Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

ANOTHER COUNTRYMAN.

TO THE CITIZENS OF OXFORD COUNTY,

You will permit one of your number to call upon you, as you regard the best interests of Maine to come forth on the first Monday of September next, and express your decided opposition to the Separation of it from Massachusetts. On a question of so great magnitude & pregnant with so many evils, it can hardly be possible that any man should be inactive; still so influential and subtle is intrigue, so persevering is ambition, that it, in a peculiar manner becomes even those who seem to stand strong, to take heed lest they fall.

The last effort, the final struggle is about to be made. Office seekers are aroused. Their interest is at stake. Failure would deprive the world of an enormous mass of talent, and many great characters of bread. Success would doom the district of Maine to suffer the greatest evils, without the remotest probability of a beneficial result.--To snap asunder the ligament that have bound together this great and respectable Commonwealth, to give up the protection of its excellent constitution, to relinquish the privileges of its wholesome and salutary laws, with no assurance of equivalents, but the deceptive professions of ambition and interest, are hazards which ought not to be run, without great consideration.

The people of Maine ought not to abandon their present happy civil connexion, without asking themselves seriously whether they are to gain or lose by the event. The unambitious, tax-paying citizens of Maine have nothing to expect, nothing to hope by a separation from Massachusetts. They are happy under its government and laws. They feel no evils or none in fact exist. Had not the question of separation been agitated until it had been started by those who need and enjoy the benefits and protection of government and who are to contribute to its support, it would have slumbered for ages.

The question however is brought forward and it becomes us to meet it upon the merits, divested from party feelings. In doing this two questions naturally present themselves. Will our government when separated be less expensive than while united? will our new government be as good in itself and as well administered as the present?

In reply to the first question it may be observed that we pay but about one quarter part towards the support of our present government, and that we constitute about two thirds of the territory of the whole state, over which it is necessary to have public courts pass, and public officers placed. Can any one rationally suppose that over this territory we can support the whole government at a less expense than we now pay to Massachusetts.--It is confidently believed not.

Still the friends of separation contend that our taxes will be lessened. Assertion however is one thing and fact another. To speak is one thing, and to speak truth another. But we have a case in point, that will serve to show us that small corporations and small sovereignties are more burdensome than large, and at the same time will show us how much confidence is to be placed in the declarations of men ambitious to carry favorite projects--Some few years since few individuals who now belong to this county, thought or pretended to think that it would be less expensive supporting the county government and transacting county business if we were set off from York and Cumberland, and erected into the county of Oxford.

There were men enough here capable doing county business.. We became a county, and the result is that our expenses have been more than doubled. We have not derived correspondent benefits, With a few exceptions we should be heartily glad to be as we were--So it would prove were we to become a separate state. The result would as unfortunate.--The pretences of men would found as false and futile. We should lament or change as sincerely--In future papers, I will pursue this subject further.

OXFORD.

July 25th, 1816.