The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-02-08
MiSCE. LAN
FROM T9E NATIONAL IsrELLIoENcER.
Hartford Convention. Letter H.


Hartford Conuention.-Lettcr H.
Had the various projects which are supposed
nv some to have been agitated and attempted in
tho Hartford Convention. concerned only the in
dividual members, they probably would remain
content to repose in silence for their Jnstcation
upon their established private Characters, and
upon their standing IN the esteem and confidence
Of the people among whom they are best known.
Although spirit Of personal enmity and local
rivalry may dictate to some, who are heated in
the race for preferment, the expediency Of hold
ins up thosc members 10 pubic oensure and pro-
sc,ip ion il is still dem nstrahle thai the reputs-
ton of states and not OF individuals rs directly
implicated in those transactions. The inquiry
affects the public spirit and virtue not only OF e-
gislative assemblies, but the vital soundncss Of
the heart of the New-Engisnd population. The
Delegates to he Convention were principally a
gents IA behalf of states, acting under puhtc in
structions which mad been debated with open
doors. whose limitation. they could not trans
cend. Among them were some, who exerted no
influence IN promoting the measure, and others
who accepted the trust with unleignod reluctance
but from conviction Of lis beng duty 10 at
ltempt 10 give TO the project fhe nos salutary di-
rertion. They possessed 40 authority, and were
subject t. no responsibility but that which IS
common to egisiatiye committees, empowered to
report facts and opinions. he report which
they made was equally public DOCUMENT, &C
cer,ed upon due deliberatioh ~ their several
constituent legislatures. aud thus eatitled to be
considered as The ac of,hs people ofthose states.
Thus an immense majority Of the people of Mas
sscbusetts Connecticut. and Rhode Island, aud
respectable portions of these IF Ncs-tlampshirc
and Vermont. empbaticslly Tesponsihic for
the organization Of that Convention, and the
sanction bestowed upon its result. There is no
presumption that they were the dIpes of leaders,
or taken by surprise soggestial. so reproach-
ful 10 an intelligent and independent people. van
ishes before tie recollection of the repeated cp-
portunitie. offered tsem for change Of men in
the state government and thu general express
sion of opinion favourable II such Convention
in oil quarters of the country. In Massa-
ohusetts especially, the Legislature was stimuls-
ted to action by the spos aneous movements 81
the people in their towns and counties feti-
tons were heaped upon petitions, and the extra
session, 10 which the Convention was rtoposes,
was Summoned 10 meet coniormably fc a mani
fe.tation of public soloitude too evident TO be
mistaken, and too imperative TO be evadsd.
II i. then. be IL repeated, the character Of
New Fnglsnd--of great portion Of the Ameri
can fraternity character eminent for all the
moral and po,ica, attributes which give value
20 the social compact, aud for the qualities aud
virtues which every good government relies
for support, that is TO he rescued from dispai-
aeemsnt which, in the view ofthe world, would
attach 10 the reputation eiihe nation. For IT is
to dshonor the a1t1or, that, whatever sou Dds to
the dscredlt # any portion Of II Is co'ated, with
meroenary zeal, by certain foreign puryeyors Of
scandal who are sent lither Ia collect either facts
OF fasehoods. wher. with 10 crafty the slpeen or
curiosity OF their employers. Hence il is that
idle tales, which during TIE .feryesence ofparty
feeling, were poured forth against New England,
in fugitive papers and pamphlets, and which the
good sense oi the nation would IN time have as
simulate TO the legends If sofcery and wtchCraf,
ave already, under the spell of certain travellers
and reviewers, assuming the gravity OF true his
tory. aud seem To demand oontemporaneous reiu-
tation.
Let il now be supposed. in the why Of argu-
ment, as quito possible, that the legislatures of
those states and the majority Of the people acted
undo. erroneous views O. heir own Interests, and
of their duties 10 tie nation. They may have
leen greatly mistaken N their construction Of
the constitutional charter, aud have assumed IN.
tonstlo positions IL then controversies wish the
national Executive. But the history Of every
COME der acy Of states, from the era Of Ach9ean
lesgua TO our times, abounds in disputes respect
ing the mutual obi cations Gifts mem. as. They
originate uuavo,lably in the impeHucton of
language, in the diversity of aspects under which
objects are surveyed by difsren minds; some
times in feeling and motives of genuine patriot
ism, and not untreQuently in ardent passions and
oblique views Of local interest
In such dissentons il too often happens that
the magnitude and danger of the emergency,
which opsht to suspend the spirit of controversy
augment its 6eroeness. One party must Away
be in III wrong; but il by no means follows that
a misaIprehenson of night, because il happens to
te charge able upon the weaker or minor party.
81 IoH NIL nd
excessive ievenoy, implies disposition to Sc
oede from the oonltderaey. Nor does IT consist
with good policy the interest of the confeder-
ates, because their voices NEST numerous and
loud, to stamp any symptom Of supposed contu-
macy with this aggravated stigma, unless proved
10 deserve il by sreH acis. Each state. in ITS
turn, may incur this reproaoh. There rs stri,-
ing resemblance in the tendency of the popular
sentiment, (as the short annals Of our govern
ment' will shew,J in great as well as in small
states, and in the districts OF tho South and the
West, as we'll as CT the Last under similar cir
cumstances, TO run in the same channels OF OPP
po.iton and complaint-to sickle for state rights,