Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-08-20

s,otr from inhabitants, that would sell in
.,.,s Of nature for no more than twenty-four
lollars. il well cultivated and connected with
~ Inhabited vicinity. 1pould enable d.e occu-
uaut to pay a tar towards the suPpotef govern
nusut. of s,r dollars gear, amounting in every
s,,r wears to the original value of the land
The burthens of the people are therefore rem
dered light, in proportion to the extent of the
we'll cultivated territory of state. Now
Massachusetts, proper is populous, and the
lands there are principally disposed Of to in
d;yiduals, whose cultivation, and the wealth
thence arising, are of infinitely greater inn
portance, as a source Of revenue, than the
whole of the wild lands in Maine would pro-
baby be TO the present or succeeding genera
ton. even il the whole had been. allotted 10
Maine in the contemplated division of public
property. Massachusetts, proper has no oc-
casiion to make any efforts whatever, much less
10 make sacrifices to people her portion Of
The wild lands in Maine, having already the
competent, and even abundan. means of sup
porting government, without such sacrifices.
The act Of the Legislature lately made for
he settlement Of all the public lands in Maine,
ought to be known and kept constantly in
mind by every man in Maine. BY the pro-
visions Of that act, the whole of the wild lands
are to be laid into townships, and run into lots
convenient for settlement and convenient roads
made al he expense Of the arholeCommonoseold.
And fifty lots, Of hundred acres each, in eve
" township, are to be given TO the first fifty
settlers for the small sum of five dollars each.
This would be an immense advantage toMaine,
and such as never can be equalled by any
other arrangement whatever ii Separation
should take place. Does the act respecting
Separation hold out any such encouragement?
Does j, leave the lands in such a condition
that terms a, favourable could be offered 1t
certainly does not, for no new county could
be formed, without including number OF
large squares Of the wild lands OF Massachu.
sets, over which We should have no controul,
and which Massachusetts would either sell for
ahigh price, making great profit, as the ual
wvould be increased By our surrounding i'm
proveme,sts or she would still continue to
retain them, and in great measure defeat
our endeavours TO extend our population, be-
You'd single range of lots, even il we should
offer our more remote lots wholly as gift to
Settlers For no man would wish to sit down
in the neighbonrhood of lands, which by law
were exempt from taxes to assist him even III
making roads, and doomed to remain wilder
hess unless relieved from that doom by the
will Of foreign state. The unparalleled dis
advantage Of this proposed division, may be
rendered familiar 10 the mind of every man
tysupposing plain case. 1.-two indiyidu-
ak should hold joint estate, partly cultiva-
tel, partly wild lands, would one of them re-
Laqpish bis right TO the whole Of that which
nculiiyateds and accept half of the wild
lands cut up into small parcels, when his i'm
Prosements would render the other half more
valuable than the whole was before any i'm.
prossments were made. upon it ? The want Of
Judgment and discretion would be manifest in
he one, who should voluntarily submit TO such
sacrifice. And such course of conduct
would be no less unwisc in whole communi- |
y.
ltseems altogether reasonable, and indeed |
absolutely necessary 10 the great interest of
he people, that in case OF Separation, zphatev-
sportioa Of tie public lands justly belong to
Name, they should he in oa.e entire connected
body, adjoining those parts, zchich are no1v IN
hdatsd By the people Of Maine; and that the
iIl aad unhaiited sovereignty Of a state should
srsrcised over 1t; but an exemption from
ar, ef lots intermired wish ours, is not only a
dspresaou Of the value. and an mpediment to
~ increase 81 population, but il is such an a.
Sdgment OF state Sovereignty, and such an Inn
rsd'msnt to revenue, as seems not only injuri-
Gus TO the interests, but degrading to the char
s.'er q people, who would assume the name
independence.
Il Maine, upon fair division, is entitled |
. about a fourth part Of all the public proper
V,why was not that portion secured by the |
aa! Will it be pretended that fourth part
'necsue, even Of the wild lands in Maine, UNI
eeta circumstances, has been secured TO
Name BY the proposed division? 1t IS no
''r'ou' fact that the oymers ofnew townships of
0ad, uho by gtving auay one half their lots, can
sahem settled, render the remaining hall vastly
more 7aluable than the suhole was before any
'aaers uere upon ii. We have already mott
.su lne urgent motives that Maine will have
gam population ,and the narrow means that
'N ieh BY the act Of separation for that pur-
Pse We tave also seen bow different the |
mOuses OF Massachusetts will be, if she consult
ae' own interest, as will undoubtedly be the
u. IA