The Portland Gazette

MR. SHIRLEY,

In examining this subject, I will not inquire, whether the District of Maine has territory enough to authorize a separation, for this is conceded by all, even the most inveterate against the measure. Let us enquire, then,

Firstly, Has she a population sufficient?
Secondly. Has she wealth sufficient?
Thirdly. Has her people intelligence enough to govern themselves, independently of the aid of Massachusetts Proper?

A writer in your paper of April 20th, stated, that, after the failure of the last attempt at separation, "it seemed to be the general wish, that the subject (separation) should not be named again "at least for seventy years."* Charity itself, however, could not, for a moment, suppose, that this writer, himself, expected to be believed by any man living, who had any knowledge of Massachusetts or Maine. Less, than seventy years ago, Sir, viz. in the year A. D. 1749, what is now the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, contained only 220,000 souls; less by 28,705 souls, than the District of Maine contained 9 years ago. In this year, 1749, no state, in what is now called the United States, contained over 100,000 souls, except Pennsylvania and Delaware united. In the census of that period these two states are taken in the aggregate and contained 250,000 souls. Massachusetts-Bay was, then, the most populous of any one state (or Colony) unless at that time Delaware contained only 30,000 souls, which would leave just 220,000 to Pennsylvania, making her equally populous with Massachusetts at that time then, Massachusetts and Pennsylvania were not only the largest states (or colonies) but were absolutely, and without comparison, considered large states.

In the year 1775, at the commencement of the war of the revolution, Massachusetts could not have exceeded. if it equalled, the present population of Maine alone.

In the year 1810, when the last enumeration of the inhabitants of the U States was taken, Maine contained 228,705 souls, which exceeded the population of New Hampshire. Vermont, and several other States of the Union, and fell short only 2000 souls, of the state of Ohio, which is rapidly becoming one of the most populous of the States.

In the year 1800 Ohio contained 45,265 inhabitants, her constitution or frame of government, as a separate and independent state, was made in November 1802 Can any man believe. that had this state remained a territory, she would have increased in population and wealth, as she has done, since her erection into an independent state.

In the year 1810 the District of Maine fell short of Connecticut only 33,237 souls; it is now undoubtedly more populous, than Connecticut. From the year 1800, to the year 1810 that state gained only 10,940 souls; whereas Maine, in the same period, gained 77,804 souls, and admitting, that her gain shall have been in the same ratio from 1810 to 1820, her population, when this latter period shall arrive, i. e. next year, will exceed 344,000 souls. Should she continue increasing at this rate (in case of a separation I verily believe she will) in the year 1840 she will be considerably more numerous, than Old Massachusetts now is.

In 1810 the District of Maine had nine persons to each square mile of territory, upon an average. Then the great state of New-York, highly and justly extolled by the opposition to Separation, as a great and powerful state, had but 15 persons to each sq mile. The great & influential state of Virginia had, at that time, 13 persons to a sq. mile, only 4 more persons than Me. to a sq. mile. N. Carolina, another great state, had 15 persons to each sq. mile. Georgia had no more than five persons to each square mile, four persons less, than Maine to a square mile! Kentucky, but ten persons to a square mile, Ohio but six persons, and Tennessee, but seven persons to a square mile.* Most of these states are among the old thirteen United States, and were all made independent July 4th 1776—the remainder were, a long time before the last census, separate, and independent states— alt ho' much less dense in population, than Maine was ten years ago.

Never was it questioned, or doubted, or even dreamed, no, not by the opposition themselves to our independence, that those states were not, each of them, sufficiently populous to become independent sovereignties, and when they were made so, not one of them was nearly so populous as the District of Maine was ten years ago.

I appeal, then, to the sound heads and (I would hope) honest hearts of some half dozen leaders of the opposition, whether we, the people of Maine, are not, even in their opinion, sufficiently populous to be erected in an independent government? I ask them, as honest men, if, when, twenty years ago, they petitioned the legislature for this very purpose, they did not, then think her populous enough to be formed into a separate state? Then, we had but 151,719 inhabitants; now we have, most unquestionably, double that number. The remaining inquiries will be considered in a future paper.

AN OLD MAN.
Parsonsfield, June 30, 1819.

*Taken from official returns.

In recurring to the manuscript of the communication to which this writer alludes, we perceive this was a typographical error. It ought to have read twenty instead of seventy years. Editor.