The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-04-29

distribution of money from the general gov
eminent spoke emphatically as follows:
"No notice thus far has been taken of any
amount to be received under the act of Con-
gress providing for distribution of the pro-
ceeds of the public lands, inasmuch as cherish
the hope that that law will not be long per-
mitted to disfgure the statute books. Deem
ing it to be in violation of the constitution,
dangerous as a precedent, corrupting in its in
fuences, delusion and cheat in the good it
proposes, prospective burden to the tax pay
ers, and under all circumstances an act little
short of faulty l cannot refrain from recon-
mending the adoption of resolutions upon the
subject, and instructions on your part to those
who are bound to obey you, to exert their
influence to secure its immediate and uncon-
ditional repeal"
The Governor then went on to say that
while the former act in order to avoid the
difficulties imposed by the constitution, as
money, the late law does not adopt even this
poor disguise and is meant in fact as an abso-
lutte gift Governor Fairfield believed this
policy wrong.
Acting upon suggestion of the Governor the
Legislature that year passed the following re-
solve:
Resolved: That the only safeguard of the
liberties of the people, is the rigid absti-
nence by Congress from the exercise of all
powers not expressly granted by the Con-
stitution, or which are not clearly neces-
sary to carry them into effect, and that the
assumption of powers upon loose and vague
implications, is directly calculated to change
a government, intended to be one of defined
limits, into an unbrided and all prevailing
despotism.
Resolved: That we have witnessed with
CONSERVATION and alarm, an assumption of
power in Congress, at its late extra session,
in passing an act distributing the proceeds
of the sales of our public domain among
the States of this Union, subversive of the
principles of our free institutions and hav-
ing an inevitable tendency to transform our
Republican system of government into one
of arbitrary and consolidated powers.
Resolved: That our senators in Congress
be instructed and our representatives be
earnestly solicited, to exert their influence
to procure an immediate repeal of the act
of Congress above mentioned.
Resolved: That the governor be requested
to transmit copies cf the resolutions to the
President of the United States, to the Gov
errors of the several States and to each of
our senators and representatives in Con-
gress.
In 1s43 Governor Fairfield, again abiding to
this matter, stated that there were SIT, 554. 80
due to the State of Maine, from the general
government, from proceeds of public lands.
The governor in this message said: Regarding
the Constitution of the United States as above
all price believing that its infraction would
be poorly compensated by paltry division of
money, l shall appoint agent to receive the
amount said to be coming to this State, without
express directions from the legislature to that
effect"
In 1874 Governor Anderson referred to the
fact that this sum of money due to the State
from proceeds of sale of public lands was still
in the treasury of the United States, and that
unless it was received by authority from the
Legislature it would inure to the benefit of the
general government. Governor Anderson, like
Gov. Fairfield, expressed the opinion that the
money should not be received, and said that
this policy was approved by the people, and
that, "since the universal condemnation it has
received from the people, that but few inteli-
gent men of any party are now found to APP
prove it,