Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-08-27
MIR. KINGS SPEECH.

There is NO passion that more eTectually
blinds the understanding as 10 the quality oi
means employed for the at,ainnen. Of favor
lie objects, than ambition When tits pas.
sion IS very strong, self knowledge, in great
measure, iorsakes the mind Ina, possesses it
Under the influence OF i. men ha.er them
selves into sentiments which are very frequent
ly found 10 be extremely erroneous, though
fully believed By INN Who conceives them :
10 that way, his asdonr, supplying the place Of
sober reflection, leads him to conclusions which
his disinterested judgment wopId reject
was led 10 this train OF reflection by read
ing IN the Argus speech said to be made by
the hoa. Cyrus King, ESQ. at Alfred conven
ton, in which he is represented as saving he
had no don5t that Congress sgoidd place the
coas'iag trade 5yih Massachusetts on It's present
joofing, an case of separation and that ihey Love
already established precedent in a case less "a
voura6fe than ours. This is incorrect let il
come from what source It may. Congress
have not the power TO do it without violating
their oaths and the constitution. These words
IN Section 9th of the first article of the con-
stitution are peremptory, viz !" No preference
shall be giren By amy regulation Of commerce or
re0eaue 10 tie ports Of one state ouer another
The case alluded to by Mr.. X. which he
considers similar to alicence to coast between
Massachusetts, and Maine, in case Of separa-
ton, is in the second volume of the laws of
the U. S. page l94-5. These are the words
of the law, THAT coastng vessels going
from Long Island in the state of New York, 10
the state Of Rhode-Island, and from the state
of Rhode Island to the said Long Island, shall
have the same privileges as are allowed to
vessels under the like circumstances going
from district in one state TO district in the
same or an adjoining state" Here is every
word enacted in that law. Is the situation OF
Long-lsland similar to that of Maine In
going from g-lsland 10 Rhode Island do
you pass the confines of an adjoining state :?
Does Long Island stretch less distance than
nearly the whole extent Of Connecticut on
the sea coast ? Can a ooasting vessel pass
Connecticut and trade on the main land in
the state Of New-York No, nothing of all
this.
II is therefore impossible that this opinion
OF Mr.. X. can be correct and as certainly
as the people trust init, so certainly will they
be disappointed. For Congress could as
well exempt all vessels from the expense Of
entering and clearing, as the coasters in
Maine, il formed into separate state. The
coasters themselves are perfectly acquainted
with the constitution on this subject, and they
need not any legal advice respecting it.
do not hesitate to afim that il ever Maine
should be put to the experiment of applying
to Congress on this subject, il will be uttetly
in vain. And if Mr.. King should be there.
to advocate the application, his efforts will be
too feeble to oserpawer SO stubborn
an antagonist as the constitution.
A gentleman from Detroit, informs. that the
troops at that port save not hsd dollar IF Tier
pay far npwsrds ef1fyfeen nonfhs--Pnst' PIP.