"It was rumored," he said, "that Wilkinson was coming up Lake Champlain with six thousand men, followed by Hampton with a large force, and De Salaberry and Macdonell posted our men in such advantageous positions, and were so successful in concealing the weakness of our force, that Wilkinson and his men had to beat a hasty retreat.
"You have probably heard," he continued, "that Colonel Morrison met Boyd on the St. Lawrence, near Cornwall, on his way to attack Montreal, and drove him back to Plattsburg."
"If they get Montreal," said Mr. Fessenden, "the whole of Canada will fall into their hands."
"What is the whole fuss about, anyhow?" asked a shrewd little New Englander from one of the back settlements, who had bought a tract of land and was paying for it in work.
"It is a long story," replied the Chief, "and a sad one, but I shall try to explain to you in as few words as possible the whole trouble, for there are several here to-night who have strong prejudices against Britain, which should be removed.
"Ever since America, the elder daughter of Great Britain, wanted to commence housekeeping for herself, and had such difficulty in escaping from her arbitrary old father, she has not had the kindliest feelings toward him. She lost sight of the fact that the British Parliament was by no means the British people, a great majority of whom sympathized with her in her struggles for constitutional liberty, and regretted the misery it produced.
"Though not actuated by hostile feeling against the father, she was determined to overturn his short-sighted policy. Washington did his best to repress the anti-British spirit which pervaded the Democratic party, and succeeded in establishing a commercial treaty with Britain, but unfortunately after his death the Democratic party came into power, and the dislike for everything British began to show itself more than ever.
"Meanwhile Europe was almost completely at the mercy of Napoleon. England, whose fleet swept the seas, being the only obstacle in his way, he determined to strike at her power at the most vital part, so he closed all the ports of Europe against her manufactures, and authorized the seizure of all vessels bound for British harbors.
"England retaliated by declaring all the ports of France and her allies from which the British flag was excluded in a state of blockade. In doing this Britain was merely adopting Bonaparte's own measures against himself.
"This state of things paralyzed American trade, and the Democratic party made it a favorable opportunity of stirring up feeling against England, instead of against Bonaparte, who alone was responsible.