Cyclopædia of Political Science, Political Economy, and the Political History of the United States

HENRY DOCUMENTS

HENRY DOCUMENTS, (IN U. S. HISTORY), a correspondence, containing about twenty-six letters, between Sir James H. Craig, governor of British North America, H. W. Ryland, his secretary, and Lord Liverpool, of one part, and John Henry of the other. Henry had been sent by Craig's order, in January, 1809, to report upon the state of affairs and political feeling in the New England states. (See EMBARGO, II.) He remained until June, and, in order to magnify his office, painted the New England disaffection to the Union in very high colors throughout his reports to his principal. Disappointed of the reward he had expected, he returned to the United States, and, in February, 1812, sold the letters and documents to President Madison for $50,000. March 9, the president sent copies of the letters to congress, accompanied by a special message, in which he declared that they proved an attempt by Great Britain to destroy the Union and annex the eastern part of it to British America. Henry's letters contained no evidence whatever of any design at secession in New England; they were merely very unpleasant reading for the federalists of that section. (See FEDERAL PARTY, II.)

—See 6 Hildreth's United States, 284: Carey's Olive Branch. 156: 1 Statesman's Manual (ed. 1849), 291; Dwight's Hartford Convention, 195; 2 Niles' Register, 19; 4 Jefferson's Works (ed. 1829), 171; 1 von Holst's United States, 221.

ALEXANDER JOHNSTON.