Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-07-16
OF MAINE
MR. sHlpLEy,

GOOD feelings for his County, 10 contem-
pla,e il with GOODNESS and delibera,ion--
should separation, in any event, be deemed
exp. dient, still the question will recur
whether it is so Oh the tetms proposed
| must say, for one, that having examined
the act providing Tor convention OF the
people OF Maine, aud prescribing the terms
on which We may be separated from Mas
sachusetts, / am oppressed TO separation on
such terms and a-lirve tlsssn sons.rslse oi
our rights as citizens aud such as the people
OF Name nevfr can aud never will accept -
shall, ss opportunity oocu.s, assign my
reasons TO the public and will in the frs,
place consider the subject OF
EASTERN LANDS.
All the property that Msine is to retain,
OH wnich we can calculate, is one haii o. The
Eastern Lands. hese we hold under c.r.
tain conditions annexed to the consent ol
Massachusetts that we shall be separated--
These conditions are, that the hall OF the
Lands belonging to her shall always be ex
empt from taxation-that The whole OF the
lands shall be surveyed inlo tracts OF twelve
miles square and such tracts shall be divided
bv lot between the two states. he mrs,
principle fixed upon Tor division OF the
public property was, that, according 10 iiie
taxation and population OF Maine, we were
entitled 10 one fourth part OF the whole pub
lie property Of the state. The Committec
who reported the bill were wholly from
the old par, of the State, and they were per-
milted 10 cut and carve up this subject very
much to their own taste. The public prop
erty in Massachusetts, consisting OF q state
house and uppur,enances, state prison
lately built and at great expense, pubic
arsenal, province house, some lands belong
ing to The state, sc. they SAID would not be
ussiul TO US alter SEPARATION and haaily come
to the generous conclusion that if we would
give up our fourth part Of the public prop
erty without condilion, they would give us
one hall of the Eastern lands with condi-
,ions--now 1t may be assumed as positions
perfectly true in itself, that Maine has OBJ
lanea 30 indemnify whatever for our fourth
part OF all The public property given UP in
Massachusetts. bargain to be fair ough,
TO be equa! In its operation. This prlnci
pal should always prevail and be regarded
in Contracts between sovereign states. No"
if Maine gave so large q consideration or
equivoien. tor one ioasth OF the public lands
within her territory why should we be cepri
we'd OF our sovereignty over the b@li bclonS
ing to Massachusetts, by never having u 10
our power TO tax those lands The lee al
ways remai,s in Massachusetts,. She cais
sell her lands on lease, or U, der proprlc'
tors lands ;this will mol diyest her titles 10,
render the lands liable TO isxa,ion in Maine.
In this way her hcy would be worth mors
than the syhole to be sold OH the usual con.
ditions. The tenant In such case would
hold them as free from taxation as the cor
po. alton under whom be holds--and oil
this tract OF land will lay and remain dead
wait on the new state, and for this very
cause, a source otreyenue 10 Massachusetts.
Inoced had Massachusetts given NJ her one
fourth part, on compromise, merely, ros
10 have the other taxed, the bargain had
been an excellent one for her. believe
am wei, supported in saying that tho taxes
on three fuurths oil these lands, even in
twenty years, taxed as other nonresiieAts
are for State and County would amount to
the full value of one fourth part--now
would ask, what have we 60, for the one
fourth part of all the public property in
Massachusetts given up on these terms
lie, the candid man weigh well, and deter
mine Tor himself
But again. there is another condition more
advantageous for her and not less oppressive
on us these lands are 10 be laid on. IN lo.s
of twelve miles square for the purpose OF
making townships when thus laid out
they are to be drawn by lo,s-ihe conciu
sion is, that they mus, be scattered ans
intorspersed spd will not fall together.
Maine has no active capital and mus, dis
pose Of and appropriate her lots. he heo
Die would never bear The monsirous load
OF taxes that would accrue.by suffering these
pIa6ds 20 lay. Should We Try th's eApeu
ment Massachusetts could beai 1t as long
as We. 10 improve our lands we mus
double the amount Of those belonging ,t
her. The roads that would lead TO 10
owned by us would pass througha lot owne1
| by her--we must make Their rosds--w'
must scatter population around her Lands
we must do all to advance the value o. thSi'
lands, Ut Our o"nexpees aud she VIII reaI
| the entire adsantage---now ~lieNe, thai
uhder this branch OF the bargain, Massa