Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1815-01-16


or the p,reat oscs his cni!d--iI.r master
over lis seryaal--lhc guardian over his
usard-all;! ti,tss destroys the mos. impof-
tint relations ia soticly, 50 lllatby the con
scripsion OF thc father anil the seduction Of
The son, the power Of the executive over all
the effective male population oil the Cnlicd
States Is made complete.
Srch are 81 me OF the odious features OF
The novel sys.em propos~lby the rulers OF
free country, under the limited powers
derived from the Constitution. What por.
ton of them will be embraced IL acts finally
10 be passed, it Is Yet impossiblcto deter
mine. 1t is, however, sufficiently alarm
ing TO perceive, that these projects emenatc
from the highest authority, nor should II be
forgotten, that by the plan OF the Secretary
OF War, the classification ofthe militia EN-
braced the principle OF direct taxation upon
the white population only and thar, IA the
House Of Representatives, a motion 70
portion the militia among the white pcpu-
lalion exclusively, which would have besn
il lis operation direct tax, was strenuous
" urged and supported.
In this whole series OF deyIses and
measures for raising men, this Convention
discern total disregard FOR the Consti'u
ton, and disposition to violate its provis
ions, demanding from the individual States
hrm and d q opposi ior. Anion des-
po,ism Can impose no harder servilude upon
the citizen, than to force him from his home
and his occupation, 70 wage offensive War,
undertaken 10 CRAFTY the pride or passions
OF his master. The example oil France has
recently shewn that a cabal of individuals
assuming TO act in the name OF the people,
may transform the great body OF citizens
into soldiers, and deliver them over in o
the hands Of single tyrant. No war, not
held In jest abho'renc- by people, can
require the lid of such stralagems 10 re-
cruit an army. Had the troops already
raised, and in great numbers sacrificed upon
the frontier OF Canada, been employed for
tie defence of the country, and had the
millions which. have been squandered with
shameless ptolusion, been appropriated TO
their payment, to the protection ct the
coast, and to the naval service, there would
have beenno occasion for unconstitutional
|expedienls. Even at this late hour let
Government leave 10 New England the
remnant OF her resoui ces, and she is ready
and able 10 deferd hsr territory, and 10 le-
sign the glores ard advantages Of the Dor
der war, 10 those who are determined to
persist in its prosecutions.
| Tha, acts of Congress in violation of the
Constitution arc absolutely void is an undc
niable position. does not, however, con
slst with the respect and gor5earan Cue
from confederate state towards The GeiTei-
| al Government, 10 Nv 10 open resistance
upon every infraction of the Cons ttution
he mode and the energy OF the opposition,
should always conform 10 the nature of the
violation, the in;tn:ion OF its authors, the
extent OF the injury inflicted, tic detcrInina-
ton manifested to persist in it, and the
danger of DELAY. But in cases Of deliberate,
dangerous, and palpabie inraetons ,f the
Constitution, affecting the sovereignty Of a
State, and liberties OF The people ii is not
only the rigtl, but The duty Of such State
to intcrpose its authority for their prolec.
lion, IN the manner b, 81 calculated 10 secure
that end. When-emerg rncies occur Is hith
are either beyond tie reach Of he judicial
tribunals, or too pressing TO admit Of the
| slllay incident to their forms, S a,es which
have NJ common umpire, must be their
own Judges, and execute lhtir own deris-
lions. Ii will thus be proper fo:t he several
States to avail, the ulima'e disposal Of The
obnoxious measures recommended by the
Secretary OF War, or pending before Con-
gress, and SO 10 use their power according
to the character these measures shall fin,llv
assume, as effSctua.y TO protect their own
sovereignty, and the iigh,s and liberties Of
their citizens.
The next subject which has occupied the
attention of the Convention, is the means Of
defence against the Common enemy This
naturally leads to the enquiries, whetht +
any expectation can be reasonably enter
tanned that adequate provision for tie de-
fence of the Eastern States will be made by
the National Government Whether The
several States Can, from lneirS own rcsour-
ces, provide for self defence AID fulfil HE
acquisitions which are 10 be expected Tor
the National Treasury! and, generals,
what course of conduct ought to be adopted
by those Statea, in relation TO the great OBJ
iect of d. fence
Without pausing at presentto comment
upon the causes ofthe war, ii may he as
sumtd as truth, ofic ally announced, that
to achieve the conquest cf Canadian terrific
nv, and TO hold it as q Bledpe for neare ;e