On October 17, 1814, the day the Massachusetts legislature invited New England states to a convention, newspapers published British conditions for peace. They were issued August 20 in Ghent. Governor Strong wrote to Timothy Pickering that the terms seemed reasonable. They included cession of Massachusetts territories then in British hands. That included two counties in Maine and the island of Nantucket. The demands also included giving up fishing rights granted with American independence. The British wanted a road between St. John, New Brunswick and Quebec. The boundary between Canada and the United States needed to be redrawn allowing the British access to the Mississippi. Another demand, more extravagant, was for an Indian state. [1]
Strong polled his associates on the concessions. Those in Essex anticipated losing the fisheries, but were ready to give up territories in Maine to keep them. [2]
Pickering agreed with Strong. Federalists in New England agreed with Strong and Pickering. They were unhappy with American negotiators in Ghent who rejected British offers.[3]
Elections in November proved to be a referendum on two issues. New Englanders were invited to weigh in on British conditions for peace. They were also asked whether their state should take part in the Hartford Convention. The results supported the Federalists. Democratic-Republican candidates suffered defeat.
Federalists were ready for peace. They were also prepared to create a new “Federal compact” composed of either the entire union, of just a portion of it.[4]
Next: Why Peace Was So Important to New Englanders
Look for it Monday, December 1, 2014
[1] Henry Adams, History of the United States of America during the Administrations of James Madison (New York: Literary Classics of the United States, 1986) 1108-9; Samuel Eliot Morison and Henry Steele Commager, The Growth of the American Republic, Volume I (New York: Oxford University Press, 1962) 439.
[2] Adams, History of the United States…Administrations of James Madison, 1108.
[3] Adams, History of the United States…Administrations of James Madison, 1109.
[4] Adams, History of the United States…Administrations of James Madison, 1109.
Why did the British want Nantucket? Would they have used it’s a naval base?
Yes, Ned, I think it would have served as a good base of operations. I have not read anything about this–but when Napoleon wanted to invade Louisiana, he wanted St. Domingue for his base of operations. So it would seem to me that militarily speaking, Nantucket was pretty strategic. It also was a good source of sailors returning home from whaling that they could impress–again I haven’t read this–but I do know there were quite a few Nantucket sailors in prison in England during the war for trying to get out of their impressment into the British navy.
Melissa