Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1809-02-20
Waldo5orourh 7o,vn- Jfeet,ae.

The town OF marlborough, assembled ;
notification for the purpose of considering
the present alarming and distressed situa-
ton of our public affairs, on the 18Th OF
Feb. after an e'tellent & appropriate Pray
CT by the Rev. Dir. CUSHING, The following
Resolutions were unanimously adopted, "
a larger vote than was ever takeii in this
town.
Resolved, That "the right of the
people peaceably to assemble and petit
ton the Government for redress of
grievances" is essential to the existence
of rational liberty.
That under the first administrations
of the Federal Government, during
period of ID years, we enjoyed the bles-
sings of peace, plenty and national
honor.
That the present system Of measures
has discouraged agriculture ; destroy
ed tue fisheries annihilated COM
merce extinguished the public rev.
enue, and interrupted the course Of
Justice. That the military power is
: exalted above the civil, and that the
Peoples dearest right, trial by jury, is
F, in certain cases taken from them.
! That the Embargo law, its supple
ments, and particularly the last for en-
forcing the Embargo, by which, in our
opinion, every Collector in the United
States is invested with more discretion
AIRY power over the persons and prom
erty of the inhabitants within his dis-
! trict, than is possessed by the King of
Great Britain over his subjects; is un-
constitutional, subversive of liberty, and
ought to be submitted to only by those
who prefer slavery to freedom.
That every interference Of the gem
eral government with the Costing
Trade carried on between ports within
the same State, is an arbitrary stretch
of power, not warranted by the Con-
+ stitution.
That freedom consists in being gov
erned by equitable laws, openly pro-
mulgated; not by private instructions,
or arbitrary determinations and ground
less suspicious OF individuals and that
we consider laws, which can be enfor-
ced only by the aid of $4,000 armed
men, as impolitic, unjust s. ,yrannical.
That, in the opinion ofthis town, the
present unhappy situation Of our pub
lie affairs is the effect either of a Ia
mentable incapaoi,y in their manage
ment; or of a censnrable Partially to
one Of the beilligerents.
That the minority in Congress, the
bold assertors, and able supporters OF
American Rights, are entitled TO our
warnrest gratitude and that we attach
no credit to our Representative in Con-
gress for having withheld his vote in
favor Of the death warrant of New-Eng-
land prosperity but that we attribute
it to his usual weak, iimeserving policy.
That we view with indignation an at
tempt to restrain the freedom of debate
in Congress, by the pistol of an assas-
sin.
That we perfectly understand the
difference between the Constitution of
our country, and the administrators OF
our government and that while we
rehrobate the latter, we pledgc cur for
tunes and our lives in support Of the
former.
That We consider the substitute OF
War with Great Britain, for the En-
barge, before an attempt TO settle our.
differences by candid and liberal nego-
oiltion, as exchanging lesser e,irior
a greater.
That we consider the dignified posi-
ton assumed by our State Legislature,
as worthy the heads and hearts OF the
enlightened Representatives o! free and
independent cilizens; and that we
pie lge ourselves, and all VIC hold dear
in their support.
That having in vain sought redress
| OF our unexaurlcd grievances from our
general government, we rely solely on
| the patriotism OF the great body OF the
D. pie, and the aid Of our more imme-
| diatc Representatives. Therefore,
Resoiped, That a Committee be cho-
sen TO prepare and forward a Memorial
to our General Court, praying for their
interference for ctr relief from arbitra-
ny laws, private instructions and mill
tary despotism.
Yoted, That the above Resolutions
be printed in the Portland Gazette.
JOSHUA HEAD, Moderator.
Attest
THOS. w. GUGER, To7on Clerk.