Potential Peace on Earth - at least between America and Great Britain: The burning of Washington on August 24, 1814 was the lowest point for both the country and President Madison. However, that attack by British forces did manage to take a country greatly divided about the war and reunite many outraged citizens throughout the young country....except, New England. New Englands shipping industry, their economic base, was suffering from the continued war. The ruling political party in those states were the Federalists, who favored peace and strong trade relations with the British. On October 18, 1814, the Massachusetts legislature called for a convention to discuss constitutional ways to protect the interests of the New England states. While Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island officially participated (as states), there were a few delegates who attended from Vermont and New Hampshire. Of the 26 delegates, over one-half were from Massachusetts. The convention met on December 15th in Hartford, CT, discussed secession and drew up proposed amendments to the Constitution. To wit: ...prohibiting embargoes of more than 60 days and barring the election of a president from the same state twice in succession (obviously aimed at the so-called Virginia Dynasty). The representation of slaves, even at the 3/5 rate embodied in the constitution, was to be ended. The defense of states was to be entrusted to their state governments and that the federal government should allocate some of its revenue for this purpose. The convention agreed to its demands on January 4, 1815, and determined that its emissaries should take them to Washington. It adjourned the following day. What they did not know, however, was that a ship was on its way to deliver a peace treaty, the Treaty of Ghent, signed on December 24th; officially (diplomatically) ended the war. Further, to add a little more sting to their situation, by the time the chosen Hartford Convention delegates arrived to deliver their documentation, news of Andrew Jacksons victory in New Orleans had been received; which infused a very patriotic pulse in the country...in favor of the war. Arriving on the heals of such news, made them appear foolish and, due to the whiff of secession, perhaps traitorous. Participation in the Hartford Convention was politically fatal for its leaders. Quoted Source: The Avalon Project at Yale Law School For further information, visit u-shistory and connecticuthistory.org/the-hartford-convention-today-in-history/
Posted on: Tue, 23 Dec 2014 17:14:31 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015