Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1812-02-17
gn;rFrstiEs l9o'i:ioaI e5isftiiarg.
FRoM THE MESSENGER.

corrupted ihs hearts OF this Fe1pl,
fhsy may perhaps find, IN the *; 70
dividing the Commonwealth into
senatorial Diarias, fome reaioni
for being diisfecled with the con
tlud Of a maiority in the Senate anc
lioule Of Representatives.. The
honeit and moderate portion Of the
reniooratic party are not ready, We
hope, TO follow their leaders TO the
,Aient Of violence 10 which il Teens
a. be determined they naIl 90.
he proviGons OF the contribution
may be yet held in refpeot by the
great body Of the people. al,ho' indi.
viduals may be found whom even the
fanction Of oaths cannot refrain.
The contribution provides, that, in
arporiioning Senators to Diltri6ts,
The Legislature fhall have regard to
he amount of taxes paid. The Sc
rate vas intended to repretent the
property of the fate, while the
fioufc Of Representatives reprefented
the inhabitants. While the Senate.
rial Diltrias were determined by
county lines, there exiited fome diff
hculsy in making an exact diff
tribution. A true contraction Of
the fpirit of the contribution would
perhaps lead US to the opinion, that
II was intended 70 to conhne the Sen
atorial Dilriets. This contribution
would not, however, accord with the
views of the democratic majority in
the legislature. To iecure a MAORI
~, in defiance Of the will of the peo-
pie, it was necefary TO make an ar
rangement of diitrias, in which
county lines ihould be difregarded.
Having made this determination, and
having formed diitricfs by uniting
and dividing counties, there remains
TO execute for difregardIng the IN
junction Of the contribution, TO appor-
ton tie representation in the Senate
according to the ratio of taxes paid.
The trainers of the contribution
and preceding legislatures feem ALTO
to have coniulted the local conven-
fence of the people, by arranging Diff
trds in fcch manEer that people OF
the fare ncighborhood might vote
together.
Thefe fecm TO be the principles Of
the contribution. We fhall now en-
deavor to thew, that the majority in
the prefeut legi1ature have totally
diiregarded theie principles, while
they fave proceeded upon another
one, unknown to the conitiiutlon,
and fatal 10 the peace, the honor and
liberties Of this people. They have
divided counties and spportioned
Senators. not according TO coniiitu-
iional rules, nor by the directions of
iutice and propriety, but by a polit-
zeal fcalc When we examine their
proceedings, end conIider the effects
which they will produce, we cannot
hefsate to believe that the committee,
N forming their report, confulted no
other document than the returns of
votes for governor.
The counties OF Hamplhirc and
Franklin, the town Of Bottom and
the Difrid in Eiftx competed Of the
towns of Ipfwich, Newtury, New
huryporS, Beverly. Rowley, Gloucef-
Ter, rops6eld, Bradford, Bedford,
Wenham, Manchester and Hamil.
ton, ae allowed 10 Senator'S
The proportion of taxes which the(e
four dictrids are to pay Of loco dolls
is 2So dolls. 70 Cts.
The fame number Of Senators i
allowed 10 the dilri1s competed o
he counties IF Plymouth, Barnlta
He, Dukes. Nantulkgt, Be,k1ire,
Briitol and Norfolk and yet theft
counties are TO pay ct Icco dolls
bet 222 dolls % cts. ! J Making /;
difference in the amount Of take
paid by the 6rfi four diitrios. Of 6.
dolls. 81 c's, in 1900 dolls.
Whence comes tins Difference
Can there DC any other reafon al
fgned than this, that Tire four dit
triefs frit above named are decided
federal, and the Others decidedly de
mocratic Had 4 juft aPporrior
ment bees made, Hampthire, Frank
lin, Boron and IPfwich difrid