The Portland gazette., 1819-03-02

! On Thursday next the functions ofthe fifteenth
Congress VIII cease. 1t is not expected they
VIII be able to do any more than finish such bus
mess as has been partly acted upon-consequent-
| ly the Bankrupt Bill, which has been so loudly
called tor from all quarters must rest at least un
| til another session.
| X rOluti0nary Pensioners After the 4th inst.
the second half-yesrly payment of the pensioners
will become due at Cumberland Bank in this
town, where the ne cessary papers may be had.
We understand that it Is not necessary the ap-
pllcants should be present to receive their paw
on that dag, as it will be paid any time after
wards.
Maine Literary and Theological Institution
| The last Argus complains that g the petition
ofthe Trustees Of this institution has been mega
| tved by both branches ofthe legislature of Mas
sachusetts,' and censures the Hon. Mr.. LEWIS
from this county for voting against it in the SEN
| ate. With respect to the first subject complain
ed of we need only refer our readers to the Jour
nal Of the House in a preceding column of this
days Gazette, and it will be seen that the sub
jeet has been referred to the next General Court
and as it regards the censure bestowed upon
our Senator, would observe that it is very il
liberal and unfair to condemn a transaction Of
| this kind without assigning the reasons which
led him hus to act 1t is not our design in mott
cling the subject at this time to vindcate the leg
islature, lessen the claims which this truly
| respectable class of our fellow citizens NAV be
| thought to have upon that body; for they have
not only our best wishes but if need be. NAV
have such portion of our substance as our lini-
ted means will justify us in bestowing-but it is
for the purpose of entering our protest against the
practice of the Argus in seizing upon this Incl
] 49,
| zens against another. er.-The editor has much to
say about SHE estabhsIed order" and represents
the petitioners as being : dissenters,' who have
contributed to the support Of the literary institu-
tons in this state This like most of the article
| to which we allude, is MERE SLANG, made use of
\ to secure the influence ofthe petitioners 10 aid
! democracy IN her unrghteous cause. We had
| always thought this to be a free country. in
which every religious sect was tolerated and
where erery one might worship God according to
| the dictates of his own conscience. IF we are
correct, what are we to think of those who do
not worship Him at all, undertaking to excite
disunion among christians merely to effect their
unhaliowed purposes +. The following article
from the last Repertory. may suggest some rea-
| sons which operated in the minds of those who
voted against the prayer ofthe petition -
If any thing were surprising in the conduct
of men, who are actuated by ambitious and
party views, it would be strange. that apv
! one in this State, where there is no established
order of clergy. no test, no exclusive priyile
ges given TO one denomination of Christians.
more than to another, should pretend even.
that every class of citizens have not perfect
| liberation in religion; and that all protesting
Christians do not enjoy equal rights and pow
er in civil concerns. Equal and exact Justice
is alt to all. No one denomination eniovs
privilege greater than another. The laws
know no establishment of particular reIi
gious order. Every man s free to adopt his
lown creed and to choose bis own religious
teacher. And every Christian minister in the
Stale stands on the same ground as TO power
and privileges. And if son of Methodist.
Episcopataan, or Baptist (which is particularly
the question now in agltation,) enter any Col
lege 10 the State, there is no sort of distinc-
ton or difference made, in any respect what
ever, between him and the sons of Congrega.
tionalsts, who, in truth, make up the majority
OF the State. 1t is, then, all stufi--it is worse
to pretend, that any one denomination of
Christians is persecned or oppressed. As TO
the late decision in he General Court, on the
proposition TO grant large sum of money. and
large tracts of land, for a new College in
Maine, the only question with honest and i'm
partial men was, whether another College was
necessary in that part of the country; and
whether it would not be more for the benefit
of the whole population to increase the fund
of Bowdon College, already established, SO
as 10 make il more respectable and more use
full, than to have another seminary especial.
ly as that j. proposed to be entirely sectarian,
and exclusive iD its views
In Rhode Island, the College is in the
hands Of the Bap,ists. But no Congregation
alist there complains or asks for new Col
, lege, TO be exclusively for those of his partic-
ular persuasion. So here, as there is no pri-
vatIon, no denial Of equal privileges TO any
denomination, though the College is under
! the government of fCongregationalists there is
no just cause for complaint and, in fact, the
complaint comes not chiefly from those who
it is pretended are oppressed, but from a
few men Of ambitious and party views in pol
itics, and who are determined to leave no
means untried for the promotion of their sell
fish views. JUSTICE.
The Sea,OYi--The long season of mild weather
which we have experiences through the winter
has lately been succeeded by plentiful fall of
! snow thus rendering our market more crowded,
and the facilities for doing business greater than
has been enjoyed during winter. On Thursday
L j