The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-09-20
Cause and Effect Explained by an linz
partial Review of our Political
History.
SUBJECT CoNTINUED-NuMBER s.

History.
SUBJECT CONTINUED-NUMBER 5.
We find in the political history of the
United States a series of events, of which
the Hartford Convention is an important
link, leading directly to the great civil war
which now convulses the nation and threat
ems its dissolution.
A review of these events, enlightened by
educated intelligence, cannot fail, we be-
lieve, to reconcile the patriotic mind to pres.
ent sacrifices, trials and dangers; or to give
assurance that loyalty will triumph over
treason, that rebellion will be overcome, and
the Union preserved.
Although there has been, ever since the
foundation of our government, severe
struggle between the opposing forces of
Union and Secession, the attractive force
has ever been stronger than the repulsive.
1t is evident that the genius of our people
is for union, and not for the isolation of
petty States, like that of the Grecian,
Italian, or South American republics.
The members of the Hartford Convention
regarded the breaking up of the Union as
justi6able remedy for sectional grievances,
which they believed it was not reasonable
to contemplate, or impossible to accomplish.
Nearly half century has elapsed since
then, and now, for the first time, loyal citi
zens are called upon to defend the Union
against armed secession; and among the
most loyal in responding to this call are the
States of New England.
When treason was popular in New Eng
land and secession there impending, the
States in rebellion were as ready to take up
arms in defence of the Union, against those
of New England, as the latter are now
against them.
The attempt to break up this Union in
dulged in by the Southern States, will no
doubt prove as complete failure as that
of the Eastern States, and will teach the
former, as it did the latter, a lesson never to
be forgotten in all their generations, namely /:
That obedience is duty, loyalty interest, and
Union peace.
The Hartford Convention was called
avowedly to concert measures of opposition
to the support and continuance of the war
and to devise some remedy for the "intoler>
able grievances" under which the people of
New England then supposed they were SUI
feripg, namely: The loss of power to rule
the general government.
The Convention met in the State House,
at Hartford, Connecticut, December Is,
1914, and continued in secret session for
fifteen days.
The history of the Convention was writ
ten by Theodore Dwight, jr., who was its
Secretary and also its defender, and pubs
lished 10 1888. Our extracts from the pro-
ceedings of the Convention are quoted from
this work.
The members of the Convention were all
distinguished for their ability and promi.
nence in public affairs. They were OF the
leading Federalist statesmen of their States.
The result of their labors was very able
report, accompanied by resolutions, adj
dressed to the people of New England-a
careful preparation for subsequent con-
tngencies.
The report expatiates upon "the prosper~
ity and happiness of the nation" for the
twelve years the Federalists were in power;
and then declaims against the weakness
and deformity" and whitening influence" of
Democratic rule, under which, the "declen-
sion of the nation has been uniform and
rapid"
TO remedy this grievance, the convention
proposed sundry amendments to the Con.
stitution
lst. To provide that slaves should not
be counted as basis of representation but
that free negroes should be counted.
"a. That no State should be admitted
into the Union without the concurrence of
two-thlrds of both Houses Of Congress.
Sd. That Congress should not have
power to lay an embargo on the ships of
citizens, for more than sixty days.
4th. That Congress should not have
power to prohibit intercourse between the
United States and any foreign nation.
5th. Requiring a two.thirds vote of
Congress to declare war, except for defence,
in case of actual invasion.