CHAPTER VIII
MR. CALHOUN ACCEPTS
A woman's tongue is her sword, that she never lets rust. --_Madam Necker_.
I struggled among three courses. The impulses of my heart, joined tosome prescience of trouble, bade me to follow Elisabeth. My duty orderedme to hasten to Mr. Calhoun. My interest demanded that I should tarry,for I was sure that the Baroness von Ritz would make no merely idlerequest in these circumstances. Hesitating thus, I lost sight of her inthe throng. So I concluded I would obey the mandate of duty, and turnedtoward the great doors. Indeed, I was well toward the steps which ledout into the grounds, when all at once two elements of my problemresolved themselves into one. I saw the tall figure of Mr. Calhounhimself coming up the walk toward me.
"Ah," said he briefly, "then my message found you?"
"I was starting for you this moment, sir" I replied.
"Wait for a moment. I counted on finding you here. Matters havechanged."
I turned with him and we entered again the East Room, where Mr. Tylerstill prolonged the official greeting of the curious, the obsequious, orthe banal persons who passed. Mr. Calhoun stood apart for a time,watching the progress of this purely American function. It was some timeere the groups thinned. This latter fact usually would have ended thereception, since it is not etiquette to suppose that the president canlack an audience; but to-day Mr. Tyler lingered. At last through thethinning throng he caught sight of the distinctive figure of Mr.Calhoun. For the first time his own face assumed a natural expression.He stopped the line for an instant, and with a raised hand beckoned tomy chief.
At this we dropped in at the tail of the line, Mr. Calhoun in passinggrasping almost as many hands as Mr. Tyler. When at length we reachedthe president's position, the latter greeted him and added a whisperedword. An instant later he turned abruptly, ending the reception with adeep bow, and retired into the room from which he had earlier emerged.
Mr. Calhoun turned now to me with a request to follow him, and we passedthrough the door where the president had vanished. Directed byattendants, we were presently ushered into yet another room, which atthat time served the president as his cabinet room, a place for meetingpersons of distinction who called upon business.
As we entered I saw that it was already occupied. Mr. Tyler was graspingthe hand of a portly personage, whom I knew to be none other than Mr.Pakenham. So much might have been expected. What was not to have beenexpected was the presence of another--none less than the Baroness vonRitz! For this latter there was no precedent, no conceivable explanationsave some exigent emergency.
So we were apparently to understand that my lady was here as open friendof England! Of course, I needed no word from Mr. Calhoun to remind methat we must seem ignorant of this lady, of her character, and of herreputed relations with the British Foreign Office.
"I pray you be seated, Mr. Pakenham," said Mr. Tyler, and he gesturedalso to us others to take chairs near his table. Mr. Pakenham, in rathera lofty fashion, it seemed to me, obeyed the polite request, butscarcely had seated himself ere he again rose with an important clearingof his throat. He was one who never relished the democratic title of"Mr." accorded him by Mr. Tyler, whose plain and simple ways, not muchdifferent now from those of his plantation life, were in markedcontrast to the ceremoniousness of the Van Buren administration, whichPakenham also had known.
"Your _Excellency_," said he, "her Majesty the Queen of England's wishis somewhat anticipated by my visit here to-day. I hasten only to put inthe most prompt and friendly form her Majesty's desires, which I am sureformally will be expressed in the first mails from England. We deplorethis most unhappy accident on your warship _Princeton_, which has comeso near working irremediable injury to this country. Unofficially, Ihave ventured to make this personal visit under the flag of thisenlightened Republic, and to the center of its official home, out of afriendship for Mr. Upshur, the late secretary of state, a friendship assincere as is that of my own country for this Republic."
"Sir," said Mr. Tyler, rising, with a deep bow, "the courtesy of yourpersonal presence is most gratifying. Allow me to express that moreintimate and warmer feeling of friendship for yourself which comesthrough our long association with you. This respect and admiration arefelt by myself and my official family for you and the great power whichyou represent. It goes to you with a special sincerity as to a gentlemanof learning and distinction, whose lofty motives and ideals arerecognized by all."
Each having thus delivered himself of words which meant nothing, bothnow seated themselves and proceeded to look mighty grave. For myself, Istole a glance from the tail of my eye toward the Baroness von Ritz. Shesat erect in her chair, a figure of easy grace and dignity, but on herface was nothing one could read to tell who she was or why she was here.So far from any external _gaucherie_, she seemed quite as much at homehere, and quite as fit here, as England's plenipotentiary.
"I seize upon this opportunity, Mr. Pakenham," said Mr. Tyler presently,with a smile which he meant to set all at ease and to soften as much aspossible the severity of that which was to follow, "I gladly take thisopportunity to mention in an informal way my hope that this matter whichwas already inaugurated by Mr. Upshur before his untimely death may cometo perfectly pleasant consummation. I refer to the question of Texas."
"I beg pardon, your Excellency," rejoined Mr. Pakenham, half rising."Your meaning is not perfectly clear to me."
The same icy smile sat upon Mr. Tyler's face as he went on: "I can notbelieve that your government can wish to interfere in matters upon thiscontinent to the extent of taking the position of open ally of theRepublic of Mexico, a power so recently at war upon our own borders withthe brave Texans who have left our flag to set up, through fairconquest, a republic of their own."
The mottled face of Mr. Pakenham assumed a yet deeper red. "As to that,your Excellency," said he, "your remark is, as you say, quite informal,of course--that is to say, as I may state--"
"Quite so," rejoined Mr. Tyler gravely. "The note of my Lord Aberdeen tous, none the less, in the point of its bearing upon the question ofslavery in Texas, appears to this government as an expression whichought to be disavowed by your own government. Do I make myself quiteclear?" (With John Calhoun present, Tyler could at times assume acourage though he had it not.)
Mr. Pakenham's face glowed a deeper red. "I am not at liberty to discussmy Lord Aberdeen's wishes in this matter," he said. "We met here upon apurely informal matter, and--"
"I have only ventured to hope," rejoined Mr. Tyler, "that the personalkindness of your own heart might move you in so grave a matter as thatwhich may lead to war between two powers."
"War, sir, _war_?" Mr. Pakenham went wholly purple in his surprise, andsprang to his feet. "War!" he repeated once more. "As though there couldbe any hope--"
"Quite right, sir," said Mr. Tyler grimly. "As though there could be anyhope for us save in our own conduct of our own affairs, without anyinterference from any foreign power!"
I knew it was John Calhoun speaking these words, not Mr. Tyler. I sawMr. Calhoun's keen, cold eyes fixed closely upon the face of hispresident. The consternation created by the latter's words was plainlyvisible.
"Of course, this conversation is entirely irregular--I mean to say,wholly unofficial, your Excellency?" hesitated Pakenham. "It takes nopart in our records?"
"Assuredly not," said Mr. Tyler. "I only hope the question may nevercome to a matter of record at all. Once our country knows that dictationhas been attempted with us, even by England herself, the North will jointhe South in resentment. Even now, in restiveness at the fanciedattitude of England toward Mexico, the West raises the demand that weshall end the joint occupancy of Oregon with Great Britain. Do youperchance know the watchword which is now on the popular tongue west ofthe Alleghanies? It bids fair to become an American _Marseillaise_."
"I must confess my ignorance," rejoined Mr. Pakenham.
"Our backwoodsmen have invented a phrase which
runs _Fifty-four Forty orFight_!"
"I beg pardon, I am sure, your Excellency?"
"It means that if we conclude to terminate the very unsatisfactorymuddle along the Columbia River--a stream which our mariners firstexplored, as we contend--and if we conclude to dispute with England aswell regarding our delimitations on the Southwest, where she has evenless right to speak, then we shall contend for _all_ that territory, notonly up to the Columbia, but north to the Russian line, the parallel offifty-four degrees and forty minutes! We claim that we once bought Texasclear to the Rio Grande, from Napoleon, although the foolish treaty withSpain in 1819 clouded our title--in the belief of our Whig friends, whodo not desire more slave territory. Even the Whigs think that we ownOregon by virtue of first navigation of the Columbia. Both Whigs andDemocrats now demand Oregon north to fifty-four degrees, forty minutes.The alternative? My Lord Aberdeen surely makes no deliberate bid to hearit!"
"Or fight!" exclaimed Pakenham. "God bless my soul! Fight _us_?"
Mr. Tyler flushed. "Such things have been," said he with dignity.
"That is to say," he resumed calmly, "our rude Westerners are egotisticand ignorant. I admit that we are young. But believe me, when theAmerican people say _fight_, it has but one meaning. As their servant, Iam obliged to convey that meaning. In this democracy, the will of thepeople rules. In war, we have no Whigs, no Democrats, we have only _thepeople_!"
At this astounding speech the British minister sat dumfounded. This airof courage and confidence on the part of Mr. Tyler himself was somethingforeign to his record. I knew the reason for his boldness. John Calhounsat at his right hand.
At least, the meaning of this sudden assault was too much for England'srepresentative. Perhaps, indeed, the Berserker blood of our frontierspoke in Mr. Tyler's gaze. That we would fight indeed was true enough.
"It only occurs to us, sir," continued the president, "that the greataltruism of England's heart has led her for a moment to utter sentimentsin a form which might, perhaps, not be sanctioned in her colderjudgment. This nation has not asked counsel. We are not yet agreed inour Congress upon the admission of Texas--although I may say to you,sir, with fairness, that such is the purpose of this administration.There being no war, we still have Whigs and Democrats!"
"At this point, your Excellency, the dignity of her Majesty's servicewould lead me to ask excuse," rejoined Mr. Pakenham formally, "were itnot for one fact, which I should like to offer here. I have, in short,news which will appear full warrant for any communication thus far madeby her Majesty's government. I can assure you that there has come intothe possession of this lady, whose able services I venture to enlisthere in her presence, a communication from the Republic of Texas to thegovernment of England. That communication is done by no less a hand thanthat of the attache for the Republic of Texas, Mr. Van Zandt himself."
There was, I think, no other formal invitation for the Baroness von Ritzto speak; but now she arose, swept a curtsey first to Mr. Tyler and thento Mr. Pakenham and Mr. Calhoun.
"It is not to be expected, your Excellency and gentlemen," said she,"that I can add anything of value here." Her eyes were demurelydowncast.
"We do not doubt your familiarity with many of these late events,"encouraged Mr. Tyler.
"True," she continued, "the note of my Lord Aberdeen is to-day theproperty of the streets, and of this I have some knowledge. I can see,also, difficulty in its reception among the courageous gentlemen ofAmerica. But, as to any written communication from Mr. Van Zandt, theremust be some mistake!"
"I was of the impression that you would have had it last night,"rejoined Pakenham, plainly confused; "in fact, that gentleman advised meto such effect."
The Baroness Helena von Ritz looked him full in the face and onlygravely shook her head. "I regret matters should be so much at fault,"said she.
"Then let me explain," resumed Pakenham, almost angrily. "I willstate--unofficially, of course--that the promises of Mr. Van Zandt werethat her Majesty might expect an early end of the talk of the annexationof Texas to the United States. The greater power of England upon land orsea would assure that weak Republic of a great and enlightened ally--inhis belief."
"An ally!" broke out Mr. Calhoun. "And a document sent to that effect bythe attache of Texas!" He smiled coldly. "Two things seem very apparent,Mr. President. First, that this gentle lady stands high in the respectof England's ministry. Second, that Mr. Van Zandt, if all this weretrue, ought to stand very low in ours. I would say all this and muchmore, even were it a state utterance, to stand upon the records of thisnation!"
"Sir," interrupted Mr. Tyler, swiftly turning to Mr. Calhoun, "_may Inot ask you that it be left as a state utterance?_"
Mr. Calhoun bowed with the old-time grace habitual to him, his hand uponhis heart, but he made no answer. The real reason might have been readin the mottled face of Pakenham, now all the colors of the rainbow, ashe looked from one to the other.
"Mr. Calhoun," continued the president, "you know that the office ofour secretary of state is vacant. There is no one living would serve inthat office more wisely than yourself, no one more in accordance with myown views as to these very questions which are before us. Since it hascome to that point, I offer you now that office, and do so officially. Iask your answer."
The face of England's minister now for the first time went colorless. Heknew what this meant.
As for John Calhoun, he played with both of them as a cat would with amouse, sneeringly superior. His answer was couched in terms suited tohis own purposes. "This dignity, Mr. President," said he, bowing deeplyagain, "so unexpected, so onerous, so responsible, is one which at leastneeds time for proper consideration. I must crave opportunity forreflection and for pondering. In my surprise at your sudden request, Ifind no proper answer ready."
Here, then, seemed an opportunity for delay, which Mr. Pakenham wasswift to grasp. He arose and bowed to Mr. Tyler. "I am sure that Mr.Calhoun will require some days at least for the framing of his answer toan invitation so grave as this."
"I shall require at least some moments," said Mr. Calhoun, smiling."That _Marseillaise_ of '44, Mr. President, says _Fifty-four Forty orFight_. That means 'the Rio Grande or fight,' as well."
A short silence fell upon us all. Mr. Tyler half rose and half frownedas he noticed Mr. Pakenham shuffling as though he would depart.
"It shall be, of course, as you suggest," said the president toPakenham. "There is no record of any of this. But the answer of Mr.Calhoun, which I await and now demand, is one which will go upon therecords of this country soon enough, I fancy. I ask you, then, to hearwhat Mr. Calhoun replies."
Ah, it was well arranged and handsomely staged, this little comedy, anddone for the benefit of England, after all! I almost might have believedthat Mr. Calhoun had rehearsed this with the president. Certainly, thelatter knew perfectly well what his answer was to be. Mr. Calhounhimself made that deliberately plain, when presently he arose.
"I have had some certain moments for reflection, Mr. President," saidhe, "and I have from the first moment of this surprising offer on yourpart been humbly sensible of the honor offered so old and so unfit aman.
"Sir, my own record, thank God, is clear. I have stood for the South. Istand now for Texas. I believe in her and her future. She belongs to us,as I have steadfastly insisted at all hours and in all places. She willwiden the southern vote in Congress, that is true. She will be forslavery. That also is true. I myself have stood for slavery, but I amyet more devoted to democracy and to America than I am to the South andto slavery. So will Texas be. I know what Texas means. She means for usalso Oregon. She means more than that. She means also a democracyspreading across this entire continent. My attitude in that regard hasbeen always clear. I have not sought to change it. Sir, if I take thisoffice which you offer, I do so with the avowed and expressed purpose ofbringing Texas into this Union, in full view of any and allconsequences. I shall offer her a treaty of annexation _at once!_ Ishall urge annexation at every hour, in every
place, in all ways withinmy means, and in full view of the consequences!" He looked now gravelyand keenly at the English plenipotentiary.
"That is well understood, Mr. Calhoun," began Mr. Tyler. "Your views arein full accord with my own."
Pakenham looked from the one to the other, from the thin, vulpine faceto the thin, leonine one. The pity Mr. Tyler felt for the old man'svisible weakness showed on his face as he spoke.
"What, then, is the answer of John Calhoun to this latest call of hiscountry?"
That answer is one which is in our history.
"John Calhoun accepts!" said my master, loud and clear.