Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1812-08-24


ator and Town Clerk ard forwarded w
the President Of the u. ;.
7c his Ex1ellrncp Tarrrs Matir5-. w p,.,
dent of the Unitet yfrrrt wv diit-rlra
WE the Inhabitants nf NE town nF p,rt.
land, III the District M Maine. lrt-aEy W..
semhled An to~Hmesting md deepN imrr4..
SEQ with che melancholy and alarming sill..
ton of our beloved Country have th0npht I.
our duty, III The exercise of QUO Cansd WIN.
tional rights, to present Our memorial vi
your excellency, with hope that wv na,
soon be enabled To realize The blessings f.r
which we petition, and be relieved frr~
those evils which We are now suffering.
NJ are the inhabitants uf town which
depends OF commerce, not only f0r fs
wealth and respe ctability, but for its Yery
existence. We have once sever w suffered
/ under tie calsmities Ut war, and have tter
ard felt its most distressing consequence
We have also enjoyed tie blessings ,f
peace, prosperity aud harmony and W.
cannot but distinctly notice the melanchtlIv
contrast, while We are peculiarly suffering
under the pressure Of those evils which dis.
tress our common country Although wv
have never been able I'D discover the nerrs
shy Or policy ofthe war, we have hitherto
RETAINED from expressing our sentiments rr
feelings on the subject. But The recent ara
important chaEEes which have taken nla-r
III the policy and conduct 0f Great pritaa.
induce a., without delay, 40 assemble, WV
with the independence of Freemen, and liz
respectful department OF good and peaceful
citizens, 10 urge your ExceIlency W improve
the present fortunate opportunity for NE ~.
st5ratiOn of pace. The revocation M the
British Orders in Council, oi which Official
intelligence has been received, has essen.
italy changed the aspect Ut British meas.
uTes and we believe ought, AZ once. 10
produce correspondent change N Ameri
can measures. The great question which
has 80 long been agitated between the two
countries - now settled and At rest tie
great cause Of complaint ~ now removed
The obnoxious Edicts are officially declared
20 be revoked aud snnulled
We are taught 70 believe that the O ders
IN Council were the principal cause which
produced q resort ID hrms. We ere
taught 10 believe this from your ExcelIen.
cy's own conduct and solemn Official acts;
inssmuch ss the arrangement made with
MIR. Erskine, and which restored for time
tie Commercial intercourse between TIE
two countries, was predicated expressly WI
the revocation vi the Orders IN Council, and
those only.
We are sensible that the inpressment WI
our sesmeR was also MI slIedEed cause III
war To the wrongs and injuries Of that
usetul and generous class 0f citizens We arc
fechrg'y alive; and would resist ID The Or.
most N our power any nation which should
eId7H ana exercise the right III sezinE and
Impressing our HGr.ve Seaner But We are
assured that Creat Britain does not clains
this right, but only the right Of taking NV
0SvH seazien from our merchant vessels-We
arealsO assured that Mr. Foster, the late
British Minister, requested 10 be furnished
with the names compressed American ses.
men and explicitly offered ~ cause their ~.
storalion. Neither ofyour predecessors w
office considered impressment AN much
cause Of war, but always treated it as suh.
iect Of negotiation. And We cOnhdtrtlfa
believe that mutual Arrangements may IN
made on this subject, which will etfectuai-
ly secure tile rights Of seamen, and preserve
the honor Of the nation. For this belief W.
have high author y; for il ~ we'll known ID
your EXcelIency that Messrs. MunrOe aid
Pinkney did make ar arrangement on this
subject, which they pronounced Honorable
and advantageous to or country Every It'll.
portant point of difference, except tie cues.
ton ofimpressment, being thus settled W.
can discover 10 reason for The continuance XXI
desolating war. And we confidently
look 10 your ExceIlency for the reslora.
ton Of peace and Commerce on which our
happiness and prosperity depend. Relieved
from foreign embarrssmcnts, nothing u wan
ting but peace aud The fostering hand ~ car
own Government 10 give freedom and pros
perity 10 our commerce
AS the revoca ion fthe Orders ~ CoHn-
Gil took place but \ few days after NE &C.
claration OF War As measures a relaXA'
ton Oh Ole bayt, and hostility On fhe othria
were adopted nearly AZ The same umer 81
though unknown I'd the respective powers
which adopted them, we presume mat, NM"
the facts are an known, ~ well ~ the mo-
tiyes which actuated the parties, there can
be ~ imDediment 70 the immediate and
honorable termination OF the war IN ITS infai-
cy; before il shall BE- further multiplied
before II shall have weakened the sense ~
moral obligation, and th9 bonds which N.
mite society before ts baneiul effects shs'
have puisuned our social intercourse end
fatal alliance with France she'll have dei'
troyed cur independence.
For these reasons and under these solf-a
considerations we respectfully and eaFnesF
pray that your EXcellency would, wrla1
delay, appoint commissioners 70 negociass
Peace between the United States and Gref
Britain and restore the freedom Of con-
merce " sdopt such other mode, as may bs
deemed proper, speedily tu procure ia
our unhappy country those inestimabie hle''
sings By order vi the toTgn.
SAMUEL FREEMAN, MocerafT-
aavvrr trnN2ry - ~f-.E4