guarantee a firm and unyielding maintenance of our national sovereignty and the protection of those commercial interests which were flagging under the weakness and imbecility of the administration."

The reader will observe that this "platform" was practically altogether personal against Madison and on behalf of Clinton, and did not at all touch underlying political questions. It is the unanimous judgment of political writers that in the contest Clinton made no compromise of his Republican principles, a judgment concurred in by his biographers who have had original sources of information concerning his career. The campaign did not in any way involve issues in the respect of being marked by contrasting political ideas or proposals, but was practically limited to a test of personal strength between Madison with the prestige of official power and party regularity, and Clinton with his aggressive individuality and assorted following. The States of Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, and Virginia voted for Madison; those of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island for Clinton; and Maryland was divided-Madison's total being 128 and Clinton's 89. If Clinton had succeeded in carrying Pennsylvania he would have won. For Vice-President, Gerry received 131 votes and Ingersoll 86.

Notwithstanding the preference shown by a considerable portion of the Republicans for the Clinton ticket, no cleavage in the party followed. The formidable vote for Clinton represented primarily the Federalists,

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

and this was so well understood that a strong party reproach was forthwith attached to him by the Republicans nationally, so that he was never afterward able to renew his Presidential pretensions. His subsequent eminent career was confined to the State of New York. The seeming resuscitation of Federalist strength proved fictitious. While the Federalist organization did not lack for self-confidence and fully asserted the consistent preservation of its original character and purposes, its course at the election was regarded as incompatible with any affirmative position or serious claims. By opposing the prosecution of the War of 1812, to the extent of open sedition in New England and with hampering efforts elsewhere, the Federalists took the final step, in a long succession of inept, reactionary, and unpopular acts and tendencies, that led to their complete disappearance from the theater of politics.

The Hartford Convention, 1814-15

Notably expressive of the animating spirit and motives of the extreme Federalists, as well as illustrative of the reasons for the failure of their party to make any progress toward winning the confidence of the country at large, were the transactions of the historic Hartford (Connecticut) convention. That body met on December 15, 1814, and continued in session until January 5, 1815. Exclusively Federalist in its membership, it represented all the States of New England existing at that time (Maine had not yet been admitted to the Union)—the delegates being 12 elected by the Massachusetts Legislature, 7 elected by the Connecticut Leg

islature, 4 elected by the Rhode Island Legislature, 2 appointed by local conventions in New Hampshire, and 1 appointed by a local convention in Vermont. The deliberations were private, and all the delegates were pledged to secrecy. A report was published, which briefly set forth the conclusions arrived at but did not disclose the prevailing spirit and tendency of the discussions; and it was commonly believed that the real object was to institute a separate New England federacy if the demands made should not be complied with. The following significant words occurred in the report:

"The number of those [in the other States] who perceive and who are ready to retrace errors must, it is believed, be yet sufficient to redeem the nation. It is necessary to rally and unite them by the assurance that no hostility to the Constitution is meditated, and to obtain their aid in placing it under guardians who alone can save it from destruction. Should this fortunate change be effected, the hope of happiness and honor may once more dispel the surrounding gloom. Our nation may yet be great, our Union durable. But should this prospect be utterly hopeless, the time will not have been lost which shall have ripened a general sentiment of the necessity of more mighty efforts to rescue from ruin at least some portion of our beloved country."

Resolutions were adopted as follows:

"Resolved, That it be and hereby is recommended to the Legislatures of the several States represented in this convention, to adopt all such measures as may be necessary effectually to protect the citizens of the said States from the operation and effects of all acts which have been or may be passed by the Congress of the United States which shall contain provisions subjecting the militia or other citizens to forcible drafts, conscriptions, or impressments not authorized by the Constitution of the United States.

"Resolved, That it be and hereby is recommended to the said Leg

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK

islatures to authorize an immediate application to be made to the government of the United States, requesting their consent to some arrangement whereby the said States may, separately or in concert, be empowered to assume upon themselves the defense of their territory against the enemy, and a reasonable portion of the taxes collected within said States may be paid into the respective treasuries thereof and be appropriated to the payment of the balance due said States and to the future defense of the same. The amount so paid into the said treasuries so to be credited, and the disbursements made as aforesaid to be charged, to the United States.

"Resolved, That it be and hereby is recommended to the Legislatures of the aforesaid States to pass laws (where it has not already been done) authorizing the Governors or commanders-in-chief of their militia to make detachments from the same, or to form voluntary corps, as shall be most convenient and conformable to their Constitutions, and to cause the same to be well armed, equipped, and held in readiness for service, and upon request of the Governor of either of the other States to employ the whole of such detachment or corps, as well as the regular forces of the State, or such part thereof as may be required and can be spared consistently with the safety of the State, in assisting the State making such request to repel any invasion thereof which shall be made or attempted by the public enemy.

"Resolved, That the following amendments of the Constitution of the United States be recommended to the States represented as aforesaid, to be proposed by them for adoption by the State Legislatures, and, in such cases as may be deemed expedient, by a convention chosen by the people of each State; and it is further recommended that the said States shall persevere in their efforts to obtain such amendments until the same shall be effected:

"1. Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union according to their respective numbers of free persons, including those bound to serve for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed and all other persons.

"2. No new State shall be admitted into the Union by Con

gress, in virtue of the power granted by the Constitution, without the concurrence of two-thirds of both houses.

"3. Congress shall not have power to lay any embargo on the ships or vessels of the citizens of the United States, in the ports or harbors thereof, for more than sixty days.

"4. Congress shall not have power, without the concurrence of two-thirds of both houses, to interdict the commercial intercourse. between the United States and any foreign nation, or the dependencies thereof.

"5. Congress shall not make or declare war, or authorize acts of hostility against any foreign nation, without the concurrence of twothirds of both houses, except such acts of hostility be in defense of the territories of the United States when actually invaded.

"6. No person who shall hereafter be naturalized shall be eligible as a member of the Senate or House of Representatives of the United States, nor capable of holding any civil office under the authority of the United States.

"7. The same person shall not be elected President of the United States a second time; nor shall the President be elected from the same State two terms in succession.

"Resolved, That if the application of these States to the government of the United States recommended in the foregoing resolutions should be unsuccessful, and peace should not be concluded, and the defense of these States should be neglected as it has been since the commencement of the war, it will, in the opinion of this convention, be expedient for the Legislatures of the several States to appoint delegates to another convention to meet in Boston, in the State of Massachusetts, on the third Tuesday of June next, with such powers and instructions as the exigency of a crisis so momentous may require.

"Resolved, That the Hon. George Cabot, the Hon. Chauncey Goodrich, and the Hon. Daniel Lyman, or any two of them, be authorized to call another meeting of this convention, to be holden in Boston, at any time before new delegates shall be chosen as recommended in the above resolution, if in their judgment the situation of the country shall urgently require it."

The States of Massachusetts and Connecticut sent