The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1822-02-08

Oh looking To the centre Of territory. Practical
convenience was the test, and that place. which
on all accounts had the greatest number of con-
vcnieaces for the scat of government, should
have the preference.
Ii was said, too, th.t the seat Of government
ought not To be in large and eopulous town ;
but, he asked, is Halowell small place are
no. her citizens rich, is there not wealth upon
the kennchcck, as well as upon the Fore Rirer1
would not the hospitabie doors Of her inhabitants
be opened - freely and their wine be as abundant.
as were those of the Inhabitants of Portland:
most certainly how then shall we mend the
evil OF 'rt'aencr by moving to Haowell? He
was in favour of the report Of the Joint commit
tee, which was large and respectable, and had
been selected, not BY the chair, but by the sepa-
rate counties.
MIR UtAtams was in favor of meeting public
expectation, which was opposed to Portland, as
the permanent seat Of government IL it was not
10 DC the permanent seat Of government, WHY
should not committee be raised to enquire
what was the most suitable place 1t did not,
he said, surprise him, that the gentlemen from
Portland opposed this amendment-for its object
was Ia obtain INFORMATION, and that would most
certainly DC opposed TO their views; as the com
mttee have not power to determine the subject
but only TO report TO the next Legislature, il
was perfectly under their control. One obec-
tIon nave, he said, to Portland, as the capital
Is the additional expense, which has been stated
In aetal by the gentleman from Hallowell; and
II gentlemen will take the trouble 10 compare
lhese calculations they will be convinced that
the state VIII save large expense, BY removing
nearer TO the centre Of population. Gentlemen
opposed TO the amendment admit that Portland
is neither the centre Of population nor territory;
and there seems to be no good reason why ID
should continue to be the seat Of government
1t is said, on the other side that if the captal /,
removed, the state will be obliged toincur the
expense of public buildings, and that they now
ENJOY them free OF expense. | assure the .epjs-
lature, said Mr.. w. that am authorized. BY the
town which have the honour to represent,
(Argusta) that they will furnish the Legislature
with buildings, equally cominodious with those
IN Portland, also free of expense 50 long as they
shall choose TO occupy them. All now ask is
that the subject may be Investigated, and if the
Legislature, after having obtained information.
shall! give the preference to Portland, the people
will, no doubt, be satisfied, and not otherwise
MIR. Parsons said the gentleman had talked so
much OF Incursons of the enemy, and tic mar
chung OF troops, that, during his eloquent speech,
ne almost imagined he saw them approaching.
and begun to think of betaxing himself to the
WOODS TOR safety, and was glad to be relieved
nv hncing that, IN reality, there was no immedi-
date danger. He thought the rentlcman's ar
gurncnt, drawn from the capture of Washington.
operated against him-for had the CAPITAL Of the
United States remained in Philadelphia or New
York. II never would have been taken: il would
have been protected by the dense population in
and surrounding those cities. And besides, if
they could march to Washington, and destroy
the public buildings, he could see no reason WHY
our own should be safe in Haliowell: the sapit-
al IS always IN danger, when remote from pop
ulation.
he seat of government should be in some
large place, and it tends to make. that place
larger. 1t is for the interest of every state tn
have large, rich and commercial town. IT.
makes capitalists, who promote trade, and its
usefulness is extended through all the territory ::
circulating medium is increased and kept vig-.
orous by 1t. Snch place affords better accom-.
modations TO the members of the Legislature.
ana iurthers both their private and public inter:
est.
.ur Fletcher said nc had no personal interest
10 answer on the question bnt he was in favor
OF instructIn5 the committee because he wished
mat the necessary information might he procur-
ed. The whole object Of the amendment was
Na1-'g did "a iIS report OF ms cons
nittee Should not be satisfactory, the Legislature
might reject il. a.
Mr. SPr1gre rose to answer the member from
tdSecomb-hc SID the members of the lee.is,a
ture did not meet 10 transact business of 4 pri.
vate nature, but for the public GOOD: the oucs.
non was not therefore whether they could make
good sPeculations for themselves, but hs,y the
pubic good was TO be promoted
Gentlemen, he said, in noticing his remarks
respecting the capture Of Washington, did not
seem to consider the situation of that part of the
country; and the population in the vicinity Of
w ashington was not a fighting population If
that city had been 10 miles in the interior Of New
England, il never could have been taken. IL an
enemy should undertake to march into the into
rior OF any part of New England they would lind
every valley 7hermopyir, and every hill a
E,nker. Asca port, he said, could be attacked
by fleets. TO which we could oppose such resist.
ance. MIR. :. then read from the report of the
committee OF last year, an extract i'm which Il
was said that other towns would furnish accom-
modatIons for the different branches of govern
ment free of expense.
The question @as then taken on the amend
ment TO the repprt of the Joint committee, hy
yeas and nays, apd were rs follows .f
COG.NTY OF YORK. .s 81
yess-Hobbs, Usher, Hayes of S Berwick-3 :
N1sS--Cenant, Eden. Emery, Hammond, Chase
Moody, Clarke, Sands HAYES, Of Limerick. Fsx.
Scan,inon, Frost and Wood-I3- I'll
COUNTY or CUMBERLAND
Ttns-W ith am. Of Danville-I.
Nogs-Dunlap, Pcrey. Fitch, Sturdivant, Cobb df
lie II