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or declaring neutrality. Otis thought the
Madison administration was near collapse and that unless conservatives like himself and the other delegates took charge, the radical secessionists might take power. Indeed, Otis was unaware that Massachusetts Governor Strong had already sent a secret mission to discuss terms with the British for a separate peace.
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selected four delegates to discuss "the best means of cooperating for our mutual defense against the common enemy, and upon the measures which it may be in the power of said states, consistently with their obligations to adopt, to restore and secure to the people thereof, their rights and privileges
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Secession was again mentioned in 1814–1815; all but one leading
Federalist newspaper in New England supported a plan to expel the western states from the Union. Otis, the key leader of the Convention, blocked radical proposals such as a seizure of the Federal customs house, impounding federal funds,
118:
assumed office, relations with both France and Great
Britain deteriorated. Jefferson's goal was an expansion of free trade through Great Britain's lifting of trade restrictions placed against the United States. However, to pressure Britain into compliance, he adopted anti-foreign trade policies such
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to a special session on
October 5, 1814. Strong's message to the legislature was referred to a joint committee headed by Harrison Gray Otis. Otis was considered a moderate. His report delivered three days later called for resistance of any British invasion, criticized the leadership that
154:
When
Madison was re-elected in 1812 the discontent in New England intensified. In late 1813 Madison signed a more restrictive embargo act than any of those approved by Jefferson, this time prohibiting all trade between American ports (the coastal trade) and fishing outside harbors. By the summer of
1028:
The proceedings of a convention of delegates, from the states of
Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode-Island, the counties of Cheshire and Grafton, in the state of New-Hampshire, and the county of Windham, in the state of Vermont : convened at Hartford, in the state of Connecticut, December
646:
rejected the notion that the
Hartford convention was an attempt to take New England out of the Union and give treasonous aid and comfort to Britain. Morison wrote: "Democratic politicians, seeking a foil to their own mismanagement of the war and to discredit the still formidable Federalist party,
549:
as secretary, the convention remained in closed session for three weeks. Cabot's journal of its proceedings, when it was eventually opened, was a meager sketch of formal proceedings; he made no record of yeas and nays, stated none of the amendments offered to the various reports, and neglected to
288:
Despite this, the
Madison administration had reasons to be concerned about the consequences of the Hartford Convention. Federalists were already blocking administration efforts to finance the war and bring it to a successful conclusion with an invasion of Canada. There were fears that New England
670:
became synonymous with disunion, secession, and treason, especially in the South. The party was ruined and ceased to be a significant force in national politics, although in a few places (notably
Massachusetts, where Federalists were elected governor annually until 1823) it retained some power.
239:
In
September 1814, Madison asked Congress for a conscription bill. Even though this had not been one of the original grievances that led to the call for the convention, Federalists presented this as further proof that the Democratic-Republicans intended to bring military despotism into the
638:
Congress would never have recommended any of New England's proposals for ratification. Hartford delegates intended for them to embarrass the President and the Democratic-Republicans in Congress—and also to serve as a basis for negotiations between New England and the rest of the country.
155:
1814, the war had turned against the Americans. After ending their war with Napoleonic France, Great Britain was able to marshal more resources to North America and had effectively blockaded the entire eastern coastline. Territory in the
752:
myth of a New England secessionist plot,… although shown to be false by every serious historian of the United States for the past 150 years, is so pleasing to people who dislike New England that many to this day continue to believe
198:, most requisitions for state militia were denied. New Englanders were reluctant to have their militia, needed to defend their coasts from British attacks, assigned elsewhere or placed under the command of the regular army. General
80:
The convention was controversial at the time, and many historians consider it a contributing factor to the downfall of the Federalist Party. There are many reasons for this, not least of which was the suggestion that the states of
228:, Madison declined to pay their expenses. Consequently, critics said that Madison had abandoned New England to the common enemy. The Massachusetts Legislature appropriated $ 1 million to support a state army of 10,000 men.
289:
would negotiate a separate peace with Great Britain, an action in many ways just as harmful to the nation as actual secession. In preparing for a worst-case scenario, Madison moved troops from the New York–Canada border to
558:
The convention ended with a report and resolutions, signed by the delegates present, and adopted on the day before final adjournment. The report said that New England had a "duty" to assert its authority over
276:
who might have pushed for secession, and the final report of the convention did not propose secession. Nevertheless, Southern secessionists cited the convention as precedent in the crisis that preceded the
321:. The stated purpose of the convention was to propose constitutional amendments to protect their section's interests and to make arrangements with the Federal government for their own military defense.
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A short account of the Hartford Convention: taken from official documents, and addressed to the fair minded and the well disposed; To which is added an attested copy of the secret journal of that body
418:
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After the convention, Massachusetts sent three commissioners to Washington, D.C. to negotiate for the terms that had been agreed upon. By the time they arrived in February 1815, news of
61:
and requiring a two-thirds majority in Congress for the admission of new states, declarations of war, and creating laws restricting trade. The Federalists also discussed their grievances with the
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voted unanimously not to send delegates. Two New Hampshire counties and one Vermont county each sent a delegate, bringing the total to 26. On December 15, 1814 the delegates met in the
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Some delegates may have been in favor of New England's secession from the United States and forming an independent republic, though no solution was adopted at the convention. Historian
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had brought the nation close to disaster, and called for a convention of New England states to deal with both their common grievances and common defense. Otis' report was passed by the
202:, after the war, blamed Madison's policy of ignoring Federalists, who in New England constituted the best-educated class, when granting regular army commissions in New England.
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In all, twenty-six delegates attended the secret meetings. No records of the proceedings were kept, and meetings continued through January 5, 1815. After choosing
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85:, the Federalists' main base, secede from the United States union and create a new country. Historians generally doubt that the convention was seriously considering this.
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There are several reasons why historians doubt that the New England Federalists were seriously considering secession. All the states, especially Connecticut with its
209:, the Democratic-Republican candidate for governor, opposed the national party's commerce policies. Federalists still dominated the 1814 elections, returning
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was expected in the near future. Free trade with the rest of the world had virtually ceased, thousands were thrown out of work, and by August banks were suspending
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Twelve delegates were appointed by the Massachusetts legislature, of which George Cabot and Harrison G. Otis were chief (see list below). In Connecticut, the
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where they could quickly be sent to Massachusetts or Connecticut to preserve federal authority. Several New England regiments that had participated in the
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662:, preceded them and, consequently, their presence in the capital seemed both ludicrous and subversive. They quickly returned home. Thereafter, both
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The Constitution of the United States; A Synopsis of the Several State Constitutions; with various other Important Documents and Useful Information
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Mason, Matthew. "'Nothing is Better Calculated to Excite Divisions': Federalist Agitation against Slave Representation during the War of 1812,"
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denounced Madison's "odious and disastrous war", voiced concern about plans to implement a national draft, and selected seven delegates led by
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New England governors followed a policy of giving minimal support to the Federal government in waging the war. With the exception of Governor
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swept over the Northeast, discrediting and disgracing the Federalists, resulting in their elimination as a major national political force.
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236:. As early as 1804 some New England Federalists had discussed secession from the Union if the national government became too oppressive.
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saw this as the result of the administration leading the country "defenseless and naked, into that lake of blood she is yet swimming."
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caressed and fed this infant myth until it became so tough and lusty as to defy both solemn denials and documentary proof."
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217:. In September Governor Strong refused a request to provide and support 5,000 troops to retake territory in Maine.
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attach the names of authors to proposals. It is impossible to ascertain the speeches or votes of individual delegates.
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Requiring each president to be from a different state than his predecessor. (This provision was aimed directly at the
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were returned home where it was hoped that they could serve as a focal point for New Englanders opposed to disunion.
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as governor and electing 360 Federalists against only 156 Democratic-Republicans to the lower house of the
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127:. These policies were very unpopular among Northeastern merchants and shippers. Jefferson's successor, President
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Hickey, Donald R. (December 1977). "New England's Defense Problem and the Genesis of the Hartford Convention".
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infringements on its sovereignty—a doctrine that echoed the policy of Jefferson and Madison in 1798 (in the
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To the Hartford Convention: The Federalists and the Origins of Party Politics in Massachusetts, 1789-1815
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America on the Brink: How the Political Struggle over the War of 1812 Almost Destroyed the Young Republic
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A letter was sent to the other New England governors, inviting them to send delegates to a convention in
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was not in session and its Federalist governor, John Gilman, refused to call it back into session.
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Banner, Jr., James M. (September 1988). "A Shadow of Secession? The Hartford Convention, 1814".
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for declaration of offensive war, admission of a new state, or interdiction of foreign commerce;
1031:(1815) : convened at Hartford, in the state of Connecticut, December 15th, 1814 online]
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The following lists the states that attended and the names of the twenty-six attendees.
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In response to the war crisis, Massachusetts Governor Strong called the newly elected
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and the political problems arising from the federal government's increasing power.
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The opposing Federalist Party regained strength, especially in New England and
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on October 12 by a 22 to 12 vote and the house on October 16 by 260 to 20.
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The Hartford Convention's final report proposed several amendments to the
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was a series of meetings from December 15, 1814, to January 5, 1815, in
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The Report and Resolutions of the Hartford Convention (Wikisource)
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The anti-war sentiment in Massachusetts was so strong that even
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The Secret Journal of the Hartford Convention, published 1823.
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vol 1 (1891), provides the text for portions of this article
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payment. The federal government was approaching bankruptcy.
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Morison, Samuel Eliot, Frederick Merk, and Frank Freidel,
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had refused to subject their militia to the orders of the
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of New York City and supported him for president in 1812.
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new hampshire delegates hartford convention mills olcott.
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Morison, Samuel Eliot (1968). "Our Most Unpopular War".
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met to discuss their grievances concerning the ongoing
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The life and letters of Harrison Grey Otis, Federalist
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The Rise of American Democracy: Jefferson to Lincoln.
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Harrison Gray Otis, 1765-1848: The Urbane Federalist
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1814–1815 political meeting in Hartford, Connecticut
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Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society
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Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society
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985:Morison, Samuel Eliot. "Our Most Unpopular War."
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958:(4). The New England Quarterly, Inc.: 587–604.
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165:White House
83:New England
52:War of 1812
1069:Categories
1029:15th, 1814
764:Schouler,
104:John Adams
89:Background
835:505124356
748:0076-4981
742:: 38–54.
706:0018-2753
700:: 24–30.
675:Footnotes
252:Secession
25:XL Center
922:(1970).
882:(1823).
521:Vermont
246:New York
240:nation.
140:New York
123:and the
65:and the
1060:. 1905.
1009:(2005)
939:(1995)
912:(1926)
584:embargo
169:Capitol
119:as the
1013:
1001:online
991:online
972:364248
970:
943:
924:online
914:online
833:
797:
746:
704:
291:Albany
272:, and
185:specie
181:Boston
173:burned
968:JSTOR
768:vol 1
626:, by
171:were
1011:ISBN
941:ISBN
831:OCLC
795:ISBN
744:ISSN
702:ISSN
666:and
634:The
332:and
167:and
102:and
38:The
960:doi
753:it.
571:".
244:of
194:of
159:of
23:or
1071::
1054:.
966:.
956:50
954:.
865:.
863:95
837:.
829:.
825:.
809:^
793:.
773:^
750:.
740:80
738:.
714:^
698:38
696:.
682:^
336:.
268:,
1017:.
974:.
962::
843:.
803:.
708:.
630:.
27:.
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