The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1819-11-02


nal Of proceedings was 50 voluminous we were
unable TO give but avery slight sketch Of them
in our columns. We pow present our readers
with two speeches on the subject of the militia
and another on representation. by CoL ATHER-
TON, of Prospect. We might continue the pu5-
LEGATION ofthese speeches-but as they soon
TO appear ina volume by themselves, il viii
better comport with the wishes o. the people
10 have them altogether.
ON THE MILITIA.
Mr. Preadent-I beg leave to call The at
teution OF the members of this Honourable
Convention TO the 5th Sec. Art. 9TH. 1t will
be perceived Sir, by this Section, that aItho'
II seems to papou that certain civil officers
shall not be exempted from military duty
yet sir, ON closer examination it will be
found TO mean only, that such persons shall
not be exempted by reason Of holding any
civil Office, but for any other reason, or ltbout
any reasonihe Legislature may at IFS pleasure
rCreate exemptions. This sir,wili not be denied
10 be the fair construction of dissection now be
fore the convention. Sir, am altogether op-
posed to leaving this extensive power over
such a numerous body of our fellow citizens
in the hands OF the legislature. am opposed
tot, because we have already felt the direful
effects OF the uDrestralned exercise o. this
power by the Legislature of Massachusetts,
II is our business to protect equally the rights
OF all, and 50 to guard them BY the Constitu
ton that the Legislature cannot violate them
without transcending their authority. Sir,
permit me 10 read the long list of exemptions
which now exist in this Stale, and that too
under constitution, which il is expressly de
clared in the bill of rights, . that each ole
shall give bis personal services, or pay an
equivalent when necessary ;-perhaps sir.
not the precise words but their import. (He
then read the list of exemptions.) | shall be-
gin with those officers who enjoy Salaries
Why sir, should they not be enrolled in the
niIltia-why not perform military duty or
pay an equiv lent tor the use and benefit of
those who do II costs the poor and laboring
classes of the community who chiefly compose
the militia, at least IL dollars per ann for
each man-is any ether class OF citizens used
thus No, sir-where then the justice OF it
Why not equalize the burden We next
come to host Of Justices of sbe Peace, no less
than $500! enough sir 10 form an army-aad
sir, for physical strength and for intelligence,
the hiiest subjects in the Stale to I'LL the ranks
of the miiita-Sir, | would COMPEL these
men 10 perform military duty-I would SO
raise the character Of the militia that il should
be considered disgraceiul not to be enrolled
in ii.
am aware sir, that strong claims for ex
enption will be put in by that class of society
called g Friends or Quakers' argu
ments will be produced in their favor on &C
count of supporting their own schools
and their own paupers. But sir, if we go on
TO exempt all those conscientiously scrupu
lous OF bearing arms, what will become OF
our defence
[ believe sir, that every man can take the
cath or affirmation prescribed by this Con
stiutIon with as much propriety as can
Quaker, because sir, all men are coDscien
tiously scrupulous about taking the lives OF
eihers. Yet sir. the state Of society aud the
practices of the world require ii in self de-
fence and for the preservation OF our ri hts
and liberties.
II has been sir, a fashionable Practice, TO
scof at the militia and TO under value their
seTyices--Sir, they have done their full share
towards exciting the character OF their coun
try-Shsll direct your attention TO the events
OF the Revolutionary War-Who but the mi
litis, the poor despised and degraded militia.
won our independence Who in the late
War beat back the British at Baltimore
Who were the conquerors at New Orle ans
Who tWi ice repused and finally defeated the
conquerors of Waterloo 4 answer, the
Militia. The battle was scarcely ended,
when our militia men, were seen passing 20
the battle ground with refreshments for the
British wounded and with that humanity
which distinguishes while it exalts the char
acier OF the generous conqueror, brought The
wounded, under a fire st.Il kept up by the en-
envy, within our own lines. 40 instance OF
heroic gallaniry unequalled in the days OF
ancient chivalry.
Let US then protect the rights of this estima-
bic class Of our fellow -citizens-snd let those
rights be defined in this Constitution. AS 10
exemptions il is our duty to prevent them, and
to compel, The services oil every citizen not
empied by laws OF the United States, or the
payment OF a lust equivalent 10 bf approprla-
led 10 the purpose of unforming and equip
ping the whole militia of the Staie.-To at
tain the objects have proposed move, that
The 5tb Sc. be stricken out, and the follow.
ing inserted.
. No law shall be made by which any in
dividual may be subjected TO the performance