Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-07-09
FOR THE GAZETTE.
To TIE Legal Voters ia Maine.

FoR Ihk CAZEI
To TIE Legal Voters ia Ulains. :
FELLOW CITIZENS,
You will soon be called on to decide one
Of the most important questions, ever agitated
in this District, viz: whether we shall con-
tinne, as heretofore part of Massachusetts,
or be erected into an Independent govern
ment, anJ form distinct member of the grand
confederacy
Let us lot be deceived----is there not some
thing little imposing and progressing in
the notion of independence J? Is this term well
understood or are we ailured with the name,
while we little consider its nature or conse.
quenees. 1t is hoped that none Of you wish
for independence, as individuals, OF as com
punty, any farther, than is consistent with a
well regulated, stable and saluiary govern
ment. And do we not now enjoy as much
freedom, as is consistent with these live
are conscious We do, lei US not put at hazard
these invalsab bic blessings, in VAN struggle
after imaginary benefits.
We can now consider this question more
understandingly than before the late law on
the subject. We have the conditions, on
which we are to separate, in words, as ex-
plicit as our language affords. The whole
law bears the marks Of mastery hand-and
the conditions contained in it, are, in the
vent of Separation, to be Incorporated into,
and make a part Of any constitution we may
form. On these terms and conditions, there
fore, we are called upon 10 deliberate, with
all the GOODNESS, moderation and candor,which
enable men, in The honest and diiligent search
after truth, to come to'a right result.
The first section Of these conditions is as
follows =" All the lands and buildings, be-
longing TO the Commonwealth, within Massa
cliusetts Proper, shall continue to belong TO
said Commonwealth ; and all the lands, be-
longing to the Commonwealth, within said
District of Maine, shall belong the one half
thereof to said Commoa wealth, and the other
half thereof to the State to be formed, with
in the said District, to be llcided as as herein
after mentioned +; and the lands within the
said District, which shall beiong 10 the Com
monweaIth, SHALL BE FREE FROM TAXATION,
S,hsie lhe title TO said lands remains IN the Com
monUealh. And the rights Of the Common
wealth to their lands within said District and
the remedies for the recovery thereof shall
continue the same within the proposed state,
and ia the courts thereof, as they now are
within said Commonwealth and the courts
thereof; and all obligations, given to the
Commonwealth, with conditions 10 perform
settling duties, SO called, within the District
Of Maine, when all the principals, are persons,
inhabiting said District, shall become the
property Of the new State, and all other obi
cations, with such conditions, shall remain
the property OF this Commonwealth"
In connection with this, it rs proper to con
slider the mode Of dividing the lands-whch
is, that they are to be surveyed from time to
time, by board OF Commissioners, into lots
oil twelve miles square, and be drawn by lot,
70 the two states
As TO the value Of lands and buildings in
Massachusetts Proper, make no remarks
not having before me authentic documents to
ascertain it. We all know, however, there
IS valuable State House and Prison, some
small pieces OF land, a and about Boston, and
cambridge, and the real estate in various
parts OF the Commonwealth set off on execu-
lions against Skinnner's sureties.
One half the public lands in Maine are to
be the property of Massachusetts, and TO be
free from tarafioa, while the title (o5serve the
phraseoogy) remains in her. What will be
The policy OF the old State as to the manage
ment OF these lands after we are separated {?
WI she manage them IN her oz0n zyay-or n,
ours VIII she consult her oyvn convenience
and interest--or ours Can we expect anv
hing OF her, from mere generosity If we
edn-we can expect what was never done by
any Government--and what the rulers of Mas
sachuse''s have no authority from the people
to do.
The obvious inference, from these remarks,
10 mat Massachusetts,, z0ise, cautious, and
3aa Government, will continue to take care
OF her own interests, with the same foresight
ana prudence, she has manifested in the law