The Third Pistol
- Thread starter Meepy
- Start date
The Loyalists will probably move out of Michigander territory. Expect big population booms in both Vancouver Island and New Brunswick.
Port Mason, Pacifica Territory (Republic of Michigan) --- May 14th, 1843
Governor Orlando Willcox read through his correspondence with a somber dread. News from out East was almost never good nowadays. Especially not news out of Ann Arbor.
The continent had been edging once again towards chaos ever since the war ended. The British had razed Port Huron in retaliation against Michiganian attempts to tax British subjects in Upper Canada (The US, of all culprits, was the one to let the redcoats through to their isolated colony), war was avoided by sheer luck. The Tejanos had rejected American claims to their territory, and things had again almost escalated into a shooting war. Almost.
Willcox assumed he would be allowed to live in peace by accepting his post as the governor of the Michiganian settlement on Elliot Bay. His hopes were shattered when the Kinderhooks managed to get James K. Polk elected president last year. Among his many campaign slogans was "54-40 or Fight!".
After much hesitation, Willcox began to open the letter.
Suddenly he was interrupted when his secretary burst into the room.
"Sir, news from the capital. Mason's won reelection!"
"That's great news!" replied Willcox with no lack of relief "You need to stop barging in like that, though. For a minute there I thought I'd have to call up the militia."
York Factory, Hudson Territory (Republic of Michigan) --- May 16th, 1843
Commodore William Skiffington (the title still amused him) sighed regretfully over the electoral results. He'd really been hoping Mason's Federalists would lose to the Liberal Republicans. He'd put quite a lot of money into the Liberal campaign...
On the bright side, Mason heavily supported the Naval Department.
In fact, Skiffington was in York Factory on navy business, specifically to oversee the launching of the Navy's first two Men-o-War; The RMNV Albacore and Trout. These ships, along with three more on the way, would form the core of the Republic's new navy.
In othe news, British royalists had begun petitioning the capital for statehood. Skiffington thought the idea laughable, but apparently it commanded fairly large support, and stood a good chance of passing.
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Port Mason = Seattle, just to clear that up in advance
Port Mason, Pacifica Territory (Republic of Michigan) --- May 14th, 1843
Governor Orlando Willcox read through his correspondence with a somber dread. News from out East was almost never good nowadays. Especially not news out of Ann Arbor.
The continent had been edging once again towards chaos ever since the war ended. The British had razed Port Huron in retaliation against Michiganian attempts to tax British subjects in Upper Canada (The US, of all culprits, was the one to let the redcoats through to their isolated colony), war was avoided by sheer luck. The Tejanos had rejected American claims to their territory, and things had again almost escalated into a shooting war. Almost.
Willcox assumed he would be allowed to live in peace by accepting his post as the governor of the Michiganian settlement on Elliot Bay. His hopes were shattered when the Kinderhooks managed to get James K. Polk elected president last year. Among his many campaign slogans was "54-40 or Fight!".
After much hesitation, Willcox began to open the letter.
Suddenly he was interrupted when his secretary burst into the room.
"Sir, news from the capital. Mason's won reelection!"
"That's great news!" replied Willcox with no lack of relief "You need to stop barging in like that, though. For a minute there I thought I'd have to call up the militia."
York Factory, Hudson Territory (Republic of Michigan) --- May 16th, 1843
Commodore William Skiffington (the title still amused him) sighed regretfully over the electoral results. He'd really been hoping Mason's Federalists would lose to the Liberal Republicans. He'd put quite a lot of money into the Liberal campaign...
On the bright side, Mason heavily supported the Naval Department.
In fact, Skiffington was in York Factory on navy business, specifically to oversee the launching of the Navy's first two Men-o-War; The RMNV Albacore and Trout. These ships, along with three more on the way, would form the core of the Republic's new navy.
In othe news, British royalists had begun petitioning the capital for statehood. Skiffington thought the idea laughable, but apparently it commanded fairly large support, and stood a good chance of passing.
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Port Mason = Seattle, just to clear that up in advance
I agree, if they are Royalists they should be conspiring against the Republic. Hopefully their motive is statehood followed by a secession attempt. After all we cannot let these Michiganers run around so. Once their independence is cented to ensure they do not return to Washington's fold they should learn why you provoke a royal lion at your own peril. As a Monarchist I am bound to back Britain to the hilt in this regard.
Speaking of which what animal would be used to symbolize Michigan?
The Wolverine, of course.
And the Territorial map of the Republic of Michigan, as per request...
Ah the Wolverine, excellent choice.
Mein Gott, just look at that map. Thus it falls to Vancouver to retake BC from the rampaging wolverine.
Mein Gott, just look at that map. Thus it falls to Vancouver to retake BC from the rampaging wolverine.
how can the *US hold that narrow strip of land west? It looks REALLY vulnerable...thanks for the map! it looks Pretty
Monterrey, La República de Tejas --- June 17th, 1843
The Grand Senate of the Republic of Texas met for the fifth time in as many months to decide the fate of the fledgling republic. The representatives had already decided that a president appointed by the Senate would run the nation on behalf of the senate. Now all that remained was to select a leader.
On one side, the Nacionalista Party, led by Henry Smith; Nationalism and Strong Government.
On the opposite side of isle sat the Anexionista Party led by Stephen Austin, they were in favor of immediate annexation by the US.
After two hours of heated debate between the two candidates, the votes were cast.
Final tally: NP: 349, AP: 96, Abstain: 19. Henry Smith would lead for the next 4 years.
Washington, D.C --- July 4th, 1843
As it was last year, the Independence Day Military Parade through Washington was a marvelous spectacle of American power. Polk thought it put the people in the right mood for his announcement.
Polk stepped up the steps of the capital to address the huge crowd.
Polk began "My fellow Americans; as you can see, our nation stands proud today as a shining example of democracy." he paused for the applause to die down before continuing, "An opportunity has arrived to spread the light of democracy onto the Dark Continent! The colony of Monrovia has agreed to join our grand nation as a state in the Union. Our Manifest Destiny is one step closer to achievement!"
Polk stepped down to thunderous applause.
The Grand Senate of the Republic of Texas met for the fifth time in as many months to decide the fate of the fledgling republic. The representatives had already decided that a president appointed by the Senate would run the nation on behalf of the senate. Now all that remained was to select a leader.
On one side, the Nacionalista Party, led by Henry Smith; Nationalism and Strong Government.
On the opposite side of isle sat the Anexionista Party led by Stephen Austin, they were in favor of immediate annexation by the US.
After two hours of heated debate between the two candidates, the votes were cast.
Final tally: NP: 349, AP: 96, Abstain: 19. Henry Smith would lead for the next 4 years.
Washington, D.C --- July 4th, 1843
As it was last year, the Independence Day Military Parade through Washington was a marvelous spectacle of American power. Polk thought it put the people in the right mood for his announcement.
Polk stepped up the steps of the capital to address the huge crowd.
Polk began "My fellow Americans; as you can see, our nation stands proud today as a shining example of democracy." he paused for the applause to die down before continuing, "An opportunity has arrived to spread the light of democracy onto the Dark Continent! The colony of Monrovia has agreed to join our grand nation as a state in the Union. Our Manifest Destiny is one step closer to achievement!"
Polk stepped down to thunderous applause.
Those Michiganians and Quebecois really won by the skin of their teeth huh? I'm surprised people haven't accused you of ASB much yet. But though implausible, your timeline does seem at least possible. And Governor Mason, such a deliciously implausible character OTL makes for a wonderful timeline.
Can you help me out with a quick OOC explanation of how the Michiganians won the war? I had a bit of trouble following the battles and their effects you wrote.
But I look forward to seeing Michigan as the bastion of democracy in the Western Hemisphere!
But though implausible, your timeline does seem at least possible. And Governor Mason, such a deliciously implausible character OTL makes for a wonderful timeline.Can you help me out with a quick OOC explanation of how the Michiganians won the war? I had a bit of trouble following the battles and their effects you wrote.
But I look forward to seeing Michigan as the bastion of democracy in the Western Hemisphere!
Certainly!
To start with, the British really didn't expect to be attacked by an outside force besides the US (which was not seen as a particular threat, having a woefully underpowered army at the time) and so was pretty short on manpower in NA (<15,000 Troops). About half of the Brit's forces were stationed in Lower Canada, so the forces that Mason's army (initially) faced in Upper Canada were around 7,000 Troops. Against the combined forces of an already-mobilized Michigan (~9,000) and Mackenzie's rebels (around 2,000) the British garrison wasn't especially overwhelming.
The Michiganian war effort went along fairly incident-free for the first year, advancing as far as London. The first major event in the war was in the spring of the second year, when the Michi-Canadians launched what was supposed to be their main offensive of the war. Unfortunately, the British had other plans, and cornered the main Michiganian column at Talbot Grove, due East of St. Thomas. The British force smashed the rebels and Michiganians and began a string of (British) victories that would eventually cut off the remainder of Michigan's army and push the lines all the way back to the Detroit River. The only thing that saved Michigan was a Canadian led action outside of Warwick (The Battle of Bear Creek) that destroyed the bulk of both armies, and a last-ditch effort by some over patriotic yachtsmen on the Detroit river.
At this point Quebec was in open revolt and therefore almost all British troops were sent to fight in Lower Canada, giving Michigan some much-needed breathing room.
By next year, the British were fighting a defensive war. Michiganians had surrounded York to the west (the lull in the battle had allowed them to boost their forces as high as 15,000), and the Quebecois rebels (now numbering around 35,000) were pushing into New Brunswick, having secured dominance over the St. Lawrence (and thus supply lines going in and out of Upper Canada). After a year or so of losing ground in New Brunswick and watching as both the Quebecois and Michiganian armies swell with volunteers and artillery pouring in from the US (after all, diplomacy can be a fickle game), the British decided to call a truce while they could still hold claim over their most important territories, giving up little more than useless wilderness to the Michiganians.
I hope that (unfortunately not so short) explanation helps.
I'm going to try writing it this way for a while. I just couldn't achieve the amount of scope and detail I thought necessary when I used the other way...
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The Colony of Monrovia was established in 1822 by the American Colonization Society as a refuge for Free American Blacks from the inhospitable cultural climate of the Pre-Manumission United States. Obviously, the average Monrovian in 1843 had some well-founded suspicions aimed at the United States.
Despite this, it was admitted into the Union as a State in the very same year. How did things come to that? What happened on the western coast of Africa that day a century and a half ago? How did the Democratic (or "Kinderhook" as they were referred to in the day) minority in Liberia emerge victorious in the 1843 Liberian Annexation Referendum?
The more that one delves into this plebiscite, less of the State's official history adds up (not that I was surprised in the least, we are talking about the 'States here). Because of this I took the liberty of examining several firsthand Liberian accounts of events on the day of the Referendum (June 19th, by the way).
The first thing that becomes clear after reading these reports is the obvious lack of legitimacy of the vote (actual counts were published well after the fact showing only 15% of the vote to be in favor of the referendum). Needless to say, the riots began as soon as the "results" were posted.
By sundown of the 19th, Liberia was the 26th State to enter the union, and its capital of Monrovia was in flames.
By the 21st the riots had escalated into a full-blown Rebellion, with Liberian Nationalist J.J. Roberts at its head. The Rebels got as far as the State Capital before they were pulverized by a typically disproportionate response on the part of the US Military. Hours later the rebels were in custody and Roberts was fleeing Northward. The new State had some breathing room.
A week later the last flames of revolt had been snuffed and the Government began to solidify their very tenuous political position. They needed something to strengthen the Pro-US Liberians, crush the Nationalists, and win over both Colonists and the apathetic.
That something was the Traitor Property Appropriation Act (TPAA), an infamous piece of legislation that gave the government instant ownership of anyone deemed a "Traitor" by the state government. That figure included at least one third of the Liberian population.
Obviously, the effect was both immediate and profound. The Sate sold "Appropriated" Property dirt cheap to anyone who signed a oath of loyalty to both the State and the Union, and even gave it away to Democratic colonists later on. Taxation on these properties was low boardering on nonexistent.
The TPAA was so effective in crushing the opposition, that just 17 years later the Democratic Party won a legitimate victory in the Liberian gubernatorial elections. It would not be repealed until the turn of the century.
-----------From Know Your Enemy by Martin Kinney, Retired Director of Michiganian N.I.D.
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I'll try to update tomorrow if possible...
Comments?
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The Colony of Monrovia was established in 1822 by the American Colonization Society as a refuge for Free American Blacks from the inhospitable cultural climate of the Pre-Manumission United States. Obviously, the average Monrovian in 1843 had some well-founded suspicions aimed at the United States.
Despite this, it was admitted into the Union as a State in the very same year. How did things come to that? What happened on the western coast of Africa that day a century and a half ago? How did the Democratic (or "Kinderhook" as they were referred to in the day) minority in Liberia emerge victorious in the 1843 Liberian Annexation Referendum?
The more that one delves into this plebiscite, less of the State's official history adds up (not that I was surprised in the least, we are talking about the 'States here). Because of this I took the liberty of examining several firsthand Liberian accounts of events on the day of the Referendum (June 19th, by the way).
The first thing that becomes clear after reading these reports is the obvious lack of legitimacy of the vote (actual counts were published well after the fact showing only 15% of the vote to be in favor of the referendum). Needless to say, the riots began as soon as the "results" were posted.
By sundown of the 19th, Liberia was the 26th State to enter the union, and its capital of Monrovia was in flames.
By the 21st the riots had escalated into a full-blown Rebellion, with Liberian Nationalist J.J. Roberts at its head. The Rebels got as far as the State Capital before they were pulverized by a typically disproportionate response on the part of the US Military. Hours later the rebels were in custody and Roberts was fleeing Northward. The new State had some breathing room.
A week later the last flames of revolt had been snuffed and the Government began to solidify their very tenuous political position. They needed something to strengthen the Pro-US Liberians, crush the Nationalists, and win over both Colonists and the apathetic.
That something was the Traitor Property Appropriation Act (TPAA), an infamous piece of legislation that gave the government instant ownership of anyone deemed a "Traitor" by the state government. That figure included at least one third of the Liberian population.
Obviously, the effect was both immediate and profound. The Sate sold "Appropriated" Property dirt cheap to anyone who signed a oath of loyalty to both the State and the Union, and even gave it away to Democratic colonists later on. Taxation on these properties was low boardering on nonexistent.
The TPAA was so effective in crushing the opposition, that just 17 years later the Democratic Party won a legitimate victory in the Liberian gubernatorial elections. It would not be repealed until the turn of the century.
-----------From Know Your Enemy by Martin Kinney, Retired Director of Michiganian N.I.D.
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I'll try to update tomorrow if possible...
Comments?
The City of Fort Powell, Dakota, was founded in the midst of the First Canadian War by British Loyalist prisoners of war who were forcibly relocated westward by the newly-formed Michigan Republic at the suggestion of William Mackenzie.
The Loyalists were supposed to be held for the duration of the war, however due to still-high diplomatic tensions over the short lived "joint occupation" of Upper Canada and the general administrative chaos following the war, the Loyalists were not free to go until 1841. By then, the "prisoners" were settled throughout the area and numbered in the tens of thousands. For the most part, the were there to stay.
Dissent grew amung the Powellites until finally, in 1842, they contacted the British about the possibilities of a British-backed rebellion in Wisconsin Territory. The Powellites began arming up.
This rebellious movement was soon detected by the Michiganians, who were terrified. There was, for a short time, serious consideration of a preemptive strike. Luckily for (almost) everyone involved, Mason chose to reconsider.
He issued what is now known as the "Compromise Ultimatum". It breaks down to essentially this; We'll give you Commonwealth status within Michigan, and you won't loose Britain on us.
This deal seems quite unfair at first glance. Britain was astronomically more powerful than Michigan, and both parties knew this. The only real bargaining chip that Michigan had was its assured victory in the field against the rebels. After all, it would take years for any substantial British force to reach Fort Powell. With this taken into account the Ultimatum reads more like this; "Give us what we want and you'll live relatively undisturbed , or fight and die, leaving your settlement under military occupation.
Baden Powell (the rebel leader), ever the pragmatist, agreed to the Ultimatum. On July 21st, 1843, Dakota became the sixth state to join the Republic of Michigan.
-----------From Forging the Republic by Johnathon Sykes, historian.
The Loyalists were supposed to be held for the duration of the war, however due to still-high diplomatic tensions over the short lived "joint occupation" of Upper Canada and the general administrative chaos following the war, the Loyalists were not free to go until 1841. By then, the "prisoners" were settled throughout the area and numbered in the tens of thousands. For the most part, the were there to stay.
Dissent grew amung the Powellites until finally, in 1842, they contacted the British about the possibilities of a British-backed rebellion in Wisconsin Territory. The Powellites began arming up.
This rebellious movement was soon detected by the Michiganians, who were terrified. There was, for a short time, serious consideration of a preemptive strike. Luckily for (almost) everyone involved, Mason chose to reconsider.
He issued what is now known as the "Compromise Ultimatum". It breaks down to essentially this; We'll give you Commonwealth status within Michigan, and you won't loose Britain on us.
This deal seems quite unfair at first glance. Britain was astronomically more powerful than Michigan, and both parties knew this. The only real bargaining chip that Michigan had was its assured victory in the field against the rebels. After all, it would take years for any substantial British force to reach Fort Powell. With this taken into account the Ultimatum reads more like this; "Give us what we want and you'll live relatively undisturbed , or fight and die, leaving your settlement under military occupation.
Baden Powell (the rebel leader), ever the pragmatist, agreed to the Ultimatum. On July 21st, 1843, Dakota became the sixth state to join the Republic of Michigan.
-----------From Forging the Republic by Johnathon Sykes, historian.
Thanks for the support! I actually don't go to EMU, but am one of the privileged (Read 'cursed') few to be native to the area.
Update in an hour or so.
In order for us Michiganians to understand the United States, we must go back to the roots of its current political climate. Readers, we must go back to the mid-19th Century, in the midst of the first modern Democratic administration. We have to go back to the United States of America, 1843-44.
Up until the Kinderhooks' victory in 1842 the government of the US had remained relatively introverted. It avoided conflict with its neighbors, it tried to strengthen its economy, it stayed out of trouble. That all changed when, in the late 1830's, the "Kinderhook" Democrats split off from the Mainstream Democratic Party. The Kinderhooks began with a platform of States Rights, Stability, and (most importantly) Manifest Destiny. They used this platform to appeal to the South and West, and won a very narrow majority in both Houses of Congress and the White House.
This by its self is not unusual, all democratic states experience the emergence of new political parties. Rarely, if ever, do these fads last long. Few really expected this new bloc to do anything but be re-assimilated into the Democrat mainstream.
However, the Kinderhooks happened to be in the right place at the right time; they had James K. Polk.
Polk's oratory skill helped convince the large opposition in Congress to cooperate in reestablishing the Independent Treasury System and Tariff reform. These laws sent the Kinderhooks' popularity soaring in 1843, and gave them the political power to follow through with their planned Annexation of Liberia (and subsequent purchase of Freetown Colony from Great Britain), which basically sealed the results of the 1844 Congressional Elections.
With a apparent landslide defeat looming on the political horizon, the Whig party and the Traditional Democrats joined forces to form the Center-Left Republican Party (about a third of the Whigs refused to leave the party). This left the Kinderhooks in complete control of the Democratic Party and the opposition split. The Democrats emerged from the 1844 elections with a net gain of nearly 50 seats in the lower house. Polk was finally in full control.
The US had officially become the Military-Expansionist power that it is today, and it needed a new target (if a target were not found, the Democrats' popularity would likely slip).
The only problem remaining in Polk's way was to choose where to take first...
-----------From Know Your Enemy by Martin Kinney, Retired Director of Michiganian N.I.D.
Up until the Kinderhooks' victory in 1842 the government of the US had remained relatively introverted. It avoided conflict with its neighbors, it tried to strengthen its economy, it stayed out of trouble. That all changed when, in the late 1830's, the "Kinderhook" Democrats split off from the Mainstream Democratic Party. The Kinderhooks began with a platform of States Rights, Stability, and (most importantly) Manifest Destiny. They used this platform to appeal to the South and West, and won a very narrow majority in both Houses of Congress and the White House.
This by its self is not unusual, all democratic states experience the emergence of new political parties. Rarely, if ever, do these fads last long. Few really expected this new bloc to do anything but be re-assimilated into the Democrat mainstream.
However, the Kinderhooks happened to be in the right place at the right time; they had James K. Polk.
Polk's oratory skill helped convince the large opposition in Congress to cooperate in reestablishing the Independent Treasury System and Tariff reform. These laws sent the Kinderhooks' popularity soaring in 1843, and gave them the political power to follow through with their planned Annexation of Liberia (and subsequent purchase of Freetown Colony from Great Britain), which basically sealed the results of the 1844 Congressional Elections.
With a apparent landslide defeat looming on the political horizon, the Whig party and the Traditional Democrats joined forces to form the Center-Left Republican Party (about a third of the Whigs refused to leave the party). This left the Kinderhooks in complete control of the Democratic Party and the opposition split. The Democrats emerged from the 1844 elections with a net gain of nearly 50 seats in the lower house. Polk was finally in full control.
The US had officially become the Military-Expansionist power that it is today, and it needed a new target (if a target were not found, the Democrats' popularity would likely slip).
The only problem remaining in Polk's way was to choose where to take first...
-----------From Know Your Enemy by Martin Kinney, Retired Director of Michiganian N.I.D.
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