Portland gazette., 1805-04-22
3oIRaI.
From tie Vermont Herald.
nix ELLIOT,
TO HIS CONSTITUENTS.

III. hrt Important frbiea, which came be-
fore Cougrefs, on which it became neceilary
for ne to abandon ii her my principles Or my
patty, was the hrit bil for Inc temporary gov
e.nment OF LouihAna BY this bill, I'll The mi
lary. civil and Judicial powers, e1erclied By the
Officers Of the exiting government OF thar ter
rit1ry, were 10 be vefed in Iuch perlcn Or
ptriJns, and eXercifed in fuch manner as the
Preiident of the United States fhoud diTett.
Surely government of his defcription mutt be
perfect delpotiisn ano this indeed, vas ad-
muted BY IT. advocates, who 'uitIhed the rnca-
lure on the ground Of neceAIry alone Ihis
neceiHty could not dlicoyer. Ky the lawof
nllions the inirrution Of the ceded country would
iaforceun:i changed the Iegifltive DOW
CT of the United Estates aD1itcoud pc the work Of
few days ouy to de,iie lome lytem Of gen
eral na'ure, which .houid be competent 10 the
temporary government Of the territory, and at
the iame tin c conionant ID the republican prin
Cipse5 Of the Conititution. The Union Of Le-
eliAtiye, e2ecutive, judicial, and military pow
ers, - an.indiyidual, was utterla1 irIeconciia
bic with the fpirlt Of tha, inltrument and tie
delrg non OF power 10 the Prefident TO ap-
poInt iuprenle governor ot the territory, was
rtpug1ant to its letter tie Conitituriou hav-
iu5 authorized Congrcfs to vef The appoint
ment OF IJeTl5r othclIS My ID the PreEdcnt
alone. By the inititutous Of ancient Rome
when the Senate received Information OF the
conquclt or Ceaion Of country, rhey con(ulted
what laws they thought proper fhouId be pre-
icr-bed, and tent commonly ten amba1adors
with w-ole concurrence the General Of the
troops II the conquered or ceded country might
iett is concerns. The two FRI laws which
Congretss paded relative TO the government oI
Lorihanz, ditpAy avery Gngular Improvement
upon the TOO republican fyftem Of the ancient
RoriaI s. " is fu i-a Of pleafure and o.
pride that opY ofed them; and | am clearly
OF opinion that the ADOPTION Of Gmilar mcafure
by the iederalilts, while they held the reins O
power, would have been copGdered by the repub
hcans as unouenionabe evidence of diipof,ior
70 create monarchical fyiter1 os government.
lie celebrated alteration Of the ohititution
Prcyiding Tor dIitina dehgnaton Of the elec.
tora. votes FOR PreGdenr and Vice-Preldeni
comes 1cxt in order in the prefent review. The
following letter which | addrefed to the coun,
ctl AID houle Of Representatives Of this fate
untold3 he views and motives which governed
my copduG in relation to that fubiea The
council, although they had forwarded to me
an instruction in The form of a reodeft 10 vote
III favour OF the amen inieut t5,baae tBe; Sscyea.
~ 70 read 20 tfei NY rea, for dt5being fEsiv in
}tT-t7io"J. ! his cJndua may have been tynl,
republican, but il viii be proper preyiouly to tht
admliiion OF thar point; 10 examine the con(iitl.
tlona power Of the State Legislatures to inltrua
Representatives or even Senators in Conprefs
with refpe6t to ametdtnents no the Contribution
The Contribution has DECLARED that " Conrrefs
whenever two hi ds Of 5eth Houfrs GiaH deen,
1t necef2ry, ihall propCf: amendments 70 this
Conititution, OF on the application of two third,
OF the Legifiatures of he icveral States. fbaI
call convention, &c" Congrefs are vcfed
with qc.tett diicTe'ion IN the cafe they nav
proPoie amendments when they deem il necei.
fary. Consreis and the tate Leqiaatures are
conaitutfoaaily, diaina initiative bodies, !, !,
TeiPects amendments. each completely irdebsn
dent CT The ofher.-lo iuitify the St5,e Lrgi1
atures IN inaru6ting even Senator's 10 prd1ot;
amendments, the Contribution ihoul5 tfr4 n
AMENDED 70 as TO read thus Conerefs. wbeneve,
the S'ates Legislature GaA inf ~ tIer, 70 deem
q nef1Gary, ihall propofc amendment, &c.
ihAii at this time only add that have. usop
mature rejection, altered the opinion ayowed
IN the following letters, that the amepdnen,
" H'f aiatsr7s y igricas 70 IT. fi5sg Slater and