The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-06-29


would become.bc humble trumpets of applause
for what they have done. The act which
they have been instrumental IN passing, wants
a cIapper TO make it pass with the public, anu
an explanation very different from its true
meaning to make il acceptable. 1t seems by
the communication signed by Gen. Chandler,
that these people were aware that the act itself
did not carry merit on its own front il was
therefore necessary that these law makers
should sit in judgment on their law and pre-
nounce 1t very good one IN hopes without
doubt, that the people might fall IN with that
Judgment. Perhaps they may, and il trey
should they will certainly be deceived, and
their deceivers will have ali unpleasant &C
count 10 settle with them But is it not a
fair sample of the Brunswick Convention, that
is exhibited in the doings OF the separat ion
members ia relation to toe law which ;hey
have attempted, without the least regard to
decorum, 10 cram down the throats OF the
people, at their late meeting - Boston They
have addressed the people Of Maine, and
'hereswas nothing done at The brunswick
convention that was further from truth or hon
or than the very same address which they
voted, to render their law palatable 10 The
people. They have misconstrued their own
law, & distorted important facts even'at The out
set. indeed to have given il true inlerPre-
tation would have been certain death 10 their
hopes or even haG it been left to the com
mon sense Of the people 10 decide On il.
merits, they would have condemned it as
chapter of SACRIFICES of their rights. Thi
was doubtless apprehended by the members
who got up the address, and hence the reces-
sity Of preaching 10 the people in their own
praise and the praise of their law.
Let us examine some of the assertions tba'
are made in the address to the people Of
Maine. Their introduction is wonderfully
solemn, and is so redundant with pomp, that to
approach it seems TO be approaching an oracle
whose responses are to make the world both
tremble and admire. Here it is, g FsHo5o
Citizens" II is principle resulting from Tie
: free spirit OF our constitution that men IN
power should account TO the people Tor their
official conduct thereby explaining the caus-
es which produced and the consequence
which will probably result from their public
measures and their official acts, and the pro
priety OF this course j. clearly manifest in the |
consideration that under our government ali
men are free and equal, and that magistrates
and officers are but their substitutes and
agents.
Very true, most sage and grave "magis
trates and officers But for what purpose are
you the substitute and agents of the people ? |
Is it to sacrifice their property and then praise |
yourselves for doing it ? You have drawn
comparison between your late law and the |
law Of 10 l6, and conclude that you nave gam
ed much by the bargain. Maine you say IS
10 receive & one third part Of the balance
which may remain in the treasury Of the COM
monweallh after the payment of the state
debts !" But you forgot to mention thai
Maine is to pay one third Of the deficiency Y
the funds should fall short from insuficiency
or mismanagement, and that Maine i 10 bave
no hand in the management OF the funds. Blu
the first great blot that appears on your ad
dress, In the true Brunswick convention-styie, !
is your Interpretation Of the contemplated di !
vision of the public lands in Maine. 1t is here
given in your own language as follows t''.No0
the public lands in the District of Maine are
10 be divided into equal haiUes between the
two states, and not nterStcted, a. before. n
Now for the law on which ibis assertion is
given. Il reads thus =" In addition to the
powers herein before given 10 the said COM
missioners, they shall have full power and |
authority to divide the public lands within the
district between the respective states in equal
shares or moieties IN seveTaltv, having regard
TO quantity, situation and quality they she'll
determine 7gtat lands shall Be Surveyed and d.
Oided. from tia,e to time. The lands are g not
'ntersected as before, says the address. That
i true. and still the idea intended to be con-
veyed is utterly erroneous. 1t is intended that
he people should believe that the lands are
not to be parceled out in lots, but that the
lands of each state should be laid out in two
equal parcels each in connected body. And
he bubble which saves the assertion from
lrect falsehood 10 words rests wholly on the
words = as defore''--'' not intersected as be
'ore !" How then are The lands to he laid out,
md what rule does the law provide on this
head II provides that the commissioners shall
livde the lands equally, and that they shall
determine what lands shall be surveyed and
divided from tame 10 time This settles the
loin as to the manner Of division coniemplat-
ID by the law. Ii is 10 be made in equal par
,els from time TO time as the commissioners
hall determine. And Massachusetts, by the
node of choosing the commissioners. has the
taft completely in her own hands "A majori-
Y of the commissioners, must determine in
what parcels and al what times the lands shall