When “Limited” Isn’t Limited: The Cautionary Tale of the Connecticut Convention of 1818

In 1818, the people of Connecticut were promised a “limited” convention — one that would deal narrowly and exclusively with two supposedly urgent reforms: to secure a clearer separation of powers and to restore religious liberty. That was the bait. The switch? A brand-new constitution and an entirely new form of government. This was no mere amendment process — it was a political revolution by stealth, and it serves today as a sobering warning to every American tempted by the siren song of a “limited” Article V constitutional convention.

Connecticut’s Convention

Let’s go back to the beginning. In the early 1800s, Connecticut was still operating under its colonial charter granted in 1662 by King Charles II. That charter had, through the turbulence of revolution and the birth of a new republic, survived remarkably intact and had functioned as the de facto constitution of the state for more than 150 years. By 1818, however, pressure was mounting to revise two key aspects of government structure: the consolidation of power in the General Assembly and the explicit intertwining of church and state.