will certainly mean â¦ââ
The young man took the page, turned it to catch the light, found the line and read. After a minute he handed it back.
âWell, General, you wanted corroboration and this gives it.â
âNot completely, but with all the rest it is enough, I think, to justify some definite action.â
âWhat action will you take, sir? Assassination?â
The General gave a small laugh. âGood God, man, nothing so drastic. What a bloodthirsty young devil youâve become, Jones, always looking to kill people. A few sudden arrests and some deportations might be in order.
âThis, Jones, is one of those cases which shows how right I was to have Adams put the Alien Act through Congress.â
âYes, but itâs Jefferson whoâs President now and I donât think heâd be pleased to see the Alien and Sedition Laws used.â
âJefferson is fully aware of whatâs going on and knows well enough what needs to be done. This trouble isnât any part of some domestic squabble between Jeffersonâs Republicans and Hamiltonâs Federalists, although it has been very cleverly framed to look that way. This is aimed at the very liberty of America, and I didnât serve in the late War just to hand my country over to the English crown nor the French Republic. Weâve got to stop whoeverâs organising all this.â
âIf thatâs your assessment, sir, then I would have thought a little blood-letting was entirely appropriate.â
The General was pleased.
âI think youâre coming on in this business, Jeremiah, still a bit too keen on bloodshed, but maybe thatâs no bad thing as matters stand at the moment. Perhaps youâre right and just arresting a few citizens and sending a few foreigners packing back to where they came from wonât do all thatâs needed. So, before we pick up our foreign friends weâll make the arrests and have a couple of quiet executions. That way the right kind of message will get taken back.â The General pulled open a desk and took out a sheet of embossed paper. He signed the bottom of the sheet and held it out. âFill in the details and arrange for two of those we know about in Philadelphia to be arrested. Have them tried by a closed military court and then executed. Something for you to enjoy, eh, Jeremiah? A bit of your blood-letting.â Jones smiled but didnât speak. âLosing the Philadelphia men should put a little sand in their axle-grease. Theyâre not at the centre of things nor probably even near it, of that Iâm sure, but theyâre important enough in their way. More important to me is that it will take time for them to be replaced and thatâs what I need more than anything else, Jones, I need time.â
âHave we heard something new, sir?â
âNew?â
âWell itâs not like you to agree so readily to any suggestion of mine. I just thought that perhaps â¦.â
The General nodded.
âYes, weâve heard something. Some time this year, and probably sooner than later, the French and the British will make peace.â
The young man showed surprise.
âAre you sure of that?â
âItâs already agreed. The preliminaries for arranging a treaty are under way. I even know where it will happen. Amiens.â
âI see.â
âDo you, Jeremiah? This peace will not be any kind of real peace, just a mutually agreed pause for breath so both sides can re-equip and re-organise. Theyâll be at war again when either side thinks itâs strong enough. Once the peace is in place theyâll push to finish what theyâre up to here before the war resumes. Thatâs the cause for our hurry on this side. So, Jeremiah, letâs get the Philadelphia business done.â
Jeremiah Jones went back to his office and took the Philadelphia file out of a desk drawer. He selected two pages on