The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-10-05
ORIGINAL MISCELLANY.


Memorial ofthe President and Trustees fthe
Peace Society Of Maine, 10 The President Of
The United States, against ds practice Of Pr
catering.
TO THE PRESIDENTS FTHE Z. STATES.
The Peace Society of Maine, in pursuit Of
the great object they have IN view, most res
pecttulIy solicit your attention to a subject,
which, in their opinion, is interesting and im-
portant in IFS nature and consequences. Your
memoralists are impressed with a deep and
grateful sense Of the unnumbered blessings,
which heaven has bestowed upon the country
whereby Il has become distinguished among
the nations Of the earth for its privileges, c'Ud
and reIigi1ls-lts laws wise, n,iId and equal,
and It's institutions moral, social and humane,
While viewing these, they with confidence n
dulge the hope and expectation, that every
succeeding year will furnish new proofs Of
disposition among rulers and people to mutt
ply and perpeIuate these blessings by cher
ishing virtuous principles and pacihck feel
ings-by abolishing those practices, whose
influence i preiudiclal 10 society and dl
minishng the number of those examples, which
are but TOO powerful in misleading me young,
aud endangpring the virtue Of all Your me
moriaIsts are persuaded that the PEACE Of
the country is one OF rs richest blessings, and
essential 10 its permanent prosperity anu
happiness. 1t Is therefore the duty, as we'll
as the interest of all, to use every laudable
endeavour 10 preserve ito lay lis iounIa
tions as deep and as firm as possible IN reli
gious principles and humane feelings Your
nemorislists are cou3cledtiously opposed to
ofeasive lyar, il all lis forms. They consid
er it as contrary TO the spirit of the Gospel OF
! Peace. and as the greatest dsturber and des
troyer Of social happiness. They rejoice in
| behoidng those measures, which have been
recently adopted, with view Of eventually
! banshing this scourge from the earth. But
though this happy event may be far distant,
| anu wars ID the meantime continue TO spread
desoiaiion and ruin, your MemoriaIists believe
| that many OF their painful consequences may
be prevented. They are therefore anxou,
that all temptations 10 ear, 50 far a. honor and
safety will permit,may be removed or their
peInicious tendency controlled. 50 that il
war must again be our portion, lis horrors may
be iessened and the 1eretchedne,s as we'll as
the destruction OF the unarmed and Inoffsnsive
may by all practicable means be prevented
With these convictions, your MemOrialIsts
beg leave to submit 10 your considerations
their sentiments, their hopes and their 5cishes
N the subject Of PRlvATEERING IN THE TINE
OF WAR; being persuaded that a correction o.
public opinion and usage III this PARTICULAR
would essentially conducc to the good of So
ciety, and the improvement OF morals, and
essen the calamties OF war, by banishlng
from its family Of evils, one which IS as per
nicious as it is distressing our M5morialists
are sensible that sudden changes n regard "a
this mode of warfare are not % be expected,
nor in the present state of the world, might
4 be deemed prudent that they should be
made by any single nation, while others per
sIst IN the prevailing usage. improvement
! and amelioralion nust be gradual. Errors IN
( opinion must he CORRECTED by degrees, aud
conduct will then be cOniorned to the better
| judgement of mankind 1t IS pleasing to look
back to other times, and observe the changes
which public opinion has undergone, as to the
/ mode of prosecuting Wars. Among the more
! civilized nations. poisoned GrrOs0S, or poisoned
cutters are no longer employed for the pur
| pose Of ANNOYANCE or Observation-Disclosures
are considered as fellow beings and instead
OF being barbarousy put to The sword, in cold
| blood, are now treated with humanity and
| kindness, and by regular exchanges restored
10 their respective countries and iriends-The
wanton destruction OF private property is Sc
! verely condemned, and car Upon The land is
now, generally speaking, what it always
should be-the mere Struggle of army with
4 ar@y-mthtary force, with military force !;
! while the indrmed and noncOmGatdn,S are per.
! United to pursue their accustomed employ
mens, uninjured and unmolested, unless bv
the necessary ravages Attending march,o the
desolaiiop, OF baltle-Your MemoriaIlsts
would respectfully uire, why princi-
pie and practice SHOULD be adopted in The
prosecution 81 cur up0a The ocean different
from tho,e which prevail upon tuad F? Why
in the former case the hand Of violence should
re licensed ~ the government 10 commii
dePreda''ors on prirute property, aud multi
ply The mj~erie~ Of The Industrious, peaceGJIe 4
}ejeasciesS : 10 belray the unsuspecting mer-
chant, anu obtain, perhaps bis i hole fortune
by artHIce AMI false pretences, and then III
umph over lis credIliiy and his rum While
in tie latter case, neither the usage of the
government, nor The sense and feeling Of HE
community, authorize Or approve OF similar
proceedings Nay, 50 lar from authorizing
or approving ol such violence or stralagem, Il
has become The laudabe custom, for the IN
habitanls being near the line, dividing the ter
itories OF tie nations at war, 10 pursue their