Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-09-24

/ without some means OF causing its interpo
si;ion to be respected All property in the
state, not belonging TO individuals or cor
porat'ons Is the property OF the common
wealth. That commonwealth will sill ex-
list, and continue TO cxis; just the same, in
its civil and political character, whether we
remain with it or separate from it. By
Withdrawing from the connection, we only
Cease to bs Massachusetts,. She does not
in the least cease to be herself We may
perhaps, 1t we plesse, sscrde from the asso
cistlon, and abandon our allegiance, but we
must in that case depart in an empty vessel,
or pursue our journey TO the promised land,
with primitive simplicity, with only GU
wives and our cattle and our little ones. The
Commonwealth, in parting with any por
ton ofits properly, right to impose is
own terms and il has a right to require any
security for the performance of the condi-
ons. The commonwealth, 10 which all prop
er,y thus belongs, only agreed to Ieinquish
part OF its lands and 10 allow us final share
| in its funds, in case Of separation, provide d
59ths of the yo,ers united TO express their
assent 10 the contract Without tina, proper
!
that She has The proper security for the per-
Torrance of the sdpulations en- cur part 10
! respect the rights she mas reserved Nor
is she therefore updei suy oblig siisn to take
notice OF the proceedings OF any pubic body
t whatever, unless they arc authorised by this
proportion OF the peop's. In any ssher
c -, md Without that previous plurality
] this convention can no more compel ths
/ state u N ssacAuseus 10 execute herserte-
neut, than The trustees o. 3owdoin Coleg.
or the Directors of Lnooln Bana 10
wfest sny 20 ton Q. her property from her
! sitrou hes consent, this convention has nc
more right then the legislature Of New
! y uGsWiek \ or have oil ne towns in The
Disfrist Of Maine, Tor the Dissic, consists
only OF so many fosvus, any more rght 10
appropriate to ihemseles, sipgIy or colec-
lively, public properly not within their lin
it's, Than the town of Boston or the county
Of Barns,zble. II is admitted, that by sep
arating without consent We relinqlish our
Interest in the state house and state prison.
and the claims on SINNERS bondsmep. All
the back land belongs to Massachusetts jus,
as niue h as R.insto,d Island I he mere
Circumstance Gifts being eonIig nous 10 our
towns makes no difference. For on that
principle the most contiguous towns nigh:
be entitled TO the whole. and the cous,;cs oil
Yosk, Cumberland, Lincoln ard Hancock
being cut OF the northern frontier, be ex
clvded from all share in it, us much rs Mid
dlesex or Berkshire. The unappropris,ed
lands in the District OF Maine belong not
to US, but TO Massachusetts and We have
no more right 10 them, than We have to any
Of their bansshares or United States stock ,
sxcep, to be sure, that lsnd-loping is rsther
more in our style, ane that we may expect
10 make ourselves title IN the course al a
few years under the be,ternent act. But
to seize them into our possession would be
a flag, ant violation 81 The rights ofthe Com
monweal,h.
II it is necessary 10 60 any further, IT
may be observed, that for every right there
is remedy, and to every legal objcci a ls-
gal mode of Carrying il into execution. Ii
/ We become a separate state and shoold have
any difference with Moss cause,;s respect
ing ,hi. property, there must be some pow
CT 10 determine between Us In all contro-
versi.s between states the Supreme Court of
tn. United States is the constitutional tribu
nal and by the constitution The authority
OF the United States is required 10 be exer-
cised on the application Of any state in the
union, to protec, it from invasion or violence
One consideration more remains to be
addressed 20 the people of this district.
Shall we become an inde pendent state by
fraud and violence, and enter into the union
in an irregular aud clandestine manner
Shall We by an unauthorized measure set an
example CT revolutionary emancipation, end
by the mode Of efecting i, afford sanction
to public robbery and politicsl usurpati's
Shsll we preface our statute book with an
unredeemed pledge,snd commence our POI
lilical career with violated fAi,h Shall we
in fine, confound the origin OF our infant
state with the history of those nations,
which have had their birth in shame and
crime, and fix brand upon its forehead,
which no future time can ever efface! And
shall we thus forever blast the prospect OF
an equitable SEPARATION hereafter, " hen al
a suitable season we may be ready to drop
like frui, from the branches, and il may be