es for resistance to Napoleon's attack. Russia could not but
regard it as an unfriendly act, equally bad for political and commercial
interests. Spain and Portugal, whose armies were fed largely if not
chiefly on American grain imported by British money under British
protection, dreaded to see their supplies cut off. Germany, waiting only
for strength to recover her freedom, had to reckon against one more
element in Napoleon's vast military resources. England needed to make
greater efforts in order to maintain the advantages she had gained in
Russia and Spain. Even in America no one doubted the earnestness of
England's wish for peace; and if Madison and Monroe insisted on her
acquiescence in their terms, they insisted because they believed that
their military position entitled them to expect it. The reconquest of
Russia and Spain by Napoleon, an event almost certain to happen, could
hardly fail to force from England the concessions, not in themselves
unreasonable, which the United States required.

This was, as Madison to the end of his life maintained, "a fair
calculation;" but it was exasperating to England, who thought that
America ought to be equally interested with Europe in overthrowing the
military despotism of Napoleon, and should not conspire with him for
gain. At first the new war disconcerted the feeble Ministry that
remained in office on the death of Spencer Perceval: they counted on
preventing it, and did their utmost to stop it after it was begun. The
tone of arrogance which had so long characterized government and press
disappeared for the moment. Obscure newspapers, like the London Evening
Star, still sneered at the idea that Great Britain was to be "driven
from the proud pre-eminence which the blood and treasure of her sons
have attained for her among the nations, by a piece of striped bunting
flying at the mastheads of a few fir-built frigates, manned by a handful
of bastards and outlaws,"--a phrase which had great success in
America,--but such defiances expressed a temper studiously held in
restraint previous to the moment when the war was seen to be inevitable.

The realization that no escape could be found from an American war was
forced on the British public at a moment of much discouragement. Almost
simultaneously a series of misfortunes occurred which brought the
stoutest and most intelligent Englishmen to the verge of despair. In
Spain Wellington, after winning the battle of Salamanca in July,