The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-03-21
An ADDRESS
TO THE PEOPLE OF MAINE.

deem il proper 20 untold to YOU. some OF the
considerations which have governed Us, in the
late struggle to make the admission Of Maine
;nlo the Union. depend on The unconditional
admission Of Missouri also. This is the first
attempt. that is remembered in this govern
mep,. bearing any analogy to any thing OF
this kind The laws OF legislative body are,
commonly, in part, a, least, The result OF usage.
In tn, country there is certainly no usage 10
warrant The procedure in question. II there
were il would ,cl be the less reprehensible in
no,nt Of principle. There are here, none of
he reasons for such course, which may be
supposed 10 exist in other countries.
In Great Britain the legislative power Is in
the hands of three distinct and independent
branches; having Interests offering from, and
onnosed 10 each other. There ii may often
be proper to struggle for the acquisition or the
preservation of power, in order 10 promote The
interests of particular branch or class OF The
people. The crown might struggle for its
nriyileges-ihe mobiles for thers-and the
commons for theirs.
In tbi. country ii is otherwise. The Pres
;den,. the Senate, and the House are, all, The
creatures and servants, merely, Of the people !;
and neither can have any other legitimate
view than TO the promotion Of their interests.
Wheueyer, then, we behold in this government
struggle, in which there shall be other than
an open, liberal, and ingenious course adopt
ed there must be something wrong; some
thing thai no man Can justify.
In the intercourse between The different
branches Of Legislature, constituted like ours,
there should be the uimos, liberaliy and
nothing on the part OF one thai should imply,
in soy degree, a want Of confidence in the
jsst;ce, Eberali;y, and virtue Of The other.
When the Bill for the admission OF Maine
into the Union. was first discussed, al an early
period Of the session, the honorable Speaker
OF the House ayowed his opposition 10 the
admission Of Name, unequivoeaIly, until Mis-
souri, should have been admitted, with the
privilege Of continuing the increase Of the
slave holding population; and alleged tina,
thi, jealousy Of power on the part vi The south,
was justified by similar Jealousy on The part
OF the north, manifested in the admission OF
Kentucky. He alleged that Kentucky had
been ken, out Of the Union eighteen months,
waiting for Vermont to be admitted, as a
counterpoise in the scale Of the Union. This
piece Of history he stated as having been
handed down by tradition, and derived from
sources ON which be could confidently rely.
Tire same facts were again asserted, subse-
osently, by an honourab!e member (GorernoI
Barbour, of Virginla) OF the Senate. On ox.
animation, this precedent turns on, net 10 have
had the slightest foundation IN fact.
Kentucky experienced no delay or oEPcs'
ton on her application for admission, from sag
quarter whatever The FIST, and only petition,
she ever presented for admission, was com
uunlcaed by the President CT the United
States. on the 9Th OF December. 1890. a
Bill was introduced ior her admission, in the
Senate, by a member OF that body from New.
York. on the 81 Of January, 1891. and finally
passed that body on tie 18th; aud the House,
on the 28ih of the same month. Vermont did
no, determine 10 accede 10 the Union TIL The
18th, nor apply fer admission till The latter
pat Of the same month, and no Bill was in.
PRODUCED into either House Of Congress TO,
her admission, unlil the loih Of February,
followiBg-some weeks after the Bill for the
admission Of Kentucky bad passed both
branches. In the petition for the admission OF
Kentucky, she prayed that she might be per
miited 10 become state after the FIRST Of
June, 1893. And this was in conformity 10
the act OF the Legislature Of Virginia, giving
Der con.ent that Kentucky might become a
state after that period Congress had not the
power 10 say that she should be admitted be-
fore iba, time. Not the slightest opposition
appears, either in the journals Of Congress, OF
the newspapers Of he day, To have been made
10 her admission. This impu,siIon upon The
people Of the north, therefore, is wholly IN
sustained, and furnishes no precedent for such
procedure, a. has been attempted IN relation
10 Maine.
This obstruction 10 The admission OF Maine,
has in it no uncomfortable degree OF incon.
sislsucy. 1t might well have been expected
10 defeat il at present and for many years 10
come. Yet all agreed tina, Maine was en-
titled to admission. The faith Of the govern.
inent had been pledged for it. An act was
passed at the last session, concerning The
coasing trade, yirsally saying TO Maine,
" Ask admission aud you shall receive H."
Those who have noticed the proceedings Of
the last Congress know ihs. il was introduced
into the Senate, and advocated in both Houses
with this declared object Ii bad been seen,
that, as the law had before stood, il formed an
insuperable obstacle, on The part OF Maine, TO