Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1807-03-23

O1 BOlAl pdIuGS ) ana instead OF com
sell0rs 10 advise, they have proved to u
Controllers TO harraaS the Executive
The Intolerance of democracy during
the first session was extended 10 every
department, and every object, which
came within its grasp--the Treasurer,
Secretary, Clerhs of the two Houses,
and Notaries Public, without any
lmputatlon except the suspision Oh
WAsHINGToN-politics, were doomed
nsiscrlmmately, to give place to men
OF less experience III business, and or
talnly Of no higher pretensions in etl.-
En- respects. This was applying not
merely the rod, but the bosom Of reior-
nation, by which many inoffensive and
amlable men, In humble cirCumstan-
ees, were swept out of their habitual
emPloyments, and reduced to great in
convenience and distress.
Can you then, fellow citizens, reflect
upon the history of this memorable
session, and wish TO promote the pow
er and influence of men who shew
themselves so alert in the abuse Of
power, so prompt to trample under
foot the right OF suffrage, and the free
dom Of your election Do YOU trem-
bic at the sounds Of monarchy and des-
pousm, and not perceive that BY the
hrmness OF your federal friends YOU
have escaped from despotism, which
aimed Al the means to cnslave, while
Il was destitute Of the power or the vir-
tue TO protect you? 4" Think, We be-
seech you, on these things" Pause,
before you throw to the winds the lib
erty bequeathed to you BY your ances-
tors, and confirmed by the tolls Of
WAsEINoToN, and the blood Of our
reyelutiOnarymartyrs-They fought to
secure to you the right of free elections
as the source Of all that is valuable in
liberty. This r1ght 7yas nearly rendered
o6ortiUe By men zyho fretend 10 Be erclu-
siUeiy your friends.
With the view Of marching more
certainly to their object, and placing
III the first seat Of government the man
Of their choice, and who they expect
will Countenance their wicked meas
urcs of subverting the Constitution, and
changing the established order Of law
and liberty, these enemies ofthe rights
OF Massachusetts passed an act author
islng the inhabitants of plantations to
vote in choice of Governor and leu
tenant Governor a right from which
they are excluded BY the Constitution.
This act they sent to the Governor but
one day before the Legislature adjourn
ed at their own request, and thereby
left to His ExccIlency four days Of the
succeeding session for him to return
the act, with his objections, if in his
opinion, it should be unconstitutional.
On the second day Of the present sess-
Ion he returned the act to the House of
Representatives where i. originated,
with his refusal TO assent to the same,
because, in his Judgment, it was I'M
constitutional. This opinion was for
tilted and confirmed by that Of the Su-
preme Judicial Court, with reasons 50
strong and conclusive as to force con-
viction on minds the most weak and
credulous. To make this act law,
the consent of two thirds of the Legis-
lature was required BY the Constitution,
but as this could not be obtained, the
majority, by another trick, contriyed to
elude the constitutional provision, and
they proceeded to declare the same to
have become law, because not return
ed within five days after having been
sent TO the Governor, although they
had adjourned within two This was
done contrary to the law OF the Consti-
tuition, as settled aud determined by
the Legislature, and the opinion of the
Supreme Judicial Court, formally and
deliberately given TO the Senate, on
their request, in the year 1871.
These facts appear in the Protest of
the minority of the House of Repre-
sentatives, which is entered on the
Journals.
Thus, fcllow-oitizens, you have a
plain and faithful statement Of the lead
ing features of the majority which the
democrats have attained in the Legis-
Iative and Executive branches Of your
government the last year, and from
these may plainly perceive the yoke
that is prepared for you, should you be
equally supine and inattentiye at the
ensuing election. Anarchy here, as Ill
other parts Of the w5rld, will be follow
cd by the sevel st despotism. Not
more than twelve CT fourteen years