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

9iiouiu ~ NNtIitiiiuCu upoit. " 49,
The rights Of all others. He hoped the amend
incnt would prevail.
.Hr. Leach Of Vassalborough, hoped the a
nendment would not prevail, and that the House
would concur with the Senate lie stated
the progress Of this subject thus far, and sad
that the amendment was proposed merely to de-
feat the object Of the report and il would III
great measure have that ehect-ior II Is des-
troyipg its principal feature. The committee
had reported that Augusta was the most suitable
place in which to establish the seat OF Govera-
ment-the amendment would render that recon-
mendaton nugatory. MIR. Leach spoke SO low
that we could not hear him distinctly, nor catch
the whole of las argument.
.Afr. adams, Of Portland, said he was IN favour
of the amendment, ami for the same reason that
he was before in favour of the postPonement of
the subject. The point has not been presented TO
our constituents, said he, and my reason for a
postponemcnt was, that the people may deter
mine for themselves, after the subject has been
presented to them, whether they are really to
commence making appropriations for the erec-
ton Of public buildings or not HE question
now amounts to little more than this, whether
you will now begin appropriations for your State
buildings-for be assured that when this report
is accepted, the next attempt Will be, and that
soon, to take money from me Treasury for pub
lie edihces. In the convention which framed the
constitution, very large majority determined
on this place for the meeting Of the Legislature
upon tie faith of this v0se, exertions were i'm
mel,atey made here and Accommodations were
furnished to all branches OF the government,
without a cents expence to the State. It was
then believed, that no attempt would be made
for several wears to draw the Government away.
lNh-f NOS bic IN hoo in ha
first Legislature. propositions offered, and ex-
ertiOns made, to have the seat of Government
removed To tie ksnnebec. The House had re-
peatN!ly decided in favour of this town--stll
the subject was pressed and urged at every ses-
sion
The amen 'ment offered by the gentleman
from EdegcOlIrb, mel his appreciation. lie thought
it might put the question at rest for year or two,
and that he ar1enty desired but, sirsad he. am
il favour oft for another reason. There IS no evil
denca before Us that Augusta, above all
other places has pre- eminent advantages for the
seat Of Government Are there not other towns
in Kennebec, lni towns IN Lincoln, and even
in this comfy, that have now and may have
half dozen wears hence, pretensions TO a looa-
ton of the sat Of Government He was not
prepared 70 say that Augusta, IN 1890, would be
nearer the centre If population than many 9th
or places equally eligible with that: then WIN,
asked he, should we legislatc 50 long before
hand, " zen It can answer no good effect. and
IN produce 4 bad one. have another reason,
said Mr.. \. against Designating any place bv
anticipation. | fJresee that the next thing viii
be a demand upon yonr treasury. am. he sail
opposed to giving any encouragement to such
demands; but if once the report is adoptcd. as
il CONES from the Senate, yon put an arrH-
ment into their mouths difficult to be resisted. I
am opposed TO fXirg upon any place until we
are really 70 make appropriations.
.Ir. ,gjtjinns said ~ nnde .tool the gentle
man from Portland, Mr.. T., 10 say we had no
right to lcglsate upon TIE subject 81 long before
hand and one reason be adercd Tor il was, that
what We did could not bind future Legislature.
II that were good argument. s1id Mr.. w. it
would equally prevent our acting upon any sub
iect. NJ Legislature can bind another; every
act which we pass on any subject whatever, nav
be repealed bv the next Legislature. lie thought
therefore this reasoning had no force in il. The
other gcntlcrnan from p, Mr.. A. remarked Mr..
Williams, says that THIS subject had been repeat
ely pressed upon the fIohse, much against lis
wishes. | do not doubt, said Mr. W., that he dis
likes to have the question brought forward it
is against the interest Of himself and bis consti-
tGcnts that the seat Of government should be re-
moved from Portland any thing which shall
n ve tendency to accomplish that object must
be dis2.e sing 10 him but said Mr.. W. the
Interest Of the State ought not to be made sub
scryient % this local interest. III G thought tie
State had sacrificed enough already in meeting
at Portland We have naid $1,000 annually for
meeting here. more than il would have cost ns to
have met al Augusta; and why should We con
tnue 10 incur these expenses any longer
The gentleman from Portland, said Mr.. w. had
named other places about the State Which
might probably have claims TO the seat of
government hereafter, in order 10 produce d.
visions among the friends of removal. He (Mr.
AZ hoped to enlist the feelings of members from
the county CT Lincoln and of Penobscot, by
holding odt lure to them that the scat of gov
eminent might travel into their vicinity: but he
trusted that object would not be accomplished.
He hoped gentlemen would consider what was
the true interest of the whole state, and not that
Of any particular section.
Mr.. adams rose to repel the insnua.ion Of The
gentleman last np, az to the motives which gov
erned him in making his remarks. He utterly
disc aimed all such motives; but he did not won
der that the gentleman shouidhave been alarmed
lest the argument should break lis ranks. II is
true that in 1880 the time proposed for tie re-
nova. Of the seat Of government 70 Augusta.
those very places which the gentleman had ma
med, Wiscasset, Wateryile HallowelI, Bangor
and Brunswick, might come forward with as
mucb-pretenson as Augusta now does. and claim
the location Of the government il is not be
wondered at that the gentleman from A. should
have son1e fear when these towns are mentioned
The gentleman, said Mr.. A., bad stated that a
Swing of $1,000 would be made by moving to
Amrusfa. He said be lad often heard those ronnd