Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1816-11-19

IL is zpeu k,soun to be the invdrta5le result q lie.
e1slatice scrutiny to produce The greatest redac-
ton oflhe largest number Of uotes. The Con-
vention at once adopt a.principie anu estab-
lish its operation.-This is neeromancy with
a witness. 1t is cutting the Gordian knot in
good earnest, and giving an audible answer
to late exhortation in their own paper TO
sunder the ties that unite US to Massachusetts.
This is recognizing no rule but the will oil the
convenion--no right but that OF Power--no
law but that of nature. II shews, that they
are 10 be restrained by no limits, to be regu-
lated by no considerations but their own su-
preme and omnipoten, principle Of : strict
and rigorous scrutiny" Wiat this in,tru-
ment would be in their hands, there can be
no doubt. They distinctly declare them
selves what the effect would be, viz. to give
the 8. requisite majority,'-lor what pur-
pose ITO separate the district from the
state. This is adopting in its full latitude the
machiavelian maxim, that the end iustihes the
means. But in what country or at what Pc
Rod do we live to hear this language? One
would suppose, that the convention was IN
vested with arbitrary authority, or be led to
conclude that we had fallen upon a period
whefe there was neither light nor liberty, and
that there was neither intelligence in the peo-
pie TO discover usurparion nor spirit to resist
oppression.
The most musical Part of this communica-
ton, is that which relates to the question OF
consent. The state of the case is this. Mas
sachusetts was willing to give her consent to
separation upon certain terms, provided we
could get our own In the first place, we ASK
ed her leave TO let us say, whether she should
be requested, TO give her consent to the sepa-
ration. That matter was settled in May. We
concluded by & majority OF about four thou
sand" to request it. She then gave it--not
absoIutely-but upon certain conditions, which
our wise senators aud representatives at bos-
ton did not think it would answer for US IN
prudence to accept, unless we should agree to
them by not mere majority, but majority
OF five 10 four of The votes upon the question.
Accordingly we tried that question, and could
not agree to accept them, by that proportion
There one would have thought the business
ended. But not is contended, that we have
given our consent, and Massachusetts has moth
ing to do but to confirm hers. It seems to be
admitted therefore, that our own consent is ne
cessary and when let il be asked was 1t CIV
en- An act Of that kind is capable OF being
ascertaned clearly and without dispute. Did
we give il in May :. No--sce srsre cunning
We only requested Massachusetts to give hers,
and reserved our own legal right, for our
ultimate determination. We thought VI
would be time enough TO give our own consent
after we had got hers. Ii would be time e.
nough TO leap, when we got to the ditch. We
knew there was bargain TO make aud some
preliminaries to settle, before we could agree
to be separated.-Did we give our consent by
C the election OF a majority OF two 10 one OF
the senators and representatives IN favour OF
separation" Corporate msjoritieS OF two 10
one are no better than those OF i've to four.
Aad what authority had any corporations to
act for the District of Maine? Those persons
were elected as Legislators in the ordinary
manner. Ii they were authorized TO act as
delegates for US in this behalf, their commis-
sons can be produced.-As to the major
i,y of ballots and delegates in September, :
that is out OF the question, except upon the
very plausible and rational constfuct'on,of the
ac; adopted by the committee. Even they
do not contend that a bare majority was sufli-
cient-nobody but Mr.. Widgery maintained
that--yet upon their construction mere ma.
jor,y Of one might satisfy the question; aud
they say therefore that they will ask advice
OF Massachusetts, whether we have not given
our consent, and at the same time ask her to
give hers again. Passing over the agreeable
playia!ness with which they contrive 70 glide
over the solemn fact, that the last vote was
given with full understanding that majori-
ty OF FIVE to four was NECESSARY, and where
the Sc Undersigned are also careful to omit
the res, OF very strong and conclusive argu-
ment--it will be sufficient to notice very
curious attempt 10 produce change OF the
question by creating confusion OF ideas,
They say s. the constitution OF the United
States requires the consent OF the Legislature
before congress can admit US into tine union,
and that ai.s consent is within the discretion OF
the Legislature to grant or refuse Undoubt-
eddy ii is competent for the Legislature TO give
the consent required BY the constitution. But
that is its osga consent, not ours. The legls-
laiure may give the, consent without any re-
gard 10 US, or our five nnihs. But still there
IS our own consent to be sot--for it takes two
sides 10 conclude contract, and lhe constitu-
ton does not authorize the legislature to con-
sent for u.s. Our own consent is yet to OBJ
A A. AZ l. to. n Lar