost assurances that the rumors are wrong. There is no agreement between Her Majesty’s government and that of the Confederate States of America regarding manumission for the slaves in the Confederate States. All that was agreed to was the possibility that such could occur should it be the wish of the states that comprise our sovereign nation. Indeed, it would have been an utter fraud on my part to have made a promise to free the staves as it is unenforceable according to our law. As you well know, our new and untested Constitution contains several references to the legitimacy of slavery and, therefore, such manumission could not take place without amending our Constitution. As President, I have many powers, but that is not one of them.

I cannot rule out that manumission might happen in the future, but, if it does, it will be as a result of the wishes of the people of the Confederacy, I think you will agree that such approval is highly unlikely in the foreseeable future.

As to the rumor itself, it seems to have originated in England and it puzzles me as to why the British government has not taken steps to contradict it. It could be because they think it too preposterous to dignify, or it might be because they, for political purposes, wish to have their population think that it might be true, thus pandering to their significantly antislavery population. England is capable of incredible deviousness, so that latter idea is what I think has occurred. When the war is ended and we are victorious, then the whole matter will be deferred eternally and simply forgotten.

In conclusion, dear General Hampton, please do not permit such matters to concern you. What our nation needs is your presence back on the field of battle. Pay no mind to absurd rumors. Concentrate solely on regaining your health.

Jefferson Davis

William Gladstone returned the copy of the cable to Lord Russell. “Who is this Hampton and why does he, a mere brigadier general, communicate thusly with the president of the Confederacy?”

Russell chuckled grimly. “He is one of the richest and most influential men in the Southern states. His power greatly exceeds his rank. In the American republics, wealth defines the man, and he is well defined indeed.’’

“Has this letter been proven authentic?”

“General Napier and Lord Lyons agree that it is genuine. Both have correspondence from Davis and the handwriting and the stationery, they assure me, are the same.”

“Then the South has betrayed us.”

“Have they?” asked Russell. “Or did we permit ourselves to be deluded? It is my understanding that Jefferson Davis is a man of honor, which precludes him from performing an intentional fraud on us. although he is obviously capable of permitting us to defraud ourselves. Besides. Lord Lyons essentially concurs with what Davis wrote, and that there was only an implied agreement that may have been seen more clearly by us than by the Confederacy. Palmerston wanted war, and he appears to have believed what he wished in order to get Confederate support.”

“At least he will never know the ignominy of this.” Palmerston had mercifully passed away that morning. He had never regained consciousness. “How does this fit into your plans?” Russell smiled. “I will hold on to this letter for about a week or so, and then proclaim in Parliament.”

“Good lord, why? There will be an outcry to break the alliance. This Davis says there is no agreement regarding slavery and then calls us devious. The public will see it as an intolerable affront, perhaps even greater than the
Trent
Incident. They will see that British blood has been spilled in support of a spurious cause. The London papers will crucify us.”

“Indeed, but we will have had the opportunity to rebut the message and portray ourselves as the aggrieved party. By that time, Gladstone, I believe there might be one or two meetings in North America that would prove interesting. They, the letter, and the few other thoughts Id previously mentioned might prove quite significant.”

The hunting lodge was south of Montreal and at the head of Lake Champlain. Its exact position relative to the ill-defined border between Canada and the United States was unknown. For the moment, it served everyone’s purposes to assume that it lay astride the border. Aside from that political nicety, the lodge was large, well appointed, stocked with food and beverages, and, more important than all other factors, well heated.

Viscount Monck represented England, while General Winfield Scott represented the United States. Two civilian aides sat behind Monck at the dining room table, while John Hay and Nathan Hunter backed the general. Both Nathan and General Scott wore civilian clothes.

Scott began. “The most difficult step of any journey is always the first, so I shall take it. I have represented my country in diplomatic discussions with Great Britain at places not far from here. I have done so with some success, as conflict was averted. That is not the case today, as we are at war. May I presume that we are here to have a discussion regarding the end of the war?”

Monck nodded. “I shall take the second step by saying yes.”

Nathan watched as the drama unfolded. Once again he was a spectator to history, the proverbial fly on the wall.

Secretary of State Seward had wished to be the Union representative, but he had been overruled by Lincoln. Since Lord Russell could not be present in either of his capacities, foreign secretary or acting prime minister, it was diplomatically proper to have someone less than the secretary of state meet with someone who was less than the foreign secretary. Nathan suspected that Lincoln’s real reason was Seward’s anti-English attitude and his abrasive personality, either of which could have ended any diplomatic initiatives.

“It appears to me,” said Scott, “that Her Majesty’s government now feels that a war with the United States was a grievous error and wishes to correct that error.”

“That is a fair assessment,” Monck responded. “We would like nothing better than to go back to the world as it was, and hope that you feel likewise.”

Scott looked incredulous. “Status quo antebellum? I think not.”

“Why not, General? It would mean a peace with honor.”

“Governor Monck. far too much has happened and far too much blood has been spilled to simply forgive and forget. Besides, reverting to the past would leave too many open issues.”

“Such as?”

“May I be blunt?”

“Certainly, General.”

“One open issue is Canada. We hold much of it and you don’t, although I presume you wish it back. Our citizens are proud of our conquest and would not permit Mr. Lincoln to simply return it in exchange for a thank-you and a handshake. No, we will keep Canada up to the eastern terminus of Lake Ontario.”

Monck paled. Kingston had recently fallen to General Baldy Smith’s Union army in a daring winter approach. This had occurred after Commodore Foote’s flotilla of ironclad turtles had demolished the small British squadron that had been built to defend Kingston.

“We cannot permit that,” Monck said softly. “We must have Canada back.”

“Then the war will continue and the following will happen in the spring. First, General Smith’s army will continue towards Montreal and Ottawa. It will be supported by Quebec rebels of French descent, who now see in the United States a better chance for independence than Great Britain. We will guarantee them that independence, of course, which will result in a free French nation in North America.

“Second and simultaneously, another Union army will cross the border from Maine and drive towards Nova Scotia and Halifax. When all is done, you will be left with the island of New Found Land and whatever other piles of rock off the coast north of it you desire. A year from now, Britain will hold far less of Canada than she has now. Thus, when your government desires to negotiate again, it will be from a far weaker position.”

Monck paled at the vision. “What do you wish?”

Scott smiled benignly and it occurred to Nathan that the old man was enjoying himself hugely. In the meetings with Lincoln, it had been stressed that Canada was England’s Achilles’ heel. Scott was speaking to Monck every bit as bluntly as Seward had, but Scott was getting away with it.

“England must right the wrong.”

“Sir?”

“What Mr. Lincoln wants more than anything else is the Union both preserved and reunited. This is an intense feeling that he and most of the people of the United States have held since the start of hostilities with the South, and nothing has caused that belief to be shaken. By joining the cause of the South, England has cost American lives and possibly prolonged the war, thus deferring reunification and making us pay a higher blood price. England must make amends.”

Scott paused, waiting for Monck to comment. When he did not, the old general continued. “It is not enough that England step aside, she must change sides.”

“Impossible.” Monck said weakly.

Scott ignored him. “England will deny entry to her nation and her colonies any ships from the Confederacy, and she will stop the construction of any ships headed for the South. We are aware of a number of ships that could be used as blockade-runners under construction at Liverpool and elsewhere. The Royal Navy will actively help Union vessels in their blockade of the South and in chasing down Confederate blockade-runners. Further, the British army now recuperating at Petersburg will move towards Portsmouth and Norfolk. These cities will be held for a landing by Union forces. It will not be necessary for British land forces to fight alongside Union forces, unless, of course, the Confederates try to stop you.”

“We could never agree to that.”

“It is the only way you will ever regain Canada. Governor Monck, it is inevitable that the armies under Grant and Thomas will prevail against the remnants of Lee’s army, which is now under Beauregard, who is not qualified to handle Lee’s horse. If our victory does not occur this year, it will the next, or the year after that. But it will occur. If Canada is still ours when Grant is victorious, then what is left for England to bargain for? Negotiate now for Canada, or delay and lose her forever.”

Nathan saw that Monck was sweating. “You would return all of Canada in return for our assistance as described?”

“Minus some minor border adjustments.”

“And what might they be?”

“The United States will retain Vancouver Island. Our destiny is westward, and that will protect our ports in Puget Sound and other interests along the Pacific coast. In return for this, we will not protest your acquisition of Hawaii. After all, we are a land power and you are a naval one. You need Hawaii and we don’t. A few business interests will be upset, but they are not important.”

Monck nodded. Vancouver for Hawaii would be perceived as a fair trade. It also confirmed the rumor that the Americans had begun negotiations with Russia over possession of Alaska. Let them have Vancouver. Canada west of Lake Superior was nothing more than a wasteland full of buffalo and Indians.

“At a point in time in the future, say five years,” Scott continued. “England will sell us those barren lands west of Hudson Bay. They are of no import to you and will help us fulfill our destiny in North America. England will continue to hold Ontario and Quebec.”

Monck thought rapidly. The northern Great Plains were nothing besides North America’s equivalent to Siberia. Let the Americans have them. “Agreed.”