Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-09-10
To Selectmen and 7onn Clerks.

The question of Separation having been de-
cided by the people, il is very important tina.
.sclectmeaS-Tougn Clerks should pay porticrlar
attention TO making their returns in due season,
and IN proper form-otherwise the votes Of
many towns may be lost, their Delegates re-
jected, and the result may prove directly con.
trary to the will Of the people as expressed BY
their votes. That there may be no difficulty
on this subject, we subjoin extracts from The
law, in which the duties Of these officers ar
clearly pointed out -
lst. With respect TO Delegates-" Anl At
such meetings the Selectmen of said several
towns shall preside impartaIly, and shall re-
ceiye the votes OF all the inhabitants OF such
towns present, and qualified, as aforesaid, to
vote for such Delegates, and shall sort and
count such votes IN open town meeting, and
in the presence Of the Town Clerk also shall
make fair record in presence of the select
men, and in open town meeting, Of the name
Of epery person Ooted for, and Of tie number Of
lotes girea for him and the person or persons
having majority of all the votes shall be cho.
seni and fair copies Of the SAID record siaiibe
attestsd BY ii. Se'ectmen aaa IKE 7'oum Clerks,
and one such Copy shall be delivered, by the
Selectmen, TO each of the persons whom they
shall determine TO have been duly elected
Delegate"
Cd. With respect to the votes on the ques-
tion oi separation,the law stands thus And
the Selectmen OF the towns and Districts, and
the assessors ofihe unincorpo,a,ed plantations
shall, in open meeting receive, count, sort and
declare, and the Clerks thereof respectively
shall record the votes for and against such OK.
pediency and said Selecfmen and fouw.
Clerks, and assessors and Clerks Of said Alan
totsons, shall seal up and transmit said vofes to
the President Of The conpention at their meeting
herein provided, sssGiin four days mert after tie
last monday ef September l8l6.'-Grest care
should be taken to make the returns accord
ing to law, and TO send them by irusty and
faithful persons, srho srM be sure to delivcr
them TO The President # The eonpen;ion sriihia
four Days after he last Monday efSeptembsr,
as is required by the law. This is a duty OF
the highest importance, on the faithful PERI
Torrance OF which the best Interests of Maine
depends; and it is hoped that those by whom
this important duty is TO be performed, will
feel the responsibility that rests upon them.
o<o-
nnusswIcX, SEPTEMBER 6, f3te.
MEssKs. EDIroRs,
II Is now pretty well ascertsinea, by informs
lion from various quarters, that the people have
negatived the question of Separation, but the votes
should be carefully returned, and the Delegates at
tend, that the publck will may be duly declared.
There seems to be general wish 70 let the sub
ject 70 to rest as soon as possible.
Extract Of a letter from a genileman at Pejsp,
scot to he Editors, doted Sept. 3.
The votes given in yesterday by the inhsb-
itants oft town, Oh the expediency of .
separation of the District of Maine from Mas
saehusetts proper, were for separation, 81,
against it 40. We chose .4adresS X. Giddinse,
Esq. for our Delegate to the Convention 10 be
holden al Brunsw ick--the injunction ola wr-
ter in the last Argus, g that We should choose
nobody for our Delegates who are opposed to
a separation, ITO ,he contrary notwithstanding.