Jenks' Portland gazette. Maine advertiser. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1802-1803, 1803-01-17
On TIE SsR1nh7roN Of MAEwE.
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N he osher numbers was confdered,
fit vha, would be the iraation Of
Niaiue i erected iuto AZ independent
fate il campard,n With c-her Hates;
feconoly, tie dftdsantaaecus pecnliari-
ties attendant nn our prelent connection
withMaH1rhnfetls In this ru.iber We
fall be princip ,'ly confined 70 cor FL
erat'on Of The .rtiea as il refpeds The adj
vantages to be obteioed ty .epaEa;ion.
Were We 70 5eccme an independent
fate, government of our own, amor &
ourlelves, would have the mott benign
influence upon tie aate Of facisty. Ii
has been an old maxim that the OFFER
vance of the regulations OF government,
and the execution OF its laws generally
bear near proportion as to the force
and eHie6 they are ap: TO have, to the
aillance If the governors from tie gov
craed When government IS near its
iubieas the execution OF It's laws is al
ways fpir:ted and energetic and vies
rerja. Servants CT he pubic, htuated
at diltance from the powers 10 whom
they are accountable, are too apt to
conlider .hemfelves at an equal dittance
from accountability. They are always
Jemifs aud negleeful of their duty
As there rs but little PROBABILITIES of their
ever being called TO an account, or Of
Their conduct, whether good or bad,
ever reaching the eye of their fupe'in.
e1dant, they confider an ignorance Of
their duty as Of no confequenoe land are
fill 1cfs concerned abont its execution.
T'hefe obfeivations are not iesmingly
verified. in aay other quarter, more
tcrcibly than, at prefSnt, in iome parts
of Name. Or elfe whence has aTiien
,hofe various riotous and tumultuous
.outreges in different parts Of the ccun-
try What bat laxity in criminal
degree ia the execution of the laws, has
induced and encouraged large bodies
Of men 70 combine and in expreIs con-
tempt of authority and violation Of law
70 league together to defend themfelves
aeanlt the lawful proprietors Of large
tracts Of land, upon which they had
lawlefsly, ard without the content. ap-
probation or even knowledge Of the
propsietors, feated themfeives.
THIS looienefs in the execution Of the
laws IS Of an exsenhvely evil tendency.
Puniihment ihould tread faH, and with
promprtude, upon the heels of often.
ders. By inadvertency in the execution
oflaws. a relaxation, nor only Of laws rs
introduced, but aiIo G morals. Every
good priaciple becomes corrupted and
deprared. Pairiotifm dies and with
II every other prop OF fociety.
But on the other hand when the
eye of the government is directly
over its ie.vants when the differ
different departments are watch upon
one another and at the fame time
fupport and encouragem enc to one ano-
Their laws are execoted, and become
efficient. The magifirates and officers
of every rank are anxioufly concerned
10 underRanG, and faithfully to execute
she duties annexed to their REFLECTIVE
Offices. We fhould then aand a chance
To have government of laws and rot
mere m0bocracy. The frong arm
Of the law would then become vifi5le to
eEsry one; and, infead of being like
mere legendary tale, would be terror
TO evil decrs, and an encouragement
iuch as do we'll The Gate of fnch
community would be inviting and
agreeable to every one. Men would
itand fo1ne chance of b.ing proteaedin
the enjoyment Of their perfons and
eftates.
But there are other considerations
yet remaining which muf have fome
weightin The determination OF the great
ouellion. IL has been before obfrrved
that the fitua,ion Of many of the titles
70 land are in an intricate tate Of en-
larraRlnent inionnch that Legislative
aid is rendered abiolu.ely ncceflry TO
their extricatior. The peculiar iituation
Of our prefent Legislature, and our re-
prefentation therein, are fuch that It viii
be in win 70 lock to il for much a1ia.
ance 10 this particular. Had we le-
gillatpre appropriately our own, the ad-
vantagss refaliing from it would BE-
intellectually great in companion with
the opportunity and privileges we now
have in the ore in WHICH we have fome
little concern Every fate, and every
community has its peculiar local con
Germs, daily coming before, land interelt-