Concord Register

FOR THE CONCORD REGISTER.

MR. KIMBALL—

It is requested you would have the goodness to insert the following in your next Register, and you will oblige a number of your readers.

Having seen in your paper of Jan. 22, an address to the people of the county of Cheshire on the subject of the removal of the courts from Charlestown to Newport, signed by a number of the honorable Representatives from said county, the writer of this deems it a duty he owes to himself and his fellow citizens to make some remarks upon it, as it appears to him that it is calculated to deceive the good citizens of the county who are not so well informed.

It is stated in the address, that the member who presented the resolve in June last for the purpose of the removal of the courts, did it upon his individual responsibility, unsupported by the application of any of the people. The fact is, that in June, 1823, a petition was presented to the Legislature for that purpose, and committed, but was laid over to June, 1824, with other unfinished business. At last June session, the member alluded to waited for it to be brought forward, but it did not appear: Search was made for it, but it was not to be found: which made it necessary for the member to proceed as he did. After the subject was brought before the House by the resolve, the petition made its appearance on the Speaker's table. No one could tell how it came there, or where it came from. There had been a number of petitions for that purpose, but were treated in that way.

It is stated again, that to most of the members it was a new question. If that was the case, the most of the members then in the House had not been there for seven years previous. A member then stated, that it had been a seven years' campaign, and wished it to be brought to a close.

Again they say, "the undersigned forbear at this time, to express any opinion upon the effect which this bill will have upon the harmony and respectability of the county." And well they might forbear: as we now see, by the exertions which they are making, the harmony and respectability of the county is likely to be very much affected, which before was not apprehended to be the case.

It is with regret that we see the reproach cast upon the Honorable Legislature, in accusing that Honorable Body of conducting the business so as none ever was before in the State of New-Hampshire, when it was stated on the floor of the House at the same time that a number of bills of the same nature and importance had passed in the same way. But it was without doubt thought that we little folks, on whom they depend for tools, knew none of these things: and the most extraordinary is, that these Honorable Gentlemen boast that they can and will prevent the Law of the State going into operation. When, my fellow citizens, have we heard such a challenge as this? If our Laws can be trampled under foot, where are we? But we, my fellow citizens, who would never be noticed for any purpose but this, and to vote for them into office, are called upon to assist them. Agents must be employed to tell us how to vote, and what to do; and no doubt they will obtain a large majority of votes, if they succeed, as has been the case, in obtaining remonstrances to prevent the passage of the bill in question, when the same persons who signed petitions for, would shift about and sign remonstrances against: but this is not much to be wondered at, when our great men, some of them, will shift right about and vote to please their constituents for fear they shall be left at home. It is really hoped and believed, that no candid and judicious man will cast a vote either way, for or against, as the long disputed question is put to rest by the proper tribunal, and would remain so, if a few individuals, out of more than forty thousand, would let it rest.

Can any man in his senses suppose, that our Legislature, when they have passed an act, and done it understandingly, having every circumstance relating to it before them, and in the opinion of every disinterested person have done ample justice, and the State been at thousands of dollars expense through the long course it had taken, and when in their wisdom they were sensible that justice would not take place if submitted to the rabble—can they, we say, undo all, to please and gratify a few interested persons? I would suggest, my fellow citizens, the question, if it would not be better to send Gentlemen to legislate for us, who could return and not call upon us to assist them in preventing the Laws they have made in going into operation, and when they undertake to state how matters are conducted at the General Court, they can state facts as they are?

All which is humbly submitted, by

LEMPSTER.