Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1840-10-22
AN APPEAL
TO THE
People of the State Of Maine
TO THE

fcOplG OF the State Oh Maine
BY PORTION OF THEIR FELLow-cITrzENs,
FROM WHAT is STYLED GAN ADDRESS
OF THE DEMOCRATIC MEM
BERS OF THE LEGISLATURE TO
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN
THE STATE OF MAINE"
When the Representatives of the People
travel out of tie sphere Of their duty. it is
time for the People themselves to awaken
to a sense of their danger. Free discus
sion and the freedom Of the press, when ev-
cry thing that emanates FRONT is open alike
for all, are the securities of our rights and
liberty. Let US watch these two sources Of
information that they neither become cor
rupted by venality or polluted by misrepre-
sentation. Party newspapers are privil-
eyed vehicles, where it is expected the
writer's will retort upon their adversaries
and defend their friends from injurious as
pensions, in language and by statements fit.
ted for the present occasion, rather than
selected for elegance of expression or cor
rectness Of opinion. But even IN party
newspapers, the public expect some
show of fairness. A misstatement when
pointed out is required to corrected,
and if decorum of language is not observed,
the salutary operation of'publc opinion will
come in as a corrective. Errors there are
in reasoning and in fact--ths the public
are prepared for. But it is different affair,
assumes another aspect, when the express
sions of party newspapers, and the false
facts circulated by negligence or from par
~ malice by one paper and copied into
another, are embodied into an address,
printed in secret, bearing the names Of a
majority Of the State Legislature---deliber-
ateiy appended in the order in which they
are called over by counties, with the names
of the President Of Senate and the Speaker
of the House OF Representatives at the head
Of their respective branches. Such doc
ument, and such procedure, demand a
consideration which does not attach to the
usual political matters of the day. In this
light, an appeal to the People of this State
is taken, fror1 this address to party.
This extraordinary document begins with
the following statement--"The result OF
the late election, has been, to all of US, a
source of modification and chagrin. 1t
was as unexpected as it has been disas-
trous, and affords another proofthat eternal
vigilance Is the price of liberty. Rep;n-
ing, however, is useless, ihaction criminal
inthose who have the power by future ex-
ertions to make amends fo- the past" To
this no one can object. This is what in
the language of the day is called "defning
their position" 1t proceeds-"with a
candidate of eminent abilities, tried patri-
otism and acknowledged worth, let us I'M
der the broad bannerIof democracy. enter
upon the great contest for November think
ing only of the victory to be achieved
Permit two or three reflections upon the
above period, which assumes such a
rotundity of expression that it is difficult
to handle, and almost defes analysis. 1t
may be supposed that by Candidate
Martin Van Buren, is intended; but his
name had not been before used; and in an
address OF six pages to the supporters of
Van Buren,, his names occurs only twice.
This may be accidental and not studied
omission. If these gentlemen are salts
fed with his "eminent abilities &c. no
one can have anything to object TO their
tastes or judgement. The .'banner of de-
mocfacy" must indeed be broad if they
can fight under it with him for leader