Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1809-02-06

thJoyDentS TIE Creatures nf law, upheld
by its power, & rendered flcred by its en-.
ergies: government laipuiflies and fails,
will not theie hleifiags langufh add perth
alto ? Who does not know n the rage
ofexeited paiIions. broken l4fe from gal
reftraiits, property Is often fatal toits own
er, virtue 10 is poiieiior, aud fImiIy blef-
hpgs an invitation To the hand of the de-
ttroyer ? Wheo beholding, in The mirror
Of pat times aud diltant ages, the black and
frightiul I'll ocn'es 81 furious & ungoYcrned
naa. amidt the wrecks of civil eitablifh-
merits, vii aot thaughtfulnefs in the Ian
Suage OF our departed patriot, I" frolvn IN
dignaa.y upon the firit dawning of every
atIempt 10 ALLEVIATE one portion of our
county from thereft. or to enfeeble the
isc,ed ines which now link together its va
rious pats? Frown upon every fuggeft-
ion Ut non -txecution of the law, ftiitt-
ance, or abandonment of the union p
Such tusg.ltions are not lefs libel on the
moials aud understanding of the great bo-
dy of The New England people, than ON
th,n pa.rlotiim.-Their character is not
marked aIth propenlitles TO outrage, diff.
oioei aud blood. Such a reproach mutt
be repeita. Our citizens may differ on
the u, c. ih.y and wlidom of exiting, OF pro-
jeeted m,aiures. But for the fupport of
then government, their rights, and their
Independence, the majority is irnmeuie.
VIII not the advocates for town-mtet-
ines, the authors OF reioiutions, be induc-
ed, caiinly TO weigh the fplrit and princi-
pies Ut their oppoiitlon, and to reflect
Jnrfttr on the tendency OF their meaiures!
ARE sney prepared 10 pull down the iplen-
did ed,bce erected by the wiidom and
valour vi tneir fathers, and 10 bury them
i.ives under the runs of liberty! Are
not all their privations aud fufferings noto-
iious 10 their rulers, and from necsfiity
yielded to, with parental fy,npathy and
painful ieniibaity? Whi.c large majority
Ct the people ot the union, Of their ma
tlufid reprtfentaiises, OF the fate legifla-
tunes, OF trtir towns and counties, fenoui-
y beiltve that the exiting meaiurcs are tf-
ienila ~ our iai.'y, and the bta for The
Whole, Can tntn oppofers Nth them to be
abandoned, and iuireneer OF The govern
msnt into thsir hanus And VIII they
yield IL, M ,urn, To other towns or fetti ne
Ut The, country that may make limhar
Claim Would they with in theie perIous
lln.s, ,oise CUR place, liberty, ana focal
b., iin.gs, al ae i,et OF a party! Would
,hey with 10 break thoir ties which unite
ai4 Toa 'nmon centre, depoiii for the
pubhe opinion, pubic confidence and the
puoac power! such fecenion from the
id.nta,y conceptions Of our combinations,
aud the fundamental principles OF our
government, would BE- more depre-
Gated, and outweigh N mitchell the mott
exaggerated evils OF the embargo.
he cultivated reports, that the admin
iflranon anu the touthern people are hof-
tile 10 commerce. and unfrlendly to the
eaitern i,ates, are calculated TO produce
uneaiiucis, jealoulits and difIentons. The
evidence OF fuch facts have never fren.
My CONVICTIONS, under fome advantages
for obiervatien, have been oth,rwfr.
queilion not the hncerity of the opinion
OF others. Tte principles, and the public
conduct Of our rulers, are the fair rbjeets
ot nlniy and public ipiIiied fcrutiny,
for TIE purpoies OF mel tied cenfurc or an.
probation, their continuance or removal
from ffice, in the preicribed forms. The
proof. of their talents. zeal. and labours
~ ierve, and render their country great
and happy, are before the public. Their
d,fcuiiinn, with truth aud fairnefs, would
b, ialutaiy, and agreeable 10 the genius
and ipirit of our government. But mfr
approximations, gruundlets fuipicions, vio-
Leaf & indiic,lnina L ahnfe, unleis check
ed, mutt end III oppoGilou To the law, a
conte npt for its authority, and diaraeted
breaches of the public peace.
If legal COMMUNICATIONS, on incendiary
Sibell'rus publications. would be Thought,
by fnne, dangerous to the liberty of
fpeech aud the preis, ftrong public opirs
ION favorable To Government, would BE-
equally cfficatious to fupport its authority
&,o diicountenanct is oppoiers. Shall iuch
aid b. withheld Or rnft the falls views,
mis- fa,enrnts, and groundlrfs alarms, in
dlcative of extreme dinrut and danger,
from the representatives of our own cleo
tion. the government { our own choice,
hurry vlr,uous and well meaning men INTO
acts pregnant wnh awful coniequences
J. is iaia, meaugee are unneceii,uy, I'M
confitational, oppreilive and tyrannIcal.--
Is il certain that this is correct Are cIti-
zens IN the ftreets, IN town meetings, in
multnudinous ail,mblies, c,iizens preiied
with deep perfonal 'ntereits and excited from
erroneous conceptions, capable of deciding on
great. complicated constitutional qpelons
Hence ou' peril Hence dltraetion and con-
futon in iociey. Hence encouragement to
the easmy. Are fuch citizens ,nore worthy
of confidence than their rulers Are they
better init,u.ted or do they ponsfs higher
means of information : Are our rulers bind
ed 10y their inierells or mpassoned by their
iude inps I they decide agairlt their inter-
els, and heir iutf r'nss are IN common with
their coniil uens Are they ac1saied by pre-
jndiee o, lt,mu eli by reientmen,s They
nave nothing pe'ional Their inful's snd in
ju-ies have been re iniul,, and injuries of
their country. Whs then is 20 be done