The Purchase Price; Or, The Cause of Compromise

by Emerson Hough

  CHAPTER XXV

  THE ARTFUL GENTLEMAN PROM KENTUCKY

  It was dusk. Heavy shadows lay over the trees which lined thecurving walks leading across a little park to the stately whitehouse beyond. From that direction now appeared several gentlemen,advancing in scattering groups. They might almost have been madeup of conspirators, so intent they seemed, so apprehensive lesteven their thoughts might be read. Two of them drew apart,--one ofthese a slender bony man, the other a tall and dark man. Thelatter spoke almost moodily.

  "I doubt your ability, my dear sir, to influence so shrewd a man inany such way as you suggest. Besides, he is not of our party."

  "That's all the better. A man of our party might, could, would andshould keep his mouth shut about such a ticklish matter; butoutside our party, any who begins it has got to keep his mouthshut!"

  "There is no other way," he added, smiling. "It must be done. TheCountess St. Auban is here again! This band of Gipsy heathens fromHungary is also here. The country is wild over Kossuth. We'llhave to accept this invitation to invite him! But Austria remainsbitter against the countess. What we must do is to have her goback home with these commissioners from Hungary. There's ugly talkabout the way she's been used. That fellow Carlisle--good riddanceof him from the army--even confessed he engaged in a game ofcards--" their heads bent together--"in short, the devil is to paywith the administration if this gets out. We can't banish heragain. But how can we with dignity even it with her, so she willmake no talk? If she likes, she can ruin us, because Carlislecan't be kept silent, now he's out of the army. And he's crazyover her, anyhow."

  "So? I do not blame him."

  "Yes. Therefore, since all of us have lacked wisdom in our owncamp, we'd e'en do well to take wisdom where we can find it."

  They parted, the last speaker presently to hail the nearestcarriage. The driver a few moments later drew up at the front of aspacious and dignified brick building, whose reserved look mighthave pronounced it a private hotel or a club for gentlemen. Thevisitor seemed known, the door swinging open for him.

  They parted, the last speaker hailing a carriage.]

  "Louis," said he to the attendant, "is Mr. ---- in?" He mentioned aname which even then was well known in Washington.

  "I think you will find him in the reading-room, Sir," was theanswer.

  The inquirer passed to the right, entering a wide room with tables,books, heavy chairs, discreetly shaded lamps. At one table, drawnclose to the light and poring over a printed page, sat a gentlemanwhose personality was not without distinction. The gray hairbrushed back from a heightening forehead might have proclaimed himeven beyond middle age, and his stature, of about medium height,acknowledged easy living in its generous habit. The stock andcravat of an earlier day gave a certain austerity to the shrewdface, lighted by a pair of keen gray eyes, which now turned togreet the new-comer. He rose, and both bowed formally before theyadvanced to take each other by the hand. They were acquaintances,if not intimate friends. Evidently this particular club no moreenlisted its members from this or that political party than dideither of the leading parties call upon any certain section fortheir membership.

  "I am fortunate to find you here in Washington, my dear Sir," beganthe gentleman from Kentucky. "It is something of a surprise."

  The wrinkles about the other's eyes deepened in an affable smile."True," said he, "in the last twelve years I have three timessought to get back into Washington! Perhaps it would have beenmore seemly for me to remain in the decreed dignified retirement."

  They joined in a laugh at this, as they both drew up chairs at thetable side.

  "You see," resumed the last speaker, "I am not indeed intrudinghere in national affairs, but only choose Washington for to-night.I have been thinking of a pleasure journey into the West, down theOhio River--"

  "Will you have snuff?" began his companion. "This is no import, Iassure you, but is made by one of my old darkeys, on my plantationin Kentucky. He declares he puts nothing into it but straightleaf."

  "My soul!" exclaimed the other, sneezing violently. "I suspect theveracity of your darkey. It is red pepper that he uses!"

  "All the better, then, to clear our minds, my dear Sir. But let mefirst send for another product of my state, to assuage thesepains." He beckoned to a servant, who presently, returned withtray and glasses.

  "And now," he resumed, "what you say of your journey interests meimmensely. No doubt you propose going down the river as far asMissouri? The interest of the entire country is focused thereto-day. Ah, yonder is the crux of all our compromise! Safe withinthe fold herself, that is to say above the fatal line of thirty-sixdegrees, thirty minutes, her case is simply irresistible ininterest to-day, both for those who argue for and those who talkagainst the extension of slavery into our other territories."

  "Yet your administration, to-day, my dear Sir, calls this'finality.' Believe me, it is no more than a compromise with truthand justice! The entire North demands that slavery shall halt."

  "The entire South refuses it!"

  "Then let the South beware!"

  "The North also may beware, my dear Sir!"

  "We are aware, and we are prepared. Not another inch for slavery!"

  "Hush!" said the other, raising a hand. "Not even you and I darego into this. The old quarrel is lulled for a time. At last wehave worked these measures through both the House and Senate. Inthe House the administration can put through at any time the Wilmotproviso prohibiting slavery, and although the Senate always has andalways can defeat such a measure, both branches, and the executiveas well, have agreed to put this dog to sleep when possible, andwhen found sleeping, to let him lie. My dear friend, it is not aquestion of principle, but of policy, to-day."

  "Principles should rule policies!" exclaimed the other virtuously.

  "Agreed! Agreed! We are perfectly at one as to that. But you knowthat Webster himself reiterates again and again that no man shouldset up his conscience above the law of his country. Your Free Soilparty means not law, but anarchy,--and worse than that--it meansdisunion! Clay, Cass, Webster, Benton, even the hottest of the menfrom Mississippi and South Carolina, are agreed on that. My dearSir, I say it with solemn conviction, the formation of a new partyof discontent to-day, when everything is already strained tobreaking, will split this country and plunge the divided sectionsinto a bloody war!"

  The other sat gravely for a time before he made reply. "Our peoplefeel too sternly to be reconciled. We need some new party--"

  Again the other raised a warning hand. "_Do not say that word_!Others have principles as much as you and I. Let us not speak withrecklessness of consequences. But, privately, and without hotargument, my dear friend, the singular thing to me is that you, anold leader of the people, with a wide following in the North andSouth, should now be entertaining precisely the same principles--though not expressing them with the same reckless fervor--which areadvanced by the latest and most dangerous abolitionist of the time."

  "You do not mean Mr. Garrison? Any of my New York or Bostonfriends?"

  "No, I mean a _woman_, here in Washington. You could perhaps guessher name."

  The other drew his chair closer. "I presume you mean the ladyreputed to have been connected with President Taylor's commission,of inquiry into affairs in Hungary--"

  "Yes,--the 'most beautiful woman in Washington to-day.' So she iscalled by some--'the most dangerous,' by others."

  "Has Kentucky forgotten its gallantry so fully as that? Rumor hasreported the young woman to me as a charming young widow, ofbeauty, wealth and breeding."

  "Yes, manners, and convictions, and courage--abolitionisttendencies and fighting proclivities. She is a firebrand--arevolutionist, fresh back from the Old World, and armed withweapons of whose use we old fogies are utterly ignorant. Havingapparently nothing to lose whose loss she dreads, she is carelessof all consequences. You, my dear Sir, speak of your moraladherence to some new party. You consider yoursel
f one of thelamented Free Soil party, and hope a resurrection. This woman doesnot pause there--no. She comes here to Washington, at preciselythe time of our final compromise, when all is peaceful, evenslumberous,--and she preaches the crusade of fire and sword. Mydear friend, if you seek a prophet, here is one; and if you wantleadership in your dogma of no slavery north of thirty-six degrees,thirty minutes, here is prophet and leader in one!--And, believeme, one with arguments which make her dangerous to one man, twomen, or any collection of men."

  The other pondered. "I have never seen the lady," he remarked, atlength. "Is she acquainted among the abolitionists of the North?"

  "No. She trains in no one's camp. Indeed, socially she has beenneglected in the North, for reasons said to have been urged indiplomatic circles."

  "Something of an intrigante, eh?"

  "At least enough to excite the anger and suspicion of Austria, theinterest of England, the concern of France;--that's all!"

  "Of what age is she?"

  "Of about that age, my dear Sir, which our children orgrandchildren might claim. I should say, twenty-three,twenty-four,--not over twenty-six, perhaps. It is difficult tosay. I have met her but rarely."

  "You have me at disadvantage, even so," smiled the other. "It is,however, unnecessary for you to settle your cravat. It is quitestraight; and besides, I think we are quite safe from intrusion ofwomen here."

  "You have never met this fair enthusiast? You are behind thetimes!" retorted the wily Kentuckian. "Perhaps you would like thathonor? I think it could be arranged. Indeed," he added, after amoment spent in careful study of his companion's face, "I wouldeven undertake to arrange it. My dear Sir, with your well knowncharm of manner with men, and women as well, you could in that casewin the lasting plaudits of your country, if you but possessed theresolution!"

  "In a cause so noble, I would do what I might! But what is thecause? And is it proper for one of my place to engage in it?"

  "You could, I say, be hailed by the administration in power, not asthe Father of your Country, perhaps, but as its savior. Take thiswoman out of our camp, and into your own. Flock your own fowltogether, you Free Soilers! Take her out of Washington, get herback to Europe--where she belongs,--and, without jesting, my dearSir, you shall have the backing next year, two years hence--in1853,--any time you like--of the men who make this administration,and of the men behind this compromise. A majority of the House, aneven division of the Senate--Listen, my dear friend, this is notidle talk, and these are no idle promises! I am serious. I speakto you in no wise ill-advised. To tell you the truth, we arefrightened. She has stolen all our peace of mind, and stolen alsosome of our thunder--some of our cast-off and unthundered thunder."

  "In what way?"

  "Oh, nothing. It is of very little consequence. It is abagatelle. All she proposes to do is to purchase all the slaves inthe United States--out of her own funds--and ship them out ofAmerica."

  "Great God!"

  "Yes. We didn't dare it. She does. We didn't begin. She hasbegun. And since it has begun, who knows what army of thepeople--what _new party_--may fall in behind her? We want you toforestall all that. We don't want you to head that new party. Wethink you will do better to fall in with us, to accept thecompliment of a European mission--and to take this fair firebrandwith you. We are afraid to have her in Washington."

  The other listened with a flicker of the eyelid, which showed hisinterest, but feigned lightness in his speech.

  "In matters of gallantry, my dear friend, why does Kentucky need asubstitute, or even an ally?"

  "Kentucky, in the deference due to so great a man as yourself,yields to New York! Will you have snuff, Sir?"

  "I thank you, I think not. But tell me, what is it that New Yorkmust do?"

  "New York, my dear Sir, must transport, man-handle, murder,wheedle, bowstring, drown, and permanently lose Josephine, CountessSt. Auban,--herself late back from Missouri, formerly of God knowswhere. I promise you, this country is only a tinder box, waitingfor that sort of spark. To-morrow--but you remember, my dearHoratio!"

  "But between now and to-morrow is rather a brief period. We havenot yet invented means of traveling through the air. I could notwell carry off this fair lady by main strength. My own plansunfortunately require some attention. And I think that, even werethe trifling difficulty of the lady's consent overcome, I could noteasily assume the role of savior of my country before the time ofthe departure of the next ship for Europe--even granted my enemies,the Whigs, will give a mission to an ex-Democrat and a Free Soilerlike myself!"

  "Not that I should not experience the most pleasureable emotionsboth in saving the country, my dear Sir," he saluted with hisglass, "and of saving it in the company of so charming a person asthis young lady is reported to be. The years have laid us under acertain handicap, my friend. Yet were this lady quite unattached,or her duena not wholly impossible, one might consider thedistinguished role of disinterestedly saving one's country in thecapacity at least of chaperon."

  They looked at each other, and broke into laughter. Yet minds sokeen as theirs long before them had read between lines on theprinted page, under the outward mask of human countenances.

  "Stranger things have happened!" said the gentleman from Kentucky.

  "My soul and body' My dear Sir, you do not speak seriously?" Hissurprise was feigned, and the other knew it.

  "I was never so serious in my life. My friend, it seems almost asthough fate had guided me to your side to-night. At this time,when our diplomacy abroad is none too fortunate, and when ourdiplomacy at home is far more delicate and dangerous, you yourself,known the country over as a man of tact and delicacy, are the oneman in the world to handle this very mission. It is the Old Fox ofthe North, after all, Free Soiler or not, who alone can smooth downmatters for us. Our country had supreme confidence in you. Thisadministration has such confidence still. It will give all that isseemly for one of your station to accept. It will not ask aught ofparty lines, this or that."

  "Do you speak with authority other than your own?"

  "It is not yet time for me to answer that."

  "Yet you dare approach one who is in the opposing camp."

  "But one whose camp we either hope to join, or whom we hope laterto have in our own. Who can tell where party lines will fall inthe next three years? All the bars may be down by then, and many afence past mending."

  "For the sake of harmony, much should be ventured."

  "Excellent words, Sir."

  "One owes a certain duty to one's country at any time."

  "Still more excellent."

  "And political success can be obtained best through union and notdisunion of political forces."

  "Most excellent of all! We rejoice to hear the voice of New Yorkspeaking in the old way."

  "My faith, I believe you are serious in this! Have you reallyformulated any plans?" He was safe in the trap, and the other knewit.

  "Sir, I will not discredit you by choosing methods. As to theresults desired, I say no more."

  "Yet we sit here and discuss this matter as though we contemplateda simple, proper and dignified act!"

  "Murder is perhaps not legal, even for the sake of one's country.But suppose we halt this side of murder. Suppose that by meansknown only to yourself, and not even to myself, you gained thisyoung woman's _free consent_ to accompany you, say, to Europe--thatwould be legal, dignified, proper--and ah! so useful."

  "And rather risky!"

  "And altogether interesting."

  "And quite impossible."

  "Altogether impossible. Oh, utterly!"

  "Quite utterly!"

  They spoke with gravity. What the gentleman from New York reallythought lay in his unvoiced question: "Could it by any possibilitybe true that the Fillmore administration would give me support forthe next nomination if I agree to swing the Free Soil vote nearerto the compromise?" What the gentleman from Kentucky asked in hisown mind, was this:

/>   "Will he play fair with us, or will he simply make this an occasionto break into our ranks?" What they both did was to break out intolaughter at least feignedly hearty. The Kentuckian resolved to puteverything upon one hazard.

  "I was just saying," he remarked, "that we have been told theadorable countess perhaps contemplates only a short visit inAmerica after all. She might be easy to lead back to Europe, Ifnecessary, you shall have a dignified errand made for youabroad--entirely what you yourself would call fitting. You mustsee to that. Your reward will come somewhere this side of Heaven."

  "Again you have forgotten about--"

  "I have forgotten nothing, and to show you that I speak withauthority, I will tell you this: Within the hour the Countess St.Auban will leave her entertainment at the theater and return to herhotel. You see, we are advised of all her movements. We give youan hour to meet her at her hotel; an hour to persuade her. Therethe curtain drops.

  "No one in Washington or in New York seeks to look beyond thatcurtain," he concluded slowly. "No one counsels you what to do,and indeed, no one can suggest. Only take this woman away, andlose her,--that is all! A few days or weeks will do, but for everwould be better. It is no light errand that is offered to you, andwe are not fools or children to look at this altogether lightly.There is risk, and there is no security. Customarily the rewardsof large risks and poor security are great--when there are anyrewards."

  "Only take this woman away and lose her."]

  The gentleman from Kentucky rose as he spoke and, adroit inmanaging men, reached out his hand as though to take the other'sand so to clench the matter. Yet his heart leaped in surprise--asurprise which did not leave him wholly clear as to the other'smotives--when the latter met his hand with so hearty a grasp ofaffirmation.

  "It should not be so difficult," he said. "It is only a case oflogical argument. It is long since I have addressed the people, oraddressed a lady, but I shall try my skill once more to-night! Allthat is necessary is to explain to this young lady that ourpolitical ambitions are quite the same, and that I might be ofservice did we share the same public means of travel in a Journeyalready planned by both. I was intending a visit to Europe thisvery summer."

  "Sir, there is no other man owner both of the skill and courage tohandle this matter. I hesitated to put it before you, but themethod you suggest seems almost plausible. I trust you to make itappear wholly so to the fair lady herself."

  "We might be younger and fare better at that sort of thing."

  "Altogether to the contrary, my friend! Do not mistake this lady.Youth would be an absolute bar to success. Age, dignity, a publicreputation such as yours,--these are the only things which by anypossibility could gain success; and, frankly, even these may fail.At least, I honestly wish you success, and there has been no jestin what I said about the support of Mr. Fillmore's family and hisparty. You know that there is honesty even in politics, sometimes;and there is silence, I promise that. Take my advice. Put her ina sack, drop her overboard in mid-ocean. In return, all I ask ofyou is not to throw overboard the sack anywhere close to thiscountry's shore! It was done once before, on the Ohio River, butthe sack was not tied tightly enough. Here she is again!Wherefore, have a care with your sack strings, I beseech you.

  "Louis, my hat; and get my carriage! Have a second carriagewaiting here at once."