The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1820-03-21
PAYABLE YEARLY.

plants. and an expression Of hope Of - refor-
nation of public opinion" and that our brethren
in the South " will have seen that the great and
essential interests Of the people are common to
the South and TO the East,'' and caution a.
gainst /" checking these fag orable tendencies"
we find these sentiments
Finally, IL the Union be destined to dssolu-
ton by reason Of the nliplied abuses Of bad adj
minisrations, it should, if possible, be the work
| Of peaeeable times and deliberate consent. Some
new form Of confoderacy should be substituted
among those states which hall intend to MAIN
| tain a federal relation to each other. Events
| may prove that the causes Of our calamities are
deep and permanent. They may lie found 10
proceed not merely from the blindness Of preju-
dice, pride Of opinion, violence Of party spirit, or
the confusion OF The times, but they may be ira
ced to implacable combinations Of individuals or
of states, TO monopolize power and Office, and to
trample without remorse, upon the rights and IN
! terests ofthe commercial sections Of the union.
Whenever it shall appear that these causes are
radical and permanent, separation, by equtta-
bic arrangement will be prefera lie 10 apRllance,
| by constraint. among nominal friends, but real
| enemies, infamed by mutual hatred and jealous
les, and inviting by int slime divisions, contempt
and aggressions from abroad. But ssrernnce
| ofthe Union BY one or more saies, ngGtnss The
will Of the res. and especially IN f'nt 81 'rar, can
be just.fed only by absolute necessity. These are
among the principal objections against pree'p,ats
n,sosures, tending TO dsuits The ssdtes and, chen
Examined in connerion scih TIE farewell oddress
cJhe Father Of h's Country. they must, It ~ De-
iitrsd, be deemed eonciustrs.''
One clause more shall be here quoted
!" With this view to defence they suggest an
arrangement, which may at once be consistent
with the honor and interest of the national gov
| eminent and the security Of these states. This
it will not be difficult to conclude, If that sovcrr-
4 .tsA0 IL H. H. ~ ~
these states might be allowed TO assume their
own defence by the militia or other troops.
reasonable portion, also, Of the taxes raised in
each state, might be paid into its Treasury, and
credited to the United States, but to be apprepr.
ated to the defence Of such state, TO he account
ed with the United Ststes.-No doubt is enter
tanned that, by such an arrangement, this por-
tion Of the country could be deien ded with great.
er effect, and in a mode more consistent with &c
economy and public convenience, than any which
has been practised. Should an application for
these purposes, made 10 Congress by the state le-
& stature, be attended with success, ard should
peace, upon just terms, appear TO be uuattana-
BILE, the people would stand toge ther for the COM
mon defence, sntil a change of administration, or
Of disposition In the enemy, should facilitate the
occurrence OF that auspicious event."
Is il not natural here again to pause, express
astonishment, tina, the trainers Of An address con-
tanning these propositions should be obnoxious 10
the charge Of a plot to separate the states, or .
willingness to embolden the pretensions and adj
vances Of the enemy? These sentiments (Which
are by no means the only ones Of the same bear
ins) are, indeed, coupled with many others Of
glowing expostulaton and indignant complaint;
but among them not sentence Or line adapted
to impair the fall force of the admonitiops to
union and defence. Ia short, it may justly be
doubted, whether there be any document extant,
except the Farewell Address of Washington, in
which the vital Importance OF the Federal Union
is more seriously incucated than in the report Of
that Convention, whatever may be its dement's
in other respects. In one view, perhaps, II was
destined TO make even deeper impression ON
those to whom II was addressed for, though the
valedcton Of the Father OF his country was con-
ceived in terms Of unrivalled pathos, and his
warning voice was that of an angel, while the
Deputies at Hartford spoke only the language of
plaie men yet he could only prophecy Of the fu-
ture trials which awaited the disciples of the Fed
eral faith. But the Convention, BY aluding to
the address Of Washington, enforced the virtue
and duty Of stedfastness to its principles upon
those who, smartng, as they imagined them.
selves, under vexations aud sufferings ensuing
from tae operation of the Federal constitution,
were more exposed to the suggestions Of scepti-
cisn and the pulse offeeling. The publication
Of the report Of the Convention produced the i'm
mediate effect of calming the public mind
throughout New England. Its friends were sat
isfed with the correctness of the course prescrib-
ed, and its advsrsares generally reconeiled to its
moderation. few only were filled with rrita-
tion and bitter disappointment, who, having
Toasted the expectation that their political ep-
ponents would resort 20 some desperate extreme.
ana persuaded others to fear what themselves
hoped, have never been able to forgive the Con-
venton for battling their calculations. II 10 in
The recollection OF all that this report having been
accepted, agents were deputed from some Of the
states, with instructions TO attempt to make the
with the general government, in re-
gard to the employment Of local troops, and the
means Of supporting them, that was therein pro-
posed. But their principal object was anticipate
I'd by Congress, in the enactment Of the law
heretofore quoted. This and another act which
mad passed the Senate. providing for tho payment
II the militia already employed by the several
'tates, land which it was presumed, would have
passed the House, had peace been delayed,) en-
raced the most material objects of that mission
Ind would have tended greatly to appesse the
discomfort Of New England, in the further pro-
,ress the war.
ONE OF THE CONVENTION.
'lhe first section Of this act proyides,-"That
he President Of the United States be, and he
hereby is authorized and required to receive into
the service Of the United States any corus of