War of 1812, Part 43: The Hartford Convention

Since the election of 1800 swept Thomas Jefferson and his fellow Democratic-Republicans into office, the Federalist Party had been in a steady decline. This loss of influence in national affairs was especially pronounced with Federalists in New England, who felt helpless to stop Republican anti-trade policies that were especially harmful to their region. Invitations for a convention in Hartford to discuss grievances were sent by Massachusetts Governor Caleb Strong, but only Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island dispatched official delegations, while Vermont and New Hampshire declined. The Hartford Convention was chaired by George Cabot and met from December 15, 1814, to January 5, 1815, in closed door sessions, which added to its intrigue.