The Essex Junto was a group of lawyers and merchants from Essex County, Massachusetts. These Federalists supported Alexander Hamilton and the Massachusetts radicals. When Hamilton was offered a place in the plot to secede New England from the Union, he denied the offer. Consequently, the Essex Junto turned to support from Aaron Burr, who agreed to help the radical group because of his dissatisfaction in the office of Vice President. This plot, to have Burr elected governor of New York and launch the secession, was eventually foiled by Hamilton himself.
After Hamilton's death they became even more extreme. During the War of 1812 they were called "Blue Lights" because of the common belief and reports from the U.S. Navy that they would shine blue lights to alert the British blockading ships of escaping American ships, or to alert British ships to come ashore and carry out illegal trade. They supported the Hartford Convention's disaffection with the War of 1812 and proposed secession of New England. Some members of the Essex Junto were Timothy Pickering, George Cabot, Stephen Higginson and Theophilus Parsons. For the fish called lawyer, see Burbot. ... Merchants function as professionals who deal with trade, dealing in commodities that they do not produce themselves, in order to produce profit. ... Essex County is a county located in the northeastern part of the state of Massachusetts. ... The Federalist Party (or Federal Party) was an American political party in the period 1793 to 1816, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. ... Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757–July 12, 1804) was an Army officer, lawyer, Founding Father, American politician, leading statesman, financier and political theorist. ... This article is about the U.S. state. ... The Secret Journal of the Hartford Convention, published 1823. ... This article is about the U.S. – U.K. war. ... This article is about the region in the United States of America. ... Portrait of U.S. Secretary of State Timothy Pickering Timothy Pickering (July 17, 1745 – January 29, 1829) was the third United States Secretary of State, serving in that office from 1795 to 1800 under Presidents George Washington and John Adams. ... George Cabot (December 3, 1752-April 18, 1823), a Delegate and a Senator from Massachusetts, and the Presiding Officer of the Hartford Convention, was born in Salem, Massachusetts. ... Stephen Higginson (November 28, 1743 – November 28, 1828) was an American merchant and shipmaster from Boston, Massachusetts. ... Theophilus Parsons (February 24, 1750 - October 30, 1813), American jurist, was born in Byfield,_Massachusetts was the son of a clergyman. ...

External link

• Essex Junto, article from 1899 Cyclopaedia of Political Science