Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1831-02-10
THE HARTFORD CONVENTION.

Court at Fairfield, the Hon. r. M. SHER-
MAN, one of the tliembers Of the Hartford
Convention of 1914, was put under oath,
and under the pains and penalties of PER
JURY gave history of the proceedings OF
that far farmed meeting. The testimony
thus ELECTED is given below.
STATE VS.. WHITMAN MEAD.
Hon. X. N. Sherm0n's testimony.
Question By the Prisoner. What was
the nature and object ofthe Hartford Con-
veption?
ANsUer. was a member of that Con-
vention. 1t met on the 18th of December,
1914. The United States were then at
war with Great Britain. They had, in
their forts and armies, twenty-seven thous-
and effective men-of these about thirteen
hundred only were employed in New Eng
land. The war had been in operation two
years and hale We had sea coast Of
almost 700 miles to protect, and, with the
etception Of about thirteen hundred men,
had the aid Of no military force from the
Uuited States. By internal taxes, all 9TH
ers having become unproductive by reason
Of the war, the National Government rais-
ed large sums from the people, within our
territory. Direct taxation was the only
resource of the State Governments, and
this had been carried To as great an ex.
IRENE in Connecticut as could be sustain-
ed. The Banks which furnished all our
currency, either withheld their accommo-
dations or stopped payment, and the peo-
pie were embarrassed by a general stagna-
ton Of business. Powerful fleets and ar
mics lay off our coasts, and were making
or threatening invasions in all parts Of our
defenceless sea-board. Commodore De.
catur, with his squadron, had taken refuge,
i'll the waters ofConnecticut,a land attracted a
powerful concentration Of the enemy's for
ces on our borders. Castine, il mistake
not and some other parts of the territory of
Massachusetts, had fallen into the hands of
the British. The New England States, I'M
der MI these disadvantages, wero obliged
to protect themselves by their own Militia,
at their own expense. The expenses Of
Connecticut greatly exceeded our resour-
ces. The duration Of the war could not
be foreseen, and our credit became ex-
Attempts were made to borrow
money. but withou, any adequate success.
The National Constitution prohibited the
emission Of bills uf credit. In this extreme
ily, while the Legislature was in session al
New Haven in October, 1914, a commu-
nicalion was received from the Legislature
of Massachusetts, proposing Convention
of delegates from the New England States,
to consult on the adoption of measures for
their common safety. This communicaA
ton was referred to joint Committee of
both Houses. General Henry Champion
and myself we're appointed from the upper
House. He was Chairman Of the Com
mittee. l drew the report, recommending
a compliance with tho proposal made by the
stale of Massachusetts, and assigned the
reason at length. This report was publish
ed BY order OF the Legislature, and extern
sively circulated in the newspapers Of this
and other states. Seven delegates were app
pointed to represen, this state in the Con.
vention. As soon as il was organized. Mr..
Otis, IA delegate from Massachusetts,. pro-
posed, after some predatory remarks, that
it should be recommended TO our several
Legislatures, to present petition to the
Congress Of the United States, praying
that they would consent that the New
England States, or so many of Them as
should agree together for that purpose,
might unite in defending themselves against
the public enemy THAT so much Of the
national revenuc,sas should be collected in
these states, should be appropriated to the
expenses Of that defence ;-that the a.
mount so appropriated should DO credited
to the United States ;-and that the U.
S. should agree to pay whatever should
be expended beyond that amount. This
proposal was approved by the convention.
The same views had been stated hero, be-
fore The meeting Of the delegates. BY the
constitution Of the United States, no such
compact for mutual defence could be form
ed, without the consent of Congress. BY
thus augmeniing our immediate resources,
and Obtaining the national guaranty that
the expenses Of the war, To be increased
by the states thus uniting, should be ulti-
nlaiely paid out Of the national treasury, 1t
was supposed that our credit as well as our
present peculiarly resources, would be enc
hanced. A debate was had in the Con-
vention az. to certain amendments TO the
Constitution of the United States, TO be
proposed for adoption by the State Legis-
lures. One was, that Congress should not
have power to declare war without the con-
currence If two thirds Of both houses. j
cannot, from recollection, detail the pro-
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