Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-09-05

AT legal town meeting of the inhabi-
tan;s OF the town Of Belfan, held on the 28d
day Of Auguf, "A. d. 1903, for the purpoie
OF taking inro confederation the propriety Of
Petitoning the PreGdent of the United States
10 .uipend the operation Of the laws laying an
Embargo, Gf that power be veAed in HIM if
not, to call Congrels together as foon as may
be TO take fuch mealures relative thereto as
they may think proper
Yotsd u7animoufy, to petition the Prefdent
TO fulpend the operation Of theGe laws, and ii
cafe they 1ould be infpended before the
meeting of Congreis, that our Representative
be in4ructed to ule his endeavours to obtain
repeal Of them.
Voted-That William Crosby, John vii
fon ard Bohan p. Fled, FIGURES, be com
mittee 10 draft faid petition, who reported as
follows, viz.
70 1B9nas JefnEn, PRECEDENT qf the
United State5.
The Petition of the inhabitants ofthe town
of BeIfaR, in the county Of Hancock, and
Commonwealth Of Malachuletts in legal
town meeting alembled,
REsPFcTFyLLV REPREsENTs--
That in Coniequence Of the hardness of
their foil, the ieveritv OF their climate, and
newnels Of the country they nhabit, they are
principally dependent upon their lumber,
dfheries, fhip- building and navigation for
their iubhftance That, notwithstanding, by
thele refUurces and their own enterprle and
indullry they have been able within few
years paR, greatly to ameliorate the condition
of Il cir foil build up respectable village :;
and, nv their imports Of Welt-Tndia produce,
20 contribute very comfortably to the reven-
ne Of the general government. But that the
operation Of the exiting laws laying an En-
barge on all fhips and vefIels in the ports and
haFbours of the United States has at once
deltroyed this enterprile and indunry, thefe
fources Of their labhlt4nce, and nearly reduced
them and the interior of their country to a
fate of ltarvation. Nevertheless. as they have
ever been the willing iubjects Of Law and
Government, they have patiently fubmitted
10 thefe laws, 70 dilTudive of their prefent
PROPERTY and future profpects and to thele
laws they would till cheerfully lubnit, if they
could fee therein their own, or the general Ill
innate good. But when they perceive that
thefe laws have not had their Propoled effect
on the billigerents of Europe when they fee
iome iolitary inllances Of enterprifng indivi-
duas, committing tkemielves and their prop
erty TO the perils of the ocean and foreign
capture, IN violation OF fhefe laws, and with
out papers or protection, prolecuting and
comp letIng their voyage without mobilization
When they fee new fources Of Commerce
and Enterprise opened to them in common
boz Cell .ofe he
I by the late change OF fentment & great events
IN Europe, they cannot but doubt the utility
Of the further continuance Of rheie laws, with
whatever intent, and however wnely they
might have been impofed. And, having thefe
doubts, they congratulate themfelves, that you
are veited with the power If relieving them
and their fellow citizens from the indfpenla-
bic evils relulting from the operation of thefe
laws, on certain " European events;" which
events have 70 far ProgrefIed, that they fiatter
themlelves that ysu will feel yourleif fulfilled
in the complete or partial exercile of this
power.
Your petitioners, therefore, pray your Ex-
celency, in whole, or in part, 70 fulpend the
operation Of their laws and that, If there be
any doubts with refpect to ysur powers here
in, they in common with fuch of their fellow
citizens as have feen fit TO address you on this
fuhject, mott hsmbly pray that Congreis may
be immediately convened to deliberate on the
proper means of relief from the dinre6es un-
der which we labour in common with our
fellow citizens; and as in duty bound will ev-
er pray.
Totei araaigogll-, that faid Petition be accep-
ted
Voted, that the felectmen be committee
20 forward laid Petition with the doings 81
this meeting to the PRECEDENT.
On Monday lalt, a town meeting was hold.
en- in GOrham for the purpole Of taking into
confederation the eEpediency Of petitioning the
Prefident Of the U S. for repeal in whole OF
| IN part of the embargo; on motion in favor
! Of the proportion, it was voted vHaniDogGy &c
| petition, and committee was RATED TO pre-.
| pare one, which on being lubmitted was unan.
! imouly accepted, and directed TO be forward
! Cd to the PRECEDENT There were upwards ID
two hundred legal voters prefent.
~ The GeOrgetozvn Petition, a1HaVsidably or7i!
] ted EAff our ncxt.
EXHIBITION.