Free Another Small Kingdom by James Green

will certainly mean …”’
    The young man took the page, turned it to catch the light, found the line and read. After a minute he handed it back.
    â€˜Well, General, you wanted corroboration and this gives it.’
    â€˜Not completely, but with all the rest it is enough, I think, to justify some definite action.’
    â€˜What action will you take, sir? Assassination?’
    The General gave a small laugh. ‘Good God, man, nothing so drastic. What a bloodthirsty young devil you’ve become, Jones, always looking to kill people. A few sudden arrests and some deportations might be in order.
    â€˜This, Jones, is one of those cases which shows how right I was to have Adams put the Alien Act through Congress.’
    â€˜Yes, but it’s Jefferson who’s President now and I don’t think he’d be pleased to see the Alien and Sedition Laws used.’
    â€˜Jefferson is fully aware of what’s going on and knows well enough what needs to be done. This trouble isn’t any part of some domestic squabble between Jefferson’s Republicans and Hamilton’s Federalists, although it has been very cleverly framed to look that way. This is aimed at the very liberty of America, and I didn’t serve in the late War just to hand my country over to the English crown nor the French Republic. We’ve got to stop whoever’s organising all this.’
    â€˜If that’s your assessment, sir, then I would have thought a little blood-letting was entirely appropriate.’
    The General was pleased.
    â€˜I think you’re coming on in this business, Jeremiah, still a bit too keen on bloodshed, but maybe that’s no bad thing as matters stand at the moment. Perhaps you’re right and just arresting a few citizens and sending a few foreigners packing back to where they came from won’t do all that’s needed. So, before we pick up our foreign friends we’ll make the arrests and have a couple of quiet executions. That way the right kind of message will get taken back.’ 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. ‘Fill 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.’ Jones smiled but didn’t speak. ‘Losing the Philadelphia men should put a little sand in their axle-grease. They’re not at the centre of things nor probably even near it, of that I’m sure, but they’re important enough in their way. More important to me is that it will take time for them to be replaced and that’s what I need more than anything else, Jones, I need time.’
    â€˜Have we heard something new, sir?’
    â€˜New?’
    â€˜Well it’s not like you to agree so readily to any suggestion of mine. I just thought that perhaps ….’
    The General nodded.
    â€˜Yes, we’ve heard something. Some time this year, and probably sooner than later, the French and the British will make peace.’
    The young man showed surprise.
    â€˜Are you sure of that?’
    â€˜It’s already agreed. The preliminaries for arranging a treaty are under way. I even know where it will happen. Amiens.’
    â€˜I see.’
    â€˜Do 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. They’ll be at war again when either side thinks it’s strong enough. Once the peace is in place they’ll push to finish what they’re up to here before the war resumes. That’s the cause for our hurry on this side. So, Jeremiah, let’s get the Philadelphia business done.’
    Jeremiah Jones went back to his office and took the Philadelphia file out of a desk drawer. He selected two pages on