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War of 1812
Paine about his idea for a new gunboat "Believing, myself, that gunboats are the only water defence which can be useful to us, and protect us from the ruinous folly of a navy, I am pleased with everything which promises to improve them.”
Since the Embargo had severely weakened the United States' economy the nation found itself weaker militarily. This resulted in the only alternative being to continue the policy of “peaceable coercion.” The Non-intercourse Act of 1809 opened up commerce with all the world except France and England. This act was as much a failure as was the Embargo itself.
Then the next bill was the Macon's Bill No. 2 passed in May of 1810. It ended commercial restrictions against France and England and offered a bribe instead. If either country removed their restrictions against the United States and the other would not do likewise, then the United States would reinstate non-importation against the delinquent power. France appeared to jump at this offer. America could now direct their resentment toward their favorite enemy, Britain. But it soon became obvious that Napoleon had backed out of this agreement and the escalation toward war continued.
Soon after the Chesapeake affair British officers in Canada realized the likelihood of hostilities. They began to make arrangements to insure the friendship of the Indians of the Old Northwest. This was easy to do because the constant pressure put on these tribes by the westward expansion of the United States. The British started aiding them in 1807. In November of 1811 Governor William Henry Harrison of Indiana clashed with the Indian confederacy at Tippecanoe. The United States saw this as a major renewal of Indian warfare with the British in Canada backing the Indians. The affair gained much attention in Washington but probably had only a minor impact on relations with Britain which were horrible by this time. It did go a long way toward inflaming the helped those in the Twelfth Congress who were calling for war with Britain.
In November of 1811 the Twelfth Congress met. President Madison called it into session a month early because of the sorry state of foreign affairs. It was very much like those that had preceded it except that over half of its members were replacing incumbents, holder of an office, that they had defeated in the last election. Most had won based on their vow to alter the status quo. The President that met this congress was showing a willingness to go along with stronger measures. This was probably because he had decided by the summer of 1811 that he had only two choices--war or submission. The Federalists branded the Republicans who took the lead in calling for stronger measures that would eventually result in war as War Hawks. Even some of the Federalists who felt a war would be disastrous voted for it hoping the public would blame [next page]