Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1806-05-12
Mr.. KINGS SPEECH.

20 insult ol NiT. Ming AT the meeting
OF the federal republicans Of New York con-
vened on Saturday laR to take into conlid-
Grafton the Preient defenceiefs ftate of that
harbour, already famed with the blood
OF one OF our fellow citizens
tie obferved that the Object of
the meeting was to conEder the de-
feDcelefs condition of our port, tia
coniequent expofure of the lives and
property of the inhabitants. A re-
cent Inltance of violence and outrage,
attended BY the death Of fellow cit
zen, had been committed by Brit
lfh man of war at the entrance of our
harbour. There was no man that
had an American heart that did not
at the Prelent moment experience
the mingled emotions of relentment
and humiliation refentment againlt
the daring violation of our national
territory and honour: humiliation,
that brave people, who love our
country, and are willing to defend it,
are altogether rendered unable to do
70. Deititste of naval force, and
without fortifcations, we are expof-
ed to the violence and depreciation Of
every infolent invader. This fate
has yielded its revenue, and its citi-
zenS are bound TO grant their perfon-
al feryices to the general government,
which in return is bound to protect
US: it is 70 the general government
then that we mutt look for protection
againft foreign aggreilion. We have
repreientea the outrages heretofore
committed, and the plunder made
within our very port and on our
coalt by foreign men of war and arm.
ed veaels, and exprehed our appre-
heniions that they would be repeat
ed; we have hunbly reprefented our
helplefs, our defencelefs condition,
and ventured to fuggef that as our
revenue, which is 70 copiouhy pour
ed into the national Golfers, proce eds
from commerce, our navigation, our
feamen and our city, had juft claim
to be protected Thefe petitions
humble and reafonable as the were,
have been neglected, and the reiter-
ated outrage which we feared, has
been committed.
Since the peace of 1883, the At
lantick ftates, their feaports and mer-
chants have cheerfully contributed
their money for the defence of our
brethren who are fcattered upon an
extenfive frontier. An army has at
all times been itationed on the from
tier to protect the inhabitants againft
the incur6ons of the favages wars
have been carried on, treaties have
been made, millions have been ex-
pended, and millions will hereafter
be expended in yielding them this
protection. But is not protection c
qually due TO all ? Is not the mer-
chant and feaman, the carman, the
fhipwright and the mechanick, and
their occupations as nuch entitled
to the protection of government as
any other clafs Of citizens ! More
than 6xty thoufand American citi-
zens are feamen our fhipping is
worth more than twenty millions of
dollars and our cities which can be
approached from the ocean are pop
uIous and wealthy.
For thefe citizens and their lawful
occupations it is that we have de-
manded proteetion--Hitherto our
reprefcnta tons and requctts have
been unavailing, for they have not
received it. 1t is now time ioberly
to conGder Of, and 10 adopt, fuch
meafures as may be mott likely, in
our opision, to obtain redreis. All
clafes of the inhabitants of this city
are alike intereited in this important
inquiry. We mutt turn our eyes
upon the national government for
redrefs of our wrongs through |
whom alone it can be Obtained
We mutt renew our demand fer |
proteetion,and il my judgment matt }