Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-01-18
SPEECH

Gil, CAME Us tu4A uElAfSASu eliS Ao4'O"h
SPEECH =
Gentlemen Of the Senate, and
Gentlemen IF tie House u Rebyesrntatives,
IHAD the honour, In your last SEES
sion, to submit TO your consideration
nv sentiments upon the nature Of our
Commonwealth as a government in it
self, and as a state forming an important
member ofthe government Of the Uni
ted states.
then expressed to you my ideas Of
what miyht Dc considered a due and
Observation-Disclosures of government
thus situated, and thus connected. On
a carelul revision of that communication
/ do not find any material errors in the
principle upon which it was predicated.
Ishall, therefore, improve the advan-
tages of this interview, in an attention
TO the Jurisprudence Of the State, and
10 its delence against foreign enemies.
1t is readily seen that the matters
which will more particularly demand
your attention, mus. relate to the in
ternal government of the Common
wealth, and to its defence against the
inYasions Of foreign powers. That
those which regard the former, are
principally connected with the judiciary
department, under. the constitutional
guidance of the Legislative authority
and that those which regard the latter,
are generally connected with our situa-
ton, as part of the United States.
All amendments, and regulations that
can be suggested, having a tendency to
promote the due administration of JUS
tiCe, SO that it may be obtained prompt
~, and witout delay; in a cheap and
easy manner, conform1bly to establish
cd equal laws, will have the Counten-
ance Of the Representatives Of a fee
people.
But as there was in the last session,
q committee appointed to deliberate
In the recess, and to report on this sub
ject at large, | hope | shall not have
occasion to trouble you with any observ-
atoms on the Judiciary department,
unless It shall be Oh an act passed il the
last session TO establish new Court Of
General Session Of the Peace. rs that
act is supposed to b. very defective,
and is no, within the commission Of the
committee Of the recess. i have spc-
cial message prepared uponit, which the
Secretary will lay before YOU.
There is another subject connected
with the Judiciary department., whic.
think worthy of Legislative attention
that is the exemptions from serving on
grand and petit juries. am inclined
to believe, that those exemptions, in
the country from whence we derive
she trial by jury, were originally cxclu-
SoDs, with view TO prevcntan undue
interference Of the pOWc"s Of mixed
government. There is not the same
reason IN an elective repubIick and
II an exemption, by privilege, it oper-
a'Cs very unelually, increasing the bur
den ofciyic duties, upon the shoulders
"a thai part Of the Community who are
not the best able to bearit. Should anv
questions arise on this subject in regard
r LIc coast.tutionality Of retrospective
principle, the act may b. modified % as
u a'o I'D any thing wrong
The defect supposed % be found il
ale act PASSED i'll the last session for
establishing 4 new Court of General
Sessions Of the Peace, has SUGGESTED
70 me tIc caution az your having those
bills, wh.ch obtain IN order, IN either
house, for a second rcadinr printed far
the use ct the members of The Who'll.
Comt--Were al bills, which have
importance enough to obtain an order
Tor a second reading, ID 81 printed II
such number of copies, us that each
member should have one, il would re-
duce the Legislature, substantially.
though not formally, to a committee
Vt the whole on each biz The rx-
pence OF the press seems " form the
only objection to this mode of nrore-
uIre But Ia the bin il intended for
-s9 aSt o. public concsrnalunt, il ought