The Portland gazette. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1818-1824, 1823-03-18
To The Electors Of Cumberland District

10 The Electors Of Cumberland District.
A recent meeting Of your fellow citizens as
sembled at Portland from all parts Of the Dis
trict for the purpose Of selecting suitable can
didate to represe Mt it in the next Congress, have
agreed with the utmost unanimity to recommend
| STEPHEN LONGFELLOW, Jun. Esq.
| In making this nomination they deemed that
| they had duty TO 7IerfoIm to the district at
| large, and endeayored TO abstract their minds
/ from all partial considerations They were
! aware that all were 10 be represented, and that
/ the interests Of the whole ought therefore to be
consulted. Actuatcd by these ideas, they con
ceiyed that they could not better discharge that
duty than By selecting the candidate uniting
| tlIe most Of tue requisite qualifications. Having
made this the criterion of their choice, and sat
| sfed themselves i'll the selection, they felt il
would not be doing justice TO the merits or their
candidate to treat il as the property Of party,
or recommend him to the sufrages Of division
OF the community. 1t only remains for them
| therefore shortly to explain the principles upon
which they rest Che nomination..
In placing it on tie most broad and general
grounds they felt an assurance that they should
be supported BY the good sense and right feeling
Of the community. They persuaded themselves
that the period for appealing to its prejudices
was passed away; and that the people regarded
with gust suspicion all attempts to influence their
judgments BY ntaIning their passions. They
were impressed moreover by the conviction not
merely that the character Of their candidate did
not require them 10 resort To eXpedicnts repUg-
nant to their principles but likewise withThe
belief that a rectifed spirit was prevailing in
the public breast that there was an increas-
ing disposition among good men to unite in pro-
noting the public veal and that it was an opn-
ion deeply iiXed in the minds Of the people Of
this district that they had right to 10 represen-
ted 10 Congress By talent and integrity. The
| candidate, who has no merit but that Cf being ID
the political majority, or belonging to patticn-
Tar party, Is not in their estimation possessed Of
the qualifications requisite to represent this in
telligent and respectable commercial and arri-
cultural district in the national councils. 10
one can be considered as compromising his po-
litical principles BY giving his suffrage for tile
best OF his fellow citizens for any public Office
whatever
Believing therefore that they could have Sc
lee ted no individual IN whom his fellow citizens
have greater and more deserved confidence.
this meeting has not paused to enquire, nor did
they conceive il essential to ascertain, how far
their own individual sentiments were ID unison,
nor how far they conceded with those Of their
candidate, on points which have heretofore d.
yided public opinion, but which DO not possess
any further practical Importance. Considering
our own concerns entirely separated from those
OF Massachusetts and being happily united on
most subjects Of internal interest among our
selves, there appears to be no use in any retro
sPection merely for the purpose Of reviying ques-
TONS that are settled or become antquated and
obsolete Circulnstantial varieties Of opinion
naturally existing Cd subjects Of historical ma
ture, foreign to the actual situation Of our affairs
have no material connection with their future
administration, and if possible less than none
with the merits Of individuals and the quaIifica-
tons OF candidates. Such diversities Of senti-
ment only serve on the other Land To test the
confidence Of the community in the superior vir-
tues and talents Of those who have the indcpen-
dence TO think for themselves on all occasions
and to take counsel in difficult emergencies from
the convictions Of duty and the dictates Of their
own consciences. On this subject, in regard to
the political principles Of their candidate, this
meeting dsclaims any difference Of opinion.
The qualifications Of member Of Congress-
are ability, information, Judgment, maturity, up
rightness aud fidelity and where can the pub
lie expect 70 find surcr pledges of these indis-
pensablc qualities than among those examples
OF which they nave had the most thorough and
uniform experience in private life To whom
would they sooner con6de their public concerns
than those. whom they would entrust before all
others with the protection of their property.
their reputation and life, with all their rights on
earth, and the dearest interests of those they
might leave behind them1 If moral worth aud
sterling talent form title to your sufrages they
are secured to Mr.. LoNGFELLow. His course
through life has been distinguished BY principle.
independence, zeal, fortitude and dsiaterested-
ness. His intellectual power is unquestonable.
Ills probiiy and patriotism are unimpeachahlc.
If he has shrnnl from no responsibility, he has
songht no public Office and has never swcrved
from. the sirictcst Integrity. A character, Of
greater elevation. uprightness s purity does not
exist amaag Us. and while one has sacrificed
less TO popularity, there is no one whose virtues
ENJOY more of the undivided affection and esteem
of the community. We have no man, whose
name does greater honour to the State nor who
II his health continues, promises greater future
usefulness to the public. And If party spirit is
not implacablc, If political animosities are not
to be perpetual, s The country is not to deprive
Itself of tho services Of lis best and ablest cti-
zens BY an unrclenting proscrption--its sense