Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-11-30

pendent citizens OF Maine, in order To cls,,
the way tor construction, which they could
think OF adopting-And thirdly, that whatever
might be the correct and sound construcfor
OF the act, there was such power ofpeonl
in favour of separation in Maine upon The
terms and conditions of the act, and they feIt
such confidence in the justice and magma.
nitnity of the Legislature upon the subiect'tbat
it may be relied upon, the legislature will
grant its consent TO the separation upon IN.
stale of the votes in September, and that j,
will also make such further laws and provision,
concerning the subject, as to carry the sepafa.
ton into foil and complete effect.!--tbat i
that they will pass law for our separa.
ton, whether we will or no., Of their OVEN
sovereign act and omnipotent authorize
III this had been only done originally, rhst
world oftrouble and expense Il would have
saved the people Of Maine and what a con.
venient substitute TIL. mode suggests instead
of another trial 1T must also afford great
consolation to these honest creatures, who can
credit stronger evidence than their own SEN.
ses, 10 know that the convention never had
any idea OF giving any extraordinary constYuc-
ton 10 the clause in question, or Of rejecting
any votes whatever, under any pretence, or Of
practicing any kind Of fraud upon the PROV.
sions oil the act.
To divert attention from being fixed Toe
strongly and concentrated too intensely upon
| the proceedings OF the convention, tie com.
| mttee take pains TO tell the legislator. how
some folks in the District of Maine had Inc
assurance todislike the terms and conditions Of
separation, and that the prior Brunswick con.
| vention especially had the audacity to insip.
uate that Massachusetts, [" would proeaby
make as good bargain for herself as she
could,'' &c 4; and this charge they bring for.
ward to shew by opposition how much more
respect they have than the other convention
| for the justice and msgnanimityss OF the le-
| gislature. Perhaps the real respect, which is
entertained by the different delegates Il
those two convention. e, .has body cannot lie
too strongly contrssted ANY individual or
any number of individuals, however, in
blaine, had right to form their own opinion
Of the terms and conditions Of separation IS
contained in the provisions Of that act, and
also to express hose opinions publicly in any
form, provided it was done with decofum.
and self respect. Nor woslld their language.
II indeed it was ever SO gross, form any JUST.
ficatioh or excuse for the insoIence OF Tie
tone assumed by the late convention toward
the Legislature. The preceding Brunswick
convention is not to be degraded So far how
ever as TO have its proceedings drawn il>o
comparison with those OF is successors.
II must be matter Of some amusementto
the Legislature, while they are receiving this
soft soap from the committed, bon. their !" JUS
tice" and " wisdom" and 'sMagnanimity," 10
have it intimated to them at the sane time. in
pretty broad language, that they were igno-
rant or forgetful Of /" the first principles of The
republic That is, probably, that they had
never learned the A, B, of political Science,
and that they must begin their education a
gain where it left Of, at the primmer and
horsbook of political economy. The lcgisla-
t'lre are modes,ly told that they are ignorant
Of the very elements of egslation--ss the fir..
principles ofthe republic" This intins.ion
comes with peculiar good grace from the
delegates Of the convention, who have
lately made such essential innovations Upon
these principles. The legislature undoubted.
iy has yet To learn good deal, and IN.
learn a good deal more, before they can ar.
rive at an equal degree Of proficiency With
the Brunswick Convention in their system Of
logic and arithmetic.
tits presumable that the legislature will be
soitened by this compliment to their uisdom,
into an acquiescence with the wishes Of The
committee, as expressed in the memorial And
as the committee seem to conclude that as the
legislature had committed such ga departure
from the first principles Of the republics in one
instance, they might as well do il in another,
this specimen Of the kind Of confidence to be
reposed in the justice and magnanimity as well
as the wisdom Of, that body, will undoubtedly
" afford great satisfaction to the opposers Of
The committee indeed seems
to take it for granted, that as the Legislature
had departed from the first principles Of the
republic in requiring more than mere ma
Jority, they may again depart still more fla.
GRAVITY from the line Of political recttude,
and the yerv principles Of common honesty.
and set us oil from Massachusetts against our
deliberate determination and protest to the
as well might they do it with
a majority Olive to four against it. 2.
The Mountain and the Mouse.