FOREST commissioner's REPORT. IO5 



Maine Becomes a State. 



On June 19, 1819, the General Court passed the Act of Sepa- 

 ration by which Maine became a state. On August 24 a procla- 

 mation was made that provided "That the consent of this Com- 

 monwealth be and the same is hereby given that the District of 

 Maine may be formed and erected into a separate and inde- 

 pendent state, if the people shall in the manner, and by the 

 majority hereinafter mentioned, express their consent and agree- 

 ment thereto upon the following terms and conditions ; and 

 provided that Congress of the United States shall give its con- 

 sent thereto before the fourth day of March next." 



It cfirected the voters of Maine to vote on the question July 

 24th. On August 24th a proclamation was made that the re- 

 quired majority had been obtained, and the call issued for a 

 convention. The convention met October 11 and completed the 

 proposed Constitution October 29th, when it adjourned to Jami- 

 .ary 5, 1820. The proposed Constitution was submitted to the 

 people in town meetings on December 6, 1819, and adopted. 

 The convention applied to Congress for admission, which was 

 granted March 3, 1820. Maine became a state March 15, 1820. 



Maine Becomes a Joint Owner of the Public Lands. 



The Act of Separation provided : "And all lands belonging 

 to the Commonwealth within the District of Maine shall belong 

 the one-half thereof to the said Commonwealth, and the other 

 half thereof, to the state to be formed within said District, to 

 be divided as hereinafter mentioned." 



So that by the Act of Separation, as soon as Maine became 

 a State it acquired along with other public lands a joint owner- 

 ship in all islands along the coast then owned by Massachusetts 

 with a few exceptions hereafter mentioned. 



The Act of Separation further made provision for a division 

 of these public lands, and the appointment of a commission of 

 six commissioners to make the division. 



"They shall have full power and authority to divide all the 

 public lands within the District between the respective States 

 in equal shares or moities, in severalty having regard to quan- 

 tity, situation and quality ; they shall determine what shall be 

 surveyed and divided from time to time, the expense of which 



