Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1808-06-20

restore our former prosperity, will retriey,
the character Of the American people, anC
win receive the warm support Of the citi
zens Of Massachusetts.
Your Excellency has been pleased to cal
the attention of the Legislature to the ben
etits derived from our national union; L
describe the distressing evils which would
result from an opposition of one or more
| States 10 the authority Of the National Gov
ernment," and to point out "the necessity
| of the free exercise of the General Govern.
! ment IN all concerns within its powers a.
| delegated blythe people" We assure sour
Excellency that upon these important points
we know no difference Of opinion. The Cd
| position which met the establishment OF our
National Government prior to the adoption
| of the Constitution, and which has occasion
ally discovered symptoms of disaEfection
since that time in different parts IF the r.
| nted States, appears TO have yielded to an
| attachment to the Union founded upon ex.
| perience of its advantages, and guaranteed
by the strong ties Of common interest. 1t
surely cannot, for moment, be supposed,
that those men who established the gov
ernment, and who have for 20 long time
been its support, can entertain wish for its
preserved even the shadow Of freedom, an
obvious distinction between the government
and its administration has been recognized.
In this country. liberty of speech, the free.
dom Of the press, and Of debate in our leg
islative assemblies, have been most ex-
pressly and particularly guaranteed by our
Constitutions. Indeed the whole theory of
our government is built upon the position
that pu5lick men and measures are the OBJ
jects of free inquiry and discussion. The
doctrine that the individual States should
be jealous of the General Government, and
that our great danger arose from the proba.
bility Of a consolidation Of all the States un-
der one government, have heretofore been
considered by many as orthodox articles il
the republican creed.
We conceive, therefore, may It heass
your Excellency, that ii ever it shall be con-
sidered criminal to investigate the conduct
Of our rulers, or TO express our opinions Of
the measures Of government with freedom ;
if ever the mandate of authority shall sup
press inquiry, or stife the voice Of public
complaint, the Constitution becomes a dead
letter, and the liberties OF the people but a
name. And we also conceive, that In times
OF great and general suffering, it is much
more safe and expedient that the legislative
body should repre- sert to the constituted
authorities the real sentiments and feelings
Of thu people, than TO take the hazard tha.
| they may burst out in violent and perhaps
uncomfortable expressions Of distress.
The House az Representatives. have
| learnt, with great pleasure, from your Ex-
cellency, {" that our Government, instead of
calculating upon the fallacious aid Of foreign
| alliance, Is raising forces, making provision
for arming our militia. and tina. the fortif-
cation Of our principal Seap0rts are in a state
Of progress" IN a time Of such extensive
alarm and imminent danger, il gives great
satisfaction to the Representatives OF the
People, to find that our General Govern
ment has commenced a system of meas
ures SO obviously of the first Importance.
IT would be tedious, as your Ercelency
remarks, to detail all the orders and de-
crees of the belligerent powers, which in
fringe the rights Of the United States. We
will only remark, that the offensiveneSs of
the DEGREES ofthe Emperor of France, which
is first in order of time and frat noticed by
your EXcellency, is greatly aggravated by
the consideration that it is in direct viola.
ton of our treaty made with that govern
ment in September, 1900; thus adding in
suit to injury, and sacrificing at once the
good faith Of contracts, and the established
principles and usages of civilized nations.
We perfectly concur with your Exc cheney
in reprobating that most unfounded claim,
By any beIllgererts, to blockade the ports Of
their enemies by orders and DEGREES only.
It Is one Of the most incontrovertible max
inns In the Law Of nations, that blockade
can never rightfully exist without an actual
investment By force competent to prevent
or punish its infringement.
The United States have but lately assii-
med rank among the nations Of The world.
IN the year 1893, for the first time, they
found themselves III the situation Of an in
dependent neutral State, amidst the con-
| fict Of the most powerful nations. The pol
icy of the great WAsH1NcroE at that time
was pacific the interests Of the country
have ever since dictated a similar policy.
Under these circumstances it was, per-
haps, to he expected that we should csti-
mate more highly the rights Of neutrals,
than those of belligerents that we should
| consider the former as better founded in
reason and justice, and sometimes view
WIN JSdlOusy lbS JUST SAGINisc VI ZIG 5Hls
of war. But while we would, at all times,
resist with firmness every extension OF those
rights, we should not forget that we our
selves may become belligerents. We there
fore owe it to our country as well as to ali
other nations, not to attempt innovations in
those rules Of conduct which are equally Oh.
| ligatory on all, and which it may be indis-
pensable for our safety at another time 10
enforce. We agree in opinion with your
Excellency, that the people Of the United
States still " ardently wish for peace !" and
we cannot bat indulge hope that the gen
eral government W1ii speedily adjust every
| subject OF controversy with ali nations who
manifest a sincere disposition 10 respect our
| rights, and to make honourable repatriation
| for the wrongs they may have done Us /;
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