Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1814-12-12

tiopary war. There Away has been and
hope always will be, jeaioriy OF itand'
ing armies. At the time OF the revolu>
non /. was carried to an objectionable
heighth, and too trongly felt. When
the contribution was adopted, no power
granted 20 the general government was
more fevere!y CRITICIZED, than that over
the military force ofthe country Those
oppofed to the contribution cortended.
tha, the power of the purfe and Of the
fword were improperly united. and that
not only the rights of the itate govern
ments, but the freedom OF the people
would be endangered. If any fush pow
CIR as that contended for, could have been
conceived to be granted BY the conititIs
ion, it would have been detected and
pointed on by thofe 70 much alarmed.
c, it 10 believed fueh contraction was
no even fuggeited in any OF the convens
Mons, although the fubj.ct was there
mott ably dlfcufed. Nor is 1t believed,
that this contraction, of the contribution
would have been adopted by Jingle itate
Of the union. II then, voluntarily enii!t
ment was the only method by which
ocular army could be railed according to
the general opinion of the people, 1t tols
lows that the power to raiie armies Is, by
the very terms u:ed in the contribution,
reltilcted TO that method for the words
mutt be continued, as they were UNDER
food by the people VINO adopted the
contribution. and 70 the petition of the
honorable gentleman, that the grant OF
power to rails armies being general, aud
without any reitrlc,ion OF the method by
which il fhai be exerciied, leaves the gov
ernment at liberty to adopt ANY methoa
they pieafe, is i'll founded.-Ihat might
be iuit contribution OF the terms when
u(ed by people accutomed to defpotic
government, for they might 70 under
itand them.
The power claimed is, doubtlefs. yat
ly greater aad more dangerous, than any
other pofefed by the government. It
iubjeds the pertonal freedom of every
citizen, in companion wfh which the
rights Of property are nGgrihcant, to
ARBITRARY diicretion Had there been an
Intention OF granting iuch power, would
there not have been fone attempt to
guard againit tn. unjuit and oppreihve
e1erciie Of it, as was donc in the graniiug
Of powers OF lefs importance Yet, this
power of raiing.armies, un.cis confined
10 voluntary eaiiitment is without amy
guard or reitriction whatever The ex .
erclie OF it mutt depend wholly on ar5i
uary dlicletion.
All the recruits wanted for the army
might if the government fhJuld 10
peaie, be taken from one ie6tion OF the
union. lie power vi rafting money, Is
not thus fubmitted to the diicrelion oil
the government. All taxes, if indirect
mutt be uniform throughout the United
States sit direet. they mutt be appor-
toned according to approximation. No
tax Can be laid ON exports Why thete
guards where properly was to be taken,
and none where the owners OF the prop
erty were to be taken? from the mere
neglect of attempting in fome way to
limit the power, 1t may be itrongiy in
lerred that it was not intended TO BE-
granted.
We're the government at liberty to
raile arc,ies, by torclbly taking men at
its difcretion, it might by hn.iiar con-
itruction Of The contribution, iuppor,
them, by taking property IN like man"er'
The armies, when raiied, might 1--we al
tree quarters on the people In imilar
way, navy might be provided, by teiz
ing the ihips OF individuals. The night
in both cafes is the fame the injury
and dlitrets in taking property the !sail.
Has the government hmnar poweI
to impress men tor the navy Ink
terms in the contribution "to provide
and maintain navy" are at leait as prop
or for this contraction, as thoie apphso
to the army he convenience ana ne
GETTY in this inltance, aIe itroDger than
in the other The Eritlih government
before the revolution, die attempt to ex
erciie in this country, the iuppoise
righ, OF impeachment tor the navy, whlct
IL never dld tor the army. stronger