Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-11-30
SEPARATION.
FOR THE GAZETTE.
REMARKS

On the Memorial Of the Committee of the Maine
Conrention, TO the Legislature Of Massachu-
sets.
In the original report of the committee OF
the convention on the famous question Of five
to tour, they formally forbore to recommend
that the Convention should act without deliber-
alton and adrice' and as the legislature of
Massachusetts would soon be in session, they
thought that al least no inco.usalence could a.
rise from consulting their wishes and asking
their opinions. Should they, as they IN
doubleday would, confirm Mis construction &c.
the committee conceived, that much dispute
would be prevented, and great satisfaction al.
forded to the opposers OF separation.
Ia the exculpatory and retaiiatory Address
from the Convention assembled al Brunswick
by committee appointed for the purpose" in
reply to the protest OF the minority, the COM
mttee observe that the convention had express
sed preference merely, but not decided o.
pinicn in favour Of the construction, which
they adopted, and had I" referred the whole
subject to the aduice and decision OF Massachu-
sets J" and availing themselves OF the power
granted them by the act, had adjourned to
hear the result. Again, they observe, that 6 to
adopt this construction without the opinio,l and
advice Of Massachusetts, nughi have been
deemed presumptuous. That the course a.
dopted afforded time for elaboration and OPP.
porlunity for adrice and that the convention
were satisfied Massachusetts would approve
this course.
A special committee was accordingly APP
pointed BY the convention ''for the purpose of
making the necessary application 10 the leg
stature, and that committee has taken pains
to publish the memorial which they presented.
1t was natural 10 look into this I" state paper"
for all the official productions Of the commit
tees Of the convention are, by anticipation at
least, il seems state paPers--for some little
notice or mentiua of their solemn construction
Of the terms FIVE TO FOUR" Some remote
Illusion 10 the circumstance Of the convention
having gwen the act some particular construc-
ton might at least have been expected--al-
though perhaps II was not 10 be sanguiDely
supposed from the peculiar n,odesty ii anifes,ed
by The convention in a their, proceedings,
that the committee woufd have had the assur-
aDce to ask fur a direct sanction aud confrma-
ton OF it, Under these circumstances some
thing extremely FAINT and deiicote might have
been deemed sufficient, oSt OF regard to the
nervous sensibiity and nice sense Vi character
peculiar to the parties concerned. For to-
tai on,,ssior OF the matter however we confess
we were not SO well prepared. But TO the in
hnite surprize and amusement OF part OF the
public at least, the committee appointed for
he purpose have not let drop the least syllable
upon the subject. One would almost conclude
that the construction had been communicated
10 the committee in confidence, and that they
had it 10 express charge from the convention
not to sag .Cord about IL 1t is really difficult
to Conceive in what manner tie committee
could with greater adfoi,ness have coltrived
more studiously to avoid the mos, distant re-
ference 70 the service assigned item Itwould
have been impossible for them to have pre-
served a more petfect silence upon the subject.
Their commission has literally been kept sac
red by them. And when they aprseacL even
the hallowed precincts Of their purpose, they
do il with a mysterious reverence, a special
regard TO their parts Of. speech, and mos,
conscientious observance OF the principles OF
poii,eness and proprie,y.
Night dsws fall not more gently on the ground,
Nor weary, worn out winds so sei expire!
After very dligent search and close inspec-
ton, with optics sharpened by curiosity, the
only intimation that it had ever occurred 10
the convention TO give the act any construc-
ton whatever, or indeed whether il was ca
pable Of any, may be discovered partially
concealed and imperfsctly developed, some.
where in the course OF the last paragraph of
the memorial but one in which the commit |
tee do really remark in this wise that /" un-
willing to reject votes however papaby and
grossly defective might be the returns; un- |
willing to avail themselves OF any construction
Of the act, the correctness of which might adj |
nit Of doubt" l. feeling grea, confidence in |
thejustice and magnanimity Of the legislature, -
&c. the convention had upon the whole, espe-
ciaily as the returns were in a good deal of |
disorder and it was very difficult, 10 make any |
thing OF them, thought proper not to do any |
thing at all whatever upon the subject, but left |
II altogether entirely to their honours, the |
general court, to say what was best to be |
done in the business and in what manner they |
should go to work about it. What the true
OF the act might be they could
not pretend to say or know, any more than
The man in the moon. Blu, this thew knew
and were cOnfltl pnf nf aud & A. e..