The Portland gazette., 1820-03-07

Hartford COnrentiOM.--l.etter '

correctness Of the principle, that the powers CIV
en- to the Hartford Convention aud their proceed
ings pursuant thereto, could constitute the only
fair rules for estimating the views, motives and
Loyalty TO the constitution Of the states and IN
diyiduals who were parties To the proceedings-
and that they should he judged by the maxim,
/" BY their fruits shall We know them.o Ii is a
most extraordinary truth, that amid the censures
which have been 80 copiously showered upon
that body Of men, there has been rarely an at
tempt to impeach, and never to crimInate their
printed proceedings. The cry has been cruelty.
cruelty, but none could reply to the question,
what evil have they done 'he pol zeal opin-
ions asserted in their report may be right or srro-
neous but they are not alleged to be nnconsti-
tutional. The amendments recommended TO the
constitution might be sautary or superfuous, still
they were mere recomme ndations to be adopted
or rejected by other states at their pleasure. In
all this there may have been defect Of wi.dom
but nothing that partakes Of crime. So, because
all that was known was innocent, the prophets,
who found themselves at fault, would have it,
that something was behind the curtain. The
secrets Of the prison house were not revealed
the marked battery had reserved its FIRE. In fact,
they sat with closed doors. So, indeed. did
some times the conventions Of the early christians.
yet Pliny could only report Of them 10 Trajan.
that they wcrhipped God daily, aud encouraged
each other ia the practice ofth duties of the
man and the citizen. The Hartford Convention
did nothing worse. To prove this truth to the
conviction Of every fair mind, Il would he desira.
BILE. (now that the private journal is made acce.s
bile, TO present 10 the public, in one connected
view, the procedure Of the Legislative bodies and
county meetings which were there represented.
and the report Of the Convention in exten.o.
But a. more are swift TO condemn than are willing
to read. and those Of the latter description can
easily have recourse to these documents, nothing
more will be attempted here, than the introduc-
tion Of such concise reference to them a. will
sabstantiate the following TO have been the two
principal objects Of the Convention:
First. To provide for the defence Of the East.
ern States in a more efficient and economical
mode. than could he done, snder Existing circun
stances, by the General Government.
Second. To accelerate the adoption Of certain
amendmsntsts the constitution, which were then
considered to be Of urgent and vital Importance.
That this was the eutre aim Of that Convex
tion, will he more apparent, upon zdvertiny for
moment to the state of affairs in New.tuyland.
and especially in Massachusetts, at that epoch.
In the summer Of 1914, the war, which had not
before been br ,ughi home to that state, began
upon its borders. Castiue, an exposed settlement
on the maritime frontier. (Which could nsishsr
be defended or retsken without a naval force
had been captured: and the intelligence receiv.
ed "f further meditated invasion. called for i'm.
mediate measures Of defence. The extensive
sea.board was furnished with few nominal for.
trssses, and fths troops Of the u. 8. ha wing been
Withdrawn to Canada) they were unproyided
with men and munitions Of war; Although the
Governor Of that State, two year. before ,his
time, had declined transferring the command Of
the militia to the military project Of the United
States is equally true, that he wa, now disposed
Influenced his conduct, and had pen,edly der.
ed defaehments, ia prseise conformity wifh the
-r,quisii,ons of he General Gorernmeai.-Ye,
such were the inconveuiences arising from this
compliance, owing To the jealousies and dscoa.
tents among the officers and troops, and TO the
collision of different systems of tactics, that. for
fbis cause only, the Governor desisted from re.
eating order. for detaching the militia to serve
under any officers but their own.
The emergency, however, was imperative.
Detacbmepts were ordered, and the Treasury Of
ihe state threatened with empty vaults. All the
sources Of revenue were pre-cccupied by the
national taxes. Commerce was at end. and a
general sentiment prevailing, that the sea coast
would be exposed TO desolation and ravage with
out reliance upon any but their own protection.
Combined with these painful circumstances vas
a state OF deep dissatisfaction with the policy
which led TO the war, and a persuasion that
peAce was at a fearful distance. These disas.
tiers were attributed (whether justly or not TO
the UNEQUAL operation Of certain provisions in the
constitution OF the United States, and fears were
entertained by many lest the public feeling,
reused 20 high pitch Of evaporation, would at
length burst forth ints some lamentable excess.
Such an even, was sincerely deprecated by per.
sous Of the greatest influence aud consideration
in every part Of the state. Though by no means
rcconcied 10 the measures Of government, or a
belief in the original necessity Of the war, they
had generally despaired Of stopping its progress
by their opposition. Moreover, the persuasion
became general, that, in the overthrow of the
De.pot Of France, would bo realized the extinc-
tion not only ofthe source Of ultimate danger TO
the Liberties Of the nation, but ofthe principal
causes Of our internal feuds, and that more aus.
picious order ofthings, according to their views,
could hardly fail to result, under any adm;nisra-
ton, when peace should tass place.--They were
sl.o alarmed by n knowledge Of the augmented
means of annoyance now left at the disposal Of
the enemy, and not less convinced than their
political adversasie., that a protection from the
heaviest calamities Of var could be found only in
preparation for u,ost vigorous defence. Under
these circumstances, the Executive, having Civ
en- orders TO the whole militia 10 be in readine IS.
and 10 several corps Of elite To take the field,
thought proper TO convene the legislature and
communicate TO them his views Of the approach
ing danger and ments.--I'he militia Of
that aud Of the contiguous maritime states, being
generally well appointed, trained to the same
habits of discipline, and attached 10 their officers
n r.