The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-06-15

same INTO separate y independent ct1t1- 7
and a'so sgndry memorials against that
measure, beg leave respectfully 10
REPORT
THAT hey haze considered the subject
committed ID then, with that deli5eratiOn
which . moment1us a question deserves. a
question, whether tbs great Commonwealth
shall be divided, and he connection which has
50 long and 50 happily existed, shall be iorev-
er dissolved They sre sensible that nothing
should IL done 70 has.en an event, y ImPor-
tsut and lasting I'D IT. consequences. On the
conirary, 'l1ey WOald gladly strengthen ami
uTomoie onion, which bss, hilnerto, been
1rn5ucGFe Of 81 much good This . not
cue.tioa which concerns the District of Maine
al1ae. but the whole ConmcnW cath TIE
Legislature Of AEasssciuseits are called on to
consent to relinCuish their jurisdiction over
one third Of her citizens. and the largest poT-
ton OF Der territory But your Committee
have not been deferred ~ these cCnsjera-
tions, from ii.tening ~ the prayeral the Petl-
toner. and from RECOMMENDING sHch meas
ures as they deem ia-r AM eXpedient. hOwev
.er they may regret Tie present application
Has he time arrived. when 4 = expedien'-
that the Legislature Of Massachusetts, should
consent 10 the separation a tie District oi
Maine Shall the Ties which have 20 long u
niiej us. be severed. and Maine take her
rank = an Independent State Your Com
miu-e believe q a. Al opinion has long prevail.
ej, 10 al parts of the Commonwealth, thai,at
some future lime this event must take place.
Maine i separated from Massachusetts prop
or. BIZ psrt Of another state. The extremines
Of this District are four bunired miles from
the seat Of government Maine exceeds n
territory most az the States Tier population
j., pro5a5ly, three hundred thousand IN
wealth anj commercial importance, she
would now hold an honorable rank. There Is
great extent OF sea coast, with capacious
bays. and large, nasigable rivers M0Ie th1n
one ninph part 81 he tonnage q the United
States. i now owned ID he District OF Maine
There are immense tracts Of Land. the settle
r,eHt Of which may, perhaps, be better pro-
NOTED by local and independent govern
neni. Tbzse are, probably, some OF the rea-
sons. Of an OpiRicn. now almost universal, that
tie District u Maine must, At day, not far
distant. become . separate and Independent
State auJ tGs, i Is tor the people there, to
decide when il shall take place. The pro-
ceeliaes of former Legislatures, have encour-
agrd The opinion shat Massachusetts, would no
withhold her consent TO separation, on just
and equitable conditions, whenever 1T should
appear to be tire wish of decided majority.
Are then the deliberate wishes Of a majori-
~ of the people IN favor 81 that measure In
May, 1916 pursuant % a resolve OF the LIE
gislature, the question was proposed 10 the
people; and there were in favor Of SePara
ton, 10. 564-Against it, 6,49l.
In September, l8l6,when there was very
fuII vote. the number il favor Of Separation,
was II .e69-AgaiDst il, lO,347.
Although 90 every trial. a majority has
been found in favour Of separation, your
Committee have deiberated. whether they
ought. % soon. to propose the question to the
People again and they wouid not have con
sidered It expedIent. had they not reason to |
suppose that great change.rn public opinion, j
hal taken place. They have endeavoUred 10 /
discover the feelings and wishes OF the cltl- I
gems Of Maine. from all the evidence they
could obtain, and they have sscertained that
all the Senators, and more than one hundred
and ~ eniy Representatives from that District
are in favour OF a separation. and about twen- !
~ Representatives against it. They believe
also, lual he elections were, id great de-
gree, Influenced by this question. There are
before the Committee, more than one hundred
and thirty petitions from towns and districts, [
for separa ion and only I'VE TemohstraDoes |
against H. Many towns opposed to separa |
ton ia 1916, have now sent Representatives \
and petitions 10 iaYor of that measure. Your
committee believe there was general expec- |
tation, that the subject would be brought be- 1
fore this Legislature, and that hose opposed, |
have had an opportunity 10 demonstrate. Shall /
then, all this evidence, arising from va,ioas /
sources, Of change in public opinion favor 4
able 10 separation, pass unnGticeJ By the Leg !
isisture While NE committee would feel !
great reluctance in Recommending any meas
ure. which might be considered ss encO1rag-
Ing a separation, while on the contrary. they T.
would desire tat the union between Massa- \
chu-etts and Maine might he perpetual. they
are constrained to believe e their duty. again !
10 ascertain the deliberate wishes Of the peO-
Die. They believe. that 70 reject 50 many
petitions flowing from all parts q the District.
50 far from having tendency to allsy the de-
sire for a separation, would excite agitation |
and discomfort 1t would become . question
of violent controversies and party cOlnmO-
tioas. Inconsistent with that spirit Of calm in-
ouiry and solemn elaboration. which ought \
10 prevaiI on this great. mPnentOus subject |
Should the consent of the Legislature now Re |