Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-02-20
SEPARATION OF MAINE.
No. III.
To the People of the District of Maine.
No. III.

ONE argument which has been urged in ia
vor Of dissoving our connection with Massa-
chusetts is, that cur population is sufficient TO
justify, if not to require the measure. IT'S
true we have more inhabitants than several
states in the union have, but imagine no ar
gument can be drawn from this circumstance
1t is well known that all the .New-Engidnd
States, as well as Delauare, which is very
small state, existed according to their present
boundaries before their respective constitutions
were adopted, and many years before the ex-
istence of the Federal Constitution and their
enteat originally depended on facts which
have no kind ofbearing upon the present ques-
ton. Would it be thought expedient to erect
Rhode-Island or Delaware into Independent
governments provided they were mosg parts Of
other states Certainly not.-Yet II is prop
er they should remain such notwithstanding
their dimensions and the number OF their in
habitants. Besides, five are ueH governed at
present, and cannot render our situation more
eligible by separation of what importance
is it that we have more inhabitants thaa New.
Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode. Island, Delaware
and some Of the Western States. We may be
able to maintain government of our own
but the true question is whether our happiness
and prosperity as a people will be increased !;
and if we could obtain as many blessing. as
we now enjoy: whether we must not purchase
them at much greater price than we now pay
for them.-The formation of new States west
OF the Allegheny Mountains depended on cir
cumstances peculiar to those parts of the coun-
try-nature had almost forbidden any con.
| nection between them and the country east OF
those mountains, which nooy composes the At
lantic States. Another reason also had its in
fiuence in the formation Of so many aey States
IN the western country-it was TO strengthen
southern pozcer in the Senate Of the U. States !;
and we who live in this section Of the Union
have had most melancholy proofof the eff
-~~.' Va Wis RONSi ohd fuhuSuNSs
Another argument urged in favor Of sepa-
! ration is, that we have property sufficient the
same answer may be given to Mis as to the last
reason The question is not perely as to
NUMBERS and property; but whether we shall
gam any thing by dissolving our connection
with Massachusetts.-lt may be safely said
that it is doubtful at least tbs not the part of
wisdom to change institutions or situations
without solid reasons---especially if the exper-
| iment be hazardous or uncertain.
If we have PROPERTY and NUMBERS which
authorize US to assume independence, we have
acquired them under the laws and protection of
Massachusetts. If we have been active and
enterprizing and successful. we are indebted
TO the benign influence Of good and wholesome
laws, and mild and impartial administration
OF them. Ourvery wealth and population are
decisive proofs that we have been blessed and
protected by government and law: and shall
we hastily put these advantages in jeopardy 4
say to the government under which we have
lived soiong and so happily, you have dis
"regarded our interest-you have squandered
$ our lands-you have oppressed us and in
evolved us in debt Yet all these accu-
sations are made ag ainst Massachusetts and are
urged by way Of argument for separation
from them.
Again, ! say, numbers and property are
nothing to the purpose in this enquiry. Have
not New-York, Pennsylvania and Virginia
numbers and property in abundance! yet we
do not find the people of those states anx ous
for division Of them--we do not hear of pyin-
ted petitions sent by Union Society to all the
towns in those states for the people to SUBJ
scribe, praying for separation. Surely, my
friends. you cannot suppose that the leading
characters in those states are unable to discern
their true interests. No-they well know
that their political health, ,realah, peace, opu-
lence and repectability depend in great meas
ure upon their union, strength and combination
l Of foJenfo