The Portland gazette., 1824-05-04
Gazette
PORTLAND, D,wEDNEsDAY, APRIL .. 1924
GOVERNOR KINGS LETTER

time sIHce, aud having been republished IN sew
eraI other papers, since its first appearance, X,
may, perhaps, he considered remiss in nJticin
passing occurrences, should we pegleCt 20 inser
\ or remark upon this letter Id our Journal
A Gov King was charged with having publiCl,
depressed what amounted to change Of opin
ion concerning the course taken by Gov. Stron.
in regard 20 the employment of the militia du
ring the late war II was moreover stated tina
he had expressed opinions respecting the Mas
sachusetts claim and the manner in which il haG
been managed and prosecuted, as we'll as TO IL
merits generally, ia a way Which induced bin
TO think il necessary to slate under his hant
what he considered the substance OF his remark,
thus reported. The following is the letter tc
4 which we refer.
i The Statesman and Maine Republic b, a
paper printed at Portland, has been pl-ccr
lin my hands this m.rOing by frien1, ~
which nOtrCe statement that in contrt-
sation with Mr.. OTIS ia one Of the Iusuranc
IOfices in Boston, had stated that IN higE
party times, / had acted qtogether from IL
impulse Of party feeling in opoosing ne meas
Hrss Of he federal administration. or this
part of The statement prolcunC every worl
10 be false, as neither on this or any other oc
casiOn, was any such sentiment expressed b,
me. In reply 10 the remark that lgas per-
ttctly satisfied t0th the iustness Of t.l ciajm.
and the prOPriety Of The course pursped b.
Governor Strong during the late Uqr VII
state what | did say, although II viii re-
suit in establishing yours as the correct coura,
20 be observed in regard 10 IL Satesm n.
At the Office kept by MIR. Pope in Boston. fl
teen or twenty gentlemen beng present, +
was asked, | think by Mr. Parker, wha
thought of the situation If the Massachuset'> <
claim. My answer was, ,bat | believed 6ve
eights or FIVE hundred thousand dollars ot
the claim was free from the constitutions
objection, s. stood on the same ground as othe,
claims which had been allowed by the govern
ment and that when this part OF the claim
wasadyocated upon proper principles it would
40 doubt be allowed in like manner as were
| the others.
In regard to the different opinions enter
tanned by the officers OF the general govern
ment, and the executive Of Massachusetts,
stated that il was in my opinion, the business
| Of the President. and not Governor Strong's,
TO decide in regard to the exigency as to the
employment of the miIitis-and further, that
a reqnisition made upon Gov. Strong, for forty
companies OF the militia without their regi
mental, brigade and division officers, was il
my opinion, an improper one, such as believe
had moi heen made on any other executive :
that had il been ac1uiesced in, the men could
not have been detached from the divisien
which commanded without having occasion
ed the resignation of every officer above the
rank Of Captain.
further stated that was not satisfied that
Gov. Strong was correct, even in the case of
a compliance with the requisi ZION m de upon
him for brigade Of the militia for the defence
Of Boston harbor, for that. understood, il was
made condition, that General DeIrborn's
son was TO command the Brigade, or he (Gen.
Dearborn) would not take them into service.
my opinion being that the officers should be
taken from the rosters.
As TO tue business OF that part of the claim
referred to, il was, in my opinion, unquestiun-
able. Thata large amoun' had been expe,-
led within the Division which commanded
which embraced sea coast Of more than one
hundred miles, where there were more than
lifty thousand tons Of shipping, which, togeth-
er with the property Of the inhabitants Of tile
coast, were entirely defended by tue Militia
against more than twenty different attacks o.
the enemy, to cut out vessels aud pluader
other property, without the loss Of any part of
either, and, with very triAing loss ofmen, ano
that this was done with less than one tenth
part Of the expense, that il would have been
effected by troops that would have con
stantly been in pay on the part or the United
States.-Ehat in regard to the misunderstand-
ing between the officers of the General Gov
ernment and the Executive of Massachusetts
during the war. there were measures nc
doubt adopted on both sides which were o
doubtful exPediency; that our people in thi'
section Of the country were not disposed /,
admit this on either side-and as the admis-
sion Of our being altogether in the wrong
placed the claim beyond the possibility Of Leg
islative allowance, | considered Il doubtful, a
least, ifsny thing at present would be obtained
This conversation was not with Mr.. OTIS
who did not come into the Office until nearl,
or quite the close Of it. appeal to the gen
tlemen who were present If this is not cor
rect statement Of all that was said on the oC
casion, and to the public if an editor who Il
habitually inclined to misrepresentation
either deserves or should receive the public
patronage. WILLIAM KING.
! We did not think il of sufficient importance I,
the community to be informed that Governo
King, ike many men Of distinction in our coun
A
opinions, or that he had at one or more period
OF MS political life acted under the influence q
lparty spirit. II must have been too well under
stood by those who have witnessed the politica
revolutions OF the last Eve and twenty wears. 4
require any illustration or enforcement from hi
Town explanations orof those who may have hat
opportunities for gathering his remarks Nordt
we apprehend that the opinions u Gov Stron.
and those whom be consulted in forming them
lean be greatly fortified BY whatever aid can b
lderived from the adhesion even Of 20 formidable
Ian opponent as Gov. King has been.
The political principles and measures Of iha
lgreat portion Of the American People,who witt
Washington at their head carried into 0peratior
Ia new system of federative government with
Success unparalleled 10 the annals Of nations
have now become matter Ofhistory; aud ihos,
who have contributed to its support have moth
ing 70 fear for their future fame While IN thei
hands The government was administered n
manner so advantageous 10 every class Of Il
citizens that those under whose direction Il wa
afterwards placed could End no room for altera