Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1805-1805, 1805-03-18


ETY., which, to bodily comforts, adds the i'm
provepens Of the mind and morals. We have
therefore literally f,rnifhed them with the
implements Of husbandrv and houfehod uie /:
we have placed among them inltrs6tors in the
arts Of hrit niece fsty and they ave covered
with the sgis of the Lave sgaina aggreiIors from
among ourielves.
But the endsavoursto enGghten them on the
fate which awaits their prefent couric of life,
to induce them TO excrciic their reafon, follow
IFS dictates, and charge their purfuits with the
change of circumstances, have powerful obfta-
cles TO encounter. Pney are con,bated by the
habits Of their bodies, prejudices Of their minds.
ignorance, pride, and the influence Of intereted
and crafty individuals among them, who feel
themlelves iomething IN tie prefer, order Of
things, and fear TO become nothing in any other
7 heic perfons inculcatc a ianctimonious rever-
ence FOR the cuftoms of their anceitors that
whatfoever they did NUT be done through all
time; that rcafon is falfe guide, and to
advance under ITS council in their phyGcal,
moral, or political conditions, is perilous in
novatioR that their duY is TO remain as their
Creator made them, ignorance being fafety,
and knowlege full Of danger. In f1ors, mr.
friends, among them alfo is feen the acton
and counser-adion Of good fenfe and of big
otry: They too have their anri-philolophifts,
who find an iutereit in keeping things in their
prc!cnt Rate; who dread reformation, and
exert all their faculties TO maintain the az
tendency of habit over the duty of improving
our reafon and obeying its mandates.
IN giving tltefe outlines, I do not mean, fell
low. citizens, TO arrogate 10 myfclf the merit of
the meafures. That is due, in the firft place, to
the rejecting character Of our citizens at
large, who, BY The weight Of public opinion IN
fuencc and trengthcn the public mcafurcs.-.
Il Is due to the found difeertion with with they
teleet, from among thennfelves thief: 70 whom
they conide the Legislative duties. It is due
10 the zeal and wifdom OF the characters thus
feleeted VINO fay the foundations Of public nap
plnefs in wholefome laws, the execution of
which alone remains for others and it is due
to the able and faithful auxiliaries, whole pat
riotifm has afiociated them with me in the ex-
ecutive functions.
During this courfc Of administration, and in or
derto difurb it,the artillery of the prels has been
leVellcd againf US, charged with whatfoever its
hcentioufnefs could deviic or dare Thefe a
buies of an infitution 70 importantto freedom
and tciencc, are deeplyro be regretted, inafrnuch
as they tend to lefen its ufefuinefs, and to its
fafety. They might perhaps have been correct
cd by the wholefome punifhments refcrsed TO,
and provided by, the laws of the feveral tatcs
sgainft falfehood and defamation. But public
duties more urgent prefs on the time of public
fervants. and the offenders have therefore been
eft to hnd their punilhment in the public ndig-
nation.
Nor was il uninterefting to the world that
an experiment fhould be fairly and fully made,
whether freedom Of dacuGion, uHaided By pow
CT, is not iufscient for the Propagation and pro-
,e6fion Of truth 7 whether government, con-
Quoting itfelf in the true lpnit of its conhitu-
ton, with zeal and purity, and doing no act
which It would be unwilling the whole world
fhould witnefs, be written down by falfc-
hood and defamation'-The experiment has
been tried.-You have witnefed the fcepe.-
Our fellow citizens have hooked on cool and
colletted.-Thcy faw the latent fource from
which thefe cutrages procreded.-They gath
cred around their public funtionaries :: and
when the contribution called them IL the decf-
ion by fufrase, they pronounced their verdia,
honorable to thofe who had ferved them, and
ccnlolatory TO the friend Of man, who believes
he may be entruaed withthe control Of his own
affairs.
Noinference is here intended that the laws
provided by the fates againit falfe and defam-
atory publications lhouid not be enforced He
who has time, renders fervice to public morals
and public tranquility, In performing ,heie
abufes BY the falrtary coertions of tie
law.-But the experiment is noted toproye that,
fnce truth and reafon have naaintained their
ground againft falie opinions in league with falfe
facts. the prefs, confined TO truth, needs no O.
ther legal rsitraint. The public Judgment will
correct sate reafonings and opinions, on full
hearing of all parties. and no other definite line
can be drawn between the inellimabIe liberty
OF the Prets, andi,s demorahiing liceptiouief5.
III there BE- OIL imnronrietnss uhich this rnl-