The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-02-04
DEBATES.
SEAT OF GOVERNMENT.


Btcr this subject had been postponed in the
House. to the next Legislature, the papers re-
a;ing &c il were sent for By the Senate, and the
report Of the committee raised BY the resolve
was adopted, with an amen. ment, which extend
e1 the time to 1880. when the scat Of rovern-
ment should be permanently established at
AUGUSTA. In the House this subject was a.
gain taken up BY assignment on Thursday. The
report having been read BY the spe4 ker, Mr..
I Dunap,of Brunswick, occupied the chair pro tenn.
on account of the Indisposi;ion Of the Speaker
the question was stated Ia be on concursing with
the Senate in their amendment.
.Vr. TViltidn,S made a few general remarks in
favor Of accepting the report of the committee as
il was sent down: he slid that since the question
was last agItated, the members had had al oppor-
;nnity to consider the subject and come to a SAL
ist4C tory result upon If and that although the
removal ofthe government to Augusta was post
poned 10 day more distant than he could have
wished still, he was 50 much impressed with The
importance OF fixing some time, when the seat OF
government should be permanently established,
that he would not quarrel for two or three
years He believed that the proper time had
come to legisIate sn the SUBJECT, ana to begin 10
make preparations for an event, which Ill cir
cumstances combined 10 render necessary should
one day occur, in which the seat Of this govern
mert should be permanently established. We
may now, he sail, begin to make appropriations
70 carry into effect the proposition OF the Senate,
SO that when the time they have named shall ar
rive no Inconvenience may arise from the re-
mOyai. Mr. W. stated that the report OF the
Committee raised by the Executive 70 enquire in
10 this subject was entitled TO great respect ;
they had ample means for inform ltion, had
paid due attention TO the subject, and after care
iul examination had reported in favor of Augusta.
This place was near the centre OF popniation.
would be more convenient for the majority of
members and would save an annual burden To
the State. He said there was no reason in hav-
ing the Legislature meet in Portland, and caus-
ing the majority Of members to :.avcI 4 great
distance, when place in every respect suitable
to the accumulation Of the government had been
pointed out IN the centre Of population, where
Tue travel Of members would be equally distribu-
ted. He therefore hoped that the house would
recede from its former vote and concur with the
Sc nate.
.Hr. Uati;ngf5rd rose OF question Of Order.
He wished to enquire Of the speaker what was
the parliamentary Course on a question of this
character. We had, ne said, few DAYS a~o.
postponed the consideration OF tbs subject t. the
next Legislature, and now we are called upon
to concur with the Senate on I question which
would be virtually reconsiierin< the form II vote
La such case, Your records viii Contain mani
fest contradic ion. He therefore would be rlld
to be informed, whether the question before the
House was IN order. whether we should not
irst reconsider the vote by winch the subject
VS. pos Poned.
\ desu.tory Conversation took place on this
subject, sustained 0y DLcssrs. Walhnrford, VII
lia 4. \
Fu,ier. The speaker decided that the first aues-
ton in order was to reconsider the former vote
That question was then put and decided ii the af-
frmaiiye. fhe subject then before the iouse was
on accepting the report Of the committee as a.
mendc1 in tie Senate.
.ur. Parsons rose AMI moved an amendment
the object of winch was, that instead OF this Lee
gisiature's fixing upon Augusta as the permanent
seat OF government, no place should be de,ignat-
Ell thai the Legislature which should assemble
n 1880 should determine the most suitable place
for that purpose. Ia the mean time the Laaisia-
ture should continue 10 convene al Portland
LIS support OF this amendment, Mr. p obsery-
ed that be thought II not only useless, but i'm
proper, for this Legislature to look 50 tar in adj
vance and say, what seven years hence would be
the most suitable place for a permanent seat of
government. The population OF the State, lie said,
was increasing rapidly, and it is impossible to de-
tcrmine, where the centre Of population would
be at that time. it wonid therefore be entirely
wrong TO pledge the State to fix the government
ut Augusta-which, although it might now be in
the centre OF population, Il was not probable il
would be few years from tbs time. He said
the report mentioned Wiscasset as well as Au-
gnsta. he wished not only TO let those towns
stand 10 the report, but also leave the field open
for other places, which might hereafter have IS
good claims TO the seat oil government as August
now may have.
.ur. Todd said the Legislature had jurisslic-
ton prescribed TO il, beyond which ii could not
rass we could not bind a future Legislature
what we may now do cannot bind a Legisla ture
which may assemble in 1921 or 1886. II the
! committee had reported that it was ex pedient to
remove the seat of Government next year, we
might safely pass a law making provisions ioi
Tie removal; but to look forward 10 period o.
seven years, seemed sort Of legislation entire
~ ineApe dent as it was useless. Ii the amend
men, ii the Senate was intended TO pledge tie
State that the scat OF Government should 90 [,
Augusta six or eight years hcuce, the principle
was, IN his opinion, unjust and Illegal, for ii
. taking from towns, which might tlIen be more
contiu., tier claims and privileges. future
Leg is Azure could not be bound bv tie act, and
our proceedings now uFon il were wholly inof-
fectuai. lie was in favour of the amendment
proposed BY the gentleman fiou Edgetomb-- {
. was such IL ough to be adoptc4-justice 10 otL-