Thanks for the compliments guys. Can't wait for the new updates Rooster. Read parts 2 and 3 of the South Carolina campaign last night. Excellent stuff!
Anyway, I was going to finish my snippets on Richards, but this novel snippet idea popped into my head last night while reading Napoleon's novel snippets "The Coming Storm" and "The Conflict Widens", and I couldn't resist.
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The Right Honorable William Pitt the Younger starred out of the window of his office in 10 Downing Street. There was a stern, serious expression on his face, and he was silent, as if something troubling had been constantly on his mind, as if he was expecting someone, something, or perhaps even both. He looked out and saw London, the bustling, prosperous capital city of the grandiose British Empire. He felt proud looking at the capital city; it reminded him of how strong the British Empire still was, even after losing the Revolution.
Just then, he heard footsteps, it was the men he expected to see no doubt. It was the twenty eighth of February of the year of our lord eighteen hundred and one. That was the date he expected to see him, and he was glad he came. The man then opened the door. He was a tall, lean man, in his late 20's, and quite handsome as well. The man was Joseph Edmund Bellamy, a Tory PM from the Ipswich Constituency, and a pupil of the Prime Minister. He tipped his hat and said, “Good day Prime Minister, wonderful afternoon.”
“Yes indeed.” Pitt replied. “Care for some Tea? Its strait from Bengal.”
“Of course.” Pitt and Bellamy were then given said tea by a servant. “Now……what is it we were going to discuss?” Bellamy asked.
“This is what we were going to discuss Mr. Bellamy.” Pitt paused as he sat down in his desk. “I have come to the conclusion that another war between Great Britain and America is all but inevitable at this point. It is not just inevitable good sir, it is necessary to ensure the Freedom of both the Americas and Europe. It is also in Britain’s best interest to see Chancellor Jackson knocked down a peg, as I shall put to you bluntly”.
“You are serious then, are you not?”
“If I were kidding Mr. Bellamy would I have called you here, to walk in the freezing cold? I would most certainly not have.”
“I see. I for one am not sure if a war is even necessary. What do we care about those Tin-Pot Republic’s over in the New World anyway? Let them live under there dictators. If anything we should worry about the Empire. With the…”
“Listen…” Pitt cut him off. “If we allow America’s power to grow unchecked, the consequences could be disastrous.”
“Go on….”
“It is clear to me that Jackson is an aggressive, overly opportunistic dictator. He embodies everything I despise about America, and Americans. For example, you remember when the Second Great Turkish War ended five months ago, do you not?”
“Of course. As a Christian, It gave me great pleasure to see those blasted Mohammedans kicked out of Europe once and for all.”
“I agree, it gives me pleasure as well.” Pitt then sipped some of his Tea. “However the end of the War is but a paradox. As glad as I am to see the Turks and Barbary pirates pacified once and for all, I am greatly distressed by the American acquisition of the Barbary States, as well as the Empire’s integration of the Balkans, but we shall discuss that later. This only proves everything I have already said about Jackson. He was unabashed when he said the main reason for acquisition of the Barbary States was for prestige and the respect of European Powers. What European Power in their right mind would respect this madman, this tyrant, this bloodthirsty warmonger, this threat to the peace of the world? Who would? The Russians and the Empire, that’s who. Our relations with said nations have been strained ever since the Revolution, and now it so even more.”
“I see what you mean. But you realize sir, that America controls the Barbary States in name only. They fortify the capitals sure, but that's it, the rest of it a dessert wasteland, full of bandits, cannibals, devil worshipers and other such horrors.”
Pitt looked oddly at Bellamy. “Bandits yes, as for that other stuff, you may have exaggerated that. Anyway, that is the point. America controls so little off their new “Colonies”. If we wage war in America, there is no way Jackson would be able to hold onto those lands. Men will be needed for the front. They will easily be lost old chap.”
“Rather.” Bellamy replied as he sipped some more Tea.
“As for America itself, more evidence can be found of Jackson’s monstrousness in his own country. He was massacred countless natives, started a coup allegedly approved by the even more villainous Paine, and had purged almost all of those in his government who do not share his beliefs. Give him credit for one thing though, he is an excellent general. But that is not my point. My second point is Panama, more proof of Jackson’s aggression and overwhelming opportunism. If Jackson ever gets around to building his canal, the consequences are dire. He had already stated he plans to use such a canal in case another war with Britain recommences. He said it all himself, and he also said, that he would use Panama as a launching for naval forces against India. This would be a calamity for our Empire. As if the French building up their Navy in the same area was bad enough. However if we attack America sooner, Jackson will need his men, and ships, at home, and not on some distant colony. If we wait too late, several generations later our descendants will have much greater problems, as Jackson will be more than prepared to attack India, and no doubt he will Ally with a much stronger France by then. Not to mention, with control of a canal that provides a quick and easy passage between Atlantic and Pacific, Jackson would become one of the most powerful dictators on earth. He would have the whole world at his knees! I very much doubt that he would keep such a canal open and free to anyone but himself!"
“Indeed”.
“Now for my third point, which proves everything I have already stated about Jackson, and more. This truly shows how much of a warmonger he truly is.” Pitt went into his desk drawer and pulled out a map.
“What’s that sir?” Bellamy asked.
“This is a Map of North America, but not just any map. This a map was made by a cartographer from Upper Canada named Arnold Erlenmeyer.”
“Is he related to that man who was lynched while trying to flee to Canada during the first days of the Reign of Horror?” Asked Bellamy out of curiosity. “What was his name; Jonathan I believe.”
“Yes I do believe he is a relation of the unfortunate Mr. Jonathan Erlenmeyer. But that is not important.” He showed Bellamy the map.
“Why, this map shows the Americans in control of most of the damned continent.”
“Exactly!” Pitt responded as he sipped the last of his Tea. “There is a vile doctrine in the Republic known as “Manifest Destiny”. It states, according to Jackson, the creator of this doctrine, that America was destined to spread her borders across the continent to spread liberty and Republicanism.”
Bellamy shrugged. “Feh. Liberty, Liberty to them is brutally killing off anyone who doesn't agree with their own political views.”
“Yes that is true.” Pitt responded. “Jackson claims he will set up an organized and free government when the time comes and after the storm is weathered, but he is merely biding his time.”
“I can agree with that.”
“Yes.” Pitt paused. “Anyway, Jackson will see this plan through, and he does not care if he is the aggressor or not, he will do it anyway “for the glory of the Republic”. Pitt cringed as he uttered those words. "He even plans to annex Canada and our holdings in the Caribbean. Can you believe such a thing?!?!"
"No, but then again this is Jackson of all people where talking about."
“Now you see Bellamy, why we must and shall, when the time is right, go to war against this tyrannical, belligerent and gluttonous madman?”
“Yes I do sir.” Bellamy answered. “Imagine if we wait twenty or forty years. Jackson will have enough power to see his goals through. The Barbary Sates will be strong Americanized colonies with armies posing a great threat to Europe, Panama will have a grand navy ready to strike at India, and by then, no one will be able to stop him!!!”
“Yes! Yes! Yes! Old boy you get it!” Pitt exclaimed. “Do you want a man like this to dominate North America, possibly the world?”
“No sir!”
“Which is why I myself, and many of my trusted colleagues in Parliament, see it as necessary to ally ourselves with the Southron Alliance, the archenemies of the American Republic and their western American and Mexican allies. If we win this war, America will fall apart into a variety of different nations, much like it was in danger of doing so back in 1783. Not to mention, Britain and her Southron Allies will most certainly make territorial gains. It sounds like a great plan, doesn't it?”
“I guess. I know it will be necessary, but the Southrons? I almost feel as if it is…..well….how could our civilized British Empire ally ourselves to those Tin-Pot dictatorships? Are they no better then Jackson himself?”
“You make a good point old chap.” Pitt replied bluntly. “May I make it more than clear that I have little love for the Americas. Their people are little more than un-cultured, rowdy, loud, and violent country folk, and their “culture” suffers accordingly. This is more than proved by their ideas of “liberty” and “freedom”; and this is no different in the Southron Republics.”
“I do agree.”
“You should. Yes, it is ironic in a sense. You must have known that our county has been negotiating with some of these nations only last year. I went to the negotiations in Augusta and meet both Bulloch of Georgia and Marion of South Carolina. I cannot say I liked both men; In fact I almost despised them. Bulloch I found to be quite arrogant, overbearing and unpleasant an individual. He is just as much a tyrant as Jackson, dare I say. As for Marion the Second, I found him even more insufferable. He is an arrogant, loud and obnoxious chain smoker. He kept puffing those things in my bloody face. God how I hated it. From what I can tell he is no better than Jackson as well, if not worse. From what I hear he is a ruthless power monger, and I can believe it. These two men, like Jackson, bring about everything I despise about America. Nevertheless, we must ally with these men. They do not even come close to the level danger that Jackson could impose upon the world. They are Tin-Pot dictators sure, but they rule over small backwaters, not large nations which also happen to be up and coming empires.”
“I more than understand. But what do you think about Monsieur de Bounparte.”
“I never meet him, so I cannot say. I have heard so much of him thought. Simply put he is a paradox old boy. He is European by birth, American by pure circumstance. I see him as intelligent, a lover of the arts, and an excellent general, yet I still do not trust him. He seems to be a Francophone Jackson. He is too much of an opportunist, too ambitious in that sense, not to mention he’s an Indian-killer, just like Jackson”. I may think that he and Jackson would have been best of friends if circumstances would have been different, or if they become different for that matter. Thank god Louisiana is in the Southron Alliance! Could you imagine the horror those two would unleash together!?!?”
“I don’t even know if I can think about it.” Bellamy said. “I guess our Alliance with the Southrons is necessary then, and I’m fine with that. I don’t care about those insignificant and arrogant despots, but I do care about the arrogant despot trying to take over the world from his honeycomb hideout in Philly. Anyway, remind me whats the American Alliance System like so far?”
“Well, the Southron Alliance is consisted of Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, Tejas and the Confederate States of Mexico. Meanwhile there is the American Republic, with their allies in the American west, Kaintuck, Watuaga, and Tenasse, and their allies in the greater Mexican region, Rio Grande, the Yucatan and Chihuahua. Do you understand?”
“I do, and its a sure thing we would win this so-called war. Right?”
“It's not a sure thing, but the odds are in our favor. This is strictly an American War, and hopefully no European Powers will intervene as they did during the Revolution. Besides, our German mercenaries will fight in America, and why would the rest of Europe have a problem with that? Exactly old chap. Before you say a thing, I believe they will not. It is not like during the Revolution, there will be nothing for European powers to gain from such a war.”
“But what if they do intervene? What if Britain is on the losing side, with no way out?”
"If we were to be losing old chap, and if the war becomes so desperate to the point were we have no escape, we would hopefully negotiate an honorable peace for Great Britain. We may loose a couple of minor colonies, maybe one important one, but we will come out a Great Power in the long run."
"Well there's a number of Tories in Parliament who feel that they should fight to the finish. What do you say about that Mr. Pitt? I feel that what they claim is all wishful thinking, and nothing else."
"I agree, their all a bunch of damned fools if you ask me. They would ruin is country if they came into power during war time. Luckily I'll live to see the end of such a conflict".
"Well, I fully agree with what should be done. Goodbye Mr. Pitt."
"Goodbye old chap." Pitt then politely showed him the door, and rested back into his chair. "I'll live to see an end to such a conflict......", these words were ringing in Pitt's head. For all his life, Pitt had always suffered from his poor health. What if he did not live to see his plans come to pass? "Oh well." he thought. He then opened his draw and look out a small stack of papers. "Now to get some work done." he muttered.