Background—Impressment.
The impressment policy of the English Government applied to the new
American country, was very galling. Under that policy American ships
were stopped on the high seas, and seamen taken from them under guise of
being British deserters. Many good Americans were forced into British
service. The young victim country protested. In 1801 the impressment
practice fell off and seemingly was abandoned. (See Elson’s History of
the U. S., pages 246 to 252, Vol. 2.) A quotation is given from Elson,
page 247, Vol. 2: “This (impressment) practice had fallen into the
background during the short season of peace between France and England,
that ended in 1803, but with the renewal of the war it had been revived
with alarming vigor.”
Whether that “alarming vigor” was due entirely to war exigencies of
recruiting its Navy, or whether the British Government designed it as a
provocation to the young western Republic, to take the onus of declaring
war, under guise of which the coveted floating title to Louisiana could
be appropriated, is a matter for deduction, not appearing of record.
At any rate, the impressment practice re-aroused resentment in the young
republic, and that resentment found chief expression in the then
Southwest, resulting under the leadership of that section and over the
opposition of the New England States, or rather of that of the assertive
Federalists therein, in a declaration of war against England, on the
ground of the degradation of our sovereignty.
It is not the purpose of the writer to discuss the War of 1812, except
as its events may relate to his mission, that of correcting falsehood
and error in the historical books adopted as textbooks for the school
children of America.
The War of 1812 was heralded as a mistake by the Federalists, opponents
of the then administration. While the incipient Navy gave a brilliant
account of itself, justifying the proud boast that man for man and gun
for gun, the U. S. Navy was the equal of anything afloat, for two and a
half years the record shows that land events in the main were untoward,
climaxed by the capture, and sacking and burning of the public
buildings, of the National Capital in August, 1814, and thus the Federal
Press offensively took the “I-told-you-so” attitude.
Early in the war the Emperor of Russia extended his good offices as
mediator. The United States Government accepted the offer, being
earnestly desirous of honorable peace, and having nothing to conceal
from neutral investigation. But the English government declined the
Russian offer, indicating that it preferred to treat direct. Later as a
result of British invitation, a Peace Commission met at Ghent, Belgium.