V. \t 
 
 
 &.* 
 
SHORT ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THB 
 
 > 
 
 TAKEN FROM OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, 
 
 ASD 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THE FAIR MINDED AND THE 
 WELL DISPOSED. 
 
 TO WHICH IS ADDED 
 
 AN ATTESTED COPY 
 
 OP THB 
 
 SECRET JOURNAL OF THAT BODY. 
 
 BOSTON : 
 
 PUBLISHED BY O. EVERETT, 13, CORNHILL. 
 
 1823. 
 
ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 MR. OTIS was a member of the Hartford Convention. This 
 is the text, paraphrase and commentary, in all its forms 
 and readings, of all the reproaches, imputations, mis- 
 statements, and misrepresentations, now proclaimed and 
 promulgated against the federal candidate for Govern- 
 or. An objection of the same sort was circulated with 
 even greater vehemence and virulence against Governor 
 Brooks. Though not a member, he was said, in the lan- 
 guage of a well-known democratic* paper, to have been 
 the " idol of that body" and to have been designated by 
 them as the leader of the " rebel army," that was to have 
 executed its treasonable plans. And it is obvious that the 
 same objection would also be uttered against any other 
 candidate, who was a member of the Legislature, which 
 
 * We do not use this word in any other sense than that of designat- 
 ing one of the great political parties of this country. We make this 
 explanation because it is not the purpose of this " Short Account," to 
 cast hasty and indiscriminate reproaches upon the great body of any 
 party. Our simple and single purpose is to present to the people of this 
 State a brief history and vindication of the proceedings of one party 
 upon a most momentous occasion. 
 1 
 
 M198481 
 
called the Convention, or any distinguished individual 
 who had approved of its measures. To all persons of 
 sense and information, who were grown up to manhood at 
 the time of the Convention, the unfounded and unceas- 
 ing accusations thrown broad-cast upon the members of 
 that body, and renewed at every election during eight 
 years, have now become insipid and worthless, and are 
 utterly worn to the thread. All such persons well and 
 truly know, that whatever took place at that time, was 
 done not only in the face of the broadest day, but in the 
 face of the political adversary ; that it was proclaimed 
 and spread far and wide by records, pamphlets and news- 
 papers ; that there never was, and never could have been, 
 either silence or mystery or secrecy, and above all, that 
 the proceedings of the Convention itself do not contain a 
 sentiment or an opinion, but what in other times and from 
 the lips of other men, would be called patriotic and pub- 
 lic spirited. Still, a generation has grown up into active 
 and useful life since that period, and as the declaimers and 
 writers against the Convention have never thought proper 
 to publish in their papers the transactions of that body, 
 it is now believed that a brief history of it, accompanied 
 by some notices of its members, would not be ill received 
 by those, who either have not leisure or documents, or 
 inclination to study its proceedings in great detail or at 
 much length. 
 
 In the summer of 1814, the war, which before had not 
 approached nearer than the great northern lakes, at 
 length fell unexpectedly and in an alarming manner upon 
 the borders of Massachusetts. The English in consider- 
 able force captured Castine, a small town at the mouth of 
 the Penobscot, and in a short time had the absolute con- 
 trol of all that part of Maine, which lies to the eastward 
 

 of that great river. Intelligence was shortly received by 
 express at Head Quarters in Boston, that the enemy was 
 preparing to execute without delay a more extensive in- 
 vasion, and it therefore became necessary to take mea- 
 sures of immediate and vigorous defence. Under these 
 distressing and disastrous circumstances, CALEB STRONG, 
 at that time Governor of the Comnlonwealth, resolved to 
 assemble the members of the Legislature. The General 
 Court accordingly met on the 5th day of October of the 
 same year ; and His Excellency commenced his Message, 
 which subsequent events have made more important than 
 any other Message that has been delivered in this coun- 
 try since the Independence, in the following words: 
 " Since your last adjournment such important changes 
 have taken place in the state of our public affairs, and 
 the war in which we have been unhappily involved has 
 assumed an aspect so threatening and destructive, that 
 the Council* unanimously concurred with me in opinion 
 that an extraordinary meeting of the Legislature was 
 indispensable." We shall shortly see that a majority of 
 the House of Representatives, without example since the 
 existence of the State Government, entirely coincided in 
 the opinions expressed by the Governor. Two days after 
 the session began, on the 7th of October, a resolution ap- 
 proving of the Governor's conduct as it related to the de- 
 fence of the state, passed the House by a vote of 222 to 
 59. On the 13th of October another resolution, author- 
 izing the Governor to raise ten thousand men for the de- 
 fence of the State, passed the House by a -cote of 252 to 
 
 * Honorable Benjamin Pickman, Jun. John Brooks, John Lord, 
 James Lloyd, David Cobb, Oliver Fiske, Samuel Tales, George Bliss, 
 and Nahum Mitchell. 
 

 6 
 
 71. And on the 16th of October the celebrated fifth re- 
 solution, authorizing the calling of a Convention at Hart- 
 ford, passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 
 260 yeas to 90 nays. The resolution is in the words fol- 
 lowing : 
 
 " Resolved, That twelve persons be appointed as dele- 
 gates from this Commonwealth to meet and confer with 
 delegates from the other New England States, or any 
 other, upon the subject of their public grievances and con- 
 cerns ; and upon the best means of preserving our re- 
 sources ; and of defence against the enemy ; and to devise 
 and suggest for adoption by those respective States such 
 measures as they may deem expedient ; and also to take 
 measures, if they shall think it proper, for procuring a 
 convention of delegates from all the United States, in or- 
 der to revise the Constitution thereof, and more effectually 
 to secure the support and attachment of all the people, 
 by placing all upon the basis of fair representation." 
 
 On the 18th of October, the delegates from Massachu- 
 setts were chosen in a convention of the two Houses. 
 
 These votes are recorded, and as we are not disposed to 
 allow the democratic papers to call the proceedings of the 
 people of this State at that time the work of sorry factions, 
 cabals, and intrigues, we shall give the votes of the coun- 
 ties of Massachusetts Proper in detail as they appear upon 
 the Journals of the House. 
 
 The following are the yeas and nays given for the reso- 
 lution : 
 
 The county of Suffolk gave ' . .32 yeas and nays 
 " Essex ... 44 " 9 " 
 
 " Middlesex . . 18 17 
 
 " Norfolk . . 5 " 11 " 
 
 " Plymouth . . 9 " 3 " 
 
The county of Bristol gave . 13 yeas and 1 nays. 
 
 Barnstable . . 4 " 2 " 
 
 " Worcester . . 36 " 11 " 
 
 Hampshire 19 " 
 
 Hampden . . 12 " 3 . 
 
 Franklin . . . 20 " 2 " 
 
 Berkshire . . 14 " 8 " 
 
 226 yeas and 67 nays. 
 
 We have taken the votes of the House of Representatives 
 as expressing more emphatically the voice of the people, 
 and it appears that three quarters of all the citizens of this 
 Commonwealth were, in 1814, in favour of the Hartford Con- 
 vention. Shall we now be told that these citizens were 
 tainted, corrupted, and held in bondage by plots, bribery, 
 and prejudice ? And does any man in the State believe, or 
 will any man of any party now say, that half a dozen 
 individuals led blindfold and muzzled for three years 
 three quarters of the virtuous, intelligent, and indepen- 
 dent people of Massachusetts? Nay, have continued, not- 
 withstanding countless charges and accusations, any one 
 of which would have amounted to a gross desertion and 
 sacrifice of the welfare and interests of the State and 
 Union, still to lead blindfold and muzzled this deluded 
 people eight years, fellow citizens, of bondage and servitude ! 
 Mark, reader, the result. These weak and degenerate 
 men, gave for this Caleb Strong, in the year 1815, the 
 first year after the Hartford Convention, they gave him, 
 we say, 50,921 votes, and the candidate of the other party, 
 the honorable Samuel Dexter, 43,938 votes, as great a re- 
 lative majority as he had received the year before ; and 
 since the year 1816 they have continued to give to John 
 Brooks, " the rebel general," a majority equally great in 
 relative numbers. For eight years the people of this State 
 
8 
 
 have each and every year confirmed, affirmed, and rati- 
 fied the proceedings of the Hartford Convention. For eight 
 years they have each and every year chosen for their 
 rulers the authors and supporters of those measures ; and 
 where is the man that will now stand out before the citi- 
 zens, and say that the independent electors of Massachu- 
 setts have given their votes the whole of that time for re- 
 bels and traitors. 
 
 Here finish the public proceedings of Massachusetts as it 
 regards her own domestic policy concerning the origin of the 
 Hartford Convention. But Massachusetts manifested no de- 
 sire either to conceal the transactions of her own government 
 from the scrutiny of the whole nation, or to withhold from 
 the States of the Union a cooperation in her own measures. 
 The sense of her citizens was at that time well known, 
 and in relation to the Hartford Convention, she adopted 
 without delay that course of conduct, of which an eminent 
 example had been given less than half a century before, and 
 which, in this juncture of affairs, was especially desirable 
 and judicious, from the vast magnitude of the subject and 
 occasion. The two officers, who presided over her Senate 
 and House of Representatives, were therefore directed 
 to make known, as speedily as possible, to the different 
 governments of the union, the proceedings of the govern- 
 ment of this Commonwealth. We here insert at large the 
 letter which was written on this occasion. 
 
 COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 Boston, October 17, 1814. 
 
 SIR Your excellency will herewith receive certain resolu- 
 tions of the Legislature of Massachusetts, which you are re- 
 spectfully requested to take the earliest occasion to lay before 
 the Legislature of your State, together with this letter, which 
 is intended as an invitation to them, to appoint delegates, if 
 
they shall deem it expedient, to meet such others as may be 
 appointed by this and other States, at the time and place ex- 
 pressed in these resolutions. 
 
 The general objects of the proposed conference, are, first, 
 to deliberate upon the dangers to which the eastern section of 
 the Union is exposed by the course of the war, and which 
 there is too much reason to believe will thicken round them in 
 its progress, and to devise, if practicable, means of security and 
 defence which may be consistent with the preservation of their 
 resources from total ruin, and adapted to their local situation, 
 mutual relations and habits, AND NOT REPUGNANT TO THEIR OBLI- 
 GATIONS AS MEMBERS OF THE UNION. When convened for this 
 object, which admits not of delay, it seems also expedient to 
 submit to their consideration, the inquiry, whether the interests 
 of these States demand that persevering endeavours be used by 
 each of them to procure such amendments, to be effected in the 
 national constitution, as may secure to them equal advantage, 
 and whether, if in their judgment this should be deemed im- 
 practicable, under the existing provisions for amending that 
 instrument, an experiment may be made without disadvantage 
 to the nation, for obtaining a Convention from all the States in 
 the Union, or such of them as approve of the measure, with a 
 view to obtain such amendment. 
 
 It cannot be necessary to anticipate objections to the measure 
 which may arise from jealousy or fear. This Legislature is 
 content, for its justification, to repose on the purity of its own 
 motives, and upon the known attachment of its constituents to the 
 national union, and to the rights and independence of their country. 
 
 We have the honor to be, with the highest respect, your 
 Excellency's humble servants, 
 
 JOHN PHILLIPS, President of the Senate 
 
 of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. 
 TIMOTHY BIGELOW, Speaker of the House 
 of Representatives of said Commonwealth. 
 
 To THE GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF . 
 
 2 
 
 
10 
 
 This letter is important, not only for the proper conti- 
 nuation and understanding of our history, but it plainly 
 proves that the same party which recorded its yeas in favor of 
 the Union and the Constitution, in February, 1788, had dimi- 
 nished nothing of its respect and attachment, in October, 1814. 
 
 The Delegates, to the number of twenty, from the States 
 of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and from 
 parts of New Hampshire, and Vermont, assembled at Hart- 
 ford, in December, 1814, and on the 4th of January, 1815, 
 published a long Report ; stating with great ability the opi- 
 nions of the Convention, in relation to the construction of 
 the Constitution of the United States. We do not expect 
 that any man will, at the present time, take the trouble to 
 read this Report, but it has heretofore been read with 
 admiration, by the wisest men of all parties in this country ; 
 and whatever may be thought of one abstract point ol con- 
 stitutional law, discussed in it, we have never known any 
 citizen, whatever might be his creed, as to the great ques- 
 tions of war and peace, and of State and federal powers, 
 impute seditious or treasonable motives, or tendencies, either 
 to the language or sentiments of the Report. 
 
 The Report concluded by recommending two Resolutions, 
 urging the State Governments to solicit the consent of the 
 United States to an arrangement, whereby the defence of 
 the territory should be placed in the hands of the States. 
 This was the substance of the resolutions, and it was also 
 the substance of a law, incredible, and unlocked for, as it 
 certainly was, which was enacted by the national govern- 
 ment on the 27th day of January, 1815. We shall quote 
 part of the first section, as we profess to deal in facts in 
 this history. " Be it enacted, &c. That the President of 
 the United States be, and he is hereby authorized and 
 required to receive into the service of the United States, 
 
11 
 
 any corps of troops, which may have been, or may 1je 
 raised, organized, and officered under the authority of any 
 of the States, whose term of service shall not be less than 
 twelve months, which corps, when received into the service 
 of the United States, shall be subject to the rules and arti- 
 cles of war, and be employed in the State raising the same, or 
 in an adjoining State, and not elsewhere, except with the assent 
 of the Executive of the State so raising the same" Laws of 
 the U. S. vol. 4- p. 778. 
 
 Now, we declare, and we appeal most solemnly to every 
 honest man, who lived in those disastrous days, if the whole 
 bone, and muscle, and marrow of the controversy, was not 
 touching the exact and precise point which this law abso- 
 lutely and entirely settled. We ask again, whether there 
 would have been a Hartford Convention, if this law had 
 been passed in January, 1814, instead of January, 1815. 
 One more fact from the Journals of Congress, equally 
 extraordinary with the one we have just recited, and 
 equally abounding in testimony of the value, and pa- 
 triotic, and virtuous views, of the Hartford Convention. 
 On the 6th of February, (see Senate Journals) 1815, Mr. 
 Varnum, a Senator from Massachusetts, made the following 
 motion : " Resolved, That the Committee, to whom was re- 
 ferred that part of the President's Message of the 20th of 
 September last, which relates to the military establishment, 
 be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making 
 provision by law, for the payment of the militia which have 
 been called out by the authority of any State, for the de- 
 fence of any part of the United States, against invasion^ 
 since the commencement of the present war, and not taken 
 into the pay of the United States, and for reimbursing any 
 State for any monies advanced for pay, rations, camp 
 equipage, and all other expenses necessarily incurred in 
 
12 
 
 calling out such militia, according to the rules and re- 
 gulations prescribed by law, for defraying the expense 
 of calling out the militia by authority of the United 
 States." On the 10th of February, Mr. Giles, a Senator 
 from Virginia, introduced a Bill in conformity with this 
 instruction. It had three readings, and passed to be en- 
 grossed on the 18th of the same month, by the title of 
 " An act to authorize the settlement and payment of cer- 
 tain claims for the services of the militia." This Bill was 
 sent to the House of Representatives, but before it could 
 go through a discussion, and the parliamentary forms, the 
 news of peace arrived. What is this, we beg to inquire, 
 but acknowledging in plain and direct terms, the justice 
 and propriety of all the proceedings of New England, 
 during the war. And how will any editor or statesman 
 of the other party, say, that Massachusetts is not entitled 
 to her militia compensation, and will never receive one 
 pistareen of it under a federal administration, when, by 
 the agency of two of the stoutest enemies of New England 
 policy, the principle of remuneration was recognised dur- 
 ing the administration of Caleb Strong, in Massachusetts, 
 whose measures have since been so obnoxious to demo- 
 cratic reproach. 
 
 The Hartford Convention further recommended, that 
 the States should propose seven amendments to the Con- 
 stitution, for adoption by the State Legislatures. These 
 amendments are all printed in the report, and when any 
 democrat in Massachusetts, or Virginia, will declare that 
 Samuel Adams, or Patrick Henry, was not in favor of simi- 
 lar alterations in the Constitution, and did not vindicate 
 them at all hours of the day, we, in our turn, will admit 
 that the amendments of the Hartford Convention are 
 overflowing with sedition, disunion, and treachery. 
 
13 
 
 At the meeting of the Legislature, in the winter ses- 
 sion of 1815, a Report was made by a Committee, of which 
 D. A. White was chairman, concerning the Hartford Con- 
 vention, from which we shall extract one or two sen- 
 tences : " The expediency of having invited a convention 
 of delegates from the New England States, is fully proved 
 by the result of their labours communicated with his Ex- 
 cellency's Message." " The Committee entertain a high 
 sense of the wisdom and ability with which the conven- 
 tion of delegates have discharged their arduous trust ; 
 while they maintain the principle of State sovereignty, 
 and of the duties which citizens owe to their respective 
 State governments, they give the most satisfactory proofs 
 of attachment to the Constitution of the United States, and to 
 the national Union." Therefore, "Resolved, That the 
 Legislature of Massachusetts do highly approve the pro- 
 ceedings of the convention of delegates, from the States 
 of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and the 
 Counties of Cheshire and Grafton, in the State of New 
 Hampshire, and the County of Windham, in the State of 
 Vermont, convened at Hartford, on the fifteenth day of 
 December, in the year one thousand eight hundred and 
 fourteen ; and that the advice and recommendation therein 
 given, are entitled to, and shall receive the most respect- 
 ful consideration of this Legislature." 
 
 "Resolved, That His Excellency the Governor, with 
 the advice of Council, be, and he hereby is authorized 
 and empowered to appoint three commissioners to pro- 
 ceed immediately to the seat of the National Government, 
 and in pursuance of such instructions as His Excellency 
 and the Honourable Council may think proper to give 
 them, to make an earnest and respectful application to the 
 Government of the United States, requesting their consent 
 
14 
 
 to some arrangement, whereby the State of Massachu- 
 setts, separately, or in concert with neighbouring States, 
 may be enabled to assume the defence of their territo- 
 ries against the enemy ; and that to this end a reasonable 
 portion of the taxes, collected within said States, may be 
 paid into the respective Treasuries thereof, and appro- 
 priated to the payment of the balance due to the said 
 States, and to the future defence of the same : the amount 
 so paid into the said Treasuries, to be credited, and the 
 disbursements so made, as aforesaid, to be charged to the 
 United States ; and the Senators and Representatives of 
 the Commonwealth, in Congress, are hereby requested to 
 cooperate with said Commissioners in effecting this object." 
 These resolutions were adopted by a vote of 159 to 48 in 
 the House of Representatives." 
 
 The Governor accordingly appointed three gentlemen 
 to go to Washington without delay whose commission is 
 in the words following : 
 
 "COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS. 
 
 " To the Honourable Harrison G. Otis, Thomas H. 
 [L. s.] Perkins, and William Sullivan, all of Boston, in the 
 
 County of Suffolk, and Commonwealth aforesaid, 
 Esquires. 
 
 "CALEB STRONG. 
 
 " GREETING. 
 
 u Whereas by a resolve of the Legislature of this Com- 
 monwealth, of the twenty-seventh day of this present 
 month, the Governor, with the advice of Council, is au- 
 thorized and empowered to appoint three Commissioners, 
 to proceed immediately to the seat of the National Go- 
 vernment, and in pursuance of such instructions as His 
 Excellency the Governor, and the Honourable Council, 
 may think proper to give them, to make earnest and re- 
 
15 
 
 spectful application to the Government of the United 
 States, requesting their consent to some arrangement, 
 whereby the State of Massachusetts, separately, or in 
 concert with neighbouring States, may be enabled to as- 
 sume the defence of their territories against the enemy; 
 and that to this end, a reasonable portion of the taxes, 
 collected within said States, may be paid into the respective 
 Treasuries thereof, and appropriated to the payment of 
 the balance due to the said States, and to the future de- 
 fence of the same ; the amount so paid into the Treasu- 
 ries to be credited, and the disbursements so made, as 
 aforesaid, to be charged to the United States. And 
 whereas, by said resolve, the Senators and Representatives 
 of this Commonwealth, in Congress, are requested to co- 
 operate with said Commissioners in effecting this object. 
 
 " Now, therefore, by virtue of the Resolve aforesaid, and 
 the power and authority thereby vested in me, I, CALEB 
 STRONG, Governor of the said Commonwealth of Massa- 
 chusetts, confiding in the ability, integrity, and patriotism, 
 of the Honourable Harrison G. Otis, Thomas H. Perkins, 
 and William Sullivan, Esquires, citizens of the said Com- 
 monwealth, have nominated, and with the advice and con- 
 sent of the Council, do appoint you the aforenamed, the 
 Honourable Harrison G. Otis, Thomas H. Perkins, and 
 William Sullivan, Esquires, to be Commissioners for the 
 purposes aforesaid, and with authority to do and perform 
 whatever is directed and required in the said Resolve, a 
 copy of which is hereunto annexed. 
 
 " And you, the said Commissioners, will proceed imme- 
 diately to the seat of the National Government, and in 
 obedience to the requisitions of the Resolve aforesaid, 
 and of instructions given you by the Supreme Execu- 
 tive of this State, a copy of which also accompanies 
 
16 
 
 this commission, will make respectful and earnest ap- 
 plication to the Government of the United States, re- 
 questing them to consent to some arrangement, by which 
 this Commonwealth separately, or in concert with neigh- 
 bouring States, may be enabled to assume the de- 
 fence of their respective territories against the enemy ; 
 and a portion of the taxes collected within said States 
 may be paid into the respective Treasuries thereof, ap- 
 propriated to the payment of the balance due to said 
 States, and to the future defence of the same, the amount 
 so paid into the said Treasuries, to be credited, and the 
 disbursements so made, as aforesaid, to be charged to the 
 United States. And in your endeavours to effect this ob- 
 ject, you will also consult with, and solicit the assistance 
 and cooperation of the Senators and Representatives of this 
 Commonwealth, in the Congress of the United States. 
 
 " In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of this 
 Commonwealth to be hereunto affixed, at Boston, 
 this thirty-first day of January, A. D. one thou- 
 sand eight hundred and fifteen, and in the thirty- 
 ninth year of the Independence of the United 
 States of America. 
 
 " By His Excellency the Governor, 
 
 " ALDEN BRADFORD, 
 
 " Secretary of the Commonwealth." 
 
 These gentlemen arrived in Washington one day after 
 the news of the peace had reached that city. That cir- 
 cumstance was in itself the most successful accomplish- 
 ment of their mission, but, that the Government was not 
 only disposed but prepared to comply with every proposi- 
 tion, contained in the commission, we have already fur- 
 nished abundant proofs in this brief history. 
 
 
17 
 
 We have now related every fact concerning the Hart- 
 ford Convention, and wherein lie the secrecy and mys- 
 tery attributed to that body. The original and only 
 Journal of the Convention is deposited in the Secretary 
 of State's office in this city* It is always ready and open 
 for the inspection and examination of every one, and has 
 been read during the last month by many persons. Like the 
 journal of all deliberative assemblies it is a record of pro- 
 positions and votes. A copy of this journal, certified to 
 be genuine by the Secretary of this Commonwealth, has 
 been deposited in the printing office of the National In- 
 telligencer, at Washington, and if it had been hung up on 
 one of the pillars of the capitol, surely more publicity 
 would not have been given to it. We also subjoin an at- 
 tested copy of it at the end of this brief account. If it 
 contains treason, sedition, or other inflammatory matter, 
 why have not Messrs. Gales and Seaton, or some southern 
 democratic editors, or some northern democratic editors, 
 published it, or parts of it ? And will the public ever be- 
 lieve that if it could have furnished the democratic edi- 
 tors of this State with the least jot or tittle of an argu- 
 ment or of a fact, that none of it during five years would 
 ever have entered their presses ? Are those gentlemen in 
 the habit of manifesting that spirit of indulgence, cour- 
 tesy, forbearance and consideration, to the faults and foi- 
 bles of their adversaries ? On the contrary, have they 
 not shouted Hartford Convention, crucify him ! crucify 
 him ! for eight years and, forsooth, is it out of kindness 
 and good feeling that they have abstained all that time 
 from publishing this most foul and traitorous journal ? 
 
 The printed Report of the Convention was publicly, 
 and for several days, discussed in the Legislature it was 
 
 then published at the end of the Resolves of that session, 
 3 
 
18 
 
 and it has from that time to this, passed in the form of a 
 pamphlet through three editions. In that report you will 
 find the political creed of the men who belonged to the 
 Hartford Convention. By this they are willing now, and 
 through all ages, to be judged. Do them, therefore, the 
 justice to quote from a Report which they deliberately 
 and solemnly wrote, and to which they have publicly set 
 their names. If you wish to inform your political friends 
 what Mr. OTIS now believes, and what he believed and 
 said in the Hartford Convention, publish that Report. 
 How comes it, then, that HARRISON GRAY OTIS, and his 
 associates, acting in obedience to instructions, given by 
 three fourths of the people of this Commonwealth, were 
 leagued together in 1814, in a base conspiracy to break 
 down this great and vigorous Republic, when in 1823, hit 
 political friends invite and beseech you, and tJic whole public, 
 to judge and weigh him by the history and documents of that 
 very Convention. 
 
 Such is a short history of the Hartford Convention. 
 How unjust, how unreasonable, how absurd, to impute to 
 an assembly thus constituted, any secret or sinister design. 
 The members of the Convention were appointed by dif- 
 ferent Legislatures, sitting in session many miles apart 
 from each other, with open doors, and without concert or 
 communication. Emphatically, " their breath was in their 
 nostrils," and the Legislatures who appointed them, were 
 destined to expire by the operations of their own Consti- 
 tutions, before it could have been possible to mature a plan 
 of insubordination. 
 
 The Report was regularly, and without delay, made to 
 the Legislature, from whom they received their authority, 
 and accepted by a vast majority, (159 to 48.) Here then 
 obviously ends the individual responsibility of the Dc-le- 
 
19 
 
 gates, except what belongs to them in common with all 
 who voted in the General Court. 
 
 Mr. Otis and eleven gentlemen consented, in a time of 
 extreme solicitude and public danger, distress, and diffi- 
 culty, to accept a most unwelcome commission from the 
 Legislature, from which no personal benefit or advantage 
 could in any shape result. Regardless of the most intem- 
 perate language, and most violent threats, they performed 
 the duty assigned to them, and rendered their account, 
 which was fully and honourably accepted. The outcry 
 now raised against the Convention is, therefore, in the 
 nature of an appeal to the people themselves, for a judg- 
 ment of entiie approbation, delivered eight years ago ; and 
 constantly affirmed by every possible token and demon- 
 stration of respect, attachment, and confidence ; of which 
 circumstance, the following eleven brief biographical no- 
 tices furnish most abundant and most unanswerable evi- 
 dence. 
 
 George Cabot, of Boston, the President of the Convention. 
 He has held no public office since that period, nor had he 
 been in any political situation for many years before. 
 Every body will admit that there is no office in this State 
 for which he could not, in the case of vacancy, have re- 
 ceived as full a vote as any man in Massachusetts, if he 
 had had a desire to engage in public life. 
 
 Nathan Dam, of Beverly. He performed eminent ser- 
 vices in Congress, and in the State Legislature, for many 
 years ; but he had withdrawn from public life, and was 
 then, and has been since engaged in a most valuable voca. 
 tion, the preparing of a digest of common law, adapted to 
 this country. Mr. Dane possesses the respect, confidence, 
 and esteem of all who know him, and, as his townsmen will 
 
 
20 
 
 declare, might have been in the Legislature from that day 
 to the present. 
 
 William Prescott, of Boston. He has been a Counsellor 
 a Senator, or a Representative, whenever his business per- 
 mitted him to be so. He was a member of the late State 
 Convention, and at present presides in the Common Council 
 of this City, as we understand, by a unanimous vote. 
 
 Harrison Gray Otis, of Boston. He was chosen the two 
 years succeeding the Convention, a member of the Legis- 
 lature, and in the second year he was elected by a unani- 
 mous vote of the political party with which he acted, 
 Senator of the United States ; and he has just been recom- 
 mended by a federal Convention of the Legislature, to the 
 suffrages of the citizens, for the office of Governor. 
 
 Timothy Bigelow, of Medford. He was constantly re- 
 turned to the General Court, and was constantly elected 
 Speaker of the popular branch ; and having resigned that 
 office, he was chosen into the Council. 
 
 Joshua Thomas, of Plymouth. He held an office in Ply- 
 mouth County, incompatible with a seat in the Legisla- 
 ture. He was the upright, popular, and honoured Judge 
 of Probate, to the time of his lamented death. 
 
 Joseph Lyman, of Northampton. He also is ineligible to a 
 seat in the Legislature; he is the Sheriff of Hampshire, and 
 discharges the duties of that office to the acceptance of the 
 people. He was a member of the State Convention, and was 
 lately nominated by the federal Convention as candidate 
 for the office of Lieutenant Governor, which he declined. 
 
 Daniel Waldo, of Worcester, He has been returned to 
 the Senate of the State whenever his business permitted 
 him so to be. He possesses, at this moment, entire respect 
 and consideration, not only in his place of residence, but 
 throughout the Commonwealth. 
 
21 
 
 Hodijah Baylies, of Dighton. Also a Judge of Probate 
 in the County of Bristol an aid-de-camp to a distinguished 
 General officer during the revolution. Ask any man in 
 Bristol if he is surpassed in popular esteem by any other 
 citizen ? There can be but one opinion. 
 
 George Bliss, of Springfield. He has, also, been again 
 and again a member of the government, and was distin- 
 guished in the State Convention. He possesses in a high 
 degree, the confidence of the people. 
 
 Samuel S. Wilde, of Newburyport. He has since that 
 time been appointed a Judge of the Supreme Judicial 
 Court. He was, also, a member of the late State Conven- 
 tion. Judge Wilde is beloved and respected, and possesses 
 the attachment and confidence of the people. 
 
 These are all the members now resident in Massachusetts 
 proper. 
 
 Now, with the utmost earnestness and sincerity, we ask 
 any candid, honest man, if he believes in his conscience, 
 that these eleven persons above named, were capable of 
 plotting a conspiracy against the national government of 
 exciting to a civil war of leading to a dissolution of the 
 the Union of submitting to an allegiance to George the 
 Third ? We ask again, if these very identical persons are 
 not precisely such men as the people and the public, upon 
 all occasions, do honourably and confidently trust and 
 employ ? And for the last time, we ask the candid and 
 honest men of this State, if the people and the public have 
 not from year to year given proof and evidence not to be 
 denied or refuted, that they utterly and totally disregard 
 the numberless misrepresentations and mistatements which 
 violent men have laboured for eight years to cast upon 
 the conduct and characters of these virtuous, uprighti 
 enlightened, and patriotic individuals ? 
 
SECRET JOURNAL, 
 
 OF THE 
 
 HARTFORD CONVENTION. 
 
 HARTFORD, THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 1814. 
 
 This being the day appointed for the meeting of the 
 Convention of Delegates from the New England States, 
 assembled for the purpose of conferring on such subjects 
 as may come before them, the following persons, from 
 those States, met in the Council Chamber of the State 
 House, in Hartford, in the State of Connecticut, viz. : 
 
 From the State of Massachusetts, GEORGE CABOT, WIL- 
 LIAM PRESCOTT, HARRISON GRAY OTIS, TIMOTHY BIGELOW, 
 NATHAN DANE, GEORGE BLISS, JOSHUA THOMAS, HODIJAH 
 BAYLIES, DANIEL WALDO, JOSEPH LYMAN, SAMUEL S. WILDE, 
 and STEPHEN LONGFELLOW. 
 
 From the State of Rhode Island, Messrs. DANIEL LYMAN, 
 BENJAMIN HAZARD, and EDWARD MANTON. 
 
 From the State of Connecticut, Messrs. CHAUNCEY GOOD- 
 RICH, JAMES HILLHOUSE, JOHN TREADWELL, ZEPHENIAH 
 SWIFT, NATHANIEL SMITH, CALVIN GODDARD, and ROGER M. 
 SHERMAN. 
 
 From the State of New Hampshire, Messrs. BENJAMIN 
 WEST, and MILES OLCUTT. 
 
 Upon being called to order by Mr. Cabot, the persons 
 present proceeded to choose, by ballot, a President 
 
23 
 
 Messrs. Bigelow and Goodrich were appointed to receive 
 and count the votes given in for that purpose, who report- 
 ed that Mr. GEORGE CABOT, a member from Massachusetts, 
 was unanimously chosen. 
 
 On motion, voted, that the Convention proceed to the 
 choice of a person to be their Secretary, who is not a 
 member of the Convention ; and the votes having been 
 received and counted, THEODORE DWIGHT, of Hartford, 
 was declared to be chosen unanimously. 
 
 Messrs. Otis, Hillhouse, and Lyman, were appointed a 
 committee to examine the credentials of the members re- 
 turned to serve in the Convention, and report the names 
 of such as they should find duly qualified ; who, having 
 attended to the subject of their said appointment, made 
 the following report : 
 
 The Committee appointed to examine the credentials 
 of the members returned to serve in the Convention now 
 assembled at Hartford, have attended to that service, and 
 find the following persons to have been elected members 
 thereof by the respective Legislatures of the following 
 States ; From Massachusetts, George Cabot, William Pres- 
 cott, Harrison Gray Otis, Timothy Bigelow, Stephen 
 Longfellow, Daniel Waldo, George Bliss, Nathan Dane, 
 Hodijah Baylies, Joshua Thomas, Joseph Lyman, and 
 Samuel S. Wilde. From Rhode Island, Daniel Lyman, 
 Samuel Ward, Benjamin Hazard, and Edward Manton. 
 From Connecticut, Chauncey Goodrich, James Hillhouse, 
 John Treadwell, Zepheniah Swift, Calvin Goddard, Na- 
 thaniel Smith, and Roger Minot Sherman. 
 
 The Committee also report, that at a conventional 
 meeting of twenty towns in the County of Cheshire, in 
 the State of New Hampshire, Hon. Benjamin West was 
 elected to meet in this Convention ; and at a conventional 
 meeting of delegates from most of the towns in the Coun- 
 ty of Grafton, and from the town of Lancaster, in the 
 County of Coos, Miles Olcutt, Esq. was elected to meet in 
 this Convention ; and the Committee are of opinion, that 
 the above named persons are entitled to take their seats 
 as members of this Convention. 
 
 On motion, voted, that said report be accepted and ap- 
 proved. 
 

 24 
 
 On motion of Mr. Otis, voted, that the Convention be 
 opened with prayer, and that the delegation from the 
 State of Connecticut be requested to invite a clergyman 
 belonging to the town of Hartford, to perform that ser- 
 vice. 
 
 On motion, voted, that Messrs. Goddard, Bigelow, and 
 Lyman, be a committee to prepare rules of proceeding 
 for this Convention. 
 
 The Convention was opened with prayer by the Rev. 
 Dr. Strong, of Hartford. 
 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned to 
 3 o'clock, P. M. of this day, then to meet at this place. 
 
 THURSDAY, DEC. 15, 3 O'CLOCK, P. M. 
 
 The Convention met agreeably to adjournment. 
 
 The Committee appointed to prepare rules of proceed- 
 ing, proper to be observed by this Convention, &c. made 
 the following report. 
 
 The Committee appointed to prepare rules and orders, 
 proper to be observed by this Convention, during its 
 continuance, ask leave to report the following ; which are 
 respectfully submitted, 
 
 CALVIN GODDARD, Per Order. 
 
 1. The meetings of this Convention shall be opened 
 each morning, by prayer, which it is requested may be 
 performed, alternately, by the Chaplains of the Legisla- 
 ture of Connecticut, residing in the city of Hartford. 
 
 2. The most inviolable secrecy shall be observed by 
 each member of this Convention, including the Secretary, 
 as to all propositions, debates, and proceedings thereof, 
 until this injunction shall be suspended, or altered. 
 
 3. The Secretary of this Convention is authorized to 
 employ some suitable person to serve as a door-keeper 
 and messenger, together with a suitable assistant, if ne- 
 cessary, neither of whom are, at any time, to be made 
 acquainted with any of the debates or proceedings of the 
 board. 
 
 4. That the President of this Convention be authorized 
 to regulate and direct the debates and proceedings there- 
 of, in such manner as imay seem to him discreet and pro- 
 per, and to name all their committees. 
 
25 
 
 On motion, voted, that said report be accepted and ap- 
 proved. 
 
 On motion, voted, that a committee of five be appointed 
 to inquire what subjects will be proper to be considered 
 by this Convention, and report such propositions for that 
 purpose, as they may think expedient, to the Convention, 
 to-morrow morning. 
 
 The following persons were appointed on that com- 
 mittee. Messrs. Goodrich, Otis, Lyman, of R. I. Swift, 
 and Dane. 
 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned to 
 10 o'clock to-morrow morning ; then to meet at this place. 
 
 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, agreeably to adjournment. 
 
 The Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. 
 Dr. Strong. 
 
 Mr. Ward, a member from the State of R. I. attended, 
 and took his seat in the Convention. 
 
 The Committee appointed to inquire what subjects will 
 be proper to be considered by the Convention, and to re- 
 port such propositions for that purpose, as they may think 
 expedient, respectfully Report : 
 
 " That your Committee deem the following to be pro- 
 per subjects for the consideration of the Convention : 
 The powers claimed by the executive of the United 
 States, to determine, conclusively, in respect to calling out 
 the militia of the States into the service of the United 
 States ; and the dividing the United States into military 
 districts, with an officer of the army in each thereof, with 
 discretionary authority from the executive of the United 
 States, to call for the militia to be under the command of 
 such officer. The refusal of the executive of the United 
 States to supply, or pay the militia of certain States, call- 
 ed out for their defence, on the grounds of their not hav- 
 ing been called out under the authority of the United 
 States, or not having been, by the executive of the State, 
 put under the command of the commander over the mili- 
 tary district. The failure of the Government of the Unit- 
 ed States to supply and pay the militia of the States, by 
 them admitted to have been in the United States' ser- 
 vice. The Report of the Secretary of War to Congress, 
 4 
 
26 
 
 on filling the ranks of the army, together with a bill, or 
 act, on that subject. A bill before Congress, providing 
 for classing and drafting the militia. The expenditure of 
 the revenue of the nation in offensive operations on the 
 neighbouring provinces of the enemy. The failure of the 
 Government of the United States to provide for the com- 
 mon defence ; and the consequent obligations, necessity 
 and burdens, devolved on the separate States, to defend 
 themselves ; together with the mode, and the ways and 
 means, in their power for accomplishing the object." 
 
 On motion, voted, that said Report be accepted and ap- 
 proved. On motion, voted, that a committee of three be 
 appointed to obtain such documents and information as 
 may be necessary for the use and consideration of the 
 Convention, and may be connected with their proceed- 
 ings. Mr. Hillhouse, Mr. Bliss, and Mr. Hazard, were 
 appointed on that committee. On motion, voted, that the 
 Rev. Dr. Perkins be invited to attend in turn with the 
 other gentlemen already invited, as chaplains. On mo- 
 tion, voted, that the injunction of secrecy, as to the pro- 
 ceedings of yesterday, be removed. On motion, voted, 
 that the Convention be adjourned to 3 o'clock, P. M. of 
 this day, then to meet in this place. 
 
 Three o'clock, P. M. The Convention met agreeably 
 to adjournment. After spending the afternoon in various 
 discussions of important subjects, on motion, voted, that 
 this Convention be adjourned till to-morrow. 10 o'clock. 
 A. M. then to meet at this place. 
 
 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, agreeably to adjournment. 
 
 The Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. 
 Dr. Strong. After spending the forenoon in discussing 
 the first section of the Report of the Committee made on 
 Friday, on motion, voted, that when this Convention ad- 
 journ, it be adjourned till Monday next. On motion, 
 voted, that this Convention be adjourned till Monday 
 next, at 10 o'clock, A. M. then to meet at this place- 
 
 MONDAY, DECBEMER 19, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, agreeably to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. 
 
27 
 
 On motion, voted, that a committee of five be appoint- 
 ed to prepare and report a general project of such mea- 
 sures as it may be proper for this Convention to adopt. 
 
 Messrs. Smith, Otis, Goddard, West, and Hazard, were 
 appointed to be of that committee. 
 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned 
 till 3 o'clock, this afternoon, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'clock, P. M. The Convention met agreeably 
 to adjournment. On motion, voted, that the Rev. Mr. 
 Cushman be invited to attend in turn with the other gen- 
 tlemen already invited, as chaplains. 
 
 After spending the afternoon in discussing the Report of 
 the Committee, on motion, voted, that this Convention be 
 adjourned till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock, then to be 
 held at this place. 
 
 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, agreeably to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Pr. 
 Strong. The Committee appointed to prepare and report 
 a general project of such measures as it may be proper 
 for this Convention to adopt, made a report, which was 
 laid in and read. After discussing several articles of the 
 said Report, the further consideration of it was postponed 
 until the afternoon. On motion, voted, that this Conven- 
 tion be adjourned till 3 o'clock, this afternoon, then to 
 meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'c/oc/r, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Convention resumed the considera- 
 tion of the Report of the Committee, which was postponed 
 in the forenoon ; and after discussion through the after- 
 noon, the same was postponed until the morning. On 
 motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned until to- 
 morrow morning, 10 o'clock, A. M. then to meet at this 
 place. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 21, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. The Convention resumed the consideration of 
 the Report postponed yesterday. After spending the 
 time of the forenoon in discussion .of the Report of the 
 Committee, the further consideration was postponed to 
 
28 
 
 the afternoon. On motion, voted, that this Convention 
 be adjourned to 3 o'clock, this afternoon, then to meet at 
 this place. 
 
 Three o'c/ocfc, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Convention resumed the considera- 
 tion of the Report of the Committee, which was postponed 
 in the forenoon. On motion, voted, that a committee of 
 seven be raised to prepare a Report illustrative of the 
 principles and reasons which have induced the Conven- 
 tion to adopt the results to which they have agreed. Mr. 
 Otis, Mr. Smith, Mr. Sherman, Mr. Dane, Mr. Prescott, 
 Mr. West, and Mr. Hazard, are appointed on that com- 
 mittee. On motion, voted, that this Convention be ad- 
 journed till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock. 
 
 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 22, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. 
 Perkins. The Convention resumed the consideration of 
 the Report of the Committee, postponed last evening. 
 After spending the forenoon in discussing said Report, the 
 further consideration was postponed till this afternoon. 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned till 
 3 o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'c/oc/c, P. M. The Convention met, agreeably 
 to adjournment. The Convention resumed the considera- 
 tion of the Report of the Committee, which was postpon- 
 ed in the forenoon. After spending the afternoon in dis- 
 cussing said Report, the further consideration thereof was 
 postponed. On motion, voted, that this Convention be 
 adjourned till to-morrow morning, 10 o'clock, then to meet 
 at this place. 
 
 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. The Convention resumed the consideration of 
 the Report of the Committee, which was postponed yes- 
 terday. After spending the forenoon in discussing the 
 Report of the Committee, the further consideration thereof 
 was postponed until to-morrow. On motion, voted, that 
 
29 
 
 this Convention be adjourned until to-morrow morning, 10 
 o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 24, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. 
 Perkins. The President communicated an address from 
 a number of citizens belonging to the County of Wash- 
 ington, in the State of New York, which was read. On 
 motion, voted, that the said address be referred to the 
 Committee appointed on the 21st inst. 
 
 The Convention resumed the consideration of the Re- 
 port of the Committee, which was postponed yesterday. 
 On motion, voted, that another member be added to the 
 Committee appointed on the 21st inst. Mr. Sherman being 
 necessarily absent. Mr. Swift was appointed on said 
 Committee. 
 
 The Report of the Committee which was laid in on the 
 20th instant, having been under discussion at the several 
 meetings of the Convention, and having been amended, 
 was adopted, and referred to the committee appointed on 
 the 21st. to report; which Report is as follows, viz. 
 
 The Committee appointed to prepare and report a ge- 
 neral project of such measures as it may be proper for this 
 Convention to adopt, respectfully report : 
 
 1. That it will be expedient for this Convention to pre- 
 pare a general statement of the unconstitutional attempts 
 of the Executive Government of the United States to in- 
 fringe upon the rights of the individual States, in regard 
 to the militia, and of the still more alarming claims to in- 
 fringe the rights of the States, manifested in the letter of 
 the Secretary of War, and in the bills pending before Con- 
 gress, or acts passed by them, and also to recommend to 
 the Legislatures of the States, the adoption of the most effec- 
 tual and decisive measures, to protect the Militia and the 
 States from the usurpations contained in these proceedings. 
 
 2. That it will be expedient, also, to prepare a state- 
 ment, exhibiting the necessity which the improvidence 
 and inability of the General Government have imposed 
 upon the several States, of providing for their own de- 
 fence, and the impossibility of their discharging this duty, 
 and at the same time fulfilling the requisitions of the Ge- 
 
30 
 
 neral Government ; and also, to recommend to the Legis- 
 latures of the several States, to make provision for mutual 
 defence, and to make an earnest application to the Govern- 
 ment of the United States, with a ,view to some arrange- 
 ment, whereby the States may be enable to retain a portion 
 of the taxes levied by Congress, for the purposes of self 
 detence, and for the reimbursement of expenses already 
 incurred, on account of the United States. 
 
 3. That it is expedient to recommend to the several 
 State Legislatures, certain amendments to the Constitution 
 of the United States, hereafter enumerated, to be by them 
 adopted and proposed. (The remainder of this article in 
 the Report was postponed. 
 
 1. That the power to declare or make war, by the Con- 
 gress of the United States be restricted. 
 
 2. That it is expedient to attempt to make provision for 
 restraining Congress in the exercise of an unlimited power, 
 to make new States, and admit them into this Union. 
 
 3. That the powers of Congress be restrained in laying 
 embargoes, and restrictions on commerce. 
 
 4. That a President shall not be elected from the same 
 State two terms successively. 
 
 5. That the same person shall not be elected President 
 a second time. 
 
 6. That an amendment be proposed, respecting slave 
 representation, and slave taxation. 
 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned to 
 Monday afternoon, three o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 MONDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Woodbridge, of Hadley, Massachusetts. The Committee 
 not being prepared to lay in their Report, on motion, voted, 
 that this Convention be adjourned till to-morrow morning, 
 ten o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Per- 
 kins* The Committee not being prepared to lay in their 
 
31 
 
 Report, on motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned 
 till this afternoon, three o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 Three o'c/ocA:, P. M. The Convention met pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Committee not being prepared to lay 
 in their Report, on motion, voted, that this Convention be 
 adjourned to to-morrow morning, ten o'clock, then to meet 
 at this place. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. A certificate of the proceedings of a Convention 
 in the County of Windham, in the State of Vermont, ap- 
 pointing the Hon. William Hall, jr. to represent the people 
 of that County in this Convention, was read. On motion, 
 voted, that the Hon. William Hall, jr. is entitled to a seat 
 in this Convention ; and that the Hon. Mr. Olcott, of New 
 Hampshire, be requested to introduce Mr. Hall, for the 
 purpose of taking his seat. 
 
 Mr. Hall, a member from the County of Windham, in 
 the State of Vermont, attended, and took his seat in the 
 Convention. The Report of the Committee not being pre- 
 pared, on motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned 
 to three o'clock, this afternoon ; then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'clock, P. M. The Convention met pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Report of the Committee not being 
 prepared, upon motion, voted, that this Convention be ad- 
 journed to to-morrow morning, ten o'clock. 
 
 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. 
 Strong. On motion, voted, that the following proposition 
 be referred to the Committee appointed on the 21st instant. 
 
 " That the capacity of naturalized citizens, to hold offices 
 of trust, honour, or profit, ought to be restrained ; and that 
 it is expedient to propose an amendment to the Constitu- 
 tion of the United States, in relation to that subject." 
 
 The Report of the Committee not being prepared, on 
 motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned to three 
 o'clock, this afternoon, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'c/ocfc, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Report of the Committee not being' 
 prepared, on motion, voted, that this Conveution be ad- 
 
32 
 
 journed till to-morrow morning, ten o'clock, then to meet 
 at this place. 
 
 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. 
 Perkins. The Committee appointed on the 21st instant 
 presented their Report, which was read twice. The fore- 
 noon having been spent in reading the Report, on motion, 
 voted, that this Convention be adjourned till three o'clock, 
 this afternoon, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'clock, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. After spending the afternoon in discussing 
 the Report, the subject was postponed. On motion, voted, 
 that this Convention be adjourned till to-morrow morning, 
 ten o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 1814. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. The Convention resumed the consideration of the 
 Report, postponed yesterday. On motion, voted, that a 
 Committee, to consist, of three, be appointed to procure that 
 part of the Report, which relates to the militia, printed con- 
 fidentially. Messrs. Goodrich, Lyman, of Massachusetts, 
 and Goddard, were appointed on that Committee. After 
 having spent the forenoon in considering the Report, the 
 further consideration thereof was postponed. On motion, 
 voted, that this Convention be adjourned till half past two 
 o'clock, this afternoon, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'c/ocA;, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Convention resumed the consideration 
 of the Report of the Committee, which was postponed in 
 the forenoon. After having spent the afternoon in dis- 
 cussing the Report of the Committee, the further consi- 
 deration thereof was postponed. On motion, voted, that a 
 Committee of three persons be appointed to ascertain what 
 expenses have been incurred in this Convention, which it 
 is necessary for them to defray, and to report the mode of 
 discharging them. Mr. Goddard, Mr. Prescott, and Mr. 
 Ward, were appointed on that Committee. On motion, 
 voted, that the first eight pages of the Report, be recom- 
 mitted to the Committee which reported it, to reconsider 
 
33 
 
 the same. On motion, voted, that the same Committee 
 report such documents and articles as they may think 
 proper, to compose an Appendix to the Report. 
 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned till 
 Monday morning, ten o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 MONDAY, JANUARY 2, 1815. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. The Convention resumed the consideration of the 
 Report of the Committee which was postponed from Satur- 
 day. After spending the forenoon in discussing the Report, 
 the further consideration thereof was postponed. On mo- 
 tion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned till half past 
 two o'clock, this afternoon, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Half past two o'c/oc/c, P. M. The Convention met, pur- 
 suant to adjournment. The Convention resumed the con- 
 sideration of the Report of the Committee which was 
 postponed in the forenoon. After spending the afternoon 
 in discussing the Report of the Committee, the further 
 consideration thereof was postponed. On motion, voted, 
 that this Convention be adjourned till to-morrow morning, 
 nine o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1815. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Dr. 
 Perkins. The Convention resumed the consideration of 
 the Report of the Committee which was postponed yester- 
 day. After spending the forenoon in discussing the Report 
 of the Committee, the same was postponed till the after- 
 noon. On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned 
 till three o'clock, this afternoon, then to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'c/ocA;, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. The Convention resumed the consideration 
 of the Report of the Committee, which was postponed in 
 the forenoon. After discussing and amending the Report 
 of the Committee, voted, that the same be accepted and 
 approved. On motion, resolved, that the injunction of 
 secrecy, in regard to all the debates and proceedings of 
 this Convention, except in so far as relates to the Report 
 .5 
 
31 
 
 finally adopted, be, and hereby is, continued. On motion, 
 voted, that a Committee of three persons be appointed to 
 consider and report what measures it will be expedient to 
 recommend to the States, for their mutual defence. Mr. 
 Prescott, Mr. Wilde, and Mr. Manton, were appointed on 
 the Committee. 
 
 On motion, voted, that Mr. Sherman be added to the 
 Committee for superintending the printing of the Report. 
 On motion, voted, that this Convention be adjourned till 
 to-morrow morning, ten o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 4, 1815. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment. The 
 Convention was opened with prayer, by the Rev. Mr. 
 Chase. On motion, voted, that certain documents before 
 the Convention, be published, Avith the following title, 
 u Statements prepared and published, by order of the Con- 
 vention of Delegates, held at Hartford, Dec. 15, 1814, and 
 printed by their order." 
 
 On motion, voted, that Mr. Goodrich be discharged from 
 any further services on the Committee to superintend the 
 printing of the Report, &c. On motion, voted, that another 
 member be added to that Committee. Mr. Otis was ap- 
 pointed to that place. The Committee appointed to report 
 what measures it will be expedient to recommend to the 
 States, for their mutual defence, presented a Report, which 
 was read. On motion, voted, that the said Report be ac- 
 cepted and approved. On motion, voted, that this Con- 
 vention be adjourned till three o'clock this afternoon, then 
 to meet at this place. 
 
 Three o'clock, P. M. The Convention met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. On motion, voted, that two copies of the 
 Report of the Convention, subscribed by all the members, 
 who shall be disposed to sign the same, be forwarded to 
 each of the Governors of the States of Massachusetts, 
 Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Ver- 
 mont ; one of which to be for the private use of the said 
 Governors, and with a request that the other, at some pro- 
 per time, may be laid before the Legislatures of the States 
 aforesaid. 
 
 Mr. Goodrich submitted the following Resolution to the 
 Convention. Resolved, That the thanks of the Convcn- 
 
35 
 
 lion be presented to the Hon. GEORGE CABOT, in testimony 
 of the respectful sense they entertain of his conduct, 
 whilst presiding over their deliberations. 
 
 On the question being put by the Secretary, it passed 
 in the affirmative, unanimously. On motion, voted, that 
 the Convention be adjourned till 7 o'clock, this evening, 
 then to meet at this place. 
 
 Seven o'clock, P. M. The committee met, pursuant to 
 adjournment. On motion, voted, that the Report, as 
 amended, and the Resolves accompanying the same, be 
 accepted and approved. On motion, voted, that the Dele- 
 gates from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, 
 take two copies of the Report of the Convention, and de- 
 liver the same to the Governors of those States, agreeably 
 to the vote of the Convention passed this day, and that the 
 President be requested to transmit two copies of the Re- 
 port to the Governors of the States of New Hampshire 
 and Vermont, together with a copy of the vote of the Con- 
 vention aforesaid. 
 
 On motion, voted, That at the close of the Convention, 
 the Journal be committed to the care of the President. 
 On motion, voted, That the Convention be adjourned till 
 to-morrow morning, 9 o'clock, then to meet at this place. 
 
 THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1 8 1 5 9 o'c/ocA-, A. M. 
 
 The Convention met, pursuant to adjournment after 
 solemn prayer, by the Rev. Dr. Strong, on motion, voted, 
 that this Convention be adjourned without day. 
 
 ATTEST, THEODORE DWIGHT, Secretary. 
 
 [CERTIFICATE.] 
 
 I, GEORGE CABOT, late President of the Convention, as- 
 sembled at Hartford, on the fifteenth day of December, 
 1814, do hereby certify, that the foregoing is the original 
 and only Journal of the proceedings of that Convention ; 
 and that the twenty-seven written pages, which compose it, 
 and the printed report, heretofore published, comprise a 
 faithful and complete record of all the motions, resolutions, 
 
votes, and proceedings, of that Convention. And I do 
 further certify, that this journal has been constantly in my 
 exclusive custody, from the time of the adjournment of 
 the Convention, to the delivery of it into the office of the 
 Secretary of this Commonwealth. 
 
 GEORGE CABOT. 
 Boston, Nov. 16f/i, 1819. 
 
S BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE 
 STAMPED BELOW 
 
 AN INITIAL FINE OF 25 CENTS 
 
 WILL BE ASSESSED FOR FAILURE TO RETURN 
 THIS BOOK ON THE DATE DUE. THE PENALTY 
 WILL INCREASE TO SO CENTS ON THE FOURTH 
 DAY AND TO $I.OO ON THE SEVENTH DAY 
 OVERDUE. 
 
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