Jenks's Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland [Me.]) 1799-1802, 1802-01-25
TvoLUME ~.

highways and other ufef1l acccumoda,ione
In The Hourilhing periods Of The ancient Repub
lies, and even when iumptuary laws reRrained.
The vanity and controlled the appstres Of the
| citizens, they adopted a Aye of magnifcence
II their public edihces and if fpiriI of union
prevails among our fellow citzens, and their
views are direded towards ebieds beneficial 70
the Commonwealth; the government. By ufng
a prudent economy ia the adminiliIation Of ,he
revenue, viii be able to adopt like fyle n
the public buildings, and whatever Is conducive
to the honor Of the States, and the general
convenience Of the people.
Wiki the ncreafe of inhabitants We are ~
expect that crimes will multiply in proportion.
and il is therefore of increafing importance. n
render that branch Of our law, which relates RI
crimes and Punilhments. as per eet as NAV Re.
The frequent elcapes from the goals IN che (ev.
eral counties, thow the necelIity of MAKING fona
further proviGon, for keeping thofe offenders
lately, who are teGtenced 10 a loue inDriron.
ment; tor If any hope can be entertained Of an
ecaPe, tie l=ntence Will make but feeble i'm
ptefion on the mind and be Of little NE II
preventing future offences "A great PROPORTION
OF crimes are he effects of iGlerefs. and r. Ger,e
pecuar)g proper therefore, 10 puni(h them Nv
confinement 70 hard labor that offenders.
while they are prevented from 4 repetition of
theIr crimes, may be compelled to ACQUIRE new
habits, and contribute fomething to the good of
tocie'y; to this end our laws have in MANY
cafes Preleribed that MODE Of punilhment; and
yet, from The time that Ca9le Hand was coded
70 the United States, no place Of confinement
70 labor, has been provided by the Common
wealth
BY reiolve PaGed about two years face,
committee was appointed 10 felea and procure
piece OF land III Chsr.e9own. and to ere6 \
otate p'Ton thereon, provided the expenfe
ihoaid No exceed thirty thoufand dollars; the
hrit part Of This commiaion has been performed.
buethe latter, ewing probably 70 the limitation
OF the e1penie, rcmlios wholly unsxetuted ~
Soon after The ce1ion Of Ca2e Il4nd, ordnance
and military flores, che property Of hi; Com
monwea'th, were derve Cd to ,he Arents Of
me Unite1 States, at an aPPraifed value Of more
than forty thouldnd dollars; jfp8ymenr Of this
ium Is obtained, il appears probable from the
accounts exhibited by the Trealur5r, which will
pc lid before you, that State Prf7a nav D.
ere6ted, without any addition TO the uf1sl taxes.
The genius OF our law Is milj ADD tb4
crimes for which The punihment W. death !,
inH.ded, are few but perhaps even this fr1alI
number might be iel-ned by changing The
Puniihment Of death to fcitary ifn pr.f)nmenr.
1t convitts could be reA-ained, sri,hout apv
hazard Of elcape, and be wholly fccllded from
that iociety, whole peace their crirniaal conduit
would endanger.
Agreeabiy 70 the Refolve of the 10Th Tn7e
Ian, two Perlons have been appointed to fIrvev
and lay out the land referred To IL that ref,lve.
or 70 much Of it as fhAIl appear ~ be neceFlrv
but their feryice is likely be int onfderabls for
in the applications by the folders and Their L.
gal representatives for the benefits offered in
the ref1lve, the pecuaiary allowance has Al
mot every inltance been preferred to grant Of
land.
Many of you Gentlemen, from lonp ac-
quaintance with the public concerns of the
State, will readily diRngsifh the proper obist4s
OF legislative attention and I hall chserfully
concur with you, in any mealilres that NAV
tend TO encourage Agriculture, and the liberal
ana mechanical Arts--to promote the mott
equal and fPeedy diftTibution Of uGice-to rem
der our militia Fill more respectable force
10 provide for the equal aPportionment Of taxes
and to Prelerve and eRabllh the public cred
It Of the State. But you will permit me to
obiefve, that frequent and unneceGary altera.
lions OF the laws are incouvenient, as they lead
to the fnPPoGtiou Of inconltancy IN the govern.
ment, and render il more difficult for The citi-
zens 70 underitand the rules BY which they are
to be governed. The bt1 laws are not EXEMPT
from Inconvenience, but when thoCe OF long
itanding are repealed, the regulations Which are
iuoltituted in their place, are often atteaded
with fill greaer defe6fs.
The valuation, in which fornc progref has
been made IS an interetiRg Cabi:6t. AM eouires
much di,cernment in aIcerlaaine aEts aud
much candor in deciding upon hem. Butt
rut that by conieiceading to the opinions Of
each other, and giving due weight to every
uggetion you will b. able to proceed with IA
cilty and pleaiure,in completing This important
Duiineis. And | Aat'er myf-lE that 10 differ
ence OF ientiment will impair the harmony Of
the felton, and that We hall have the plsgrure
at the clole Of it 70 reA-a, thar by our united
and faithful exretions in the public iervice. we
have fuPPorted lh- reputation cf lie govern
ment, and promoted The happireE oftIe pee
pie. CALEB STRONG.
lie Speech was committed IN the Ca-,ra RI