Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1809-03-06

The Dictatorship !
Violation ofthe c0nstitn.ign!! :!

Violation ofthe Cons,itui9n ! !,
The Constitution of the United
States has vested in Congress power
to establish post-offices and post roads.
The Post-Oilice Law, passed in pur-
suasce of that provision of the constitu-
lion, has vested in the Post Master
General, and IN him al2ne, the power to
appoint and remove his deputies,
Various attempts having been made,
by the good republicans OF Bennington,
! in Vermont, to induce Mr.. GRANGER
to remove from Office DIR. Micah J.
LYMAN, Deputy Postmaster at that
place, without success, application was
made, for the same purpose, in Feb
ruary last, to Mr.. BRADLEY, Assistant
Post Master General, then acting as the
head of the department, in the absence
Of Mr.. Granger. This application, also,
was unsuccessful.
Judge RoBrNsoS, member of the
Senate Of the United States, who wish
ed the Office to be given to his young
son-in.law, Mr.. OrSanius c. Merrill, was
not thus 10 be repulsed. Application
was now made to the President OF the
United States
The President usurped the constitu-
tional and legal power Of the Post Mas
ter General, removed Mr.. Lyman, and
appointed Mr.. Merrill. Whether he
actually did the business with his own
arm, or compelled Mr.. Bradley to do il,
against his opinion and his will, is in
substance and in principle the same.
So slanng and grossis this violation
of the constitution and the laws. that it
was once intended to exhibi, il, as a
solemn article OF impeachment, a, the
Bar Of the House of Representatives Of
The United States. But, at crisis so
awful as the present, and when the Pre-
sident has but few days TO remain in
ofiice-consideiing, also, the excessive
littleness as well as meanncss and base
ness Of the act, il has been deemed
most proper, upon mature reflection,
to arraign the offender before the Au-
gust Tribunal of the Sovereign People
of the United States.
THOMAS JEFFERSON, Presi-
dent of the United States, did, on or
about the fifteenth day of Feb ruary,
in the Year of our Lord One Thousand
Eight Hundred and Eight, regardless
of his oath ofoffice, which requires him
to support the Constitution OF the u
ni,ed States, and Of that provision Of the
said Constitution whiol, requires him TO
cause the laws to be faithfully executed,
usurp and exercise in person constitu-
tional and legal function of the Post
Master General, and of tina, officer on
ly, IN removing MIcaH ]. LYMAN from
the Office OF Deputy Pos, Master at
Bennington, in the State OF Vermont,
and appointed ORsAMus e. MERRiL
to the same Office, and compelling, in
pursuance of the said usufped power,
the Assistant Post Master General to
become the instrument OF such remoy-
al AMI appointment, against his opinion
and his will IN VIOLATION OF
THE CONSTITUTION AND
LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES.
N. b. Competent legal evidence of
the truth of the above charge is in the
power of the Editors ofthe FREEMAN's
Journal, who feel themselves impelled,
by a solemn sense Of duty to their coun-
try and the cause of liberty, to make SO
singular and serious transaction
known to the people of the United
SATISFACTORILY Journal