The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-09-13

tga ..c gr .a
United States, on the requisition of the Secre-.
tary of War and Major General Dearborn,
meets with the entire appreciation of this az.
sembly."
When war was declared, June 10, 1912
Napoleon was at the zenith of his glory.
Austria and Prussia were his allies. With
his "grand army" Of 100000 men, be had
crossed the Niemer, and was on his appa-
rently triumphant march to Russia. But
in 1914, the great confederacy was
formed by England against France, Rus
sia, Prussia, Sweden, Denmark and Bavaria
uniting with Britain, to crush Napoleon.
The disasters Of his Russian campaign the
defeat of his second "grand army" liz the
great and decisive battle Of Liepsic,
foretold his utter and speedy ruin, and pre-
saged the rise again. Of England, as the
imperial mistress OF the world.
This was the time-the opportunity-em,
braced by the Federalists OF New England
to concentrate all their moral power against
the government OF the United States.
Events continued favorable to their de.
signs. The allies had entered Paris. Ma
poleon had abdicated, and was prisoner
at Elba.
British troops could now be spared from
1
the Continental wars to humiliate and crush
the American people. Our Capital had
been pillaged and public buildings burned.
Packingham, with his veterans fresh from
victorious conflicts with Napoleons le-
legions, were on their way to New Orleans,
to conquer the rude and undisciplined rife
men of Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi,
and Louisiana.
1t was then, Oct. l3, 1914, that the Leg
islature of Massachusetts, emboldened by
the peris of the nation, called for Con.
vention of the New England States, to ag-
itate pretended grievances, and precipitate
dissolution-professedly, to secure their
"equal rights"
The report of the Legislative Committee,
recommending the call of this, "THE HART
FORD CONVENTION" alleged as the reason
for this proceeding, that "the Constitution
of the United States under the admi,istra.
ton of those no,0 in poa0sr, had failed to Sc
cure to Massachusetts, and to New England
generally, those equal rights and benefits, the
great object of ats formation, and aOhieh could
not be..relinquishsd a0ithout ruin"
A circular letter was addressed by Mas
sachusetts to the other New England States,
enumerating "the dangers" to which they
were exposed the necessity Of immediate
and concerted action and, as if in mock,
cry, protesting that Massachusetts, was de-
voted to the Constitution and the Union
and only demanded "equal advantages" for
the New, England States.
In concert with this movement, the Leg
islature of Connecticut, on the next day,
October l4th, passed joiut resolution de-
nouncing the measures proposed by Presi.
dent Munroe for filling the ranks of the
army, as unconstitutional, and intolerably
barbarous and oppressive" And should
such law be passed by Congress, author
izing the Governor to call special session
of the Legislature "to provide for the pro-
lection of the rights of the citizens"
These are facts, of which there have been
many examples, of great or small signii.
canoe, throughout our political experience,
which portend the coming and absolute ne
cessty of A GREAT CIVIL WAR, the flames of
which shall consume the last vestige of dis
loyalty, and fuse the whole American peo>
pie, with all their antagonisms, into one
great and enduring nationality.