Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1815-01-02

4 siGyf->have I'd literal meaning or Ger
lainiy very different one from Inherit
ing nhansion, 81 being born TO an estate.
lfany one finds his pfeconcciycd opinions
atiacked BY the foregoing conclusions. lei
me ask him to examine once more the foun.
dation Of his opinions. Suffer me to en-
quire, zuhy tic father has right Or power
10 ALLEVIATE his sons liberty Will il be
said. that he gave him life, and has, there
fore, right 10 prescribe its condition !!
Could he not then make him slave !!
loud h. not lak,: or bargain away tie
whole as well as part! Where will you
draw the Iine But is lie worth having
on the condillon OF comriete and perpetual
sarsisude Would he not ALLEVIATE more
than he Drqueatlsd Would he not act
like one, vino she.uid leave his son lega-
cy, on condition Of his satisfying demand
to double its amount Besld,s, it has Of
Ten been said and written, thai liberty IS
unalena6ie. Ibis allow, is carrying the
mater too far can ALLEVIATE my own, but
not anothrrs But such language discovers
the general sentiment OH the subject. We
snail ne x lnvestigal the foundation OF the
allegiance oftEose, who never thus crlhrcss-
iy assrnted to the institution or in othee
words OF those, who succeed the generation
OF 1888
A very general opinion prevails, that a
citizen OF a tree government ought to sacrl
flee his life for his country, when It's inter-
est or its honor requires 1t Political wri.
tiers, and public DISCLAIMERS arc full of this
idea and i, is without doubt just. As,ton
ger obligation, or i higher duty can scarce
~ be named. Ask one, who acknowledges
the business ofthe above proposition, wheth-
err in a ualioa of five millions, 90 900, ought
to offer up their lives to save the nation
from slavery; and he will answer you in
tie affirmative. Propose 100000, & he will
probably say yes Say million he will
doubt. Add millions, aud suppose you
will meet with decided negative. Why
SO 4! Ii nv obligations depend on con-
f,act and ifthe supreme power after full
filling lis part ofthe contract, require, that
should be one oil be- millions, why may
Iretuse! Those, WHO resort 10 the civil
compact alone for the foundation OF allegi
ance, will, am apt TO suppose, meet with
some difficulty In giving an answer. The
truth is, public utility, or experience must
10 crr.ain degree, nave influences. The
duty of citizen depends some ON them
We do not attempt 10 fix the boundary
Every man must consult his own Judgment
and his own conscience, and act according
TO their decisions He is often o6aged, tt
consult his strength mean lac is. under 4
natural obligation.
We have disposed oil ntfhfy LET Us nos
try contact Does any exist between Tux
supreme power, and each freeman in the
United States! We have already sugges
ted the belief, that such compact does ex
is, in every tree, elective government al
tho the idea was rejected, that the force O
il depends at all ON an act OF ancestors
There is an imhAed contract. 1t is as clear
and as fully defined as il expressed 10 wri
ling. Ii is made as follows. When icgis
lator is chosen, it is on the condition tina, lie
Observation-Disclosures wholesome laws accor.
ding TO the constitution The constituents
covenant as plainly on their part TO yield
obedience TO such laws. The parties clesr,
ly understood each other. This act, mean
voting Tor rulers 10 be guided in their con-
duct by the cons,itution--tlis act ] sey
implies an acknowledgement, and adsp iol
ofthat constitution Yet every man when
adopting i, would, If necessary, make the
following reseryaIid IN, viz that the consiitu-
ton continue 10 promote the public good.
But il is not necessary. Our bill of rights,
al or enumeraling the principal objects Of a
good government, declares, that, when
these are not obtaired, the people have a
rght toalter, retornl, or make anew. Thus
10 our government, the foundation of aIlcgi
ance is no. laid with one stone; it requires
Two. Protection 70 the age Of twenty one
years will hardly Produce an obligation 10
be taken into this account. / am rather
obliged to my parents for this, than 10 my
country
The government owed ito my father, as
a part oil us engagement with him. Wives
aud children are cshsidered as property OF
the dearest kind, be sure--and male, in
the eye Of the law, is child to the age Of
81 years
These are the Obvious dictates OF reason.
But 10 fix he precise moment TO sci up