Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-09-03
How to prevent the Repeal of the
ROUNTTES

Inc next enquiry IL was the duty OF tne COM
mittee to make, regards the best of prepent-
ing the abolition Of the bounties so necessary to
our prosperity. We think something may be
done by uniting in rcmonsrances to Congress
| against it. 1t may not change the determination
of the party that is bent on repeating them, but
we ought not to remain silent on the subject
The only efectudL means of preventing it, it APP
pears to us, is through the ballot 6oges. If we
would not lose the bounties, we must not vote
for any party or set of men who have manifested
a determination to abolish them. All classes of
people support those only for office who Will pro-
tect their interests and none knowingly vote for
party which is opposed to their interests.
When the fishermen at Portsmouth voted last
fall for the Van Buren, candidates, claiming to be
democratic, the New Hampshire Gazette, as we
have seen, claimed it as evidence that they could
abolish the bountes and still hold on upon their
votes and thereupon came out boldly and advo-
Gated the "immediate repeal" If we are fools
enough to continue to vote for such men we
must expect to lose the bounties; we ought not
to expect any thing else, and cannot. Indeed if
we do cote the bread out of our oacn mouths, we
shall deserve to be robbed of the bounties and all
other protection from the Government.
Why should we suffer ourselves to be bound
hand and foot by one political party or another,
SO that we cannot have the liberty to consult our
own interests in voting for public officers' When
we become so blinded by party prejudice to
suffer any party to cheat us out of our common
sense and common rights, and to lead us WHEREBY
es they please against our own best interests, we
are no better off than the slaves of the South;
nor SO we'll off for they have masters who provide
for them and their families, but m aste,s more
unfeelng, after using for their purposes, leave
us to get along as we can. Whether our wives
and children get any thing to eat or not, is a
matter of no concern to them after their party
purposes are secured If they can, by our votes
~ ,t,4. ~
for US?
Other classes Of citizens are allowed to vote as
their interests dictate !; and are we alone COM
PEELED to vote against ours? And when we have
served our masters and done their bidding, they
apply to us in Congress and before the world, the
sneering appellaton of ''these hook and line men
who hardly dare to creep out of harbor!
1t is high time TO break the chains that design
ing party men and Custom House officers have
fastened upon US, and act like rational men and
freemen who have some rights and some inter-
ests worthy of being protected by the govern
ment. Party names are nothing. Wing and
democrat are nicknames which parties assume.
The poor man, the laborer, the fisherman, the
farmer should be blinded to their highest interests
and mised by party Names All parties in this
country are Republican, though they differ On
the subject of the fishing bounties, and some
other questions.
In selecting men for office, the question should
be, not what party name they bear, but what are
their principles, and whether they belong to a
party who is for protecting interests and pro-
noting our prosperity, or to party whose leaders
are for taking away the protection which the
fishing interest has enjoyed for more than forty
years.
Your Committee cannot forbear expressing
their conviction, that the whole question of re-
pealing the bounty laws, depends on the result OF
the coming elections. From a full and candid
examination of the subject, we deem it perfectly
certain that if the VAN buren, party of which
Mr.. Benton is principal lender, prevails, the
bounties will be abolished. If the HARRISON
party should prevail we cannot doubt that our
interests will be protected.
In the election of Gen. HARRISON, it is crafty.
ing to know that we shall have for President an