Portland gazette and Maine advertiser., 1816-11-12
COMMU VACATIONS,
ANIMADVERSION

/ "A P'"oNt0i- H1- oppcoieo III the Argus
| purporiing to be an address from the Conyen.
ton assembled at Brunswick to the people Of
Maine, bearing the signatures Of certain pen.
! lemen, calling themselves committee an.
pointed by that assembly to prepare and
publish an address in answer to the protest of
the minority, and i'll support Of the proceed.
inss of the contention" in relation 10 tho
subject of the separation Of Maine from Mas.
sachusetts. The persons thus exercising the
Office OF Committee appear accordingly 10
have prepared Communica ton, which thew
ask leave 10 make 10 the public.
RS This is performance Of considerable
preiersion,-as IT intimates claim to The
character of State paper, ard appears to be
intended for popular effect, il is OF course en-.
titled TO receive the consideration, which il
seems TO deserve. The people, who present
no man tor lucre or malice, nor leave any nan
unpresented for love, fear, favour, affection
or hope of reward, have arraigned The mait..
| ty Of the convention of a violation Fila flss
and solemn duty with which they were ci.aIs,
ed. The convention have placed theuIs IS
at The bar Of public justice by agents duly al.
| tholised to represent them and 10 make Their
| contained 10 the protest OF the minority.
They have put themselves upon the country
by able counsel OF their own choice, and The
manner in which their advocates have dis.
charged the service assigned them, will, form
the subject Of few observations, which will
be attempted TO be made in a spirit, as free
from passion. as frm 10 principle.
Passing over the inaccuracy Of the title Of
the address, by which it would appear, that
the convention was still assembled a, Bruins.
wick, in some shape or CONSTRUCTION, by
committee app oinled for the purposes po-
etical idea, which was possibly intended TO
oe conveyed, and which it would probably
be easy for the committee 10 prove the first
impression, which strikes the mind, with re.
gard TO this singular production, is the extra
ordinary character Of the proceeding itself.
II is replication on the part oil the conven-
ton 10 the protes, Of minority of its members
against the doings Of that body in its official
capacity, in the acceptance Of the report and
The adoption OF the resolutions prepared and
recommended by a committee ,partly compos-
ed oftthe individuals constituting the present
committee, who also as delegates voted in the
s-45s
The power Of protesting is the privilege OF
the minority Ii is the weapon OF the weak
er party. II is the last resort OF unsuccess.
full opposition in the discharge ofpublc duty.
Retiring from an unavailing contest with SUI
perior strength, unable % arrest the progress
or resist tue passage ola measure 10 their o.
pinion improper, hnpolitic or injurious, in Or
der 10 wash their hands of all concern in the
affair, 10 be absolved from all participation,
and leave the responsibility entirely where il
belongs, they barely request leave of Inc as
sembly, ofwhich they are members, to place
upon the record their testimony against the
proceeding. This is natural and proper
mode Of avoiding burden which ought not
TO be borne, it is a privilege, which may be ex-
ercised with permission Of the majority by a.
ny member OF the body, and was probably
never refused when employed with prcpiiety.
To reply to thing Of this kind is altogether
unprecedented and supplementary. II isa
departure from established usage aud betrays
40 ignorance of correct proceeding. pub
Inc body should be above the miserable ambi-
ton Of having the last word. II is beneath
The dignity OF a parliamentary assembly 10
apologize for the legal exercise Of lis au,hor-.
". Il is descending from its lofty station in
The public view TO notice the remonstrance Of
minority, or stoop to indicate a measure
which il correct will carry its own justification
along with it. The truth bears witness Of it,
self. A good cause requires no colouring. A
public body by such an irregular action COM
promits its responsibility. 1t is concession
made to its respect for the minority, which it
denied TO its own sense of character. Such
step shows want Of confidence in its own in
tegriiy. Ii admits the necessity of some ex-
PLANTATION. II maniiests kind of conscious
ness--it implies sort Of internal uneasiness
1t discovers degree Of seasiblity on the
part OF the majority, which COMFORTS better
with the delicacy Of personal honour, than the /.
dignity OF am august pubic assembly.
Nor is the mode OF this proceeding less a
matter OF admiration. This measure so inn
poriant 10 the ~mdication Of its conduct is not
undertaken by the convention itself, but is
LETT to be performed by committee, and
that committee is invested with perfect author
ify TO execute their commission in any man:
ner they think proper. The usual and only
proper mode of proceeding by Committee, is
by report, which is made TO the body creating