Alexander Stevens was a man in “British Columbia” who thought very poorly of the United States of America. He became more extreme over time as the cultures of both areas diverged significantly, and he was brash and never backed down from a fight. He peddled an idea called “Normanism”. It was a racial theory that espoused the superiority of British Columbians as second only to their British overlords. This theory was originally published in 1857, and by 1860, became relatively widespread in “British Columbia”. Many of the whites in “British Columbia” wanted someone to sneer at, or to scapegoat when something went wrong. The Yankees seemed like an obvious target due to the shared enmity since 1776. Besides a hatred of Americans and an emphasis on “whiteness”, especially concerning “British Columbians”, the belief of “Normanism”, which often manifested in the book “A New Dominion” by Alexander Stevens, stressed rearmament, and also territorial expansion. In particular, the “Normanists” wanted territory gains in the Caribbean and in Mexico. The origins of this territorial desire started from the early days of “British Columbia”, where it was originally managed similarly to the British holdings in the Caribbean. A desire for purchasing Cuba from Spain was floated in “A New Dominion”. Cuba seemed compatible with cash crop agriculture, for instance. “A New Dominion” also supported the British Empire’s expansion in other areas besides the Caribbean—it wanted “British Columbians” to sign up to glorify their Empire by signing up in various “Colonial Corps” (auxiliaries supporting British soldiers) and helping to expand and protect the British holdings in Egypt, South Africa, and Australia. Due to his efforts in bringing many young men into the "Colonial Corps" and helping British expansion in Australia, South Africa, and Egypt, the British government tolerated him--at least until he started to become a bigger problem than benefit.
The American was considered “Roundhead”—a distortion of the English Civil War. Other groups that were discriminated against in “Normanism” included Africans, Native Americans, and Asians. This fact-distorting theory claimed that the settlers of the Carolinas and Georgia (and the rest of the lower South) largely consisted of an “aristocratic stock”. The forerunners of this “Normanism” could be seen in the copying of architecture from Great Britain by the planter class prior to the failed rebellion in the late 1830s. While most examples ended up being burned down, a few examples of classic architecture remained in governor’s mansions, colonial courts, and a military college. “Normanism” gained popularity as the book "A New Dominion" became a bestseller in "British Columbia". This inspired new groups called the "Graycoats" (a hate group), and offered refuge for the "Storm Riders" hate group based in the United States of America. They appeared in “British Columbia” around the late 1850s and the 1860s; they often wore homespun "butternut" clothes. They were accused of raids and other crimes--in particular, attacking US Citizens that were in "British Columbia" for various reasons. This earned them the ire of the US government, and would lead to a flashpoint. Among the early members of this version of the “Graycoats” was Nathan Bedford Forrest—a man with an almost boundless hatred for Yankees and blacks. Another reason why the belief of “Normanism” spread in “British Columbia” was the poverty of many people in the area coupled with a still-weak education system. The primarily rural nature of “British Columbia” combined with a lack of higher education outside of the cities meant that many people may have believed Stevens more readily. However, he was not without supporters in urban areas. Even some burgesses believed what he said (at least in private). Other people like Robert Toombs and John Bell Hood also joined the "Normanists"; in fact, sometimes they were seen as a secret society of sorts.
1860 was a critical year for the United States of America. Abraham Lincoln had become President, beating Stephen Douglass in the Election of 1860 (more about parties will come later). He had known about the horrors of the "Storm Riders" and other assorted hate groups and how they had caused many problems for Americans--this needed to end. Lincoln attempted to make his mark on history by helping the American people realize their ideals of equality set forth in the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. One of the first steps he could take was by authorizing a mass roundup of the surviving "Storm Riders" in the "Storm Rider Act" that passed Congress in early 1861. He was willing to meet the metaphorical bull by its horns, and would take action early to prove his devotion to American ideas. Those "Storm Riders" that avoided arrest ended up fleeing into "British Columbia" where Lincoln demanded their extradition due to various crimes (especially a wave of lynching of African Americans) in the United States of America. He also wanted the "Graycoats" to stop harassing US citizens in "British Columbia".
A "butternut uniform" belonging to a "Graycoat" or at least the restoration of one.
The authorities there were originally disinclined to accept Lincoln's demands, and their overlords back in Great Britain did not take Lincoln seriously at first. As a result, Lincoln talked with members of Congress on what to do next. They recommended applying economic pressure on "British Columbia" (who often sold various cash crops northwards) until the "Storm Riders" were apprehended and sent back to the United States of America. Lincoln correctly saw that the British government had little desire for conflict with the United States of America despite what their lackeys and lapdogs in "British Columbia" often talked about. The "Storm Riders" and other assorted hate groups (many inspired by "Normanists" in "British Columbia" ended up losing their refuge in "British Columbia". This happened partly because Britain did not want US economic pressure and also because the "Storm Riders" were a terrorist organization and turning a blind eye to them looked bad. The crisis was averted... at least for now.
(Note that this would not be the last time that hate groups from the South would cause a problem in the United States of America, although certainly one of the most severe.)