Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-02-02
From. the NoruaIk Gazette.
THE HARTFORD CONVENTION.

From the Nor,cak Gazette.
THE HARTFORD CONVENTION.
| At the late Session of the Supreme Court at
Fairfield, the Hon. r. NJ. Sherman, one of the
members of the Hartford Convention Of 1914.
was put under oath. and under the pains and PEN
alties of Perjury gave history of the proceedings
of that far famed meeting. The testimony thus
elected is given below.
We believe that this question is now for the
first time presented to the public in its present
form. This is the first time that member of that
body has been cited before Court of Justice to
answer for its objects and proceedings. Is the
history which MIR. Sherman has given faithful
one? Has he, in compliance with solemn oath.
told s.the TRUTH the whole truth, and nothing but
the Truth" in this matter? Those who know the
personal character and integrity OF the witness,
will know also how to answer these questions.-
The testimony was given in the presence Of large
and respectable audience, composed OF men OF
both polical parties interested in the question,
and all seem to have come to about the same con-
clusion in regard to it.
trial of Whitman Mead, on the information for a
libel, of which you gave brief notice il your last
number, the Prisoner moved the Court for a sub
pnna to Mr.. Sherman, of Fairfield, MIR. Goddard
| Of Norwich, and many others, as witnesses IN his
behalf. 1t was allowed by the Court, and was
served on Mr. Sherman, but could not be, season
ably on MIR. Goddard, OIL account OF the lateness
of his application. One of the articles charges as
libelous, compared recent political meeting at
Hartford with the Hartford Convention, and the
prisoner supposed that full deveopement of the
proce edings of that Convention would furnish a
legal vindication of the article i'll question. With
view to such developementhe wished the testi-
mOny of the gentlemen above named. At the i'll
stance Of the prisoner, MIR. Sherman testified on
the trial of the case, and the enclosed paper con-
tains his testimony, exact III substance, and very
nearly in his language-which you are at liberty
to publish.
wnrTMAN MEAD. Testimony.
Question by the Prisoncr.-What was the ma
ture and object of the Hartford Convention?
.9nswer-I was member of that Convention.
1t met on the 18th December, 1914. The Unit
| ed States were then at war with Great Britain.
They had, In their forts and armies, twenty-sey-
| en- thousand effective men-Of these about thir-
teen hundred only were employed in New Eng
| land. The war had been In operation two years
and a half. We had a sea coast of almost
700 miles to protect, and with the exception Of
about thirteen hundred men, had the aid of no
military force from the United States. BY IN
ternal taxes. all others having become unproduc-
tive by reason of the war, the National Govern
ment raised large sums from the people within
our territory. Direct taxation was the only re-
source of the State Governments, and this had
been carried to as great an extreme IN Connec-
ticut as could be sustained. The banks which
furnished all our currency, either withheld their
accommodations, or stopped payment, and the
people were embarrassed BY general stagnation
of business Powerful fleets and armies lay of
our coasts, and we're making or threatening in
vasons in all parts of our defenceless sea-board.
Com. Decature. with his squadron, had takeu
refuge in the waters of Connecticut, and attract
ed a powerful concentration of the enemy's fore
es on our borders. Castine, if mistake not,
and some other parts of the territory OF Massa-
Chusetts, had fallen into the hands of the British.
The New-England States, under all these disad-
yantages, were Obliged to protect themselves BY
their own Militia, at their own expense. The
expenses of Connecticut greatly exceeded our
resources. The duration of the war could not
be foreseeu, and our credit became exhausted
| ATTEMPTS were made to borrow money, but with
out any adequate success. The National Con-
stitution prohibited the emission of bills of cred
it. In this extremity. while the Legislature was
in Session at New Haven IN October, 1914,
communication was received from the Legisla-
ture of Massachusetts, proposing Convention
of delegates from the New England States, to
consult on the adoption of measures for their
common safety. This communication was re-
ferred to Joint Committee of both HOUSES
General Henry Champion and myself were ap-
pointed from the Upper House. He was Chair
man of the Committee. drew the report, re-
commencing compliance with the proposal made
the State of Massachusetts, and assigning the
reasons at length. This report was published