Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-01-23
@ortCat1S.
Tuesday, January %, 1916.
SEPARATION OF MAINE.

of the inhabitants Of this town is notified to take
place this afternoon, at 2 O'Clock, to take into
consideration the subject of separation of the Dis
trict of Maine from the Commonwealth of Massa-
chusetts and to act thereon as the town shall judge
proper"
On this subject we have heard but very little said
by the Federalists of this town-some few we un-
derstand, are in favor of the measure, others pre-
tend Indifference but, so far as information ex-
tends, we should Judge that by far the greatest por
ton are very well satisfied with their present con-
dition-and think it better to live under the ad-
ministraton Of such wise and vrtuous rulers and
Judges as they have been blest with for several
years past than to run the hazard of involving the
District in state of anarchy and confusion, merely
for the sake Of furnishing sops for 40 or 50 dear or
ers Of the people, who hover round the Union So
ceties'' like eagles over dead carcase. Ofthese
demagogues it may be said, to work they are too
lazy, and to beg, they are ashamed''-they there
fore set themselves to work to convince those who
must foot the bills, that to have their TAXES DorB-
LED and the places Of intelligent and upright ru-
lers supplied by pettifoggers and demagogues, is
consummation devoui:y to be wished.
Owing to the local situation of Massachusetts,
Ijoining every State in New-England) vessels with
only coasting license, which they take from the
Custom-House once year, may trade at every
port between Lubbock and New-York, without the
trouble and expense of going fS or 20 miles to
Cnstom-House to clear enter their vessels. But
divide the State and New-Hampshire is.he only
b:cb Jo;p Maine ap1c i-B Porte
mouth will be the only port to which we can trade
with coasting licence.
In this subject alone is involved const qaences
which will far outweigh every good Contemplated
by the most sarguiue 10 result from the measure
and we hazard noth,ng in saying that it were far
better for the coasters to make up purse equal to
what the salaries of these office-seekers would
amount to Tlet them be nominal Governors &c
and thus hire them to desist rather than to suffer
separation to take place.
Airap to calc. Guus.-The leading democrats
hold out an idea that whenever separation takes
place the lion and the lamb are to lie down togeh-
er, and that the only question which will be asked
is to be, Is he honest is he capable, is he faithful
to the constitution ?' But our readers will recollec
that this is the same doctrine that the wy Jefferson
preached when he wanted to be President of the
United States.
MR.. SHIRLEY,
sometimes see the Eastern Argus, and
6na that the writers employed by the " u
nion Society" to 's spread the subject before
the people, intend to prove that the ''laborer
is worthy of his hire" do not intend to
trouble your readers with long tedious replies.
1t ltappears TO be the intention Of those oppos-
ed to separation, (no doubt the great body OF
the people, to suffer these writer's to spread
the subject as much as they please without
carrying on a newspaper war with them.
They say little or nothing new, and many OF
their statements and calculations are ridicu
lous; but when we consider the natural ten
dency to favour new projects-the zeal and
assiduity Of the ambitious and interested, and
that cause managed with address and argued
on one side only, has manifest advantage,
it may be doubted whether some reply ought
not to be made to such long -winded and in
defatigab!e laborers. In travelling through a
considerable part of Maine since they CON-
menced their operations, find there are very
few supporters ofa separation, but that these
few are very busy. They talk Of the impor-
tance Of new state, and endeavour to excite
Jealousy and i'll will against old Massachu
setts-some even pretend that it would be
saving in expense. Nobody, who is well in
brmed as to the present expences OF govern
nent, believes this. The whole State Tax
has, for many years, been 5 $4,000 33 cts.
Maine pays about $4,000 OF that sum. five
lave at this time 100000 people, the tax is
ess than twelve cents piece upon our popu-
aion. These great men who intend TO make
NEW state expect to govern us for 4 pence
lf penny piece! 1t has been suggested
et we had better contribute to that amount,
specially those who are in any way concern
sin the coasting trade, and present it to the
taion Society for the benefit OF themselves
nd friends, upon condition that they will re-
main quiet. If the truth were fairly told, we
must acknowledge that Maine has The advan-
hge over old Massachusetts, as to the expences
dgovernment, because the travel ofour men,
ks. (Which is very long,, is paid by the