any thing that they should think would be of Advantage to the County in General should be propos'd to your Honors in whose Great Wisdom they Altogether Depend Equally acquainted with the Sentiments of the Inhabitants as well as the Situation of the County. We beg your Indulgence while we relate a few facts this new County that is proposed will Extend the distance of One hundred and twenty Miles Interspersed with a number of Islands those as well as the Main have but few Inhabitants and they through the opperation of the late War very Unable to Support the Charges that would Attend the Establishing a New County but were the Inhabitants in a Capacity to Errect the Necessary Buildings & we think it almost the Unanimous Oppinon that the Shire Town should be as near the Center as possible not at either of the Extreem parts as it would be; Should the Petition from Machias be Granted as the Roads are so bad that it would be Impractable for to pass, and few have Boats or Craft and if they had it depends so much on Winds & Weather, that in many Instances they would not attend Court in Season we would further observe that there is not one place Incorporated between the river Penobscot and the Extreem Eastern bounds of this Commonwealth and let us be ever so sufficient for the Business it would be very Difficult to Collect a proper Jury There is no men we think that have been or are now readier in this Commonwealth at all Times to bear their proportion of the public Expences but for the reasons before mentioned the Devastation by the Late War We doubt not your honors will readily give the Country opportunity to be enabled before you will request it — all which is Humbly Submitted by James Richardson, Delegate from Mount Desert John Bane Delegate from Frenchmans Bay Fra: Shaw Delegate from Gouldsborough Johnathan Stevens Delegate from Number Four William Nickels Delegate from Number Six

The Deligate from Pleasent River is of Opinion that it is not for the Benifit of this part of the County to have a Court of Common Pleas or the Court of General Sessions sett in this part of the County, and is Directed by his Constituents to oppose it- But is fully persuaded that it wou'd be for the benefit of the whole to have a Court of Probates and a Register of Deeds appointed in this part near the Center. Joseph Wilson Delegate from Pleasent River Dissent, Because the State of Facts pointed out in the Petitions from Machias (for which the Report of the Committee of both Houses was founded) were Just & True, and the Difficultys they therein mentioned still Continues, and there is not any Reasons advanced (in my opinion) either in the foregoing Representation or in the Arguments made use of by any of the Delegates in the Meeting, sufficient in the least Respect to shew, why the Report of the Committee of both Houses of the General Court, should not be carried into effect Ja Avery. Delegate from Machias

In the House of Representatives June 12th 1784

Read & thereupon Ordered that this answer together with another from certain Inhabitants on Union River be committed to the Committee of both Houses on the petition of Machias herein referred to.

Sent

up for concurrence

Sam A Otis Spk

Answer to Remonstrants.

Whereas the Delegates of a Number of the Plantations to the Westward of this place have sent a Remonstrance or Memorial to the Legislature of this Commonwealth, shewing why Courts &c should not be established at Machias.

To which reasons we purpose to reply & endeavour to ob viate the objections as follows:

1st The Memorial sets out with a declaration that they are legally appointed by the Inhabitants of the several Townships between Penobscot & Machias.

To this we would observe, that the Inhabitants on the Eastern side of the River Penobscot, Bagwaduce, Blue Hill, Deer Island, Naskeeg, Union River and Chandlers River, did not send any Delegates. And if the Delegates of those places that did attend, were appointed by the Inhabitants of the several places they represented, or if they conveyed the true Sentiments of their Constituents; no doubt they can produce their Authority and Instructions.-2dly They say it is proposed to sett off a New County!

Answer. It is not so; we never asked it, nor does the report of the Committee of both Houses imply any such thing.

3dly They say the Shire Town should be as nigh the Centre as possible.

Answ' For that very reason, Machias ought to be the place. 4th The next difficulty mentioned, is, The badness of the Roads, scarcity of Boats & Craft, and dependence on wind & weather.

Answ This reason operates entirely in our favour: If it is tedious to travel ten miles of bad road, it must be more so to travel fifty miles of the same kind of travelling, whither by land or water; and if wind and weather makes it precarious to go a small distance, the difficulty will increase in proportion as the distance increases. 5th The next reason is, That there is not one Incorporated Town between Penobscot and the extreme Eastern bounds of this Commonwealth, which will make it difficult to collect a Jury.

Answ Admitting that could prevent a Jury from being returned; is it not in the power of the Legislature to remove that obstacle? It is but for them to order that Jurors Shall be chose in each Plantation, in the same manner as they are

in Towns incorporated, and appointing proper persons to call meetings of the Inhabitants for choosing the same and making return thereof. Perhaps some of the settlements are in a Condition to support Town charges, and ought for their own Interest to be Incorporated, and desire it: Sure we are, Machias is of that number, and have actually petitioned to be Incorporated.—

6th The last reason mentioned, is, The total inability of the Country to support the charges that may arise &c

Answ This reason is given on Supposition of our being set off as a County which is not in contemplation, and the ability of the Inhabitants for that purpose doth not come under consideration; but poverty may be pleaded as a Substantial reason why Law & justice should be brought as nigh home as possible: But we are fully convinced that it is not the true reason: In our opinion, they imagine it will bring on Continental and State Taxes, which many would desire to avoid, whither able or not able; and they suppose if not incorporated & they can prevent a Court being held in this part of the County, they never will be taxed by Government, let them be ever so able. But we say it will not bring on Taxes the sooner, for if we are able to pay Taxes, we ought to do so, and must if called upon, whether Incorporated or not; But if we can make it appear that we are not able to pay Taxes, Government will have the justice & lenity to remit it. Further, we dare assert, if Gouldsborough could be made the shire Town, and this Country wholly exempt from taxes, the reasons given against it would not have been aledged: It must be from some latent motive that it is opposed, being conscious, that if facts are known, Machias will and ought to be the place established for holding Court &c. A Plantation that has taken the Oath of Allegiance to Britain, and those that petitioned for Neutrality, may be expected to oppose it.

Thus we think we have fully answered all their objections, and now desire to offer some further Reasons in support of the measure; After having just observ'd that in the report of the Committee of both Houses, it was stated that the district should be from Union River (not Penobscot,) to the Eastern boundary of the State, being about One hundred Miles on a Strait line.

And

1st Machias is very nigh the centre, of said District, it being about forty five miles from the River St Croix, (the eastern boundary) and about fifty six miles from Machias to Union River, the proposed western boundary.—

2dly Machias is the first settlement to the westward of Passamaquoddy, and there being many Refugees lately settled there; in case there should be any dispute between British Subjects and the Citizens of America, Machias would then be an Asylum for the distressed Americans, where they could find immediate assistance and support: And as many of the Refugees that are settled at Passamaquaddy and other parts of Nova Scotia, will find it difficult to get employ in that Province, they will naturally seek it this way, and perhaps many of them having led vicious lives, may be guilty of Theft, house-breaking and other enormities which deserve exemplary punishment but must escape with impunity if no relief is granted; for to prosecute any crime at Pownalborough (distant more than 200 Miles) would almost ruin the prosecutor if he is in comfortable circumstances; and in case of a commitment, it must first fall very heavy upon the Civil Officers, and finally on the County; for persons who are guilty of crimes of that nature, are seldom able to pay small charges, much less such an enormous sum as must arise in that case.

3dly The shire Town should be as near the Centre of the District as may be, & where entertainment may be had. To