The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-09-14

of his life been in favour Of The measure.
Even most of those who have been al differ
ent times ever 80 siTenuousiy opposed TO sep
aration in fact, have actually been in favour
of it in principie-their specific objections 10
it only relating to the time or extending 10
the teEms--all agreeing almost as one in the
necessity of the measure, and tbst it must
certainly take place some time or other. The
principal, if not the only objections, that were
publicly made TO the separation, in the DIS
cussion of the subject previous TO The late
question, were limited 70 the present expedi-
ency OF the measure upon the proposed con
ditions. If there could have been any ques-
ton as TO the future and final result Of the pro
position, it would probably have added an
immense, il moi an oyerpowering weight to
the opposition.
Upon this subject however the paper drawn
up ia 1903 as petition 70 the Legislature, and
signed by the present Chief Justice Parker
and others, has always been ) sort Of manual
or text book with those who have been in IA
vour Of separation. This memorial expresses
a deep impression, long entertained in Maine
oftbe importance and expediency Of erecting
state. IL declares that this persuasion did not
proceed from any aversion to the institutions
OF The Commonwealth with which there had
been 50 long and happy connection, but re-
sulted from certain natural and inImutable
principles 1vtich unequipocdiiy dictated The pro
praety OF such u measure hat the District
OF Maine ought to become state, whenever
lis population and property should be SUN
Client to render its government respectable,
was stated as self-evdent preposition-one
OF those positions which without the aid Of
reasoning are accredited as truth by every
unprejudiced mind, not requiring TO be entor-
ced by detailed arguments or laboured inves.
tigation.--Alter assuming, that the district
then hada sufficient population for this pur-
pose according to The last previous census, as
we'll as sufficient property according 10 re-
cent valuation, it was declared, s. that terri
tory haU'ng 800 males Of sea coast for one Of ats
boundaries, dle British dosainions for tzvo 9th
ers and the stale Of .Ne1o HomPshire for a
fourth, zvih 10000 Inhabitants, could be &c
Commodated, improved and tnrsched By hdviag
its oun legislature end making its o1ra ia5Ds.
instead Of being distant member OF on
mon~ealh separated from IL By Ae ocean and
By an independent state and territory, could on
ly be doubted By those 7gho hud not paid due
attention 10 the subject"
so strong has been the persuasion upon
which this memorial proceeded, that the very
children of the District may be said to have
grown up in it, Nor had The idea of separa.
ton been confined to Maine and cherished by
party merely bat it had gone abroad
and The expectation had not only been enter
tanned in Massachusetts Proper, corresponding
TO that 10 the District Of Maine but an opinion /
OF the same kind had extensively prevailed in |
other sections OF the United States. The |
subject had been distinctly contemplated in |
the legislature of the nation; and in word, |
il seems to have been generally, ifnot uni-
versaly, taken for granted as necessary
event.
In accounting for the prevalence of this ex-
tensive impression in regard to the final indie
pentence OF Maine, the most obvious cause,
and indeed the principal consideration 10 re-
lation TO it, arises from view of the geo
graphical situation Of the distrct-surrounded
on all sides by the ocean and foreign from.
tier, except where it is separated from the rest
OF the state, of which it forms an integral part.
by the dividing barrier Of another independent
state. The two sections of this commonwealth
have always been divided by distinct poIti-
cal sovereignty, IN the same manner as Ger
many and the Netherlands were from Spain
while those countries constituted one empire /
under the reign of Charles Wy the king |
dom of France. 1t is very true, that such ex-
traordinarv combinations may continue for
considerable length Of time i. but that such
does not endanger their permau-
ence acCords neither with rational refexion |
nor historical observation. That the inter |
sention Of New Hampshire has actually been
productive of any positive serious inconven
fence, especially under the present constitu-
tional arrangement of the United States, is
point, that can hardly have been contended
Tor with any serious pretension 10 good sense
and fairness. Ii has for he most part coca
stoned no more real interruption than river,
q forest or desart otthe same extent-such
as often intervene 70 obstruct the passage
through country-nor indeed so much, az
the roads and bridges continue through the
territory AS good as they are on either side of
u, and no man knows when he is in or out of
New Hampshire except by inquiry.
Thus far perhaps,to be sure. the Circumstance
may have created no solid objection against the
continuance Of the existing connexion. But
still this actual division of Maine from Massa
chusetts proper whether natural or artificial. II
always TO be remembered as a FACT. II is in