Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1829-09-11
CHARLOTTESVILLE.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBERl 1929
THE HARTFORD CONVENTION,

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBERII.I 1929
THE HARTFORD CONVENTION
A Foreigner, who knew nothing of our histo
ry but what was tn be derived from the newspa.
Pers of the day, and who had no recollec.
ton of the period at which it assembled, and the
views and purposes which influenced its leaders
might be at loss to conjecture tho character
which history would assign to this celebrated
Convention. While one party vindcates the
assomblage, and lauds its objects as praisewor-
thy and patriotic another ccnsurcs them as con-
ceived in the mad impotence of party Gepres.
sion, and REASONABLE in their contamination
The Historian whose impartial contemplation
will take in the circumstances of the time, and
occasion in which the measure originated. and
reflect that the conntIy was struggling through
the darkest pei iod oil doubtful and dangerous
war with powerful enemy, will, wo apprehend,
be at no loss, even from the avowals of the men
who were concerned in the transaction, to affix
its true chatactcI.
The following article from the Boston Courier
has led liz to make the above remarks. Not even
The testimony of Messrs. Otis, Story and Austin
VIII suffice to remove tie stigma which, i'm spite
OF all the old and recent attempts at whitewash.
ing will still adhere TO the Hartford Convention
Hartford CONVENTION. The following facts
are taken from notice, in The Yeo,nan' Ga-
zeue, of the Inauguration of the Law Professors
at Cambridge GA Tuesday last, ana Of the dinner
that followed.
After the cloth was removed. Hon. Harrison
Gray Ols remarked that the orator of tke ia VI
had eulogized the Hon. Nathan Dane had paint
ed his bright traits in bold relief, but had not
been the faithful historian of his life. For the
MI IN eff
picture, whereas the orator had studiously cast
shade over his faults and especially had kept ST.
lence as to the notable fact that Mr. Dane was
member of the " Hartford Conrention."
Upon this hint Judge Story rose and stated
his unreserved opinion in favor of the integrity
and patriotism of the members of The Hartford
COnrentton-expressed conviction, that their pur-
poses were pure, their views patriotic their
sneeting constitutional. and their n, ,.Gnps
honorable to themselves 80, their country. In
Few minutes afterwards, Hon James IT, Austin
addressed the company fully concurripn with
Judge Story i'll his honorable testimony in be.
half OF the convention. Mr.. Austin con oludcd
byexprcssing his rcspeet in the following toast -
:" The s"rrsoiag members Of the Hartford
Contention"
lfevery man ofcommon information and COM
mon sense In the United States, who has camor-
ed, loud and long against the Hartford Conveu-
ton, would have common honesty enough to de-
clare his real sentiments, they would concur with
those now expressed by these two distinguished
members of the late democratic party.
E1tracf from a Prize Essay on the Pov-
en- and Stability of Federaticc Gorern-
saentS, read at oxford, July l, 1899,
6y George anthony Denison, EelloD Of
OrieL
After general view ofthe subject of Po-
iitical Science, and variety of illus
trations of his argument, drawn from
the history Of ancient and modern gov
ernments, the writer closes his essay
by a reference to the Constitution and
history of the United States This di-
vision of his argument occupies ten pa
ges, from which we seIectthe following
passages
We turn our eyes as well from the ex-
amples OF antiquity, as from those gilmore
recent ages, to the great political phenom-
enon OF our own times. 1t has been re-
served Tor America to call into renewed ex.
Istence form Of government, which a.
mong the multiplied parallels of history,
has scarcely one to command our unmixed
applause. But it woule be a most uncan-
Aid preverson of the truth were we to ex-
aend to the Confederacy of the Western
hemisphere those censur's, which are in
different deg. ees applicable to the federal
system Of the Old world,
cit lisa presumption indeed prior to all
positive argument in favor Of the Ameri-
can Union, that it has avoided The garing
errors of former ConfederaCies. The free
and enlightened trainers of the CnDstitu-
ton of 1857, appear to have studied the
models Of antiquity, in the true spirit OF PC
litical wisdom. Uniting their own expe-
rience OF the manifold and incurable evils
of a partial union, to the lessons Of histo-
ny they directed their whole energies to
the establishment Of permanent and eff
fective government. They considered that
ifthe association Of the States were at all
an object, it was clearly one Of the most
vital and paramount importance. That
in all questions, therefore, of coexlsting
powers. the first point was to settle the ma
tional authority upon secure basis, by
placing in Its hands every thing which
could be conceded consistently with the
preservation Of the independence Of the
states. With this principle for their guide
they proceeded with deliberate caution
and consummate sagaciiy to blend togeth-
er and adjust an immense mass of cOmpli-
Gated and partly conflicting interests. The
result Of their patriotic iabors was that
constitution, which, if they never consld-
cred it as perfect as indeed may easily be
gathered from their speeches and recorded
opinions, was still, uDquesilcnably, the
best that the views and circumstances o.
the country would permit, and few men