Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1811-06-17

( irmbiare every citizen rrs1 titet q
( conftrue the act OF the ri OF May, ISIo'
and "to govern his condu6Eaccordnel
7 and that any law which flfould have inc
I effect 10 make his contribution 2 cr'ihe'
9 nun be not only an export taesR .ac'i
t but uniult opprefIiye, and tsTann'cai..
! This doctrine of the right OF every citizeh
thus finally 10 continue la'r, ana 90 gov
trn his conduct accordingly, IS novel iuch
authority being inveitcd only IN the JUDI
ciary. fla perfon charged with having NO
lated law, has by due proceis been con-
viGted thereof and received his ientence
this will and ought to be carried INTO CT
feet, his contribution ofthe law notWlih-
Handing. II often happens that law III
lome inftances operates unJuitly, ana inc
effect of ii, in fuch cafes, is uiually pre-
vented by petitioning the Legislature (whoie
duty it isl TO redrefs the grievance or, 0y
a recommendation, (before ientence) OF
the judicial court, for pardon OF the perion
convicted. If all defective laws, are eX
pot facto acts, becaule in few indances
they r.ly have operated as fuch, our ma
tional and Rate codes abound with them;
and every Legislature has been juitly char
geabfe with injuftice, opPreitlon and ~
ranny. Many laws are OF great length ana
intricacy, and the contraction OF them by
individuals may be right, or wrong, or
partaking Of both theie qualities till
thcfe contributions, according TO the opin-
ion of the g aiiemblsge," are to be 10 ma
ny criteria for determining whether the
law is an ex poft faSo act, or unjuf, OPP
prefIive and tyrannical. IF every citizen
according to the declarations recited) has
a right thus TO put his contribution, on any
law to declare other laws, if oppofed to
that contraction, uniuf, opprefIive and ty-
rannical; to preclude by il all iupplemen-
tary or explanatory laws of the Legilla
ture and to rehtt them by force our
contributions are utilities, our contributed
authorities are uiurpers, and we are redu-
ced TO fate of nature.
Again, if our national rulers, are juftly
charged as it is ffated by this affemblage,
with having paHed a tyannical ad, and
laws that mutt and will be refifted, they
have rebelled againft the Sovereignty Of
the people, are fubjed to punifhment, and
have forfeited forever a claim to public
confidence. But ifthe charge is unfound-
ed, if they have conducted igreably to our
national Charter, (Which is manifeftly the
general fenfe of the nation) have not thofe
who have denounced the Government of
the United States as opprefIive, tYrannical
and unluf, and who have declared an in
tention TO relit the execution oftheir Laws,
unwarrantably adopted meIlures, tending
to exile fpirlt Of iniurre6tion & rebellion,
and 10 dettroy our internal peace and tran
guilty And is il expected, that a correct
and well informed people, will rally round
the fandard of ditaffection, hazard their
right of felf government, which they hold
by the Charter of the Con Of nature, and
preient 10 the world the unparalleled phe-
nomenon, of fovereign people in rebel
lien againt their own Sovereignty? II is
believed the people in general of the Uni
ted States are incapable of fuch political
luicide. And here it may be remarked,
that the " Afemblage" have been lavilh
in their encomiums on Great Britain, and
II their ftrictures on France. In reipect to
the conduct Of France, no publication or
even apology will be offered but it may
fill be enquired, why Great Britain has
not availed herfelf, (as France has done)
OF the benefits proffered to both, by the lib.
eral act Of Congreis,of ut of May,I81o .
She has condemned the French emperor,
for not having been definite in revoking
his edi9s; and at the fame time, in every
inftance, has refuled to revoke her own
If he is cuIpabe for not doing every thing,
Great Britain is more 70 for not doing any
thing required by juitice. Why has fhe
not Imported her condemnation of him,
and RATED her own fame, by hyperion acts
of equity and liberality!
Is il, becaufe fearful of the competition
of the United States, ihe is opPofed to a
general renewal of their commerce f? viii
fhe only be fatisfed by monopoly Of this
Is ihe not convinced, that the mutual in
te.efs Of the two nations demand an ami.
cable adjultment Of their differences Our
government has given unequvocal proofs,
Of an earnef, and ardent de!ire TO obtain
that obje6t. But, bccaufe of that, does
Great Britain expect to draw, or drive us
into mcalures, which contrary 10 our efTcn-
tal interef mutt involve us in unnecenary
war lffo, if lhe will not liftcn TO her
wlieR ilatefmen but will iuppott an admin
iltraton inmical to this country,in fyitem
Of evahons, pretenions pr0crafinatious 81
prevarications,f he will too late difcover her
error & by emitting thefe Rates in the inter
eitot her adverlary towhicb all Der meafures
tend, will haten her national overthrow
and by fuch deplorable event, will extend
far and wide calamitous consequences.
To diminiih, and extermina.e, if pofli.
bic. 4 party fpirit, the Executive of this
Commonwealth. during the Ian year, has
confirmed in his place, or re-appointed
when requiiite, every fate officer, under
its controul, who has been correct in his
cnnd1L md EaithE,I a IL, 10 IL