Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1815-01-30
E.yLLS7IAG MINORS.


cd tools may deem the law passed by Congress
i wise and patriotic. and those who engage in
he work Of human destruction may consider the
operation oft IS matter of merriincnt, for ou'-
selves, we are not disposed 10 dis miss he sub.
ject viii. ievity. We not only believe that Con
that the operations Of it will be attend with
lie most alarming and fAslconsefuences. The
Editor Of the Connecticut Mirror, with lis accus
timed correctness snd ability, has placed the
features and mcsi,s OF Iii. law in proper point
Of ,i.w. His remarks apply equally 20 the reg
ulstions Of socie in Massachusetts as they do
20 that Of his own state. He says,
by the laws CT Connecticut, all persons
under the age Of twenty one years are rem
de,ed Incapable of making contracts It's
believed that the laws Of all the States have
fixed on the same period, for the same pur-
pose BY astatute Of this state, all contracts
made by persons, under the care oil parents,
guardians, o. masters, are rendered invalid,
and cannot be enforced by law. Congress
have lately Passed an act authorizing the en-.
listing into the army Of the United State,
persons between eighteen and luen.y- one
years of age. This is an express violation
Of the laws Of the State and unless Con-
gress have constitutional right to set aside
or, in fact, repeal, the laws of the individual
States, this attempt ought TO meet, on the
part of the States, the most prompt * effsc
tual resistance.
81, will be in vain to search the Constitu
ton for provision, which will Justify this
outrageous measure. II it should be exer
cisedb by Congress, the sovereignty OF the
states is completely destroyed, ana instead
Of coniedera,ed, we snail henceforth be a
consolidated government his is 100 APP
parent to be questioned. If Congress Can
annul The laws of the States fixing the age
and capacity Of their citizens, there is no
subject Of legislation which will lie beyond
| their reach Ii they can dissolve the obli-
cation which exists between children aud
their parents, the basis OF which is laid in
the nature of things, and the principle is
solemnly enjoined in the fifth command
msnt, by GOD himself, they can with The
same right go through the decalogue, aud
repeal all lis injunctions and plovsiots-
they car with the same propiety dissolve
the obligations Of the marriage CONTRACT, and
authorize married women 10 contract. In
short, the principle assumed by Cong es5,
will run through all the concerns or the Sc
cial compact, and The an, horlty OF the states,
IS sovereign and independent, VIII be com
pleleiy annihilated
lis this 10 be borne Will The fathers
the guardians, and the masters, stand family
BY, and See their children, tneir wards,
nd their apprentices, duced from their
eare, protection, and service, and not avail
themselves of the laws OF the States 10 OBJ
ram redress! 1 he seduction OF children and
apprentices from the service ofthcil parents
AID masters, is an offence at common law
Whoesel is guilty OF ii, be he recruiting
sergeant, or ,ecruiting colonel whether hc
wear epavletses, or Garry knapsack, lie is
liable TO iuli damages for Ibis " ea1h Of law
and it is 10 b. hoped lhsl tie first instance
which shall take place Of the enlistment OF
minor, his friends viii Immediately resort
to their legal remedy, and obtain complete
redress from the man who sha in this way
violate The laws OF the State.
(" In the mean time, il is confidently trus-
ted, that the legislatures ofthe States, which
wiiiin This part Of The country be shol,Iy in
session, will take care 10 provide ample Sc
cIiily lor their citizens, against the exercise
oil this usurpec power. The tree people Of
the United States, ii IS firmly believed, do
not appreciate Mr.. Madison's honour a. SO
cxu asasant rate, as TO be wiling 10 gar,
with their liberties and independence TO
preserve it, This gentleman, since he has
been President, has refused to approve an
act passed by both houses of Congress, in
cooperating society Of Bap,ists in the Dis
uict Of Columbia, from constitutional scru
pies. Vet, h. has no hesitation in fixing his
signature 10 one which contains direct at
tack OH the sovereignty of the States, and
is not only unconstitutional, BIT, is viola,
ton of some OF the strongest and most en-
dearing ;ciations of society"
1t appears the Lake mania still prevails
at Washington, our sspatriotsc" admins,ra-
ton having determined immediately to
build number OF large ships Of war at Sac.
ket's Harbof for The prolectioe of " sailors
rights" Ii is said one Of The new vessels
is to mount 10 guas, and the other two,
~ each.
If our fresh 7oatcr rulers can create ma
val force sufficient for the defence of the
petty village ct Sacket's Harbor and the un-