Madison, glancing at the impetuous Irishman, said that he could not pass on such an important matter without consulting his cabinet and taking their advice in the matter, and consequently he dismissed his visitors for the present, assuring Mr. Henry that he would give the matter of purchasing his documents serious consideration, and in the course of three or four days at most hold another conference with them. The secret service fund was at the disposal of the president, and he determined to purchase the documents with this fund, if his cabinet would so advise. The advice was given, and he sent a proposition to Henry, offering him fifty thousand dollars for his documents, which consisted chiefly of the correspondence of the parties to the affair in this country and in England.
Henry accepted the offer and was paid the sum for his papers.
Terrence obtained an interview with the president and said:
"Misther Madison, why the divil did yez pay him such a price? If ye'd 'a' left it all to me, I'd won the papers in three games of poker."
The president thanked him and assured him that the government of the United States could well afford to purchase such valuable documents.
"And now, Misther Madison, I am about to lave ye for awhile," said Terrence, "and I want to ask ye a very important question!"
"What is it?"
"Mind ye, if ye say yes, I'm goin' to stand by ye through thick and thin." Mr. Madison assured him that his time was very much taken up, and begged that he would be as brief as possible.
"Are ye going to declare war, Misther Madison? Now ye needn't do any of the fighting yersilf. All I ask is that ye just turn me loose. I've got a frind, poor Sukey, who is still on board the English ship, and I just want permission to go and bring him back."
President Madison assured him that the public would be notified in due time what course the administration would pursue, and that it was his intention to maintain the honor and dignity of the nation to the last extremity.