章 95: The Jefferson Cabinet
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the United States of America
November 20th, 1789
President Thomas Jefferson sat idly with his Cabinet in a meeting room within the Presidential Mansion. The worst of the crisis was over, at least he hoped. With Quebec's attempt at secession resolved peacefully and with thinly-veiled threats, the other states muttering about seceding quieted significantly. The riots were subdued, with those that destroyed property and hurt other individuals behind bars, and the nation looked more peaceful than before. However, there was plenty of discontent throughout the nation, and the secession crisis in Quebec sparked a fire underneath the opposition. Petitions and protests were becoming all too common, but that was a relief to Jefferson as the opposition was at least peaceful for the time being.
"Mr. President," Secretary Salem Poor nodded respectfully as he entered the room, "I'm sorry I'm a bit late. I was a bit delayed with some paperwork."
"Or spending some time with your new wife?" Secretary Harrison mentioned playfully.
Many members of the Cabinet were carryovers from the Kim administration, as Jefferson wanted to keep the knowledge of the Presidential Secret restricted and saw no reason to replace those already well-adjusted to their respective roles. As such, all the men on the Cabinet were quite close to one another and treated each other with a healthy amount of respect.
Or, in Secretary Harrison's case, he teased the other members. Everyone in the room knew that the man was good at his job and joked occasionally during meetings to lighten the mood.
The Secretary of Defense's face flushed, "I assure you, I was not with Jemima."
"I'm surprised her father let you swoop her off her feet and bring her to Pennsylvania. He's in Kentucky after all..."
"Gentlemen!" President Jefferson said loudly, "You can chit-chat after the meeting. For now, we have some business to settle. Now then, let us begin our meeting. Secretary Poor, since you came late, you go first."
"Yes, Mr. President," Secretary Poor organized his papers and cleared his throat, "The military is reaching its objectives and is set to see an additional two more expansions before the military can be declared "alert and ready." The Army will be primarily stationed on our border with Spain, towards the Louisana Territory. We have already established two more forts along the Mississippi River. The Marines will be stationed in Georgia and Bermuda, though we are also looking at a Marine base in Maine or Nova Scotia. The Navy will be stationed in Virginia, Massachusetts, Florida Territory, and Bermuda. And the Coast Guard will be stationed across our entire coastline to crack down on smuggling and watch over customs."
"When will the military reach its peak strength?"
"We believe it will take an additional three to four years. We have plenty of recruits, but we must ensure their training is up to par."
Jefferson nodded, "And the "People of Interest?"
Secretary Poor shrugged, "Doing as well as they could be. Mr. Jackson is excelling in his academics. He's set to graduate early next year. He is a much more stable and mature young man thanks to the early changes in his life. He seems fairly determined to overtake our former president's legacy and prove his worth. As for Mr. Bonaparte, he is an outstanding artilleryman and is showing great promise. In fact, I have received reports that he has written an entirely new doctrine about artillery usage in battle. His theory is unique but fundamentally sound and has incorporated the use of Hwachas into the doctrine to promote a "superior firepower" method."
"Excellent. Anything further to report?"
"None, Mr. President."
"Moving on then, Secretary Revere?"
Paul Revere was a surprising and newest addition to the Cabinet. He was a member of the Watchmen Society but was unexpectedly appointed as the Secretary of Research and Education by Jefferson. Jefferson believed that Revere was suitable for the role as he was bright and an inventor. As a result, he was placed as the head of the Department of Research and Education and oversaw the development of new technologies in the United States.
"The steam engine is in testing phases; we expect it to be commercialized within a year or two," Secretary Revere answered, "We're still working on the self-contained cartridges to develop the breechloaders, though we are getting quite close. Additionally, Mr. Alessandro Volta, thanks to our backing and encouragement, has managed to develop the voltaic pile, the precursor to the battery. He is teaching at New England University but operates a lab within the university for his research. Mr. Franklin is also with him, and the two are getting along quite splendidly."
"Very good news indeed. The steam engine will be revolutionary, and we sorely need it to speed up the Industrial Revolution in the United States. How long will it take for the self-contained cartridges?"
The Bostonian rubbed his chin, "I am not completely sure about the timetable for it, but I can assure you that the department is doing its best."
President Jefferson nodded, "Very well, then. Director Woodhull?"
Abraham Woodhull was a new member of the Watchmen Society and one of the best spies that Washington had under his command during the war. Naturally, he received the position of Director of National Intelligence after Washington retired to Virginia. The man was cunning and smart, but extremely loyal to the nation, "We are keeping a close eye on the situation in France. Lafayette has constantly received information from us, but as you have stated, we have firmly rebuffed any requests for arms or loans. Several of our agents are on the ground and assessing the situation. From the last report I received from an agent in France, the Revolution is well underway, but there have been many changes."
"Such as?"
"The French king has refused to move back to Paris and is remaining in Versailles for some reason. In the other history, as you know, King Louis moved back to Paris after the public demanded him to do so. However, as of now, he remains in Versailles, and there are rumors that he is attempting to avoid the situation in Paris entirely and rule from Versailles separately."
"And Lafayette?"
"Technically, he is the Prime Minister of France. He is currently the head of the National Assembly based in Paris and is making widespread reforms. His position is stable, as he has willingly purged some of the radicals and consolidated his grip on the revolutionaries. We do not know how the king is reacting to the reforms, but it may be safe to conclude that we are currently looking at two different French governments ruling France: one in Paris and one in Versailles."
"But Versailles is very close to Paris, yes?"
"Correct. However, there are rumors that the king may flee to the south if relations between the monarch and the current revolutionary government go sideways."
The president slumped into his chair, "So a civil war then."
"The monarchy is unpopular, but the nobles are very angry at some of the reforms Lafayette is making. It's not strange to believe that they may throw their lots in with the king and hope to roll back the radical changes Lafayette is bringing upon France."
"Keep a close eye on the situation like before, and report back to me immediately if things change. What about Haiti... I mean, Hispanola?"
"Chaos. The northern parts controlled by the ruling French minority are constantly fighting with the rebelling slaves in the southern parts. The colony never fully recovered after the British invasion during the Franco-Anglo War and is seeing more and more destruction as the war rages on. With no help coming from European France, the two sides are at a virtual stalemate unless we intervene."
"I do not want to intervene on the matter," President Jefferson stated firmly, "If we support the rebels, then we're going against France, and the last thing Lafayette needs is for us to "betray" him, even if he wants to free the slaves in Hispanola. If we support the French minority, then we'll galvanize the slave owners in our own country and poison relations with the Africans in the Caribbean. Do you have any agents on the ground?"
"We're training a couple of refugees for the task and will have a team in the colony within a month."
"Good. For now, we'll maintain neutrality and accept refugees coming from the island. Our southern territories are certainly benefitting from the influx of refugees. I believe Florida will be a state soon enough, and the refugees from Hispanola have turned the territory into a budding agricultural center in the south, especially those grapefruits, oranges, and lemons to prevent scurvy. Hopefully, President Kim is successful in his current trip to Asia and brings back some of the kiwifruit and lychee he mentioned when I last met him..."
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